You settled on the perfect birth announcement sign. You chose a color to coordinate with the baby's precious outfit. But when you have those long awaited numbers - the birth date, time, weight and length - what will you write them with?

I'm here to help! I want to make sure that moment is everything you dreamed it would be. I've tested a few of what I see most commonly used and I'll give you my recommendation.

First up: The Sharpie

This is BY FAR what I see people use the most. And I get it, the Sharpie is a go to solution for many a need in life. This...isn't one of them. 

The issue here is we're writing on wood, which is a porous material. Most any type of marker is going to deliver so much ink that it runs in the wood grains and makes your writing appear less-than-crisp.

Maybe even worse than that though, in my opinion, is the felt tip of a marker almost seems to get stuck in a particular wood grain and your letters end up looking very boxy and unnatural. 

Next: The Paint Pen

I made my first Birth Announcement Sign for my own daughter in 2020. This was actually something I'd read recommended on the internet then so I bought some to try. 

However, this seemed to work essentially the same as the Sharpie. There was slightly less color run and it glided a little more smoothly on the wood, but not enough to make much difference.

Last: The Ink Pen

I discovered this out of sheer necessity. People are always surprised when I suggest it, and honestly I probably wouldn't have ever thought of it myself, but my daughter made a little earlier-than-expected entrance with a NICU stay. To be quite honest her birth stat photo didn't get taken until she was about a week old; it's a long story but it was a rough week.

Anyways - I found myself rummaging around the nurse's station (I used to work in that NICU) for something to write with and get this picture taken. An ink pen was the best option that presented itself but to this day I haven't discovered anything I like better!

While the only con of this option would be that the writing is a bit more fine than I would prefer, there is zero color running and the pen glides freely across the wood so I feel like I can control the lettering style.

See a reel of the writing in action here.

Other Tips

• Be sure to test your pen ahead of time on the back of your sign
• After you've tested it, pack your pen and sign in your hospital bag!
• If there's a window in your hospital room, place baby in front of it in the bassinet or on the couch with a cute blanket. Take advantage of that natural light as much as possible and turn off overhead fluorescent lights if the window allows.
• Notice your angle when taking photos. If laying the sign flat on top of or beside baby, try to keep your phone or camera as level with it as possible.
• Take a detail shot. Prop the sign up against baby's side or feet and focus your camera on the sign and writing. This will allow friends and family to easily read the details, and your sweet newborn will be in the background.

I hope this is helpful to you in preparing for this big day and all the sweet moments that will be part of it! If you haven't ordered your Birth Announcement Sign yet, grab it here.