The phrase, “Pics or it didn’t happen”, started on online message boards when users made farfetched claims that couldn’t be verified without photographic proof. Today that phrase is part of society’s ethos. Did you really go on vacation, eat a trendy meal, or get married if there isn’t at least one picturesque photo to show for it?

Babies take this craze to a whole other level. We all have that friend who posts naked pictures of their little one on a weekly basis. On the other hand, you likely have friends that live in other cities, and you wish you saw updates about their children more frequently on social media.

Today, parents need to create their own rules of engagement around that they will and will not share about their child on the internet. It’s best to make these decisions well before the due date.

Discuss these three questions as you draw your own boundary lines:

• Will we make our child’s life public on the internet?
• Who will be allowed to see photos of our child on the internet? (ie; Will we create a private Facebook group for family and friends?)
• Are there any types of photos that we’ll never publicly share on the internet?

These clear guidelines allow you and your partner to enjoy taking photos that are meaningful to you rather than blindly following trends. With those boundaries in mind, you’re ready to start planning an epic, yet tasteful, social media birth announcement. There’s an option for every parental privacy preference.

Here are our six favorite ideas for social media birth announcements

The status update

If you’ve decided to keep your child’s life more private, or if you don’t want to worry about crafting an epic announcement of your baby’s birth, consider a simple status update. This option allows you to focus on savoring your first moments with your newborn, and you can save the pictures for your closest family and friends.

The private announcement

We can control who sees our social media content, and it’s a right that we often forget to exercise. There are several ways for you to share a post-birth photo with a target audience of your choosing. Consider creating a private Facebook group for your inner circle or a group chat in Messenger, Instagram or Snapchat. Instagram and Facebook also allow you to exclude certain people from viewing a post. The private birth announcement is a nice middle ground between not sharing photos at all and sharing photos to the world.  

The sneak preview

You’re just getting to know your little one’s face, and you may not want everyone to see it just yet. That’s understandable! Why not post a photo of your newborn’s tiny hands or feet? Our Priceless Little Pieces photos are cherished by our clients. Your friends and family will see just enough of your new baby to fall in love.  

The mother and child shot

There are two questions that loved ones ask after the baby’s birth. “Is the baby healthy?”, and “How is mom doing?” You can answer both questions with one picture. There’s a certain magic in a picture of a mother and child in the calm after the chaos of birth. Maybe it’s the look of love in the mother’s eyes. Maybe it’s the post-birth glow. Because it is an intimate shot, and it’s impossible to predict how you’ll feel in the moment, have a backup birth announcement photo planned.

The family shot

Your baby is the newest addition to your family. Show exactly where your newborn fits in by using a family photo for your social media birth announcement. We’ve captured countless new family photos, and they never cease to warm our hearts. From parents marveling at their newborn to siblings experience their little brother or sister for the first time, these photos are an ideal way to introduce your new baby to your circle.

Multi-photo announcement

Sometimes you’re so enraptured by your little one, that you can’t choose just one photo. You don’t have to! Create a Facebook album or make use of the multi-photo gallery on Instagram, and share away. There are also several collage apps that are a parent’s best friend. Try Pic Collage or PicArt to put all of your favorite photos in one place.

These ideas will help you announce your baby’s birth on social media while staying true to your own privacy preferences. Nothing beats the convenience of having a photographer come to the hospital to capture the beauty of your newborn. If you’ll be DIYing your photos, here are a few tips:

• Clothe your child. Your newborn can only wear those tiny outfits for so long, and not everyone wants to see a naked baby in their newsfeed. A fully clothed photo will probably garner a more positive response.
• Keep it simple. It’s trendy to use props in birth announcement photos, but you’ll be tired from giving birth. Don’t waste your energy on styling a perfect photo.
• When it doubt, go black and white. Hospital lighting can be weird. If your photo doesn’t look the way you want it to, know that a black and white filter can work wonders.

How did you announce your new baby’s birth on social media? Are there any boundaries that you set? We want to know! Share them in the comments below.