Choosing and Sending the Perfect Birth Announcement

Birth announcements are kind of like snowflakes—each one is unique, and there is a plethora of styles available. The real challenge is finding the best one to represent you and your new baby.

Do you have elaborate taste or is your style more easygoing? Try to pick a birth announcement design that suits your personality (or the personality you think your baby may have—given half her genes are yours).

If you're looking for something on the fancy side, you may consider a vellum birth announcement card. These cards—which have grown increasingly popular in the past few years—include a thin translucent sheet, known as vellum, which is usually printed with a design, verse, or baby photo, and placed over the birth announcement card. Although these announcements are striking, they can also be quite pricey.

If you prefer a something a little more casual and inexpensive, you may want to look into a more standard announcement card. These announcements don't come with a lot of bells or whistles, and they're perfect for families on a tight budget or those that prefer a more minimalist style. These no-frills cards typically include just enough room for you to print or write baby's name, birth date, and stats.

If you're looking for something that falls in between standard and upscale, many birth announcements come adorned with ribbons and charms for an extra touch. No matter what style you're looking for, you should be able to find something that suits your taste in a local stationery store or on one of the countless online birth announcement sites.

With the hyper-popularity of scrapbooking these days, handmade announcements are more prevalent in mailboxes. Pretty papers, flowery fonts, lovely stickers ... some moms-to-be and new moms find crafting their own cards is a good way to channel their pre-baby excitement or new-parent sleeplessness.