Beyonce announced to the world that she was pregnant at the 2011 MTV Music Video Awards. And while I am happy for her, this seems like the pregnancy equivalent of proposing marriage on the big screen at a sporting event—bold, flashy and a little too public. If you have exciting baby news to share, learn what NOT to do with these pregnancy announcement faux pas.
5 Worst Ways to Announce You’re Having a Baby
1. Mailing a pregnancy announcement
Yes, it is exciting to get pregnant. All the hope and possibility and sweet new life. But, let’s just be honest, besides your mom, no one is as excited about your pregnancy as you are. Tell your friends in person, tell your pseudo-friends on Facebook, but don’t spend the money or the time on sending a pregnancy announcement. Save it until after the baby comes.
2. Facebook
Once you’ve told your close friends and family in person, its fine to tell Facebook you are pregnant. But creating your fetus a Facebook page and then sending updates from that page? That’s a one-way ticket to unfriend town. In fact, it’s so annoying that even Facebook, harbinger of all things annoying couldn’t handle it. When Ellie Green created a page for her fetus, Facebook took that down. Which is the best thing they’ve done for the world since inciting revolution in the Middle East.
3. Gender-reveal party
I look for any excuse to drink. And I do mean any. But gathering your friends together so you can tell them what kind of private bits your unborn child will have? That, while it makes me want to drink, doesn’t make anyone happy. It’s like a baby shower, but worse. Much, much worse. Your baby is a blessing, to be sure. But that blessing doesn’t need it’s own party just for growing a pair.
4. YouTube
A simple search of the internet reveals that almost 200,000 people think a poorly edited video on the internet is the best way to say, “hey, we’re super happy to be knocked up.” Despite how awesome you are at video editing, your pee stick isn’t going to go viral. Do you want to know why? Because there is pee on that stick. A better way, might be to make the video private and share with friends and family who are far away.
5. At someone else’s party
At a cousin’s wedding reception, a family member decided to share the news that my husband and I were pregnant. While the family was gracious, kind, and super happy, sharing your big news at someone else’s main event is not the best choice of venues to say the least. Enjoy their party and wait a few more days. It’s their day, not yours. Oh, also, let other people announce their own pregnancies.
