Ideas to Announce a Pregnancy to the Entire Family

Family Gathering

• If members of your family live relatively close to one another, gather them together for some food and fun and tell them then. You could just blurt out the news, or you can use some creativity. For example, you could show up for the party in a T-shirt with an arrow pointing down to a tiny dot below your navel or flash sonogram pictures across the television screen with your prospective due date. If the only time they get together is for funerals and Christmas, this might not work so well. At best, they may figure it out before you tell them, and, at worst, they may think you're planning to tell them something tragic.

Email Blast

• If you stay in touch with your family electronically, send your announcement by email. You could email them pictures from a sonogram or a picture of your positive pregnancy test. You could visit an e-card site and create a "We Are Expecting" card and send it out to the whole group. If you really want to be sneaky, put together a family e-newsletter and include it near the end in a corner without a banner headline. This might be a good idea for those family members who wonder if you know how babies are made or will be less likely to see this as a joyous announcement.

YouTube It

• If you're not shy and don't mind sharing the information with strangers as well, you could post your news on YouTube or a social networking site. People post so many intimate details about their lives nowadays that a pregnancy announcement may seem tame and routine anyway. If you do post it to your social networking page, be sure to notify family members to check the page for something important.

Mail It

• Many people only get bills and ads in the mail these days. Put something in their mailbox they might actually enjoy. Create a card on your computer, write a letter or buy commercial cards. You might include your hope and dreams for the new baby and ask for their prayers and fondest wishes. Choose a specially themed stamp and stationary for your announcement.

Conference Call

• There are several phone services that will allow you to set up a free conference call. Get everyone on the phone at one time and tell them all together. It may prevent someone from complaining that they heard it last.