Announcing baby's arrival to neighbors

Mama Angelina

I've been seeing this HUUUUUGE fake stork holding a baby with a birth date/weight/name on my dog walks and DH and I always crack up that we'd never get that.  Just not our style.  We think someone rented it for that poor couple and every time they come home they roll their eyes with embarrassment lol.  Anyway, it got me wondering what we will do since neighbors have been asking when they'll know we've had the baby.  I jokingly (but not entirely so) tell them they'll know when they haven't seen us for a few weeks lol.  But I was thinking I could decorate/paint a little staked sign of some sort and stick it in my garden for a few days. 

Are you going to put anything in your window/yard to announce "It's a ____" or the baby's name or whatev?  

JstnJL

My parents are odering us on of those fake storks dressed as a firefighter (DH is a volunteer) with the baby sack that has the name, wieght, ect on it.  I think that they are kinda cute, but to each their own! I have seen people get banners made to put out in their yard to announce LO's birth.

musicteacher84

We might tie a couple of balloons to our mailbox...but that's probably all we'll do

Guimee

That would be cute. I was also thinking of just having my parents stop by and tie a few blue baloons on our mailbox or stake them into the front yard the day the baby is born. Then all the neighbors will know.

jrickard7

This doesn't answer your question, but I love this story.  Our local fire station got a brand new ladder truck a couple of summers ago.  To announce its arrival, they put one of those giant storks out front with all the truck measurements (weight in tons, length in feet, etc.).  It was too funny!

AutumnBride929

Nooo way.

BeanieWeanie

We live in a condo, so I figured we'd just tell people when we see them.

ChrisnTris

we have columns in front of our house and I've seen people tie a pink or blue ribbon around them for a week or two after they bring LO home.  I think we will do that.

jenna0627

Our one neighbors are DH's aunt and uncle so obviously they will know. The others, well they can find out when they see us carrying in the carseat. No signs for us.

evhamm

I've tried talking to DH about this... we're in an apt and our apt is just down the hall from the laundry room... I was thinking of putting a little sign on the door for a week with the 'birth announcement' - a picture, the info, etc. They have these little pillows at the dollar store that you can put a picture in the front - I got 2 of them. Figured I could utilize one for this purpose.

DH thinks its not safe to announce we have a little baby as someone might want to break in to our apt and steal our new baby & its new stuff...wth?! 

We've only lived in this apt for 2 months now, and we don't know any of our neighbours names. I think putting something on the door would be a neat way to introduce ourselves and maybe someone will bring us by dinner sometime...knowing we've got a newborn now, etc. 

sveldey

We are going to put out Mylar balloons that say "It's a Girl". I prefer the latex ones, but they break down in the sun too fast, so we'll have to make sure the Mylar ones don't get away.

NightmareMommy

No.

My mom scared me saying that people purposefully look for those signs so they can kidnap babies. Ever since I was a kid, if we saw one of those signs she'd say "Well, that kid is going to be gone in a week".

She traumatized me a little.

howa0155

We live in an apartment, so not likely.  I think the neighbors will put baby crying together with "oh, so and so had the baby."

mvanderc

if you do put something out please take it down after awhile.

there is a sign at the end of a subdivision that i drive by daily and the sign has been there since april.

for some reason i just want to rip it down!

PuppyMommy

NightmareMommy:

No.

My mom scared me saying that people purposefully look for those signs so they can kidnap babies. Ever since I was a kid, if we saw one of those signs she'd say "Well, that kid is going to be gone in a week".

She traumatized me a little.

Haha...I love your Mom! This is my thinking.  Call me paranoid, but I don't want to advertise that we have a new baby at home.  I have read too many stories about these things being advertisements for kidnappers.  Plus, I think they are kind of ugly.  The neighbors we want to know about the baby, will know about the baby. 

JenniferTCU

Our neighbors will see us out with LO. I don't want to advertise it to the masses. Seems really unsafe.

LeelaH

NightmareMommy:

No.

My mom scared me saying that people purposefully look for those signs so they can kidnap babies. Ever since I was a kid, if we saw one of those signs she'd say "Well, that kid is going to be gone in a week".

She traumatized me a little.

Something like this.  People are nuts and you just never know.  I don't even like throwing diaper boxes out, or large boxes like what exersaucers come in.  It's one thing to tell your neighbors, but I'm certainly not announcing my new arrival to everyone that drives by my house.  I'm obviously being over paranoid, but you can never be too careful when it comes to your kids.

mediadiva

The way I was raised you don't advertise that sort of stuff. We won't be doing anything. Maybe if we knew our neighbors really well and wanted visitors?? But we don't on either count and don't need any strangers knowing I might be home alone with a baby.

lovesazzie

We aren't doing anything... I figure word will spread around.

Blackvelvet

For the four houses who even know us we will probibly just tell them.  I'm sure the guys don't really care (three of the neighbors are single men between 50 and 60) the other house has a couple in their 80's.  So far the biggest comment has been it will be strange to have a kid in the neighborhood it's been 20 years since it happened....

daisybaby09

I agree with it being a safety issue. ?My neighbor is a cop and he warned us against doing it. ?You don't have to look to far to find crazy people in this world. ?So I would not want to bring attention to a new baby. ?Just like I don't advertise being away.

?

jhelly77

I'll just call my neighbor from the hospital, since we're friends.  She'll tell whoever needs to know.  There's only 9 families on our street.

mightyq

I am also in the camp that shies away from making big announcements like that - particularly when strangers could see it. call me paranoid, but whatever.

We live in a condo with neighbors on both sides, so what I'm thinking of doing is leaving a bottle of wine with a note outside their door, saying something like, "We have a new baby, so you might hear some new noises! Please enjoy this bottle of wine "

Mama Angelina

Yeah I agree it could potentially be a safety issue. I do think if a weirdo is going to go looking for LOs to snatch it won't be our co-sleeping baby and our neighborhood is extremely safe with all the neighbors knowing each other and a serious neighborhood watch group. :P  Not saying it couldn't happen but I feel so safe here, plus I have an awesome boxer who is also a instant deterrent.    If we decide to do something it will just be for a few days anyway...I'm in a crafty mood so I may just paint up a little sign or perhaps hang a pair of knit blue booties from our door wreath.  That sounds cute.  Thanks for the ideas!

lewis610

we did not do a sign for dd. dh and i am afraid of baby snatchers. i know that sounds silly but people are crazy. my mom feels the same way.

slhall730

mediadiva:

The way I was raised you don't advertise that sort of stuff. We won't be doing anything. Maybe if we knew our neighbors really well and wanted visitors?? But we don't on either count and don't need any strangers knowing I might be home alone with a baby.

Ditto, The people that we are close with will know anyway.  We def don't want to advertise.

jday1229

It's tradition here to have a bow on the mailbox, but I'll probably only leave it for a few days.

If your neighbors want a sign, why not use a decoration that isn't babyish but that you can tell them to watch for. Maybe a small seasonal wreath, windchime, or similar "signal"?