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.
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...
I agree with PP, I'm not familiar with this either.
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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.
Yeaaaaaah, I agree.
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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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.
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.
ALL of this.
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.
The waiver is probably stating that the parents were informed of the dangers/risks. That is all.
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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this exactly....never heard of or seen this
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.