You’re pregnant! There is nothing more life-changing than the news of a little baby joining your family. Whether it’s your first or your tenth, there is always the question of when to announce the pregnancy and how. From the subtle to the comedic to the romantic, we have compiled our top 30 favourite pregnancy announcement ideas and gifts for new mums.
When To Tell People You’re Pregnant
There is no wrong answer to the question of when to tell people you are pregnant. Usually the mother’s partner is the first person they go to with the happy news. However, as for friends and family, many people prefer to wait until after their 12-week scan. You will also be able to find out the sex of the baby at 12 weeks if that is something you want to include in your pregnancy reveal. On the other hand, letting a few close friends and family members know early on can help you get support for nausea, tiredness, and other common first trimester symptoms.Announcing the pregnancy to your colleagues and wider circle of friends and acquaintances is of course a personal choice. Keep in mind, however, that friends may need time to plan ahead for a baby shower and gifts, and your workplace will need time to make arrangements to cover your position while you are on maternity leave.
It is also important to measure the tone and style of your announcement given your chosen audience. In order to help you pick the right mood for the moment, we have split our top 30 baby announcement ideas into 5 categories:
Heartfelt Baby Announcement Ideas
- Personalised Cookies: Make personalised cookies and decorate them with baby-associated images like dummies, teddy bears, and baby rattles. Some cookies may have special messages like “You’re a grandma!” or “One’s still cooking!”
- Great Outdoors: Hike to the top of a hill or mountain with a baby-sized backpack. Pose with it held between you and your partner with a caption like, “Conquering a new mountain” or “The start of a new adventure.”
- Seedling in a Pot: Put a small seedling in between two established plants and take a photo. Post on social media to see who can guess what it means or use a fun pregnancy announcement caption like “A little sprout is growing!”
- Pet Sibling: If you’re a pet lover, make your dog or cat a scarf, T-shirt, or sign with the message, “My parents are getting me a tiny human.” If you have a more exotic pet, you can get creative with a shot of your hamster sleeping in a baby hat or your horse practising giving rides to a baby doll.
- Beach at Sunset: If you live near a beach, take a romantic photo at sunset while sitting in beach chairs. You and your partner can sit in traditional chairs with a smaller chair of the same style set between you. Holding hands over the smaller chair makes for a lovely silhouette.
- Say Cheese! While taking a family photo, instead of shouting “cheese,” you and your partner shout, “We're pregnant!” The best part about this pregnancy announcement idea will be the immediate reaction of your family that’s captured on camera!
Funny Pregnancy Reveal Ideas
- Under Construction Photoshoot: Wear a shirt with the “Bump” road sign over your belly while your partner holds a sign that reads “Under Construction.” You can wear hard hats and high-vis for even more fun!
- Bun Pun: An oldie but a goodie. Bun pun. Place an actual bun in the oven and ask your partner or family member to check to see if you left something in the oven because you smell something cooking.
- Ice, Ice, Baby: Use the famous lyric “Ice, ice, baby” from recording artist Vanilla Ice to announce your pregnancy. Ask your partner to hold two bags of ice and stand to your right. Then point to your baby bump and ask a friend to take a photo. In the end, you’re the lyric: ice, ice, baby!
- Got a Bite: Pose for a picture where you and your partner are reeling in a “big one” that ends up being an ultrasound picture, baby hat, or other baby item. For added cuteness, have a teddy bear fishing with its own small rod next to you.
- Ready Player Three: For gamers and tech-lovers, try a more nerdy approach. Shirts with text like “Loading…” or “Downloading…” over the baby bump or a set of three shirts with Player 1, Player 2, and Player 3 are popular announcement ideas.
Subtle Pregnancy Announcement Ideas
- Dinner Surprise: Go out to dinner with your family and bring your ultrasound picture with you in your handbag. Once everyone has gotten settled in and is chatting away, pull out the picture and hold it quietly in front of you until someone notices.
- Diaper Delivery: Order a pack of diapers and wipes online and ask your partner to answer the door when the delivery arrives. Or, if they’re not home, wait to open the box with them. At first they might be confused about why you ordered baby essentials, but eventually they’ll figure it out!
- Little Messenger: Ask an older child to wear a shirt or hold a sign that has “only child” crossed out and replaced with “big brother” or “big sister.” Ask them to walk into the room where friends and family await!
- Fine Print: Create or order a custom-made label for something you’d like to give to your partner, friends, and family. Some ideas include candles, bottles of wine, or chocolate bars. The name of your item should be “Always Read the Fine Print,” and the fine print on the label is where you reveal the surprise!
- Fortune Cookie: Have a local bakery make fortune cookies and provide them with little strips of paper bearing messages of your news. On take-out night, pass the cookies around to your loved ones. You can even make each message personalised for specific family members, just don’t get them mixed up by accident!
- Plate Reveal: Entertain your family members with a dinner party and order custom-made plates with messages like “We’re having a baby!” or “You’re going to be a grandfather.” Serve each member their dish and wait for the excitement as the first person finishes their meal!
- Mug Reveal: Serve your partner and/or family members their morning coffee in specially made cups that have “We’re pregnant!” or a similar message hiding at the bottom of the drink.
- Spotify Playlist: Make a Spotify playlist with songs about parenthood and loving a child. Add your partner and/or others and see how long it takes them to catch on. Or, if you want to be more direct, fill it with baby friendly lullabies and title it something like, “For Our Little One.”
Romantic Baby Announcement Ideas
- Postbox Selfie: Take a selfie with the pregnancy test while cuddled up to your sleeping partner. Then print the selfie and put it in the postbox with a card addressed to your partner.
- Photo Booth: Surprise your partner with the news in a photo booth while the camera snaps multiple pictures. Their reaction caught in real time will be something you can treasure forever!
- Professional Photo Shoot: Have both you and your partner write down sweet messages on chalkboards during a photo shoot. Your final message will be something like “I’m pregnant.” Then face each other to reveal what you wrote. The photographer will catch your partner’s surprise.
- Table for Three: Book a table at your favourite restaurant, but make the reservation for three rather than two. Ask the restaurant to set the table with plates, and write “Congratulations!” on the plate at the third setting.
- Care Gift: Wrap up a box full of baby items like clothing, booties, stuffed toys, etc. and gift it to your partner. For extra suspense, wrap each piece inside the box separately and watch as they put the pieces together item by item.
Puzzling Pregnancy Reveal Ideas
- Trivia Night: Host a game of trivia and make your final question something along the lines of, “When is our little girl due to become a big sister?” or “What’s going to happen in 9 months to make our family a bit bigger?”
- Charades: Have “I am/We are pregnant” be the answer in a night of charades.
- Celebrity Heads: During a game of celebrity heads, give the person who doesn’t know about the pregnancy yet a card that reads “Pregnant Person” or “Grandmother” and reveal the news once they guess it!
- Scavenger Hunt: Have the person or group follow a series of clues with the last clue leading them to you where you can announce the pregnancy!
- Custom Puzzle: Order a personalised puzzle with larger pieces so it won’t take too long to put together. Someone will eventually notice the message before the puzzle is complete, and then you can make the big announcement to everyone involved!
- Do the Math: This one is extra fun if you are pregnant with multiples. Line up yourself, your partner, and any kids you might already have against a wall. Put plus signs between each of you and an equals sign at the end with the total number of people added up. Take a picture and send it to friends and family!
Pregnancy Gifts for First Time Mums
From practical essentials to indulgent treats, finding the perfect gift for a new mum can be a fun way to get involved in your friend or loved one’s special moment. We have picked our top 5 favourite pregnancy gifts for first time mums that add a touch of comfort and delight to her new role while also making sure she does not forget to capture these fleeting first time moments. Whether you're seeking a heartfelt present for a baby shower or simply looking to spoil a special mum-to-be, our suggestions aim to bring a smile to her face and ease her transition into motherhood.
1. MOMENTS photo book and voucher for a baby photoshoot
Have you heard of MOMENTS photo printing? It’s an app that makes creating custom photo books and photo collage art simple and fun. A MOMENTS photo book or a personalised photo collage is an ideal gift for first-time mums because it will create a physical memory of those early days that they can treasure forever. While digital photos are good for sharing online, there is something special about the tangibility of printed photos that you can hold in your hands. To make it extra special, pair it with a voucher for a baby photoshoot with Jenny McCarthy of PhotosbyJen. She has the experience to ensure those fleeting moments are professionally captured, creating precious memories to cherish for a lifetime.
2. Collection of your favourite 3-5 childhood books
For a gift with a more personal touch, we recommend the timeless gift of childhood books. Selecting a collection of your favourite 3-5 childhood books can be a wonderful way to kickstart a love for reading in the new addition to the family. From classic tales to beloved characters, these books offer the opportunity for bonding and storytelling between mum and baby, fostering a love for literature from an early age.
3. Spa day or at-home spa gift set
Sometimes the best gift for a new mum is a little time away from it all. Give the gift of relaxation and rejuvenation with a spa day or an indulgent at-home spa gift set. After the whirlwind of childbirth and the demands of early motherhood, a pampering session can provide much-needed rest and self-care. Whether she enjoys a day of pampering at a luxury spa or unwinds in the comfort of her own home, this gift allows her to recharge and replenish her energy levels.
4. Comfortable pyjamas and sleep mask
Any new parent will tell you they appreciate the gift of comfort and restful sleep. Help them recover their energy with a set of comfortable pyjamas and a sleep mask. As first-time mums navigate the challenges of caring for a newborn, sleep can often become fragmented and unpredictable. Providing cosy sleepwear and a soothing sleep mask can help create a conducive environment for rest, ensuring that mum can make the most of those precious moments of sleep, even at odd hours.
5. Gift card to a local baby shop
Lastly, we suggest the practical present of a gift card for a baby shop. This allows first-time mums the flexibility to purchase any essential items they may need for their new arrival, as well as indulge in items they may have been eyeing but feel hesitant to splurge on. Whether it's nursery essentials, adorable baby clothes, or handy gadgets, a gift card empowers mums to make choices that suit their unique needs and preferences.
Shop Baby Elegance gift cards online.
The perfect gift for a first-time mum considers her needs and desires and the joyous journey she's embarking upon. Whether it's capturing cherished moments, fostering a love for reading, indulging in self-care, promoting restful sleep, or providing practical support, these gifts aim to celebrate and support the incredible transition into motherhood. With these thoughtful gestures, you can make their journey into parenthood all the more memorable and enjoyable.
