July 27, 2009 
By Jacqueline Bodnar
If you are going to be having a baby any time soon you will want to announce it to the world. Or at least your friends and family. With over four million births recorded each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are a whole lot of birth announcements being sent out. You don’t have to worry about sending out the same thing everyone else is and feeling like yours will just be another announcement in the pile.
There are plenty of birth announcement options today, especially for long-distance announcement, including those using new technology, photos, paper, and even for those on a budget. It’s just a matter of looking at your options and seeing what is right for you.
Electronic Versions
As technology changes the way we lead many area of our lives, it has also created new options in ways to send birth announcements. People can now send out an e-mail announcement, use Skype, text message, or even announce it on Facebook. For those a little more creative, they can create a Web page or site that includes all the important details, along with photos. May sites, including those that develop photos, allow for creating free photo albums online. This gives the viewers a chance to look at the photos, as well as purchase any they would like, which can help keep your costs down.
One electronic version that is becoming popular is the video birth announcement. They allow viewers to not only learn about the pertinent details of the birth, but they also get to see some live action shots and be entertained all at the same time, as they are usually arranged in an interesting way and set to music.
“A video birth announcement is an ideal choice for today’s modern families for so many reasons,” says Sharon Gavini Reilly, a mother and owner of Cool Dog Productions (http://www.cooldogproductions.com), a company that makes video announcements. “With a video birth announcement and the many photos we can include, we can capture more of the emotion of this wonderful event. A tear in a dad’s eye, a tiny hand against mom’s chest, or the pure joy on a new grandparent’s face can all be included.”
One other thing that people like about taking the video route is that you pay for one video, and it doesn’t matter how many people it will go out to. Whether you need to announce it to five or 500 people the price doesn’t change, it’s a flat rate for the production.
Photo Birth Announcements
When it comes to photo announcements, many people are opting to go with black and white photos. Still others are choosing traditional colors set in pinks and blues. Lindsay Brewda, owner and designer at Grace Announcements (www.graceannouncements.com), finds that the tastes have taken a turn toward a modern clean feel that includes beautiful large photos on a simple design.
“Wording, too, is simple and understated,” she says. “There are not a lot of extra cute sayings used anymore. All the details are in short form to keep it simple and less cluttered by a lot of text.”
Paper and Eco-Friendly
As many people opt for the tradition paper varieties of birth announcements available, there is a trend in people seeking environmentally friendly versions. And there is no shortage of options available in this area. Sheryl Woodhouse-Keese, founder of Twisted Limb Paper (http://www.twistedlimbpaper.com), has had a favorable response to the announcements that she offers, which are recycled, handmade, and have can have seeds embedded for planting.
“Customers love the idea,” she says. “Some think it is neat or cool that it actually works. Having wildflower seeds embedded in the announcement so that it can be planted is a practical thing to do environmentally and a beautiful gesture symbolically at the birth of a baby. The announcement biodegrades back to the earth and new flowers bloom to life.”
Announcements on a Budget
“New parents can make a multitude of choices when it comes to the printing of birth announcements that can positively affect the bottom line,” says Karen Gilliland, the chief marketing officer of FineStationery.com. “Flat print and thermography are typically more cost-efficient printing options than engraving or letter press, which can be quite expensive.”
Additionally, you can save some money when it comes to choosing the envelope, by opting for an all white one. Another way to save is to wait about a month to send out the announcement, so you can include any gift thank you cards along with it. This will save on envelopes, as well as postage.
Other Options
There are many options available today and just doing an online search will help net quite a few unique ideas, such as renting a lawn signs to announce the birth to all your neighbors. Or, if you have a sports-loving family you can send out a sports ticket announcement, like those offered by Little Big Man (http://www.littlebigman.org). While Andrea Milrad originally thought of the idea as a birthday party invitation, it was such a big hit that she created a business out of it and started also offering birth announcements.
“They were such a big hit with the family I decided to make it into a business,” explains Andrea Milrad. “Doing birth announcements in addition to invitations was a natural progression.”
Another trend in birth announcements is making them by hand. As people increasingly turn to scrapbooking as a hobby, they have found that they can use those same ideas to create their own announcements.
“Having handmade items made is one of the best ways to keep other people from having the exact same birth announcements,” says Betsy Pruitt, founder of Belly Feathers Handmade Paper and Party Goods (www.bellyfeathers.etsy.com). “When it comes to their children, people are increasingly wanting something one of a kind.”
Finding What Works
Whether you opt for announcements that you write by hand, print from the computer, or place an order for, there is something for every person and every budget. The key is to set a budget, see what you like and then stay within your budgeted amount. No matter which variety you go with you can’t go wrong. After all, people are going to be concentrating more on your great news.
Jacqueline Bodnar is a freelance writer living in Port Orange, Fla. with her husband and two children.