3rd Trimester

Etiquette for wreaths, bows on mailbox, etc

Do parents traditionally put bows on their mailboxes, wreaths on the hospital door, storks in the front yard, etc or is the grandparents, friends or other family members who do this for the parents?  I ask because last time, I secretly was a little sad that no one did any of this for us.  Not that I EXPECTED it, but since family did come to town to see the baby in the hospital, I was a little surprised.  I know it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, but it's kind of fun to celebrate the occasion, you know?

This time I've made my own wreaths for the hospital door (one for a boy, one for a girl b/c we're team green) - when I thought I was in preterm labor as I walked through the hospital hallways I noticed all of the cute wreaths people had on their doors after they delivered.  So I made my own :-)  Then I can put it on our door at the house for a month or so.  I was also thinking about putting a bow on the mailbox, but then I thought perhaps it's weird for me to do this type of stuff for myself?  Or not weird?  

I do know that some people don't want a stork or mailbox bow b/c they don't want people to know that there is a new baby in the house.  I don't have any fears / safety concerns so that issue doesn't apply here.

Thanks for feedback! 

Re: Etiquette for wreaths, bows on mailbox, etc

  • Maybe it's a regional thing...?

    Where I grew up, I never saw any of this.  


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  • I know people did this where I grew up but not sure who actually did this, friends, family or the parents.   I've only seen it once where I live now and it was a cute wreath on my friend's door and I'm sure someone did it for her since I'm positive they wouldn't spend money on something like that themselves.
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  • I never see decorations outside anyone's house in my area. I would assume that the parents would do it themselves if they wanted to.

    I live in a very safe subdivision in a good area, but I still don't personally feel comfortable advertising that there is a new baby in the house. You never know what kind of freaks are out there. I don't plan on putting out any decorations.

    ETA: This reminds me to mention this to all my family ahead of time. I'd actually be a little upset if someone put up something outside my house  saying we have a baby without my permission, even though they mean well...

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  • I agree with PP, I'm not familiar with this either.

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  • I was planning to just do it myself.

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  • We have had 3 babies on my street in the last two years, and I never saw anything like that. I have seen those decorations for showers more than lawn birth announcements. Do you have a neighbor or someone who you can ask to put your handmade decorations out for you? I don't think it would hurt to ask.
  • i've seen the stork signs out on peoples lawn and i've also seen people renting out storks but we're not doing this. We don't like the whole stork thing. people in our familes will know when our baby is born and our neighbors will figure it out when I'm strolling my baby around.
  • Honestly?  I'm sitting here thinking "wow, she's a MAJOR AW".  
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  • I know 2 different moms who brought their own wreath or sign for their hospital room door.  I think its cute but am not crafty enough to make my own and wouldn't buy one. 

     It's common in our neighborhood to do a pink or blue bow on the mailbox, but I'm not sure who usually does that...the parents or family/friends.  Again, I'm not doing it but if someone puts one on our mailbox, I'm fine with it.

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  • My friend has an 11 week old and had to sign a waiver in the hospital saying that she wouldn't put anything in the yard because of the risk of the wrong person knowing they have a new baby. Apparently a lot of hospitals are enforcing this now.
  • I've never heard of this.  It sounds so odd and AWish. 
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  • I've never seen or heard of this
  • imagemlf625:
    Honestly?  I'm sitting here thinking "wow, she's a MAJOR AW".  

    Yeaaaaaah, I agree. Tongue Tied

    I don't mind the banners/bows on the door to your post-partum suite - mostly because they're put up by the hospital gift shop/L&D staff while you're there..

    ..but I'm not into the whole stork signs and big elaborate AWing that I've had a baby.

    I figure my neighbors will know I have a new baby when they're seeing me come in and out of the house with an infant in a car seat/stroller.

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  • imagerachaelbritt:
    My friend has an 11 week old and had to sign a waiver in the hospital saying that she wouldn't put anything in the yard because of the risk of the wrong person knowing they have a new baby. Apparently a lot of hospitals are enforcing this now.

    What the heck? What I put up in my yard is none of the hospital's damn business. I wouldn't put stuff up anyway but I'd probably refuse to sign the waiver simply because I would want to tell them to butt out. I'm stubborn like that. And LOL at "enforcing" this. Again... none of their business.

  • imagesjgurl784:
    I've never heard of this.  It sounds so odd and AWish. 

    This.

    imagejudahsmommy1:

    imagerachaelbritt:
    My friend has an 11 week old and had to sign a waiver in the hospital saying that she wouldn't put anything in the yard because of the risk of the wrong person knowing they have a new baby. Apparently a lot of hospitals are enforcing this now.

    What the heck? What I put up in my yard is none of the hospital's damn business. I wouldn't put stuff up anyway but I'd probably refuse to sign the waiver simply because I would want to tell them to butt out. I'm stubborn like that. And LOL at "enforcing" this. Again... none of their business.

    This too. The hospital has no say with who you tell or how you tell them. I wouldn't sign it on principle alone.

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  • imageabbyful:
    imagejudahsmommy1:

    imagerachaelbritt:
    My friend has an 11 week old and had to sign a waiver in the hospital saying that she wouldn't put anything in the yard because of the risk of the wrong person knowing they have a new baby. Apparently a lot of hospitals are enforcing this now.

    What the heck? What I put up in my yard is none of the hospital's damn business. I wouldn't put stuff up anyway but I'd probably refuse to sign the waiver simply because I would want to tell them to butt out. I'm stubborn like that. And LOL at "enforcing" this. Again... none of their business.

    This too. The hospital has no say with who you tell or how you tell them. I wouldn't sign it on principle alone.

    I agree with all of this. My doctor's office did give me a booklet that mentions not posting anything on your lawn, but I doubt they will make me sign something like a waiver. I wouldn't sign it either, although I don't plan on putting anything out anyway.

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  • I wonder if this is a regional thing? I live in Alabama and see pink or blue bows on mailboxes quite a bit around here, especially in the suburbs. I know one local church puts up a bow and a sign welcoming the new congregation member, but as for the regular bows I don't know if it's the parents or friends/family of parents who put them up. I don't plan on doing this myself, as we've had a few break-ins in my neighborhood this year.
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  • We didn't do anything when dd was born but in laws put a balloon on their own mailbox. I live in NE and am used to seeing "it's a boy/girl!" balloons on mailboxes.  I had no idea this was a regional thing...
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  • imagesinisforgiven:

    I live in a very safe subdivision in a good area, but I still don't personally feel comfortable advertising that there is a new baby in the house. You never know what kind of freaks are out there. I don't plan on putting out any decorations.

    ETA: This reminds me to mention this to all my family ahead of time. I'd actually be a little upset if someone put up something outside my house  saying we have a baby without my permission, even though they mean well...

    ALL of this.

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  • imagesinisforgiven:

    I never see decorations outside anyone's house in my area. I would assume that the parents would do it themselves if they wanted to.

    I live in a very safe subdivision in a good area, but I still don't personally feel comfortable advertising that there is a new baby in the house. You never know what kind of freaks are out there. I don't plan on putting out any decorations.

    ETA: This reminds me to mention this to all my family ahead of time. I'd actually be a little upset if someone put up something outside my house  saying we have a baby without my permission, even though they mean well...

    They actually talked about this on our local news station.  We aren't putting anything in our yard or door that would suggest we had a baby.  



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  • imageabbyful:

    imagesjgurl784:
    I've never heard of this.  It sounds so odd and AWish. 

    This.

    imagejudahsmommy1:

    imagerachaelbritt:
    My friend has an 11 week old and had to sign a waiver in the hospital saying that she wouldn't put anything in the yard because of the risk of the wrong person knowing they have a new baby. Apparently a lot of hospitals are enforcing this now.

    What the heck? What I put up in my yard is none of the hospital's damn business. I wouldn't put stuff up anyway but I'd probably refuse to sign the waiver simply because I would want to tell them to butt out. I'm stubborn like that. And LOL at "enforcing" this. Again... none of their business.

    This too. The hospital has no say with who you tell or how you tell them. I wouldn't sign it on principle alone.

    The waiver is probably stating that the parents were informed of the dangers/risks.  That is all.

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  • imagesinisforgiven:
    imageabbyful:
    imagejudahsmommy1:

    imagerachaelbritt:
    My friend has an 11 week old and had to sign a waiver in the hospital saying that she wouldn't put anything in the yard because of the risk of the wrong person knowing they have a new baby. Apparently a lot of hospitals are enforcing this now.

    What the heck? What I put up in my yard is none of the hospital's damn business. I wouldn't put stuff up anyway but I'd probably refuse to sign the waiver simply because I would want to tell them to butt out. I'm stubborn like that. And LOL at "enforcing" this. Again... none of their business.

    This too. The hospital has no say with who you tell or how you tell them. I wouldn't sign it on principle alone.

    I agree with all of this. My doctor's office did give me a booklet that mentions not posting anything on your lawn, but I doubt they will make me sign something like a waiver. I wouldn't sign it either, although I don't plan on putting anything out anyway.

    I wonder if the waiver was more about, "You are signing to say we have warned you of the risks of putting out decorations."
    Because obviously they have no say over what you do in your own yard, but I bet if something bad happened, some people would try and blame hospitals or anyone they could think of that might have encouraged decorating. 

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  • imagelinzeek44:

    Maybe it's a regional thing...?

    Where I grew up, I never saw any of this.  

    this exactly....never heard of or seen this

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  • We were advised against doing this and birth announcements in the local newspaper in our childbirth class last time around. That being said, I would love a wreath on my hospital door especially since I'll be there for 3 days. 
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  • imagesinisforgiven:
    imageabbyful:
    imagejudahsmommy1:

    imagerachaelbritt:
    My friend has an 11 week old and had to sign a waiver in the hospital saying that she wouldn't put anything in the yard because of the risk of the wrong person knowing they have a new baby. Apparently a lot of hospitals are enforcing this now.

    What the heck? What I put up in my yard is none of the hospital's damn business. I wouldn't put stuff up anyway but I'd probably refuse to sign the waiver simply because I would want to tell them to butt out. I'm stubborn like that. And LOL at "enforcing" this. Again... none of their business.

    This too. The hospital has no say with who you tell or how you tell them. I wouldn't sign it on principle alone.

    I agree with all of this. My doctor's office did give me a booklet that mentions not posting anything on your lawn, but I doubt they will make me sign something like a waiver. I wouldn't sign it either, although I don't plan on putting anything out anyway.

    It sounds super ridiculous for a hospital to "make" you sign a waiver to not put anything outside your house. I won't be doing anything like that (except maybe a cute wreath that I may find on Pinterest perhaps; one for the hospital, one for our front door...but that's just a maybe), but it still sounds ridiculous. 

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  • imagerachaelbritt:
    My friend has an 11 week old and had to sign a waiver in the hospital saying that she wouldn't put anything in the yard because of the risk of the wrong person knowing they have a new baby. Apparently a lot of hospitals are enforcing this now.

    Really? I would refuse to sign something like that. I also wouldn't want stuff in my yard either, but it seems rather invasive for your hospital to put demands on what you do with your yard.

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  • imagerachaelbritt:
    My friend has an 11 week old and had to sign a waiver in the hospital saying that she wouldn't put anything in the yard because of the risk of the wrong person knowing they have a new baby. Apparently a lot of hospitals are enforcing this now.

    Really? I would refuse to sign something like that. I also wouldn't want stuff in my yard either, but it seems rather invasive for your hospital to put demands on what you do with your yard.

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  • IAM3BsIAM3Bs member
    I don't think it's AWish at all, I think it's a celebration type thing, and maybe it is regional, like the poster from Alabama, because as a native Georgian, and now a South Carolinian transplant, I see this ALL.THE.TIME.
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  • Everyone in our area does the signs. Either it's a stork with pink or blue bundle, a baseball player with a pink or blue hat, and the newest I've seen was a cradle sign with a pink or blue swaddled baby. This time around my husband just put a few little 'it's a boy' signs in with the flowers. I always have a wreath on the front door so I used the one I put out in the summer and just added a handpainted welcome home sign. Nothing for the hospital door other than a 'we're napping' sign they provided.
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  • It's normal here too.  For DS my family did it while we were in the hospital.  My SIL had her own pink wreath made for their door.  If you want it go for it.
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  • imagethemodscientist:
    I wonder if this is a regional thing? I live in Alabama and see pink or blue bows on mailboxes quite a bit around here, especially in the suburbs. I know one local church puts up a bow and a sign welcoming the new congregation member, but as for the regular bows I don't know if it's the parents or friends/family of parents who put them up. I don't plan on doing this myself, as we've had a few break-ins in my neighborhood this year.

    Just a lurker, but I'm from AL too and they're everywhere in my town too. In fact, if I look out the window right this second, I see one mailbox bow and a wreath. IME, they've given by friends or family. My parents had the florist deliver a wreath to the hospital that had wooden letters that spelled DD's first name. I used it on my door there and then at home on her nursery door.

  • imagemlf625:
    Honestly?  I'm sitting here thinking "wow, she's a MAJOR AW".  

     

    Honestly?  I'm sitting here thinking "wow, she's VERY judgmental"

    Perhaps it is a regional thing - it's very very common where I live.  I see bows (more than storks - storks aren't so much my thing) on mailboxes & wreaths on doors all the time in our neighborhood and nearby neighborhoods.  I wouldn't have thought of putting it on the hospital door, but when I was in labor & delivery just a few weeks ago nearly everyone had one on their door and they were so cute and festive!  I see nothing AW about it - celebratory perhaps; and nothing wrong with that.  And lots of fun to make!   I was just wondering if it were more common for people to do it themselves or for family to do it.  

  • I think the stork thing has kind of fallen out of fashion due to safety reasons. In my experience, the wreaths on doors usually come from a florist because someone sent you flowers and ordered one for you. 

    When my sister had her baby, the first thing my mom did was call the florist to order the wreath for the door. I'm in the South and they usually have Mums with long streamers. Kind of like those hokey Homecoming corsages from high school.  

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