Two pink lines! Is this really happening? You better take another test. Yes, it’s happening! The news is too big to keep to yourself so before you burst, we’ll walk you through how to share to your loved ones or the public that you’re expecting and give you some fantastic pregnancy announcement ideas.

When should you announce your pregnancy? Whenever you’re ready. If you want to share your pregnancy news as soon as you even catch a whiff of a pregnancy symptom, that’s great. If you prefer to wait until after the first trimester is complete and your pregnancy’s likelihood of surviving increases, how exciting. And if you decide to wait until you can no longer hide your bump, wonderful. It’s your growing family and ultimately your choice.

Adoption—and even quarantine—present the unique opportunity to surprise your family with baby news once the baby has actually arrived. If you can pull this off, you might be the greatest secret-keeper in the world.

Making a pregnancy announcement to your husband or partner

Who should you tell first? You’ll want to confide in your closest supporters, and your partner is usually a good place to start. We have some pregnancy reveal ideas for when you want to tell your partner the good news;

• Pet participation: You might consider your pet as your child, so it’s only fitting to have them announce that there will be a new family member to share the title with. Tie a note on your pet’s collar, use your pet’s prints to write a message, or even teach your pet a trick to perform to share the news. “Polly want a baby?”
• Play your cards right: Make a pregnancy announcement card. This will be a great surprise, especially if you can time it with a special occasion where cards are typical. The dad-to-be won’t see this special card coming.
• Ultra-special: Create a photo album highlighting you and your partner’s relationship. Leave a blank space for an ultrasound photo of your baby. Label the space if you haven’t had an ultrasound yet so that he’ll know what to look forward to next in your journey together.
• Lawn care: Depending on the weather, mow, rake, or shovel your baby announcement wording into the lawn. Landscaping will never be as exhilarating as when writing “We’re pregnant” in grass, leaves, or snow.
• Photoshoot: There’s a photo trend where couples write a message to one another then exchange them while a photographer captures the reaction. “You’re going to be a daddy” is sure to spark raw emotion.

Sibling pregnancy announcement

It’s big excitement concocting creative ways to announce your first pregnancy, and the excitement only grows (along with your heart) when you have extra help to announce subsequent pregnancies. Becoming a big sibling is a huge milestone in a child’s life. Let them get involved in the announcement! But first, you have to announce it to them!

• Puzzles: Make a connect-the-dots, word search, or puzzle for the soon-to-be older sibling(s). This is great for various ages; pictures for younger children and words or symbols for more mature kids. When solved, siblings will understand a baby is on the way.
• Crafts: Ask sibling(s) to help you make something for a new baby. They’ll be surprised to know the baby will be “theirs.” It could even be refurbishing an item the sibling used such as furniture to pass on to the baby. This is also a golden opportunity to prepare for a new baby. To help your older children understand why their things are being passed on to a new sibling, read with them Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats.
• Notes: If you have a new reader, let them sound out the words telling them there will be a new baby. They’ll be so proud of their new skills and won’t believe what they just read!

How to announce your pregnancy with the help of older siblings

You can incorporate older siblings to share your pregnancy news with friends and family. Here are creative ideas you can draw from;

• Expiration date: Have your only child wear a t-shirt that reads Only Sibling Expires December 1st (or the baby’s due date). Who wouldn’t smile at that?
• Just ask: Get together for a meal with friends or family. Have your youngest child loudly ask for an extra dessert for their little sibling. They’ll likely go along with this scheme. Since your baby isn’t here yet, it means double dessert!
• Style: Use clippers or washable hair chalk to write “Big bro” or “Big sis” into your soon-to-be big siblings’ hair.

Pregnancy announcement for grandparents

How often do you get to give your parents an unforgettable gift? Here are some of the best pregnancy announcement ideas for grandparents:

• Coffee enthusiast: Surprise your parents with a special message imprinted at the bottom of a mug, like this grandma coffee mug. When they’re on their last sip, they’ll be notified of their promotion to a grandparent.
• Book lover: Present the future grandparents with a book that they’ll be able to read with their new buddy one day. You can bookmark it with an ultrasound photo.
• Beach goer: Write in the sand or collect shells and other sea items to spell out a message to the grandparents of your future beach babe. Try a message like “Baby Smith 2022.”
• Collector’s addition edition: If your parent is a collector, make a one-of-a-kind version of an item they can collect in honor of your future addition and present it to them. Examples; a trading card or stamp with your baby’s stats on it, a record with a personalized label, or a custom comic. You could adapt this for many hobbies.
• Family game night: Using classic games, drop hints for your parents to guess your surprise. If you want to go the extra mile, you can make fake game cards that will trick the players before they realize they’re winning at life and can look forward to a new grandbaby.

How to tell friends and family you’re pregnant

How should you share pregnancy news with friends and family? Play to your strengths. Are you a baker, engineer, designer, teacher? Using your unique skills can make the announcement more personal and further cherished.

• Trading blueprints for footprints: Show your loved ones fake blueprints of your most recent “project” that include an engineered-style baby illustration or your ultrasound photo. This works exceptionally well if you’re having (or are pretending to have) construction done. A stroller, baby bottle, or breast pump are all fitting illustration subjects.
• Newest fan: Show pride for your favorite team with a jersey printed just for your baby. Add the baby’s last name to tot-size apparel or a message that the baby is due on the back of your jersey. Make it permanent in ink or vinyl or temporary in tape.
• Plus one: Go out to eat in a group. Make sure your family or friends are around as you approach the host and ask, “How many are we?” Once everyone decides on the number, dramatically add one more to the count to request the table, then disclose who your plus one is.

Going public with your pregnancy

Photos are a memorable way to announce pregnancy on social media. Here’s some inspiration for how to tell friends you’re pregnant online with just a picture and a pregnancy announcement caption:

• Big shoes to fill: Arrange both parents’ pairs of shoes side by side with the baby’s pair. The size comparison is only too sweet.
• Pumpkin spice and all things nice: Display a pumpkin for each family member. Emphasize a baby pumpkin to represent your newest little addition. Write the birth year on the pumpkin that corresponds with each family member (including the future birth year). Alternatively, you may carve one of the “adult” pumpkins and place a “baby” pumpkin inside like a pregnant pumpkin.
• Do the math – Line the family up. Write + signs between each person with an = sign after the last person and write the solution. The equation will get a double-take because it will look like someone miscalculated, but mom counts as 2!
• Cravings: Pose with an ice cream cone topped with a pickle. People will recognize the classic pregnancy symptom.
• Photo session: You could also plan to announce pregnancy to family and friends while they’re posing for a family photo. Instead of saying cheese, say, “(Fill in the blank’s) pregnant!” or use a baby onesie to reveal your news. You’ll be sure to catch loved ones off-guard. Capture the reaction in a photo or video.

Announcing your pregnancy through video

Speaking of videos, if you’re not able to announce your pregnancy in person, spreading the news virtually is the next best option. The benefit of making a pregnancy announcement video is that you can send it to friends and family and watch it again and again, and also show it to your little one someday. Your video could capture their reactions as you share your news or it could serve as a creative pregnancy announcement itself.

• Animation anticipation: Use animation to enhance a video announcement. Adding words and movement will give the video just the right amount of whimsy.
• Art imitates life: Use art to make your baby’s ultrasound announcement. Paint, draw, embroider, or digitize an ultrasound photo and record the progress. Viewers will be left guessing until the artwork is complete, and they will look forward to the final masterpiece.
• Stop motion magic: Use a series of photographs to create a dynamic message. The video can take on any feel you like: artistic, funny, sweet, emotional, etc.

• Parody hilarity: Create a song parody video, changing the original song lyrics to make it about being pregnant. Don’t forget your best dance moves. Your child will be able to look back and be reminded of how awesome you are.

Babies are so special and each one deserves to be celebrated. Announce their beginnings your own way!