60 Unique Pregnancy Announcements Worthy of Your News
For couples eager to start a family, there’s no news more exhilarating than “I’m pregnant!” Finding out you’re expecting is a huge milestone moment for you and your partner. Even more wonderful: a pregnancy announcement is that rare sort of news that can be as much of a big deal for your closest friends and family members as it is for you.
Clearly, then, you’ve got to share that news in an equally significant way. Looking for inspiration? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve collected a spectacular array of pregnancy announcement ideas—from the “it’s so cute I can hardly stand it!” to the laugh-out-loud funny—plus etiquette advice and shopping tips for maximum impact. Whether you prefer to go low-key or scream your exciting news from the virtual rooftops, you’ll find a range of just-right pregnancy announcement ideas to choose from.
Learning you’re pregnant is, in some ways, like learning you’ve won the lottery—you want to tell the whole world, but you need to be careful about how you share your news. First things first: When should you announce pregnancy? The answer to that is it’s totally up to you!
Most women tell people after the 14-week mark, says David Garry, MD, director of maternal fetal medicine at Stony Brook Medicine in New York. “Waiting till 20 weeks, or 4 to 5 months, is also popular,” he adds, explaining that this allows women to make sure the ultrasound findings are normal and confirm the sex of baby. (Though, you don’t need to know baby’s sex to announce your pregnancy!)
Historically, because the risk of miscarriage is high during the first trimester, some moms-to-be opt to wait before telling even their inner circle. In this case, Daniel Post Senning, author of Manners in the Digital World and a spokesperson at The Emily Post Institute says, “the textbook time to announce a pregnancy to family and friends is week 12.” You may choose to share the news with close family and friends sooner than everyone else, or you may opt to share it with everyone at once.
But consider the fact that if you do experience a miscarriage without having told anyone you were expecting, you may find that you’re lacking a good support system to share in your grief. That’s why many couples choose to tell a few trusted people early on, so they have someone to lean on if things don’t turn out as planned.
The bottom line? You should announce your pregnancy whenever it feels right to you.
Before you text your bestie or go wide on Instagram, realize that there are so-called rules for how to announce pregnancy, says Post Senning (who is the great great grandson of Emily Post, in case you’re wondering). Here’s what you need to know about the appropriate sequence and nature of pregnancy announcements:
• Don’t wait to tell your partner. Chances are, you found out together, but if not, you need to let your partner know “pretty much right away,” Post Senning says. “Your partner is going to want to know, and you’re going to want to make that as personal a tell as possible,” he says.
• Tell the people you’re closest to first. If the soon-to-be grandma or grandpa sees it on Facebook before you’ve made a phone call, they’ll feel undervalued, Post Senning says. They shouldn’t have to find out with the masses, and they should expect nothing less than a phone call.
• Don’t tell if you’re not ready to tell. When acquaintances notice you haven’t been sipping your wine, they’ll try to get the info out of you. But don’t feel pressured to disclose if you’re not ready, Post Senning says. If you find yourself stuck but don’t want to lie, just say to the asker, “Let’s not jump to that conclusion.”
• Keep in mind your audience. Many of the pregnancy announcement ideas we’ve supplied here are visual creations to be shared via social media or text, or snail-mailed as cards. As long as your pregnancy announcement is kept private to close family and friends, you can be as fun and silly (or not) as you like. With work colleagues, keep it hush-hush until you let your boss know. After that, feel free to tell a work friend, and the rest will be taken care of via good old-fashioned word of mouth. Receiving news through the grapevine was “the social media before social media,” says Post-Senning, “and it’s totally appropriate for your outer circle.”
There’s a hierarchy when it comes to how to announce pregnancy: the in-person tell, the phone call, the email and the social media share. You want to make it personal when telling your partner and the soon-to-be grandparents. Your best course of action? “Delivering” (pardon the pun) the good news in person. Of course, distance can preclude that option. Still, there are plenty of ways to ensure they feel involved. “It gives loved ones the chance to really share in your joy,” he says. Here are some of our favorite pregnancy announcement ideas for family that let you do just that.
Pregnancy announcements for your partner
Many of these options get their inspiration from clever knick-knacks you can buy online. But if even expedited delivery feels too slow (we don’t blame you), these pregnancy announcement ideas can easily be DIY’d too.
Leave a stack of tees on your partner’s side of the bed, with the Dad or the Mom (if you’ll be a two-mom family) version of these at the top. As your partner is still trying to process everything, waltz into the room wearing your own Mom tee.
Bake (or buy) your partner’s favorite dessert, and surprise them with this exuberant topper. Is the real treat the cake or the upcoming bundle of joy? It’s both!
Give your favorite Scrabble partner the ultimate challenge—deciphering the words on this T-shirt. Or, even better, rig the real game so you’ve got just the right letters to spell out your news.
The good news for your non-pregnant partner (besides the obvious!) is the fact that they can still enjoy a glass of wine. Hand them a bottle of their favorite varietal sporting this tongue-in-cheek label—then wait to see how long it takes them to notice.
Wait till your partner is out, then secretly dress your pooch in this bandana—or scurry one up with fabric markers on a tee. When they return, join your pup in greeting them at the door, and watch your partner’s usual “so happy to see you guys” face turn into “OMG! Wow!”
Pregnancy announcement ideas for parents
Who could possibly be more excited about the news than you and your partner? The grandparents-to-be, of course. We’ve got some great pregnancy announcements for grandparents to choose from. Need a larger selection? Check out this comprehensive round-up of some of our favorites.
These days, handwritten cards are a thrill as it is, but when those notes are pregnancy announcements? Well, it’s beyond words. Plain stationery will do—or get all fancy with this printed card, which announces their impending promotion. Just be sure to hand-deliver it if you can. You won’t want to miss their reaction!
Give your young-at-heart dad a surprise package—and watch his eyes light up when he pulls out this too-cool-for-school Pop-Pop tee.
Let Grandma know that she’ll want to get the satellite nursery ready! Send a homemade note, or hand-deliver this red-hot onesie.
Your parents (or in-laws) score a double win when you opt to make these pretty mugs your pregnancy announcement. They’ll get a sweet surprise and a new mug for their favorite morning beverage.
Here’s a fun pregnancy announcement idea if you already have one or two kids. Get a shot of them holding either the sonogram or a message revealing that they’ll soon have a little sib. Tell your parents that you’d like to show them the latest school photos—and watch their surprised response when they quickly realize there’s a new addition.
Everyone loves to ooh and aww over those tiny newborn fingers and toes. So consider these cute pregnancy announcements a chance for your loved ones to get in some early practice.
Is it a holiday card or a pregnancy announcement? Trick question: It’s both! This subtle photo is a sweet way to share your little news.
Looks like just another day at the beach, until you take a closer look at the hat! Steal this cute pregnancy idea, and your friends will definitely be doing a double-take as they scroll through their Instagram feeds.
This cute pregnancy announcement idea gives sonographic proof that there’s a human baby on the way. Have someone snap a candid (or planned!) photo of you and your partner admiring baby’s first pictures; it allows friends and family to share in the unfiltered joy of this sweet moment.
Hello world. Choose a onesie, snap a photo and make the grand announcement from baby’s point of view!
This cute pregnancy announcement is a different way to take advantage of those tiny baby shoes. Here, they’re featured alongside both of your hands intertwined—a symbol of the bond that’s now creating your family together.
This cute pregnancy announcement is as sweet as can be. A customized box of chocolates will spell out your delightful (and delicious) news.
Surprising a loved one with itty-bitty baby gear will do the trick. This set includes a knitted cap and bootie socks that are oh-so-adorable. Snap a photo of the pint-size accessories for your social media—and let the squeals begin.
Sugar and spice—this pregnancy announcement is so nice! Simplicity is always a win—but ruffle bottoms and big bows certainly don’t hurt either.
This keepsake box keeps all the important info in one safe place: first ultrasound, due-date tracker and sweet message.
Sure, you can dress your dog up in a silly ensemble or place a letterboard in front of them and snap a photo for social media. Or, you could just take a sweet picture of your pup in their element. This at-home family-loving doggie is ready to become the ultimate protector to a new human sibling. And that burgeoning bump in the background? Squeal!
Expecting a future beach bum? Write your big news in the sand for everyone to see—at the shore and on social media.
Bet you didn’t think duck decoys could come in handy for pregnancy announcements (or look this adorable).
Your sense of taste and smell aren’t the only things heightened during pregnancy. As these creative pregnancy announcement ideas suggest, your creativity quotient may kick into high gear too.
Want to have a crack at giving your loved ones a thrill? Break the shell of this egg to reveal a message of your choosing: “We’re pregnant!,” “New chicklet on the way” or “9 months to hatch.”
Let loved ones know you’ve got a bun in the oven with this adorably kitschy pregnancy announcement idea. Each bun comes with its own customized note.
Got a barely there bump you want to show off? If it’s just beginning to pop, find a way to draw attention to your cutest accessory. Let friends and loved ones know that there’s a BUMP in the road—a good one, of course.
Expecting around the holidays? These pretty pregnancy announcement ornaments are oh-so-apropos if you’re ready to spread the news while the holiday lights are still twinkling.
Who doesn’t love a new candle? Better yet, this one doubles as a creative pregnancy announcement. Just be sure the recipient reads the fine print!
Love to go on global adventures as a couple? You’re about to have a new little travel companion. Celebrate the journey ahead with a fun and creative digital pregnancy announcement. Simply customize the template, download your creation and share the amazing news.
Nonchalantly serve a round of these house-labeled brewskies and see how long it takes your pals to notice.
Have a lotto lover in the family? They’ll be so excited when you bring them a few scratch-off games to play. Little do they know they’re about to find out that you’ve hit the baby jackpot.
One of the many things kids teach you is that you’ve got to have a sense of humor. The couples behind these ha-ha-funny pregnancy announcements already have it in spades. (For even more fun ways to announce pregnancy, straight from women who’ve tried them, click here).
Pandemic babies are born! This cute and funny pregnancy announcement onesie shares that Mom and Dad just couldn’t keep their distance.
Looks like this couple is leveling up the “family”! Their funny pregnancy announcement T-shirts let everyone know they’ve pressed the start button for challenging new adventure.
We censored it here—but, don’t worry, the actual card tells it like it is. Because, yes, it will get real once baby arrives.
When you’re expecting your fourth baby, you’re entitled to all the Star Wars puns. (And seriously you’re going to need “the force” juggling day-to-day life with four feisty kiddos at home—a real Baby Yoda is coming soon! Squeal.)
Some of the funniest pregnancy announcements offer a fresh perspective on ordinary surroundings—which is precisely what happens when you add a baby to the mix. Grab a grocery cart and start filling it with diapers, the foods you crave—and (for those friends who need a bigger hint) the books you’re studying up on.
They’ve jumped off the deep end and expect kiddie pools in their future! (This is definitely a dude’s pregnancy announcement idea—but we’re pretty sure that a good chuckle was had by all.)
Want a creative pregnancy annoucement that taps into the humor of pregnancy? This customizable digital print is equal parts clever and funny. (Coming to a delivery room near you soon!)
Sometimes baby shows up when you least expect it—which makes the reveal that much more fun. These pregnancy announcements offer ideas for sharing that surprise not just with hubby but also your loved ones.
Does this guy think his partner wanted to do an impromptu photo shoot just because? Once he turns around, the photographer’s shots will be priceless.
Same idea as the first surprise pregnancy announcement, but with a onesie—which goes to show, great pregnancy announcements never get old.
Looks like this couple was just as surprised by the news as everyone else will be (though this “oops” onesie is no mistake).
Got a puzzle lover to share the happy news with? Give them this gift and watch their face light up over this surprise pregnancy announcement.
Pour your plus-one a full cup of coffee and eagerly watch as they sip it down to the last drop. Once they do, the surprise pregnancy announcement at the bottom of the mug will make their heart beat faster than any amount of caffeine could.
This surprise pregnancy announcement has a holiday theme; a twist on a traditional scratch-off card, it’s a fun way to announce that you’re expecting during the happiest season of all.
When it comes to pregnancy announcements, a big sibling offers a whole new world of creative possibility.
You just can’t miss a message written this large in the sand. This cutie-pie just can’t wait to teach little sis about the ins and outs of mud pies and sand castles.
Hey, little guy, responsibilities come with that big title change, you know. But you can’t beat perks (like someone to make mischief with!).
A onesie is pretty much the universal way to break the news that there’s a baby on the way—and this family portrait is about to get twice as cute in a few months.
“Hello baby, it’s us—Dad, Mom and Big Bro! We’re just having some good old-fashioned fun with our pregnancy announcement portrait!”
He got the job! Personalize this digital creation and print it to create an adorable sibling pregnancy announcement.
The only thing more exciting than saying “We’re pregnant!” is saying “We’re pregnant with twins!” Here’s how to have double the fun with your pregnancy announcements.
Even if you don’t use graffiti art, you can still make an outsized statement. In this twin pregnancy announcement photo, Mom and big brother can’t hide their shock, while Dad’s so scared he’s practically frozen.
Want to take a subtle approach to announcing the impending arrival of two babies? This twin pregnancy announcement idea is as sweet as can be. Grab a big bowl of ice cream and use this “eating for three” spoon, and see if anyone notices. Not getting attention quick enough? Top your dessert with a few pickles. That should do the trick.
It’s Mom’s first portrait with the twins! And this dreamy filter seems about right for the most surreal news of all.
Plot. Twist. What’s cuter than a onesie pregnancy announcement? A twinsie pregnancy announcement. This set of newborn onesies will help you reveal the big exciting turn of events.
Chalkboards are always a cute medium for your message if you have a pint-sized messenger on hand. This Mommy’s little helper is going to have her hands full soon!
You’ve got some news to share! Not sure how to say it? Try a letter board! These red-hot accessories are all the rage these days, and have become a total staple in today’s pregnancy announcements. Need proof? Check out some of our favorite letterboard pregnancy announcements below.
Less is more, and sometimes simplicity is best. This felt letter board set comes with 250 letters, numbers and icons (like this cute onesie) so that you can make your announcement in a sweet and subtle way.
Ever wonder how people create the most beautiful flat lays for their Instagram feeds? Fake it until you make it! This digital file does the work for you. Customize the faux letter board, purchase, download and share the news far and wide.
Already have a name picked out for your new addition? If you’re ready to share all the happy news in one efficient Instagram post, you can create custom-font words to add to your beloved letter board.
When it’s time to spill the beans to friends and acquaintances online, you can do it with this cute letterboard pregnancy announcement idea.
Yes, baby is coming. But a new mom and dad are about to be born too!
This dog doesn’t look too thrilled with her promotion—or maybe it’s just the bandana she’s not quite loving.
A letter board pregnancy announcement is great, but one that shows just a hint of the bump is even better.
Sharing your news on social media? Crafting the perfect pregnancy announcement caption can feel daunting. No pressure, it’s just the biggest news you’ve ever shared! Suffice to say, you want to write something that captures how you’re feeling about the impending arrival. Embrace humor or share your emotions. You do you.
If baby brain has you struggling to figure out what to say on your pregnancy announcements, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ve compiled a starter list of some favorite pregnancy announcement caption ideas. Feel free to borrow the one that’s just right for you.
- And baby makes three. (Or four.) You get it. A similar option: “And then there were three.”
- The best is yet to come! Let everyone know that this is just the beginning of your epic story.
- Our humans are getting us a baby. This is a great pregnancy announcement caption for couples with pets!
- Downloading baby… ready on (due date). You can download just about anything these days!
- We’ve been cooking up something special. Got a chef in the family?
- Eating for two! Mama needs all the nutrients.
- Every superhero needs a sidekick. This is a great caption for a sibling announcement—especially if big bro or big sis is into wearing a cape!
- I’m growing a human. What have you done lately? Because the mamas enduring nine months of pregnancy are the real MVPs.
- The more the merrier. The perfect holiday-themed pregnancy announcement caption.
- Evicted! Booting an older child from their beloved crib? This hilarious one-word caption never gets old.
- It’s bumpin’ in here. Ready to show off that burgeoning belly for the very first time? This pregnancy announcement caption celebrates this exciting time.
About the experts:
David Garry, MD, director of maternal fetal medicine at Stony Brook Medicine in New York. He received his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Daniel Post Senning, author of Manners in the Digital World and a spokesperson at The Emily Post Institute.
Plus, more from The Bump:
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