New Parents Choose Both Online and Traditional Ways to Announce Baby's Arrival

Brand new parents have plenty on their plates, so you might think formally announcing babys birth in new and creative ways would not be high on their list. Yet, new parents around the world announce babys arrival in an assortment of ways, from sweet treats to swaddling hammocks. For a generation that doesnt know a world without the Internet, keeping in near constant contact with friends and family via social media has become a part of daily life. It shouldnt be surprising, then, to find many new parents in the U.S. are choosing online options to announce the good news. A surprising number, however, are still opting for what they feel are more personaland traditionalways of heralding babys arrival. Here is a quick glance at a bit of both worlds:

Tradition Meets Creativity

Handmade Creations

Many expectant moms are turning to creative projects to occupy their time, especially during that last trimester. What better project than handmade birth announcements? Using scrapbook or card-making materials, these moms are designing announcements around meaningful or fun themes. Once baby has arrived, parents need only add stats, pop in a photo of their precious newborn and the announcements are ready to drop in the mail.

Yard Announcements

From banners to stork lawn ornaments, parents are still opting for these very traditional ways to tell neighbors and passersby the happy news, particularly in small towns. Outdoor announcements, whether in the form of rented wooden yard signs or custom-printed banners, remain a very public way of letting the world know that baby has arrived.

Open House

Usually hosted by a close family member to take the burden away from busy new parents, open houses or post-birth baby showers are a great way to announce babys arrival to closest family and friends in a personal way. Sometimes referred to as meet-and-greets, these celebratory get-togethers offer visitors a firsthand look at the new arrival and the opportunity to congratulate the happy parents in person.

No Smoking

Cigars were the traditional way for new dads to share the happy news with pals. But with social and health concerns over smoking, parents are seeking retailers who offer alternatives in the form of bubble gum cigars in baby blue or pretty pink to allow parents to mix fun with tradition.

Online/Cloud Based Announcements

Digital Slideshows

Whether new parents opt for a professional photographer or snap those early pics on their own, posting a digital slideshow online provides parents with a handy link to email to friends and family. Many professional photographers offer clients an online page posted with their baby slideshow. Parents opting to handle their own photography are posting their slideshows on social media or personal websites.

Social Media Announcements

It is no surprise that parents are choosing to announce babys arrival via social media sites, like Facebook. Reasoning that all friends and family are followers anyway, new parents are also realizing that utilizing social media in place of more traditional paper announcements saves printing and postage costs.

VideoAnnouncements

Whether opting for YouTube or another video platform, new parents are posting everything from the simplest announcements to creations that rival Hollywood productions. Some new parents are also choosing to announce babys arrival via live video on Skype, a popular solution for announcing baby to out-of-state relatives.

Online Announcements

Parents strapped for time are turning to online printers or photo sites to make creating their announcement a simple task. With dozens of designs to choose from, parents need only pop in the photo of their baby, add the pertinent details and click to order. Some sites even allow parents to mail their finished announcement directly from the site. Whether online or traditional, this is just a small sample of baby announcement methods. Have one you would like to share? Just add it as a comment.