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11 Creative Pregnancy Announcement Ideas for Every Family
11 Creative Pregnancy Announcement Ideas for Every Family

11 Creative Pregnancy Announcement Ideas for Every Family

No matter when you decide to share the news, here are some fun announcement ideas.

author-Briana Engelbrecht
By Briana Engelbrecht
Fact Checked by Shannon Vestal Robson
Published Dec 6, 2024|Updated On Dec 6, 2024
Published Dec 6, 2024Updated On Dec 6, 2024
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In This Article

1. Show Off Your Ultrasound
2. Positive Pregnancy Test
3. Message on a Letter Board
4. Personalized Clothing
5. Get Big Siblings Involved
6. And Don’t Forget Fur Siblings
7. Incorporate Themes, Holidays and Hobbies
8. Use Creative Props
Newspaper
Cake
Paint the nursery
Instant Film Photos
9. IVF Reveal
10. If You're Adopting or Using a Surrogate
11. Hard Launch After Baby’s Arrival

The journey to parenthood is full of emotions—whether it’s excitement, anxiety, or a mix of both. For many, reaching the moment when they can share the incredible news with loved ones is a deeply anticipated milestone. Whether your path to parenthood includes a positive pregnancy test, IVF, surrogacy, or another journey, the joy of sharing this life-changing moment is universal.

We polled Babylist parents to find out how they broke the news and many of them said they announced to close friends and family first—usually in person—followed by a social reveal.

From simple and intimate to elaborate and creative, there are countless ways to announce that you’re expecting. Many parents-to-be find creative ways to announce ideas that reflect their unique journey and personality. Social media has opened the door to even more creativity (in addition to helping you share the news with many more people in your life), and while most of these ideas are intended to be shared on social media accounts, many of these would also work in person, too. 

Whether you’re planning an in-person celebration with your closest circle or crafting a thoughtful Instagram post, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to sharing your joy. Mix and match ideas to create a moment that authentically represents you and your growing family. And in terms of timeline, when you choose to share the exciting news it is totally up to you—there really isn’t a right or wrong time (and hey, if you want to skip the pregnancy announcement and wait until baby is born, that’s great too—and we have ideas for that below!).

Here are 11 fun ideas to help you plan the perfect announcement.

1. Show Off Your Ultrasound

You’ll usually have your first ultrasound between six to eight weeks, which can feel like an eternity as you wait. I personally couldn’t wait to get the first glimpse of my babies during each of my pregnancies in the first trimester. For many, it’s the moment the pregnancy starts to feel real. 

Surprising friends and family with a strip of ultrasound photos in person or in a social media post is one of the most popular ways expecting parents share their exciting news. You can also find personalized props (like a sign) on Etsy that say things like “Baby Jensen Coming 2025” to include with the ultrasound images. There are a ton of ways to do it, too. You can DIY your own photos at home or hire a photographer for an intimate shoot with you and your partner. Around 20 weeks you’ll get the big anatomy scan, where you’ll likely get a better look at baby (and you might also feel more comfortable announcing at this later point).

2. Positive Pregnancy Test

Often the first tangible proof of pregnancy is seeing a positive pregnancy test, so what better way to tell your partner, friends and family a baby is on the way than with the test? You can wrap it up in a gift bag for people to open or create a simple photo flat lay to post to Instagram (though it is a bit controversial, since, you know, there’s pee on it. These personalized wooden test keepsakes are a cute alternative!). You could also set it up with a tiny newborn bodysuit or parenting book for them to come home and find. 

3. Message on a Letter Board

Letting your friends and family know there’s a baby on the way with the help of a letter board is another creative way to announce. They’re super customizable—you can write whatever you want! Like the other ideas on this list, the options to make it yours are truly endless. I also love that you can continue to use it once your baby is born in milestone photos as they grow.

4. Personalized Clothing

Custom clothing is another adorable way to personalize your announcement. A bodysuit that says “Baby (last name) coming 2025”, or just “coming soon” makes the perfect announcement accessory, and it’s also so sweet to see your baby finally wearing it after you give birth). You can also get something made to surprise people in your life, like the “Hi grandma and grandpa” bodysuit below!

5. Get Big Siblings Involved

If it’s not your first baby, you can involve your other kid (or kids) in the big reveal. Dress them in “Big Brother” or “Big Sister” outfits, or let them hold a sign sharing the exciting news. It’s a special way to celebrate their new role in your family and get them excited about a new sibling. We love these big brother and big sister picks from Etsy.

6. And Don’t Forget Fur Siblings

Before the tiny human comes along, pets are like our first babies. Incorporating your dog, cat, bird or whatever animals you have in your life is a sweet way to share your pregnancy news. They also make the cutest posts for your social account! 

7. Incorporate Themes, Holidays and Hobbies

Do you love running or cooking? Are you announcing sometime around a holiday like Halloween or Thanksgiving? Are you an avid football fan? Tying in a theme—like an interest, hobby or holiday—opens the doors to a whole bunch of creative announcement ideas. Incorporating your pregnancy announcement into your holiday card and or photoshoot is a special way to announce, too!

8. Use Creative Props

Ultrasounds, letter board and pregnancy tests are all pretty common inclusions in pregnancy announcements, but there are some newer ideas we can’t get enough of. Here are a few examples you might want to try.

Newspaper

A newer trend we’ve noticed are newspaper pregnancy announcements. They have a bunch on Etsy that you can personalize with your details and they make such a cute photo prop.

Cake

Cakes aren’t just for birthdays, weddings, baby showers and gender reveals. Many parents-to-be are incorporating a simple cake (usually white and heart shaped) with “coming soon” or something similar piped in frosting across the top to announce a baby is on the way.

Paint the nursery

Setting up baby’s nursery is an exciting task on the never ending list of to-do’s when you’re expecting. We love how parents are getting creative and using decorating (specifically during the painting process) the nursery as an announcement photo opportunity.

Instant Film Photos

There is something so sweet and nostalgic about an instant photo. I’ve noticed quite a few expecting parents incorporating them into their pregnancy announcements. Whether they’re taking photos of the first ultrasounds and growing bump or shooting a video of the image developing. (Pro tip: you can document baby's first year and milestones with these products, too!)

photo credit: @brianaengelbrecht

9. IVF Reveal

Sometimes the road to baby takes a bit more effort, and some people want to incorporate their journey into the announcement. Etsy has customizable templates for posting to social media and you can also find sweet bodysuits that say things like “worth the wait.”.

10. If You're Adopting or Using a Surrogate

If you’re expecting via surrogate or going through the adoption process, you certainly deserve to announce your growing family in a special way. Many of the previous ideas on this list can be personalized to your specific journey, as the examples below show. 

11. Hard Launch After Baby’s Arrival

This isn’t technically a pregnancy announcement, but we thought it was important to reassure you that it’s completely up to you how and when you share your exciting news—and if you don’t want to reveal that you’re expecting, you don’t have to. In fact, we’ve noticed a trend to hard launch the news of a baby after they’re born, for whatever reason. We love this sweet reel that documented this family's second pregnancy—it’s a sex, name reveal and birth announcement all in one.

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