Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Baby announcements ARE veiled gift expects. Your post proves it. Yes, you didn't "even" get a card but were thinking you would get more. I don't Facebook but would have emailed or texted a congrats unless you were really close to me family (bond wise) or a very close friend.

No, they are not. Even though OP expected presents, all an announcement is, is an announcement.

Sorry, I disagree. In today's digital world, most people put a pic on Facebook, send it to friends via a text or email, or do some other VERY informal notice to those who are really interested. Sending a mailed photograph listing the stats is really a gift grab, hence people being suprised when gifts aren't given.

Op, what were you excepting from what you said were "close friends" & "siblings" in response to them receiving the announcement? I would assume close friends & siblings would have known you were pregnant and probably knew when you had the baby so the announcement wasn't any sort of announcement to them.

They've forgotten how many kids you have

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A birth announcement is just that...an announcement. A gift should not be expected. Your family got visits and posts. What more do you want?

That's what I think too. A birth announcement is how you tell people that you've had a baby. That's it. No response is necessary, let alone a present.

+1. I never heard of responding to a birth announcement.

This.

Sending out announcements and expecting presents in return is just so gross. Everything is not an opportunity to receive a gift. It's your third baby. I'm sure most of the people in your life have already showered you with attention and gifts from the time you get engaged. It's just very entitled. Maybe people are over it.

+1 I thought that's exactly what it was: an announcement. I sent them out for my kids, but I never expected anything from it. It was just a nice and somewhat formal way to show family and friends a pic of the baby. Expecting anything in return is greedy, sorry OP. And I usually never send paper cards to congratulate babies. Its just a waste of money and time. I send an email (to the initial email announcement) or a FB message. Done.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A birth announcement is just that...an announcement. A gift should not be expected. Your family got visits and posts. What more do you want?

That's what I think too. A birth announcement is how you tell people that you've had a baby. That's it. No response is necessary, let alone a present.

+1. I never heard of responding to a birth announcement.

This.

Sending out announcements and expecting presents in return is just so gross. Everything is not an opportunity to receive a gift. It's your third baby. I'm sure most of the people in your life have already showered you with attention and gifts from the time you get engaged. It's just very entitled. Maybe people are over it.

I buy cards, fill them out, and address them. But then they sit on my desk for 3 weeks waiting for a stamp. Eventually I decide not to send them. Not so good on the follow through

I think, unless it were very close family or very close friends, the facebook acknowledgement is sufficient. I LOVE getting announcements and I look at every single post you put up of your baby. But I don't send gifts unless its close family/friend.

Anonymous wrote:Even for our first, only people in my parents' generation sent cards. Most of the time if I get an announcement, it's for a baby whose shower I attended and gave a gift and card for already, I'm not then sending something else. And I don't gift for subsequent children unless you are my sibling or best friends. I'll give a baptism gift if we are invited to that.

+1 I really think people need to stop expecting a gift for every mass mailing they send out.

Even for our first, only people in my parents' generation sent cards. Most of the time if I get an announcement, it's for a baby whose shower I attended and gave a gift and card for already, I'm not then sending something else. And I don't gift for subsequent children unless you are my sibling or best friends. I'll give a baptism gift if we are invited to that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your husband got acknowledgments on FB- did you get any texts or calls? I wouldn't have expected a card.

I don't Facebook- but Yes, I got some calls and texts. My best friend sent flowers. That's about it long distance wise.
To all of you---thanks all for the nice congrats on here--- I'll print and post in his baby book! Haha. Here these strangers took more time to welcome you than our good friends and family! And I think you're right that no one sends cards anymore..

Not reading all the responses, but I think this is the reality of today for the most part. I love getting baby announcements in the mail or seeing them on FB and always send a text or email or a message on FB but typically don't send cards. If many or most people responded in some form or fashion, then that's about the best it will get.

Congratulations!

Anonymous wrote:We're just kind of over it. "oh look dear, Jim and Susan had another baby." "Oh, really, that's nice." "Can you start the pot roast?" "Sure, no problem."

This

I'm big into etiquette, but I don't gift 2nd or 3rd babies. If I received your announcement I would call or send a card. I do love getting birth announcements though!!

Anything "mass mailed" like that I don't really respond to, now that I think about it. Like Christmas cards, I would look at it and think "how cute, what a nice card" and that would be it.
I would assume you sent 100 out and didn't want or need 100 calls/texts saying, essentially, "the mail works!"
If we were close, and you were someone I talked to, I would probably mention it the next time we talked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A birth announcement is just that...an announcement. A gift should not be expected. Your family got visits and posts. What more do you want?

That's what I think too. A birth announcement is how you tell people that you've had a baby. That's it. No response is necessary, let alone a present.

+1. I never heard of responding to a birth announcement.

Same here. I did not know I was supposed to respond to a birth announcement. If I get one, I have already heard about the impending birth and have congratulated/acknowledged the pregnancy already and most likely already bought a baby shower gift.

People don't think about you as much as you think they do.

OP when I delivered my first I had just resigned from a job I'd been in for awhile. I emailed my boss an email birth announcement with a photo of the baby. Boss said she would forward it to the staff. Only one co worker sent me a congratulations email back. Everyone else ignored it completely. And that was for my first child. Definitely hurt my feelings! And I wasn't friends with any of them on Facebook.