A great way to enjoy your pregnancy and the exciting arrival of your little one is by having a baby shower, which is a party thrown to celebrate the impending birth of your baby. It is also a way for friends and family to help the soon-to-parents by getting things they need for the baby.
A baby shower can seriously help you feel less overwhelmed by equipping you with essential baby items. Some might even gift essential things for new mums!
It used to be that family and friends would visit the baby bearing gifts after being born.
The relatively new invention of baby shower allows people to give presents to soon-to-be parents so they would be able to make use of them right after the baby is born!
This is especially true for things that you would need to wash and sanitise before using.
A baby shower is all about fun times and celebration. There would usually be good food, games, and quizzes. Some soon-to-be parents even include a gender-reveal surprise if they are not doing a separate party for that altogether!
When Should You Have A Baby Shower?
Naturally, there are no hard and fast rules about when you should have a baby shower. However, it is typically held in the third trimester, approximately four to six weeks before the baby’s due date.
This way, you will have less of a chance to go into labour, and still plenty of time to get things you need for your baby after considering the things you have already gotten as gifts from the baby shower.
Furthermore, you would already have a beautifully round belly to show off to friends and family who might be interested to feel the baby’s kicks!
It is also perfectly acceptable if you choose to have a baby shower in your second or even first trimester, but bear in mind that the risk of miscarriage would still be high, especially in the first trimester.
The downside of having a baby shower much later in the pregnancy on the other hand carries the risk of the baby being born prematurely.
Therefore it is a really fine balance that you would need to cleverly juggle. Knowing your general pregnancy progress and health should help you determine when is best to have the baby shower.
Who Should You Invite To Your Baby Shower?
A baby shower is usually hosted by a friend, sister, mother, or mother-in-law.
Of course, it could be anyone the expectant mother is close with, and they are usually the ones who would be in charge of everything related to the baby shower including the theme, food, decoration, and who to invite.
If it were to be a surprise party, normally someone close to the soon-to-be mother would instinctively know who to invite. If the expectant mother is aware of the party, then the host can consult with her.
The guest list would usually include the expectant mother’s close friends and family, usually female, but nowadays, a lot of baby showers are more inclusive. This means the soon-to-be father along with his friends and family would be invited too.
Depending on the type of baby shower the host is planning to throw, the guest list can be small or big. Exactly who to invite will usually depend on the expectant mother unless it is a surprise.
Usually, if it is a surprise baby shower, different circles of friends and families might throw separate baby showers, so the party is usually kept small and private.
How To Plan For A Baby Shower?
As mentioned earlier, planning a baby shower is not typically done by the expectant mother herself. Instead, close friends or family members would come together to plan the party.
A few things to keep in mind when planning for a baby shower would be location, guest list, theme, and most importantly, budget. On top of that, during this pandemic and with circuit breakers, some might even host the party virtually!
If you are doing it in real life, depending on budget, you can do it at a hotel, restaurant, community hall, or your own home. The bigger the venue, the more people you may be able to invite.
Doing it at your own home can make the baby shower feel more intimate and cosy, so it is best for smaller circles of family or friends.
When it comes to the food, some people might cater for the shower, some might cook themselves, and some have even considered doing a pot-luck. Whichever it is would also usually depend on the budget and location.
Most hosts will love to give out baby shower favours, just like any other party favours. They do not necessarily have to be extravagant.
Small bags with cookies and small items and trinkets, or small flower pots are a lovely idea to thank each guest for coming.
Decorations, themes, and games, if you are having any, can be easy as you can find many inspirations online and on social media. There are even some trends that you can follow.
Why not take into consideration what the expectant mum loves and also around the gender of the baby!
You might also want to consider hiring a photographer if the baby shower is to be big and eventful. They can help capture memorable moments for you perfectly.
Lastly, one of the more important things about a baby shower is gifts from guests. After all, the point of a baby shower is to “shower” the mother or parents with gifts.
Some soon-to-be parents do not mind any types of gifts and even love surprises, while some would be more cautious and would prefer to prevent duplicate gifts! In that case, online gift registry will be very helpful.
You can set up a baby registry online, with the help from the soon-to-be parents with regards to the things that guests can get for the couple and baby.
We hope this article has helped you understand a little bit more about baby showers and what to expect. Most importantly is for the new parents and guests to have fun, enjoy the day, and receive lots of love, gifts, and good wishes.