Finding out you’re pregnant is a very exciting time, but, oh, how things have changed! Gone are the days of simply telling friends, family, and coworkers our wonderful news. Now, the focus has shifted toward social media and how we’re making the big “announcement.”
“How are you going to announce?” It’s a common question pregnant women get asked, and over the last few years the pressure of finding a creative way to share the news on Facebook or Instagram has only increased.
Most women wait until the end of the first trimester to start sharing their baby news on social media, but for a lot of people the announcement planning starts way before then.
The options are endless when it comes to announcing you have a little one on the way — so don’t stress and just have fun with it! Here are a few ideas and tips to help you figure out the perfect way to share your news.
- Sentiment: Find a way to share your news in a meaningful manner
- Timing: When is the due date? Is there a holiday theme you can incorporate?
- Props: Find objects to add something extra to your photo
- Simplicity: Minimize the stress and focus on the caption
SENTIMENT: I’ll start by sharing how I chose to announce that I was expecting on Instagram and Facebook. I announced at the very end of September, with our baby’s due date being in April. At first, I wanted to have fun with a fall theme, such as going to a pumpkin patch and saying something like, “Can’t wait for our little pumpkin to arrive in April,” but I went a different route. Instead, my husband and I took our announcement photo at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, which is where he proposed on his birthday in April 2014. Our baby is due on my husband’s birthday, so it was very sentimental for us to announce with the park being our focus. We also included a “Roll Tide” baby onesie as a prop, since we met at the University of Alabama. And since there was a lot of thought put into the meaningful details we included in the photo, I kept it simple with my caption: “Baby Burk coming in April!”
TIMING: The time of year when the baby is expected to arrive is an easy way to find inspiration for creativity. Same goes for the month when you actually plan on announcing. For example, if you’re expecting a Christmas baby, you can have a lot of fun using the “most wonderful time of the year” as a theme for sharing your most wonderful news. “There go those silent nights!” Or you can do something like my friends Jessie and Patrick Harrigan, who shared their news at Christmastime by posing under stockings hung by the chimney and included a mini stocking to represent their baby. Jessie also placed a festive bow on her belly with a “gift tag” that said, “Don’t open until June 2016,” her due date. Their social media caption was just as creative. “They say the best gifts don’t come under the tree – this time next year we’ll be a family of three!”
Two of my other friends, Katelyn and Caleb Samples, also incorporated the holidays because their baby was due on New Year’s Day. They shared a sweet photo of their shoes, with a pair of tiny baby booties in between them, and included a New Year’s-themed caption. “Guess we’ll be popping a different kind of bottle this New Year. Baby Samples expected to join the party on January 1, 2019.”
PROPS: If you’re stumped and can’t figure out how you want to announce, or your timing doesn’t coincide with any particular holiday, turn to props! Items such as little baby shoes can be super fun, and items like ultrasound images can be really meaningful. Regardless of how you share your news, your followers are going to be so excited for you, so it doesn’t matter if your announcement is super outside-of-the-box creative or not. Even simple props add that little special something to an announcement and allow your followers to know right away that you’re expecting.
Looking for some great prop options? Balloons, tiny baby booties, baby onesies, bottles, pacifiers, letter-boards, and ultrasound images all fit the bill.
My friends Shelbey and Tim Fanning went to one of their favorite hiking trails, Amicolola Falls, where they held up a sweet ultrasound image of their bundle of joy.
Two of my other friends, Emily and Ben Abernathy, also used a sonogram along with several other props, including a letterboard and pink flowers. Turns out, the pink flowers were a great option because they later learned they were having a little girl.
SIMPLICITY: A simple photo of the parents to be with a great caption is an equally meaningful way to share the special news with your loved ones. Remember, don’t stress about finding the “perfect” way to share your news. You’re having a baby after all, and that’s all that matters. My friends Kate and Ricky Stephenson went for a really sweet option — just a beautiful photo of the father-to-be placing his hands on mama’s belly. They announced in February, near Valentine’s Day, and they added even more sentiment to their announcement by dressing it up with an adorable caption. “Kicking off this month of love by sharing that our new little love will be joining us in August!”
The best thing to keep in mind when trying to figure out how you’re going to share your news is that no matter what you decide, your loved ones will be so happy for you. It’s not a creativity competition. It’s a proud moment for soon-to-be parents to share their most exciting news, and a quick way to let everyone know a baby is on the way!
