Sending birth announcement cards sounds simple, but there's more to it than you might expect, especially when you're managing it all in the first weeks with a newborn. This checklist covers everything so nothing slips through the cracks.
Before the birth
✓ Choose a printer or designer Get quotes from a few printers and compare delivery times. Some printers are much faster than others, check this well in advance.
✓ Build your mailing list (generously) Write down everyone who should receive a card. Estimate higher than you think: you always forget someone. A list of 80 names easily becomes 100.
✓ Start collecting addresses early This is the most time-consuming part, and it's the one you can start the earliest. Create an address list at geboortekaartje-online.be and share the link with family and friends now: "we're expecting soon and want to send you a card."
✓ Decide on your style and colour palette Do you want something playful, minimalist, or classic? Discuss this with your designer or choose in your printer's configurator.
After the birth
✓ Fill in the details Name, date of birth, weight, length.
✓ Share the news digitally Before the physical card is even ready: upload your design on geboortekaartje-online.be and share the link via WhatsApp, or send it in one click directly to all collected email addresses. Family and friends can see the news right away and leave their address at the same time.
✓ Approve the printer proof Check the preview carefully. Typos in names and dates are painful. Have your partner or a trusted friend read through it too.
✓ Review your address list Check who hasn't filled in the link yet and send a friendly reminder. Also verify that all addresses are complete, including postal code and country for international addresses.
✓ Send the physical cards Once the cards arrive: get going. If you have large quantities, sorting by postal code makes postage more efficient.
✓ Keep your list and reuse it Your address list on geboortekaartje-online.be stays saved. Thank you card after the birth, christening invitation, first birthday party: you never have to ask anyone for their address again. Use the same list, or filter a subset for smaller occasions. The first few years of your child's life you'll be sending to largely the same crowd. Build the list properly once.
Common mistakes
Starting too late with addresses. Most delays come from here. Begin in your third trimester.
Ordering too few cards. Printers often work in batches of 10 or 25. Order a few more than you think you need. Reordering is more expensive per card.
Forgetting the postage. Check the weight of your card and envelope. Some cards are heavier than you'd expect.
International addresses without a country. Always include the country on international addresses, even when it seems obvious.
Address collection is the step that takes the most time and the one you can start earliest.