What to write in a new baby card

Short, when space is tight

For a small card, or when several people are signing.

• Welcome to the world, little one. Congratulations to you both.

  copy

• Congratulations to all three of you. And sleep, as soon as possible.

  copy

• A new arrival in the family: well done, you two.

  copy

• Congratulations. We can't wait to meet her.

  copy

• Welcome, little Aoife. Lots of love for your first days.

  copy

• Congratulations! Wishing you a gentle, peaceful first month.

  copy

• Welcome to the world, little man. Your parents are going to be brilliant.

  copy

• All our love to the three of you, and a little quiet on top.

  copy

Warm, for family and close friends

When the card has room and can say something.

• We're so happy for you. Take all the time you need, and tell us if there's anything at all you need: we're here.

  copy

• And now you're three. We wish you nights as calm as they can be, and lots of patience with yourselves.

  copy

• Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. We hope you can take these first weeks at your own pace.

  copy

• A child changes everything, mostly for the better. We share your joy and send you a very big hug.

  copy

• We wish your son a life full of discoveries, and you all the energy to go along with him.

  copy

• Welcome to the family, little one. Your parents waited a long time for you, and they'll take great care of you.

  copy

• Congratulations on your new arrival. May your child stay curious, find their courage and always know they belong with you.

  copy

• Congratulations. We're so looking forward to everything ahead of you, and to the day we get to hold her.

  copy

With a line in Irish

A short Irish greeting to open or close the card, followed by your own words.

• Comhghairdeas! Welcome to the world, little one, and congratulations to you both.

  copy

• Comhghairdeas leis an leanbh nua. We're thrilled for you all.

  copy

• Comhghairdeas! A new name in the family, and a lot of love waiting for it.

  copy

• Comhghairdeas to the three of you. Rest when you can, and call us when you need us.

  copy

• Comhghairdeas leis an leanbh nua. May the first weeks be gentle and the nights a little shorter.

  copy

• Comhghairdeas! We can't wait to meet the newest member of the family.

  copy

For a second or third child

When there's already an older child: the big brother or sister gets a place in the message too.

• Congratulations on baby number two. And well done to the brand-new big sister: it's a title you wear from today.

  copy

• Now you're four. We share your joy, and we're thinking of the big brother too, who has everything to renegotiate.

  copy

• Welcome, little brother. Your big sister will soon show you how everything works around here.

  copy

• With four of you, the house will be louder and happier. All our love to every one of you.

  copy

• Congratulations. We're thinking of your eldest too, for whom everything changes today as much as for you.

  copy

• Congratulations, once again, and the same question as the first time: what do you need right now? Just tell us.

  copy

From colleagues or acquaintances

Warm without being too personal, for example on a card the whole team signs.

• Congratulations on the birth of your baby. Wishing you lovely first days together as a family.

  copy

• Congratulations! The whole team is delighted for you and wishes your family all the best.

  copy

• Warmest congratulations on your new arrival. Take your time; we'll look after things here.

  copy

• Wishing you a gentle start and lots of moments of wonder.

  copy

• Congratulations on your beautiful baby. Enjoy your leave; everything's under control here.

  copy

• Congratulations from all of us, and we're looking forward to meeting the baby one day.

  copy

When the start was hard

After a premature birth, a hospital stay or a long wait. Simple, calm words help.

• We've thought of you every day these past weeks, and we're so glad she's here. All our wishes for what comes next.

  copy

• You've been through so much. We share your joy with all our hearts, and wish you, from now on, lots of calm.

  copy

• Congratulations. We know how long you waited for this moment.

  copy

• Thinking of you and your son. If there's anything we can do, just say, even at the last minute.

  copy

• All our love to the three of you. We'll keep our distance, and we're here the moment you need us.

  copy

• How wonderful to know you're finally home. Wishing you a very quiet first week.

  copy

To write in a book

An inscription lasts longer than a card. Add the date and your name as well as the message.

• For Aoife, the day after you were born. One day you'll read these words yourself, and know you were loved from the very first day.

  copy

• This book has been yours since you were one day old. We chose it before we knew you, and we chose well.

  copy

• For our grandson. We saw you for the first time on 3 March, and you were fast asleep.

  copy

• Dear family, this book is for the evenings when sleep is slow to come. With all our love.

  copy

• For you, little one. So that one day you can read what we were thinking today.

  copy

• For your first days. We can't wait to hear everything you'll tell us.

  copy

Write your own message in four steps

1. 1

   Name the person you're writing to

   A name turns a formula into a message. If you don't know the baby's name yet, write to the parents, or simply to “Mum and Dad”. A card that starts “Congratulations on the birth” with no name at all could have gone to anyone.

2. 2

   Mention one thing that belongs to this family

   The long wait, the house move two weeks before, the name and its story, the older child becoming a big sister. One precise sentence is enough to carry a whole card.

3. 3

   Wish for something close to everyday life

   Health and happiness go without saying. More concrete wishes land better: sleep, patience, quiet afternoons, help with the shopping, relatives who don't give advice unless they're asked.

4. 4

   Offer help you'll actually give

   “Don't hesitate to call” is kindly meant and rarely used. “I'll drop a dinner round on Thursday evening” is a sentence people can count on.

Slips to avoid

• Advice slipped into the card

  “Enjoy every moment, it goes so fast” reads differently after two weeks of broken nights. An exhausted parent can hear it as an instruction. The wish works perfectly well without a lesson.

• Remarks about who the baby looks like

  “The image of his dad” is meant kindly, but some families would rather do without it, especially after adoption, fostering or fertility treatment. If you don't know the family well, it's best left out.

• The little line about the next one

  “Now you just need a girl” or “A boy next time” sometimes finds its way onto a card. Lines like that make the newborn child seem less.

Frequently asked questions

What do you write in a new baby card?

Congratulations, the baby's name if you know it, one detail that belongs to this family and a wish close to everyday life, such as sleep or quiet days. British cards tend to be a little more reserved, American ones longer and warmer. Always keep it positive.

How do you say congratulations in Irish on a baby card?

“Comhghairdeas!” means congratulations, and “Comhghairdeas leis an leanbh nua” means congratulations on the new baby. Both work well as a first or last line, followed by your own words in English.

What do you say when the start was hard?

A message that takes the situation into account without dressing it up: say how glad you are the baby is here, wish them calm and offer concrete help. At times like these, too much enthusiasm can sound as if you haven't listened.

What goes in an inscription that stays in a book?

The date, the child's name, your name and a sentence that will mean something later. The child may read it in ten years: tell them what happened, the day, the wait, what you felt.