Pregnancy is an exciting time for many moms- and dads-to-be. And it’s natural to want to share that excitement with the world, starting with your family. But announcing your pregnancy to your parents can be nerve-wracking. You may find yourself anxious over how you’ll tell your family and how they’ll react.
There are many fun ways you can announce your pregnancy to your parents that will elicit a positive reaction. There’s the classic bun-in-the-oven reveal, where you give your parents a homemade bun marked with a “B.” You can also put together a comedy sketch that you record and upload to YouTube. And speaking of sketches, why not give a couple of clues during a fun game of Pictionary?
Or, if you want to keep it special, you can arrange a special brunch at your favorite café and have the staff write your pregnancy announcement on their sidewalk chalkboard.
From t-shirts to photo mugs and everything in between, we’ve put together a short list of fun and creative ways to announce to your parents that your family is getting a little bit bigger.
Having your parents open your oven to find a bun “cooking” is a classic way of announcing your pregnancy. But instead of just putting any old hamburger bun in the oven, take it one step further and bake your favorite bun recipe while your parents are visiting.
When you’re rolling out the dough, make sure to mark two buns with a “B” (you know, like that famous nursery rhyme). Make sure the two “B” buns are in the front of the baking tray, facing the oven door. When they’re ready, have your parents pull them out of the oven. If they need a hint, hum the nursery rhyme under your breath. And don’t forget to photograph the reveal!
If you can’t reveal your pregnancy in person, think about sending your parents a recording of your baby’s heartbeat. Call and leave a voicemail for your loved ones with the message, “Someone wants to meet you in nine months.”
Or you can take a video of you hearing your baby’s heartbeat for the first time and send it via email with the subject line, “I think you’ll love this.”
Announcing your pregnancy through a YouTube video is all the rage these days, so get in on the action and let your parents — and the world — know you have a little one on the way.
You can scour YouTube for hundreds of examples of fun and creative pregnancy announcements. You can parody a popular hit like the Shocklee family or create a short funny film like “The Grocery List.” You can even record you announcing the pregnancy to your partner and use that surprise to surprise your parents. Either way you choose, you will surely have fun putting the video together.
Plan a big dinner with your parents and when they get to your house, ask them if they could run to the store to pick up a few more grocery items.
Give them a list of nothing but ice cream, pickles and “baby” foods — baby peas, baby carrots, baby spinach, and more. Make sure they look it over before they leave, otherwise you might have an unforgettable announcement and groceries you don’t need.
This one will take a bit of planning, but it will worth it for the expression on your parent’s face.
Contact your favorite cafe and ask them to write a special message to your parents on their chalkboard menu or sidewalk easel. Jot down your announcement as if it’s the day’s specials (think “On the Menu: You’re Gonna Be a Grandparent Omelet”) and watch as your parents read in delight.
Or you can print your own “brunch specials” list and have the server include it with your parents’ menus.
Plan a family game night and announce your pregnancy during a fun round of Pictionary or Charades. When it’s your turn, start drawing a circle and build on it until you’ve drawn a mom-to-be.
Or if you’re a Scrabble family, spell out “I’m expecting” either in one turn or over the course of the game.
Invite the grandparents-to-be over for a cup of coffee or tea. But instead of pouring them their favorite brew, hand them a mug with a message on the bottom of the inside (think: “You’re going to be a grandma!”).
Handwrite the message with a permanent marker on an unused mug that your parents can keep as a memento. Or you can create a photo mug that announces your pregnancy and when your parents ask for something to drink, pour it inside their brand new special mug.
If you don’t want to write the message on a mug, say it on a T-shirt. Give your parents each a shirt with a creative message or image announcing your pregnancy.
Prolong the surprise by wrapping the shirt in wrapping paper and placing it in a box that’s placed in another box or two. Your parents may get frustrated, but all the unwrapping will be worth it in the end.
Sometimes you don’t need to go all out to have a memorable pregnancy announcement. Surprise your parents by arranging letter magnets on your fridge to say you’re expecting and when your baby’s due.
Or, the next time you’re at their place, leave a card announcing the news on their nightstand — they’re bound to find it when they go to bed.