When To Order

You should select your announcements and wording well ahead of time so that you can order as soon as your baby is born. If you don't know the baby's gender, you can select two announcements-one for a boy and one for a girl.

Read our tips for Planning Ahead.

What To Write

A birth announcement should include a few basic pieces of information:

• Baby's name
• Birth date
• Parents' names

Parents also traditionally include their baby's weight and length, although this is not necessary.

See our Wording Suggestions for ideas.

Who Should Receive

It's appropriate to send birth announcements to everyone you think will want to share your special news. This includes everyone in your immediate family and close friends. If you were given a baby shower, you should send announcements to everyone who attended or sent gifts. If you are recently married, it's a nice touch to send announcements to everyone on your wedding list. You might also wish to include the people on your holiday card list.

When To Send

It's best to send out birth announcements as soon as possible after your baby's birth. The days immediately following the birth will be some of your busiest, so it is understandable if you do not send your announcements out right away. The latest you should send out the birth announcements is six months after your baby is born. The best way to handle this busy time is to plan ahead.

Read our tips for Planning Ahead.

For more information on announcement etiquette read our Frequently Asked Questions.