Recently, I posted about how to announce your pregnancy to your parents when they live far away. As I’ve gotten lots of questions about how to make a pregnancy announcement for grandparents again, I thought I’d cover it in a separate post.
The grandchild number 2 announcement is also an exciting one. But you’ve been to the puppet show and seen the strings.
Not that the second baby or any others that follow are less important, but much of what you worry and plan for never happens, does it?
I remember going into labor with my youngest in the middle of the night, and knowing that it would be HOURS before that progressed, I went back to sleep. When my husband got up to use the bathroom early in the morning, I calmly informed him I was in labor.
This was vastly different from when my eldest came into the world. We ran around like chickens with our heads cut off.
So this one will come with more of an air of calm.
But if you want your grandchild number 2 announcement to be different than that first one, here’s what to do!
First up, when to announce baby #2 to the grandparents?
Just like the first time you announced, you may want to wait until you hit 12 to 13 weeks into your pregnancy to tell anyone. You don’t have to, though the risk for miscarriage is greatly reduced by this point.
Your husband, of course, should be the first to know, and then it’s pretty customary to tell your parents first, followed by the rest of close family and friends.
Make a digital print
There are tons of digital printing options online, making it easy to design your own keepsake for your parents. “What’s better than a grandchild? Two!” and other sentiments can be added to your family photo to surprise your parents with this second blessing coming into your family.
Print a custom wine label
If you want to really surprise your parents with news of grandchild #2, then invite them over for dinner if they’re close by. Or simply send this idea to them. You can create custom wine labels and put them on their favorite wine. When you serve dinner, turn the bottle to face them or let them slowly catch on when they realize you’re not having any.
Have your little one tell them
When everyone is gathered, let your little one spill the beans if they’re old enough to talk. Practice ahead of time, so they’ll know what to say and let them go for it.
Or, if they’re too little to get the message across the right way, create a sign and send your little one there to show Grandpa and Grandma.
My parents never play the lottery, but this is such a fun way to give them the news if yours do. You can tell them you got them some tickets and scratch them to see if they are winners. Then get ready with your camera.
Let a mug reveal all
I know I mentioned mugs for a hot second in my last post about announcements. But I love these customizable mugs that you can put your own message on. The kicker is that they don’t say it off the bat. You have to pour something hot into it, and then it reveals the message.
If you’d prefer, you can look for ones that have writing on the inside at the bottom. Then invite your folks over for dinner and coffee, and then let them finish their drinks before they find out. I love that little element of subtle surprise, don’t you?
Give a commemorative piece of jewelry
I want to highlight another idea that I think is especially important for those who only have your mom left in this world. Whether your dad has been gone for a while or gone since your first child was born, this message of hope will be an even bigger blessing for your mom.
This suggestion is one I got from my friend Talia whose father passed away just after her first child’s first birthday. As you can imagine, everyone was devastated. Talia had told me one of the happiest times was when they announced to her parents the news they’d be grandparents. Her father took exceptional pride and joy in his new role as a grandpa.
So, when she and her husband discovered they were expecting again, they wanted to give her mother something extra special as a way to let her know. A personalized grandma necklace was what they chose that looked similar to this one, though it had another layer on it commemorating her late husband too.
Talia said it wound up being the perfect gift of all and that her mom wears it everywhere. Indeed, I love the idea of jewelry for any occasion, though I think it is especially fitting when only Grandma is left in the picture.
Final thoughts on announcing the second baby to grandparents
If you went big with your reveal the first time around, the second time around could be a simpler announcement. How you announce it with bells and whistles doesn’t matter as much as simply sharing the joy with those you love.
To that end, I recommend doing something where you can either capture the moment in photos or where they will have something as a keepsake to hold onto. And I can also assure you that your parents probably care less about getting gifts and flashy things…they’re just going to be excited to have another baby to hold!
Leslie Berry lives with her husband and two young daughters in Los Altos, California, where she loves helping other moms get comfortable with motherhood and embracing the insanity with facts peppered with laughs.
