The most memorable pregnancy announcements share one trick: they turn the news into a small joke or puzzle that the people you love get to solve. A row of objects with one tiny extra, a video-game reference, a pet "reacting" to the news or a movie-poster parody all work because they invite a second look. The 30 announcements below, shared by real families on Imgur, Reddit, Bored Panda and blogs between about 2013 and 2015, show the range of ideas, from almost free to carefully staged.
Babies may be common, but each one still feels like headline news to the family. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted 3,628,934 births in the United States in 2024, and parents today tend to be older when that first announcement comes: the average age of a first-time mother rose from 21.4 in 1970 to 25.0 in 2006 and 27.5 in 2023. Many couples wait until the end of the first trimester before telling the wider world, while others share the moment the test turns positive. Whatever your timing, the ideas here are grouped by approach so you can find one that suits your family, your budget and your sense of humour.
Simple objects that tell the whole story
1. A safety-pin family with one on the way
Imgur
Often described as a paper-clip family, these are actually safety pins: two large ones for the parents, two medium ones for the children, and a tiny pin tucked inside one of the big pins. Safety pins are a neat choice because they recall old-fashioned cloth nappies. The whole setup costs almost nothing and reads instantly on a phone screen.
11. Three pairs of glasses
Two full-size pairs of spectacles and one miniature pair sit in focus on the floor, while the couple kiss in soft focus behind them. Keeping the people blurred puts all the attention on the clue. It is a quiet, elegant option for families who wear glasses.
17. A tiny tricycle in tow
Abitofpop
A couple on a tandem bicycle pulls a little red tricycle behind them across a summer meadow. The picture announces a third rider without a single word. It was shared on the Abitofpop blog in 2013 under the title "Our mini surprise".
18. Two pairs of sneakers, a dog and some very small shoes
Matt Blank
Dad's canvas sneakers, the dog's front paws, a pair of tiny white baby shoes and mum's red sneakers line up on a step above the caption "A new addition is coming, Summer 2014". Shoe-line photos became one of the most copied announcement formats because they are easy to stage and include everyone, pets too.
22. More laundry expected
A pair of khaki shorts, a pair of red shorts and a baby bodysuit with a heart hang on a washing line against a wooden fence, with "More laundry expected… April 2014" painted above. It is a practical parent's joke: anyone who has raised a baby knows the washing machine rarely rests.
Games, films and pop-culture jokes
2. Mario is finally getting his Luigi
Nelsanellis
An older brother dressed as Nintendo's Mario stands beneath signs reading "Player one: ready" and "Player two: pressing start, October 2014", next to a yellow question-mark block. In the Super Mario games, those blocks hide surprises, which makes it a clever stand-in for a baby whose sex is not yet known. Luigi, Mario's younger brother, completes the joke.
8. Ice Ice Baby
Imgur
He wears sunglasses and holds two bags of ice; she makes a heart over her bump. The pun is on Vanilla Ice's 1990 hit "Ice Ice Baby", the first hip-hop single to top the US Billboard Hot 100. A bag of ice from a petrol station is about the cheapest prop on this list.
14. A new player joins the game
Imgur
Blue and pink Wii remotes stand beside a smaller white one above the words "A new player is joining the game, August 2014". Nintendo's Wii, launched in 2006, was a family console built around motion-controlled play, so the reference fit a household that games together. Swap in whatever controllers your family actually uses.
15. Parenthood, coming soon
Imgur
Styled as a film poster titled "Parenthood – Coming July 2015", it shows a dishevelled dad ironing in his boxer shorts and a mum in pyjamas holding a doll among scattered toys. It is a staged "after" picture, and the couple's willingness to laugh at their own future exhaustion is what makes it charming.
24. 28 Days Late
Imgur
A parody of the poster for Danny Boyle's 2002 zombie film 28 Days Later, with a pregnancy test floating over the title "28 Days Late" and a lone figure pushing a pram past a London skyline. The pun works because a late period is often the first sign of pregnancy. It suits couples who love horror films.
25. Lego "Prego" family expansion set
Matthew Olin
Matthew Olin, a Lego fan, designed a mock box for "Prego 4+1, Family Expansion Set" featuring minifigures of himself, his partner Ericka and their two dogs, Bobolink and Bagley, plus a mum figure reading the "Lego News". The set number and box art copy real Lego packaging closely. For a homemade version, minifigures and a printed box are enough.
29. A grand adventure is about to begin
Imgur
Two adult Mickey Mouse ear hats and one tiny pair sit beneath decorative lettering that reads "A grand adventure is about to begin". The phrase nods to Disney's storytelling style, and the photo appears to have been taken at a Disney park. For fans, it doubles as a hint about future holidays.
Announcements starring big brothers, big sisters and pets
3. A dog with some reading to do
rferrar1
A black dog in reading glasses lies on its bed surrounded by spoof books such as "How to Still Get Treats When the Humans are Having a Baby" and "Dogconit: You're Still the Alpha". Posted to Reddit in 2014, it became a widely shared example of the pet-reaction format. Many vets and trainers do suggest preparing dogs gradually for a new baby's sounds and smells, so the joke has a practical side.
4. An eviction notice for the current tenant
Imgur
A wailing toddler stands in her cot holding a formal "Eviction Notice" telling her to vacate the premises within 27 weeks because the new tenant moves in on 10 March 2014. An ultrasound print is clipped to the corner. The perfectly timed tears make the shot, and they are almost certainly unrelated to the news.
5. Every superhero needs a sidekick
A toddler in a red mask, cape and nappy throws his arms in the air beside a chalkboard announcing "Every superhero needs a sidekick, arriving January 2015", decorated with an Avengers-style letter A. Big-sibling announcements are popular partly because they help an older child feel included in the change. The chubby legs and red wellies did most of the work.
12. Promoted to big sister
Karen Hibbert
A little girl in a polka-dot dress holds a chalkboard reading "Promotion: to big sister, January 2015", with an ultrasound picture underneath. The UK's Daily Mirror featured the photo, credited to Karen Hibbert, in a round-up of pregnancy announcements. The "promotion" wording turns a possibly worrying change into something to be proud of.
26. A golden retriever who can't wait
Goodtoknow.co.uk
A patient golden retriever sits wearing three paper signs that together read "I'm going to be a big sister". Dogs make excellent models for this sort of photo because they sit still for treats. The UK site Goodtoknow included it in its gallery of favourite announcements.
27. Only child, expiry date October 2013
Imgur
A toddler peeks over a hand-lettered sign that reads "Only child, EXP 10/2013", like the date stamp on a carton of milk. Black-and-white film gives it a timeless look. It is a gentle way to tell relatives the family's due month.
Comedy at the parents' expense
6. We're expecting… twins
Imgur
In the first panel, the father grins with a test in hand while the mother is sick into the toilet behind him. In the second, she shouts "Twins!" while he is the one bent over the bowl. Morning sickness is a real and often miserable part of early pregnancy for many women, which is why this role reversal gets such a laugh.
9. Baby, apple juice and beer
Mum, daughter and dad stand belly-to-camera with arrows drawn on: "baby" for mum, "apple juice" for the little girl and "beer" for dad. A follow-up photo shows the same three with a newborn, a juice box and a bottle of beer. The pairing of before and after pictures is a lovely way to bookend a pregnancy.
13. The baby instruction manual
Imgur
A couple stares in alarm at a "2015 Baby Assembly and Maintenance" booklet printed in several languages, flat-pack style, with a hammer at the ready. It pokes fun at the shared fear that nobody really knows what they are doing at first. Spoiler: most parents learn on the job.
16. Not again
Imgur
Parents pose with their three young daughters, two of them crying, behind a sign that simply says "not again…". The deadpan faces suggest the joke is about the chaos of small children rather than any disappointment. The family's sense of humour is clearly intact.
19. Fill her up
Arabali Aliyev
A sequence of photos at a petrol-station air pump shows the husband "inflating" his wife's belly with the tyre hose until, after a comic-book explosion, he is holding a newborn. It was shared on Bored Panda by Arabali Aliyev. Done as a series across the months, it doubles as a record of the bump growing.
20. Eating for two, drinking for two
Timboi
Arrows labelled "Eating for two" point at the mum-to-be tucking into chicken wings, while "Drinking for two" points at her partner and his two pints. Health services advise avoiding alcohol in pregnancy, so the partner cheerfully takes the joke on himself. The phrase "eating for two" is also a bit of a myth: extra calorie needs are modest and mostly come later in pregnancy, so it is worth asking a doctor or midwife what applies to you.
Holiday and food themes
7. Loading, 50 per cent
A bare bump decorated with a computer-style progress bar reads "Loading… 50%", above a T-shirt that says namaste. A full-term pregnancy lasts around 40 weeks, so half-loaded points to about 20 weeks, roughly when many parents have their mid-pregnancy scan. All you need is a washable marker and good light.
10. A carved pumpkin with a secret
Imgur
A couple sits on their doorstep at night with a glowing jack-o'-lantern carved in the shape of a curled-up baby. A Halloween announcement suits autumn pregnancies and gives guests something to discover at the party. Carving a simple silhouette is easier than it looks if you trace a template first.
21. We've been naughty
unknown
Two monogrammed Christmas stockings flank a tiny red one under the words "We've been naughty – Due June 2014". It plays on Santa's naughty-or-nice list with a cheeky wink. Christmas cards are a natural vehicle for the news, since they already go to everyone you know.
23. Thank you, Prego
Apollinas
A woman slurps spaghetti while her partner stares in shock at a jar of Prego pasta sauce relabelled "We're Prego". "Preggo" is informal slang for pregnant, and Prego is a long-running US sauce brand, so the pun almost wrote itself. It is a playful way to tell friends over dinner.
30. The Starbucks family
Ron Phillips
Three Starbucks cups in descending sizes, labelled Ron, Katy and Karis, stand on a log beside a baby bottle with the coffee chain's logo and the date "March 2015". Writing customers' names on cups is a Starbucks habit, which makes the idea instantly familiar. Expect a long future of coffee runs.
Do the math, and other number puzzles
28. Two plus three equals five
Christina Shibles
The father holds his daughter (that's two), the pregnant mother stands alone (that's three), and giant letters complete the sum "+ = 5". The arithmetic only works if she is carrying twins, which is exactly the surprise. Twin announcements reward a little puzzle like this, because the double news deserves a double take.
Number tricks like this one tie in with a few genuine facts about births. In the United States, slightly more boys than girls are born every year: between 1940 and 2002 the ratio ranged from 1,046 to 1,059 boys for every 1,000 girls, according to the CDC. Weekdays also see more births than weekends, largely because planned caesareans and inductions are scheduled during the working week.
How to make your own announcement
Start with what makes your family yours: a hobby, a pet, a favourite film or an in-joke. Then pick one clear visual clue, such as one small object among bigger ones, a sign, or a familiar format with a twist. The best ideas above can be understood in two seconds and still reward a closer look.
- Tell the closest people first. Grandparents and older siblings usually appreciate hearing in person before the photo goes online.
- Include older children. A sign or costume lets them share the news rather than feel replaced by it.
- Think about privacy. Before posting, consider whether you want to share due dates, ultrasound details, your home or a child's school uniform with a wide audience.
- Keep it kind. Some friends may be dealing with infertility or loss, so a personal message to them before a public post can mean a lot.
Whether it costs nothing or takes a weekend of staging, an announcement only has one real job: to let the people you love share your joy. All 30 of these families managed that.
Sources: photos via EarthPorm and the individual creators credited under each image; CDC/NCHS: Births in the United States, 2024; CDC/NCHS: Delayed Childbearing (2009); CDC/NCHS: The Rising Age of Motherhood in the United States; CDC/NCHS: More Boys Than Girls Born.
For a humorous look at life after the announcement, see Weng Chen Illustrates How Fatherhood Changes Daily Life.
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