Choosing and Sending the Perfect Birth Announcement

According to some etiquette experts, you should send out announcements as soon as possible after the baby’s birth—don’t wait any longer than six months. Knowing that the first couple of months after your baby’s birth will be a little chaotic, consider getting a head start on the birth announcement process.

In those last grueling weeks before your due date, start your search for the perfect birth announcement. (You’re probably looking for a distraction from swelling feet and false contractions, anyway.) If you already know the sex of your baby, go ahead and pick out the cards and write your opening line. Even if you don’t know what you’re having, you can still put together your address list and even pre-address envelopes.

Whatever you do, don’t wait until after Baby’s born to consider all the details of what kind of announcement you want to send. Take it from me—the mom with just an email printout on the “birth announcement” page of her daughter’s baby book—think about the birth announcements now while you still have the time (and sanity) to do so!