Don't feel bad.

We sent announcements, but sending them always felt silly since we e-mailed photos to everyone we know within six hours of our kids being born anyway. Plus, the announcements usually end up in the trash so think of your lack of card sending as an environmentally friendly move.

I have to admit - I'm a total sucker for birth announcements. I've been designing them for friends for the past few years and have been not-so-patiently waiting my turn to design the "perfect" announcement for my own child.

All the experienced moms can laugh at this next statement...

My "plan" (like that ever works) is to have it designed and ready to just drop in the info and pic and send off to be shipped within a week of her birth.

I agree with nataliegott though - it does seem sorta silly considering I know there will be no way I will wait to share the photos of my little one until the announcements go out.

I just figure - hey - I'm a designer - I'm allowed a bit of an indulgence. :)

Colleen, that IS the perfect plan -- to have all the work done BEFORE the baby comes and only the bare minimum to do after. That may be the ONLY thing you have time to do.

 By the way, I LOVE  getting the beautiful birth announcements that people send out these days. Inside the door of one of my kitchen cabinets is papered with friends' kids from announcements/Christmas cards/ graduations, etc.

I like the idea of picking the announcements beforehand...have one at the ready if it's a girl and one if it's a boy. Am I the only one who didn't know my children's sex before they were born?

As you get to the end of your pregnancy, a million people will say, "Just let me know if I can do anything to help." Your answer is, "Great!!! After the baby is born, can you please call XYZ printer, give them the pertinent information, pick them up when ready and put them into these envelopes to mail? I've preprinted the labels." The next person who asks, say, "Dinner once a week for the first four weeks would be really helpful!"

And I don't throw birth announcements in the trash. First they languor on my refrigerator until the child is walking and talking. Then they go into my "Things I Can't Get Rid Of" file. Really. That's what the label reads. I love going back through and reading cards and thank you notes later.

Also...if you don't send announcements, people might forget to send a gift!!! Would it be inappropriate to tell people who want to give a gift that you are registered at the Apple store?

Sarah it's ok to let the guilt go :) you were probably doing more important things like taking care of your baby. ;) We had our announcement picked out in advance and even a friend printing for us after the Twins were born. We got them out at month three. ;) I can say, "we had our hands full."

Warmly,

Carolina Mama

We cheated. My daughter was born in December, so we sent a combination birth announcement/Christmas card. It was incredibly easy using Kodak's christmas card options.

And actually, we use the same service every year to make our Christmas cards, so we're growing a nice little collection of photos of DD at roughly the same time every year.

So I guess I am the only one not to send out announcements - but as Carolina Mama suggests I'm going to let go of the guilt.

I designed them and haven't sent them either. Do not feel guilty. There will be plenty of other opportunities (holidays, birthdays, etc.) for you to send out cute photos of your little one.

We didn't even plan to send a birth annoucement and eveyone who was important to us knew the day she was born how special she already was. Plus with techonology these days, the online photo albums and videos were quick in coming too.
Jen Manning

For my son born 5 years ago, I did the traditional announcements and had to venture to Walmart to get wallet-sized copies of a photo and glue them onto the announcements. I had a friend help just like dineer526 suggested! Then for our daughter, born 5 mos ago, I used "Send Out Cards" which once you load up your addresses and design a custom card is too easy. The cost was about the same, but the time was much better spent. I love to receive cards and give them and am hard on myself if I don't send out cards in a timely fashion. I'm not like my mom who estranges herself from friends/family if she doesn't get a thank you card (I'm not exaggerating!!), but it's so nice on everyone's part to do the birth announcement thing.

Alice Osborn, MA
www.aliceosborn.com

ArbonneMom

Yes, you are the only one. Sorry! People like to post your cute baby's announcement on their fridge for a while and share with others your happy news - not everyone wants to see tons of photos of the big event via a webpage nor do they all own a photo printer to print their own. It is nice to get a great shot of your sweetpea captured in the best light, surrounded with a cute background, stats or whathaveyou and a return address on your envelope allows for folks to quickly send well wishes to you.