thoughts on pregnancy announcement cards?

[Chachah]

the question is in the title, really! :-)

not sure if it's the done thing? we got one from DH's sister last year, but then she's American and the type to have a "gender reveal party" (true fact).

for DD1 we were paranoid of becoming obnoxious self-obsessed parents, so we didn't put anything on Facebook, didn't make any grand announcements, just told friends and family one by one.

for DC2, on the way... I'm thinking it'd be more efficient to make an official announcement, in the form of a mass email or e-card. Both DH and I are foreign, and our friends and family are all over the world, we communicate regularly with some but not all. Last time it was a pain to have to call/email everyone to let them know.

but I'm still paranoid of being that parent who wants everyone to make a huge deal of the fact they're reproducing...

so, pregnancy announcement cards, yay or nay?

No to cards. Too icky.
Maybe email friends the news.
Or maybe you could include it in your round robin Christmas letter

Definitely nay here. Some people announce it on Facebook to let everyone know, but I didn't say anything on FB until our baby arrived each time.

No, no, no.

Just tell them individually.

No! Your pregnancy really isn't that important to anyone else. An email would be OK, and I agree with adding it in the Xmas Cards.

Your pregnancy really isn't that important to anyone else

^ This

I think pregnancy cards are an awful idea, and not just because I have spent 4 yrs unsuccessfully TTC! Writing a personal note in Christmas cards to people who care close friends and family is more than fine.

thanks everyone for the feedback!!!

and for comforting me that my instinctive "yuck" reaction is the right one...

Ah I think it's cute. I wouldn't think any the worse of you for sending a card as long as it didn't sing!

I just text people saying something along the lines of 'just wanted to let your know we 're expecting again! Baby due x date. Hope you're well' as people do get hurt if something as massive as having a baby happens in their friends lives and the friends don't say. Like they weren't actual friends so they didn't bother telling them.

I also disagree with the attitude on mn that no one cares about others' pregnancies. People like to know as long as you don't bang on night and day for the full 9 months.

well I agree people do care to some extent, but I don't want to assume that they do care, or imply that I think they should be super excited... iyswim?

there's a part of me that likes the idea of sending a card or mass email, but that's not because I think people particularly care, it's because I don't want to make a big deal out of it! You do have to let people know, or they can get hurt, but then it feels massively awkward and overkill to me to personally call them or email them specifically to tell them "I'm pregnant". The card is more impersonal, and they don't have to pretend to be excited, or even react at all.

but then they probably wouldn't see it that way. So I guess I'll have to resign myself to the awkwardness of telling them personally one by one.

I hunk I'm your situation its perfectly fine. It's not like your going to have to opportunity to meet most of these people face to face before baby is born. So I think practical (slightly cute) and not in the least bit yuck.

I think in

Not every "weird" thing is "American," btw.

I'd say definitely No, and bizarre. It's like your congratulating yourselves. And there's not actually a baby yet.
Write a relevant note in christmas cards, text or call the friends you know will be excited, or if you regularly email relatives it's great news to share.. But special cards seems plain odd to me.

Sorry to be harbinger of doom and all that but what if something goes wrong? At what stages would one send these cards?

I'd tell the ones I communicated with regularly via email or at Xmas (if you do cards). I wouldn't do a special card but then I wouldn't do a baby shower either.

I care about people's pregnancies! People I know, that is -I get really excited when I find out a friend is pregnant (as long as they're happy about it too). So I'd gladly receive a group email about it personally. Not so sure about the card idea though, can't really say why, but a card seems more suitable after the birth.

Ugh no. I loved my wedding and I love being pregnant and it's massively important to me but I know that it's just not massive news for everyone around me. My dearest friends have been delighted for me but if I'd sent cards round - shudder. It's so LOOK AT ME MY LIFE IS FAB AND I WANT LOTS OF ATTENTION. I feel the same about baby showers. Ugh.

Baby showers are organised as a surprise for the expectant mother by her friends though, aren't they? So I don't understand how they can be attention seeking, as the person one might be expecting to seek the attention has nothing to do with organising it.
Sorry, off topic slightly, but as others have mentioned it, I've never understood the disgust many feel on here for baby showers. I just thought they were a nice thing to do for your friends.