Creative Ways to Announce a Pregnancy
Learning that you’re going to have a baby can bring a flood of emotions, especially when you’ve been trying to conceive for a while. Hope, joy, love, happiness, and anticipation are just a few feelings that can envelop the announcement of an addition to the family. Many people don’t want to announce what they are expecting, and they want it to be “the” announcement. So, how does a woman or couple plan their information to make it the most memorable? By using imagination and creativity.
Public Announcements
Some new mothers-to-be want to make sure that everyone knows they are going to have a baby. They will go to great lengths to ensure that their pregnancy announcement is unique and one to remember.
Judy Kerrigan, a mother of three from Columbus, Ohio, wanted to make sure that her husband and his friends knew she was expecting their first child. “While at one of my husband’s company softball games I noticed that a lot of messages were being announced over the loud speaker, including one about the Father’s Day festivities that were scheduled,” Kerrigan says. “The announcements were so loud that even the outfielders could hear them. Getting a wonderful idea, I excused myself from the other wives and went to the booth where a fellow employee of my husband’s was sitting at the announcement table. I spoke with him for a moment, returned to my seat and waited. Within a few minutes another announcement was made. It said, ‘Attention please, everyone’s attention please. Directly following the game there will be a sign-up sheet for the Father’s Day picnic. All dads who would like to participate in the Father’s Day softball game need to sign up directly following the conclusion of this game. Mark Kerrigan, that means you, too. You’re going to be a daddy by Christmas.’ My husband just stood there for a minute before dropping his glove, running to me and hugging me as hard as he could. Everyone cheered and clapped and of course, I cried.”
Holiday Announcements
Holidays are a time when families get together to celebrate. They talk, laugh, share stories and make memories. What better time than a holiday to announce a pregnancy?
Kimberly S. Wright of Clermont, Fla. made her announcement on the one day of the year associated with love. “I found out about my second pregnancy on Valentine’s Day,” says Wright. “I had gotten up at 4 a.m. because I was so excited to take the pregnancy test. So, I made pink heart-shaped pancakes and a homemade valentine for my husband. I actually taped the little pregnancy test stick inside the card and I wrote him a poem.”
For Mary Gibbs of Michigan and her family, Christmas was made even more special by the creative announcement of a special delivery. “I don’t know how we managed to keep it a secret until December 25th, but we did,” says Gibbs. “I put a pair of baby socks and a little note saying ‘See you in August 1997’ in a Victoria’s Secret box and wrapped it up for my mom to open last on Christmas morning. We had just bought our video camera, so we decided to use it to capture the grand moment. Mom ripped into the paper. When she saw what was printed on the box, she raised an eyebrow at me and said, ‘Victoria’s Secret?’ I was behind the camera. Exasperated, I replied, ‘Just open it, mom.’ She shrieked. She cried. I cried. The camera shook. It was definitely a funny home video moment.”
Finding out what a family member is expecting can be almost as fun as making the announcement yourself. Jennifer Merrill, a freelance writer from Fayetteville, N.C., remembers how she found out her brother would be a dad. “Last year at Easter I received a box in the mail from my brother and sister-in-law,” she says. “Inside was one plastic egg with a note that said ‘open immediately.’ Inside the egg was a thin strip of paper that read, ‘Our excitement can’t be matched, because in the fall a new little farmer will hatch.’ As they had been trying for some time to have a baby, it was a wonderful and exciting announcement.”
More Creative Announcements
When announcing a pending birth, moms can be very creative. Karen Cebenka, a nurse from Delaware City, Del., says, “I told my husband about my pregnancy by making hot dogs for dinner and putting the pregnancy test stick in a hot dog bun. When he went to put on the mustard, he found a really big surprise.”
Fun announcements can be exceptional, even when it’s not your first child. “With my third pregnancy, I found out while hubby was out of town,” says Wright. “I decorated the bed with all of my daughter’s considerable baby doll collection. I put her baby crib in the center of the bed, with one baby doll sitting up in it, holding the positive pregnancy test.”
The birth of a new baby is exciting. The joy a parent-to-be or even a second- or third-time parent feels can overflow until they want to share it with the world. This offers a beautiful opportunity to share with friends, family members, and those close to you. Adding a little fun and excitement to the sharing only heightens the experience.
“I don’t think it would have been so emotional if I would have just said to my husband over dinner, ‘By the way honey, I’m pregnant,’ says Kerrigan. “He would have still been happy and excited, but nothing like that day at the softball field. Now that he’s a dad, it’s a whole new ball game.”