How will you announce the birth of your baby?

[moomin35]

Just wondered how you will announce the actual birth of your baby? Will you do it or will your partner? Will you do it by text or phone? How soon after the birth do you think you will do it? Who will you tell and who will you leave to find out by word of mouth?

My DH rang both sets of parents and siblings after DS was born. We let them tell everyone else as DH wanted to be with us, not calling people!

We rang both sets of parents, our siblings and my two closest friends. Then texted a few others who we wanted to hear the news directly from us. Then FB for everyone else.

Probably (if it's like last time) DH will go home and tell his parents (who will be coming to stay with us from overseas for the birth), I will do most of the updating friends/family from hospital bed via my iPhone! About 6-7 hours after birth I emailed close friends and family (some overseas, some local) with a photo and details (they all have smartphones so I know they'll receive instantly), text others eg work colleagues.

Then a FB update with photo of baby.

I know some people don't like FB/text/email announcements but I love them! Can do it myself from bed, get good wishes and congratulations instantly, re-read lovely emails from friends (esp supportive "it'll be ok!!" ones from other mums). Was too tired, as was DH, for the first day or so to verbally string a sentence together to call people. But wanted to share the happy news!

DS born 4am, DH called my parents soon after (they knew I was in hospital) and his own parents about 8am. Close friends got a text later that day, nothing went on fb until we had had good photos and a name, about a week later!

Be prepared for any communication plan to go out of the window, certainly if you're on FB. We intended to call certain people, but emergency surgery and one family member with a big gob meant we didn't announce DS arrival.

We did send out a load of texts with weight, size etc and later an announcement on FB. I refrained from putting a picture on FB because I wanted certain family members to see him first (like grandparents, aunt who was on holiday etc)

DH rang both sets of parents and got them to tell siblings (it was 5:30 in the morning). They then told the rest of our families and we text the important friends and FB for everyone else apart from my sister who's birthday DS was born on I text her saying "happy birthday auntie ..... I got you a nephew"

I was thinking I would get my partner just to call his parents and whoever he wishes on his side of the family and then my Mum and Dad on my side and just ask my parents to spread the news within my family (Ive got siblings) but im not gonna be up to calling each of them individually myself (we're not that close) and I'm not sure theyre very interested anyway!

My OH called my dad & siblings (mum was my other birth partner so she saw DD being born), his parents, his sister, both sets of grandparents to tell them. Then I called one auntie while I was being stitched up (they'd taken DD to do a heel prick in SCBU so I needed something to distract me) and told her, and asked her to tell whoever she felt needed to know there.

Next day, a mass FB announcement. I would've done it by text but I had 60 uni friends off my course alone who were excitedly waiting for news, I'd have run out of credit by the time I finished texting around

We text both parents when we had arrived at the birth centre knowing full well 'this was it' so they knew (plus in laws had to go look after our dog)
We then called parents when dd had been born (my sister was with my parents so a 2 in 1 call)
The parents then told the wider family and i text some friends before we put an announcement on facebook.
I loved being able to read the comments etc when i stayed over in hospital and it was xmas eve so i was a bit sad at staying in overnight without hubby and it cheered me up a bit.

With dd h called both sets of parents plus our grandparents while I was still in theatre (EMCS) - I was really disappointed not to hear the conversations. He text our brothers & close friends then we put a message on fb later in the day.

Similar with ds but my mum was with us in hospital (ended up with another EMCS) so she met him first in recovery then we called my dad, h's parents, our brothers, grandparents & a couple of close friends. I loved hearing their reactions! Then sent a text to close friends & I put a general message on Facebook in the middle of the night while feeding.

DH called both sets of parents once we were up on the ward - DD born just before 8pm but stitches/spinal block recovery meant it was probably nearer 10pm by the time he rang. Tried to speak to my sister but she was at theatre. SIL lives at home still anyway. My parents and sister had guessed it was happening as I'd not responded to texts earlier in the day but I don't think PILs were expecting the news - DD was 3 days early.

The next day we sent texts, emails and private messages on Facebook to close friends. Communication was a bit restricted for me as no 3G or wifi in hospital. Parents clearly spread the word to family as I got a congratulations message from my uncle.

Day 3 we were allowed home and at that point we made a Facebook announcement with a picture. Luckily our thunder had not been stolen.

Baby born at 3am. We sent a photo text message to close family as soon as we were settled, which was about 4am. Then sent a normal text around 6am to friends plus email to the admin at my work to let them know to pass the info around. Then a facebook announcement around 9am for everyone else.

Will be doing it slightly differently this time as DS is 6 and we want him to be the first to know, so if he's asleep or at school the news will be embargoed. MIL will be looking after him so we'll call her with a big hint (We've got some really exciting news to tell DS. Can we talk to him) We also want a bit of breathing space with visitors. My family can be a bit full on! Once DS has been to see us we'll let everyone know in the same sort of order as before.