Second baby birth announcement: wording with the big brother or sister
On a second baby's birth announcement, give the big brother or sister a line of their own. The simplest way is to name them in the message and in the signature ("Love, Anna, Tom and Lotte"). The playful way is to let them announce the baby themselves. Both work, and the examples below show each.
Where does the big brother or sister go on the card?
Into the text. The American Emily Post Institute's guide to announcing a new baby lists what a birth announcement traditionally contains, and the "name of siblings, if any" is on that list beside the baby's name, the birth details and the parents' names.
The sibling can also be one of the senders. French Wikipedia's article on the faire-part describes the birth card as traditionally sent by the parents, "sometimes accompanied by the grandparents, the big brothers and the big sisters". In the Netherlands, Dutch Wikipedia's entry on the geboortekaartje says the card sometimes carries a short poem that welcomes the baby or puts into words the joy of the parents and any brothers or sisters.
That gives you three places for the older child, and you can use more than one:
- In the news itself: "Lotte has a baby brother."
- Beside you in the signature, where the sibling signs too.
- In a short poem or rhyme, as Dutch cards sometimes have.
Should the sibling announce the baby, or should you?
Pick the voice before you write a word, because it decides every sentence after it.
The parents' voice is the classic card: you announce the baby and mention the big sister with pride. It is the safe choice when the card also goes to colleagues and great-aunts.
The sibling's voice turns the card into a little announcement from the older child. Popcarte, a French card shop, suggests it on its sibling birth announcement page for a humorous touch: a text in which the new baby's brothers and sisters do the talking and announce the news to the rest of the family. Dutch card shop Blijkaartje's collection of sibling texts includes rhymes in the older child's voice, such as "Ik ben niet meer de kleinste in huis" ("I'm no longer the smallest in the house"). Send a Smile, the German card site of the Dutch company Kaartje2go, offers on its page on sibling birth cards lines in both voices, such as "Ich bin jetzt großer Bruder!" ("I'm a big brother now!") and "[Name of older child] is now a proud brother / proud sister!"
Choose the voice first: the parents announce, or the big sister does.
The sibling's voice has one catch: everyone knows a toddler did not write it, so keep it short and in words a child would use, and it reads as a wink. A long, polished poem in a toddler's name reads as the parents again.
Second baby announcement wording examples
Each of these stays under 60 words and 400 characters, the message limits of our folded card. Swap in your own names.
Parents' voice, simple
Lotte is a big sister. Her baby brother Finn arrived safe and sound, and our family of three is now a family of four. Lotte has already chosen which of her toys he may borrow. Love, Anna, Tom and Lotte
Parents' voice, short
Please welcome Finn, the newest member of our family, and his very proud big sister Lotte. Love, Anna, Tom and Lotte
Sibling's voice
Guess what? I'm not the smallest in our house any more. My little brother Finn is here, and I'm teaching him everything I know. Mum and Dad say thank you for all your messages. Love, Lotte (big sister)
Sibling's voice, playful
I asked for a puppy. I got a brother. His name is Finn and he's quite nice, actually. Love, Lotte
Two older children
Lotte and Sem have a new job: big sister and big brother to Finn. All five of us are home and happy. Come and say hello when you can. Love, Anna, Tom, Lotte and Sem
If the older child can write their name, let them sign the draft card at the kitchen table first. You will type the message yourself, and that moment may hand you the wording.
How do you fit the sibling on our folded card?
Put the sibling in the message. On our folded A5 card, the inside right prints the announcement for you, your baby's name and the details you enter, and the inside left takes your message: up to 60 words and 400 characters. The design has no separate field for the parents' or the sibling's names, so the big sister lives in the message and in its last line.
Three things to know before you type:
- Line breaks are joined into spaces. The message prints as one flowing paragraph, so a rhyme loses its line ends. End each line of a rhyme with a comma or a full stop and it still reads.
- Sign inside the message, sibling included.
- Choose the folded card for a sibling line. The flat A6 postcard has a front and a back and no message panel.
More openers for any birth card are in our birth announcement wording guide, and if you plan a photo of the two together, our tips on taking the newborn photo cover light and timing. When the words are ready, type them into the folded card in the card editor and check the preview.