WeMoms
24 May 2022

How to make a successful birth announcement?

Prepping for baby arrival

The birth announcement is one of the traditions that follow the arrival of your baby. It allows you to inform your friends and family of the birth of your little one. How to do it properly?


  • The main questions to ask yourself when preparing a baby announcement are: what information should be included? Who should I send it to? Only the family or all the relatives?
  • First of all, you should know that you have the choice between two types of support: the traditional card or the electronic version, which you will be able to distribute by email and social networks.
  • First of all, you need to have a nice picture of your newborn baby. This is the key element of the announcement, which will attract all the attention of the recipients! To do this, you can ask for a photographer at the maternity hospital or someone you know who has good skills in this field.
  • If you don't want to hire a professional, there are many free software programs that will allow you to design the announcement online.
  • As for the information to be included on the card, the golden rule is simplicity. You can opt for a classic line, such as: "Juliette and Alexandre are pleased to announce the birth of little Leo", followed by the date, time, weight and place. But you can also give your announcement a more original twist by letting your inspiration run wild, such as by having the baby express herself, for example.
  • Take the opportunity to invite the people you'd like to introduce your little one to.
  • Don't wait too long to send your announcement. It should be sent within a month of your baby's arrival. If you're feeling overwhelmed, don't hesitate to ask your family to help you with this task. You can even prepare your announcement in advance and add the missing information at the last minute.
  • The traditional invitation has a cost, so if you want to send it to a lot of people, consider your budget or send an electronic version to the people you're closest to.


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Birth announcement: choice and preparation

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The birth announcement announces the arrival of your baby to the world. How should you go about it?


  • Ideally, you and your father should choose the model you like before the 7th month. On the big day, all you have to do is indicate the name and date of birth of your child.
  • Today, you have several options for making your announcement: entrust it to a print store, order it from a specialized website or design it yourself.
  • Traditionally, it is sent by mail, but you can also send it digitally or make a small video.

Preparation of the baptism and choice of the announcement

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Your child is born and you would like to organize a ceremony to share your happiness and that of the father with your entourage. What is the difference between a religious and a civil baptism? What are the necessary steps to prepare for the celebration? How to write the baptism announcement?


  • The first decision to make with the father: do you want to baptize your child in church or at the town hall? If you are both believers, you will naturally opt for a Christian ceremony. If the religious aspect is not important to you or if you are of different faiths, a civil baptism is an ideal option.
  • However, you should know that these two types of ceremonies do not require the same preparation. Religious baptism is more restrictive. You will have to file an application and probably participate in accompanying sessions with the priest of your parish.
  • Whether you choose a church or a town hall, you should find out about it and reserve the place in advance. The same applies if you plan to invite your loved ones to lunch after the ceremony. Some people choose a village hall, others a restaurant. You can also organize the meal at home with the help of a caterer. You should allow an average of three months for these preparations.
  • Another important decision to make in consultation with the father is the choice of godparents. Even if they have no legal obligation, these two people are morally bound to your child.
  • Once you've managed all these steps, it's time to create the christening announcement to invite your friends and family to the happy event. Draw up a list of guests to make sure you don't forget anyone. Paper or digital, invitation card or short video, classic or humorous tone, it's up to you to personalize this invitation!
  • The invitation includes essential information, such as the child's name, the date, time, and place of the ceremony, the address of the eventual reception, and the parents' email or phone number to confirm their presence.
  • If you have made up a baptism list, attach it to the invitation. It is recommended that it be sent 1 to 2 months before the date of the baptism, by mail or e-mail.

Baptism gift: who offers what?

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At a christening, the guests bring gifts to the baby to celebrate their entry into the civil or religious community.


  • In France, according to tradition, the godfather and godmother offer a christening necklace to their godchild. One chooses the chain, the other the medal. They can also offer a personalized chain bracelet.
  • If you are very close to the family, you can choose a set of cutlery, a napkin ring, a silver tumbler, or an egg cup for example.
  • Friends or distant family members will choose practical gifts such as clothing or fun gifts such as games.

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