She might be your friend, your family member, or your loved one – and she’s nearly ready to welcome a new bundle of joy into the world. Now is the perfect time to send her your congratulations with a maternity card. But what should you write in it? And how do you make it memorable and meaningful?
Our guide has the answers. We’ve selected a range of caring messages for you to use in your personalized card. Draw inspiration and tailor them to suit the mom-to-be, or change them up completely.
Why do we send maternity cards?
Sending a maternity card is a great way to congratulate a new or expecting mother. Whether you’re her colleague or friend, a maternity card allows you to show her how happy you are that she’s starting a brand new chapter of her life.
You can use a card to show your support or to just let her know that you’ll always be around to help. You could even let her know that you’ll be there with a bottle of wine whenever she needs to de-stress (after the pregnancy of course!).
She might not immediately realize it – she’s got a few things on her mind right now – but once the dust has settled, she’ll be overjoyed to know that people were thinking of her. Be sure to include a message to the father if they’re in the picture too. We don’t want them feeling left out!
And remember, if you’re close to her you can afford to be a bit more playful and jokey with your message. Just don’t do the same with Karen from HR, who you’ve only met twice in person – it might not go down too well.
Messages for first-time parents
A pregnancy is an incredibly daunting time – even more so for first-time parents. They might be doubting their capabilities or worrying that they haven’t planned it all out enough. Remind them what wonderful and amazing parents they’ll make, and make sure they know that if they need it, you’ll always be there to lend a hand.
If you’re close to the new parents, you can joke about how they’ll probably be too preoccupied to keep up with the weekly night out now that they’ve got a tiny person to look after. But be sure to reassure them that they are absolutely the perfect people for the job.
“You’ve got this, never doubt yourself”
“Can’t wait to see you in 18 years time!”
“Get ready for some sleepless nights”
Messages for those who are already parents
It might not be their first child, but they’re still a bit anxious. Use this opportunity to remind them how well they did the first time and that you’re certain they’ll be able to do it all over again.
But every child is different – just because the fist one was smooth sailing, doesn’t mean their second child won’t keep them awake all night for the next three years. Joke about how they might be biting off a bit more than they can chew, but deep down you know they’ll be able to handle it.
“Your kid will be lucky to have you! Try not to forget about the last one though.”
“You really are the perfect people to bring this child into the world.”
“You’ll make a great mom – second time lucky.”
Messages for single mothers
Becoming a single mom can be tricky and daunting. It also means your loved one is likely to be brave and independent. Remind them that you’ll always be there to support them, but not that they’ll need it. They’re one of the strongest and most caring women you know and they’ll make an amazing mother. Tell her that you know she has everything she needs to raise her child and not to let anyone ever tell her otherwise. She’s the perfect person for the job, so remind her of this in your card.
“There’s no one better equipped to raise your child than you.”
“You don’t need me to tell you that you’ve got this.”
“You really will be the best mom a kid could have.”
Messages for rainbow baby parents
The loss of a child is a devastating, life-changing experience that no one should ever have to go through. A rainbow baby (one born after the loss of another), is a shining ray of hope in an otherwise hopeless situation. A rainbow after a storm.
In your maternity card, talk about the hope and new beginnings their child will bring. They’ve gone through so much and the universe is finally allowing them a reprieve. If you aren’t close to them, then it may be better not to acknowledge what’s happened in the past, and simply focus on the future.
“After every storm, there’s a rainbow.”
“This child is your shining light.”
“You deserve this more than anyone.”
Messages for IVF parents
IVF is an intensely difficult process and anyone that goes through it deserves to be congratulated. It’s likely that anyone using IVF has dreamt of being a parent for most of their lives, so express how happy you are that they now have this opportunity. Your message could include admiration of how long they spent going through the IVF process, or how proud you are that they have finally seen it through.
“I’m so proud of you for taking this journey!”
“Your baby will be born into a family filled with so much love.”
“You’ve proven what great parents you’ll make.”
However the mom-to-be got there, her pregnancy is the perfect excuse for a celebration. A personalized card is a great way to make sure she knows how much you care and how happy you are for her. Or why not send a postcard? You can include a lovely caring message that she’ll be able to treasure forever – much better than a simple text.
