One of the exciting parts of pregnancy is letting others know that you are pregnant. But sometimes just saying ‘Hey, I’m pregnant,’ isn’t enough. Instead, take a creative approach to spilling the beans . . .
Pregnant? You only get one chance to tell people the exciting news. Instead of just outright telling folks, take a creative approach to sharing the news. Not only will your loved ones remember the moment forever, but it will make a great story to tell the grandkids one day … Heck, it will make a great story period.
Ultra-cool ultrasound
The precious first pictures of baby taken during ultrasounds can make a great way to share the news. Forget about impersonal MySpace and Facebook posts for close friends and family and , instead, use the ultrasound photos to spread the word with tangible items like postcards.
“The way we announced it to all our other family and friends was to send our postcards. We ordered roughly 100 postcards from Vistaprint.com that had a picture of me holding the pregnancy test. Next to the picture it said “Boy or Girl? Find out the answer in May 2009!” It was a fun, inexpensive way to announce it and we still get compliments on how creative it was,” said Stephanie Carter.
Another way to use the ultrasound photo is to place it in a picture frame and give it as a gift. “we timed the announcement with my mom’s birthday (which happened to fall on Thanksgiving that year). So with the whole family around the table, my mom began opening her birthday presents. Our present to her was a picture frame that had “Grandkids” engraved on it … and a picture of the ultrasound in the frame. When she opened the present, her first expression was quizzical, then elated … she teared up and couldn’t say a word … all she could do was pass the frame around the table to everyone else,” said Jenny White.
A bun in the oven?
Ever heard the old expression “there’s a bun in oven?” Well, taking a literal approach to that can be a really fun and unique way to share the news.
Mom Heather Zebra of CoolZebras.com surprised her husband with the news just before a doctor’s appointment.
“While my husband was in the bathroom I took a hamburger bun and put it in the oven. When he emerged from the bathroom I asked him if he was cooking something. No, he said he wasn’t and wondered why. I just said “oh I thought you put something in the oven.” He was confused by this exchange, but nonetheless opened the oven door to look. It took him a moment or two to figure it out, but his grandfather used to ask me every time he saw me if I had a bun in the oven yet,” said Heather Harrer.
Say it on a shirt
Shirts that tell the story are a great way to spread the joy. They can also be a lot of fun, because people might not notice right away so you can really see each person’s reaction. “We bought my son a t-shirt that said, ‘Oops, they did it again. I’m gonna be a big brother.’ We put the t-shirt on him and waited for my parents to notice it,” said Michael Shore.
If it’s your first baby, or even if you just have a beloved furry friend, you can get them in on the surprise too. “I made a t-shirt for my dog that said ‘New Top Dog – Baby Tong – July 2009’. The shirt was a plain white t-shirt and I used puffy paint in pink and blue to write the letters on it. I took a picture of my dog in the shirt, and then emailed it around to friends. I included a note with the photo that said, Chip is going to be a big brother. No, we’re not getting a puppy. Yes, we’re having a baby,” said Karen Tong.
A picture is worth a thousand words
Want to remember the expressions when you shared the news forever? Then plan a picture! Simply let the photographer in on the news and have them capture some shots while and after you share the news.
“The family was all gathered for my niece’s confirmation party and we asked a family friend also attending to suggest that he take a picture with all the family members in it. Just as the family friend snapped the shot, my husband blurted out “Jean’s pregnant!” The photographer got some great surprised and joyful looks on our family members’ faces in the series of shots he took over the next few minutes. It was a great way to capture and remember the moment,” said Jean Eggemeyer.
Social networking?
With the rising popularity of social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, it can be tempting to just send off a quick message announcing pregnancy. While that is an incredibly impersonal way to tell close friends and family, it is a great way to disseminate the information to everyone else once your nearest and dearest are in the know.
Another way to incorporate the internet is to start a pregnancy blog, and invite your circle of friends to read about your exciting news. Keeping up with the blog throughout your pregnancy can make it a great keepsake for baby too.
Tell us: What creative way did you share the pregnancy news? Comment below!
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