Baby Showers What is involved in a baby shower?

Baby Showers
Baby showers are a special way of showering expectant parents with love, gifts, advice and memories. While all baby showers are different and unique, they are all very special. Baby showers are used as a celebration of pregnancy and the upcoming delivery. Generally, a baby shower should be held approximately one to two months before the baby is due. This will allow the expectant parents time to purchase any baby necessities that were not purchased as gifts for the shower. It also helps to ensure that the mother has not already had the baby. Some baby showers are centered around a theme and some are not. Common themes are the desired nursery theme, baby necessities, booties, ducks, teddy bears or blocks.

Invitations

• The invitation should include the name of the parent and child (if known), date and time of the shower, location of the shower with directions, the host name and phone number and where the parents are registered. You may also choose to give a date for responses, known as the RSVP.
• Invitations should be mailed to guests approximately 4 weeks ahead of time. Give a longer notice to out of town guests.
• Men can be invited to baby showers as well.
• Can be themed or neutral.

Food

• Most showers have finger foods and punch available for the guests to enjoy during the shower.
• Pinwheels, meatballs, chips and dip, a veggie or fruit tray, crackers, cookies, mints and other small items are common.
• A specially made cake is usally the main centerpiece for the shower.
• Some shower hosts decide to have a full course meal with an afternoon tea.

Games

• Games should be fun and easy to play.
• Small prizes should be awarded to the winner of any game that is played.
• From drinking bottles to changing baby doll diapers, there are lots of games to play at a shower.

Party Favors

• In some areas it is okay not to give party favors to the guests for coming. However, most people will give a small party favor as their appreciation gift.
• Potpourri sachets, stationary sets or wrapped candies are sufficient.
• Attach a short thank you note or poem to the gift for your guests.

Etiquette

• In the past, it was recommended that women only have baby showers for their first born. However, more and more people realize the equal importance of all babies and like to celebrate each one.
• The mother-to-be and her mother should not host the shower. Instead, a friend, aunt, sister or co-worker should do the party planning.
• The person(s) that host the party is the one that is responsible for paying for rentals, food, decorations, etc. It is never polite to ask guests to contribute or the parents-to-be.
• Always send out thank you notes immediately after the shower. Thank your guests for coming, for their support and for any gifts that were brought.

Comments: Baby Showers

Comments 1 to 24 of about 654.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next

noel - 9 hours ago.
Krista - My baby shower was around the same time of day and we had appetizers... finger sandwiches, meatballs, fried mushrooms, and mozzarella sticks. We had sodas and coffee for drinks. Cheap and easy! :-)

Kristak01 - 14 hours ago.
Hi, I was wondering if anyone had ideas for cheap baby shower food. It's at 1:00pm so I doubt people are going to be eating lunch before. And it needs to serve a lot of people 30+. Thanks!

catsa79 - 20 hours ago.
M.M.Masi- thanks for you ideas!! candles is good! have a great shower

M.M.Masi - 20 hours ago.
Casta79 - My shower is on Sat. We have a different assortment of things to give out as prizes. We got some bowls at a dollar store and put some wooden spoons inside and a little kitchen towel and wisk. Each came out to like $4. Pretty good. Just so you know, my one big favor that I'm giving to everyone is a green baggie with blueberry muffin mix inside. See www.abcfavors.com. Another one of my prizes are pea-in-the-pod salt and pepper shakers to go with my theme. And the last prize is a set of candles.

catsa79 - 20 hours ago.
i am having a shower this sunday, i was wondering what type of prizes people have or might be giving for games??? i am thinking boxes of chocolates or pamper packs? i am gibing everyone a bag of soaps and batch bombs etc just for coming too.

cat4e1221 - 3 days ago.
I just need to vent a little about my mother in law. Now that we are having her first grandbaby she is driving me crazy She wants to make sure she has all the detalis about some baby shower I know nothing about. i know that my family is going to be throwing one. I just dont know how to deal with both of our familys being together like she wants us to be one big family and neither me or my husband really want to we like them separate we have some where to run to when things get weird at one or the other places.

katykat - 5 days ago.
Just thought I'd mention...my sister had her baby shower about a week after the baby was born, but the baby was left at home with the father. I enjoyed it, because my gift to her was a scrapbook I made for her, and I had it finished since I had all the pictures from the day of baby's birth. I personally would prefer to have a shower BEFORE the birth, since it's my first and I have nothing, but this was her second and she at least had the crib and bedding and everything, she mostly got stuff like diapers and clothes.

M.M.Masi - 5 days ago.
The only downside I see to having a shower after the baby is born is that everyone there will want to touch and carry the baby. That's a no-no in my opinion. I don't mind people coming by after the baby is born but the multitude of people at a shower is too much for me to consider putting a new born though. If at all, I would opt to do it after the 2 month shots.

gr8scottswife - 6 days ago.
I just thought of some cool ideas for baby showers. This first one is especially good for those who are struggling with MILs and such about buying things. The parents buy all the things they want for the baby, and keep the price tags on the items. Bring all the items to the shower. Wrap some up and don't put a tag on them, just mystery gifts that someone has to be brave to buy on trust and because they really love you (nothing over $10) or these could be bid on starting with $5.00. Give a rally ticket to each person who buys something. For each $10 amount, give another ticket, i.e. someone buys a $50 item, give that person five tickets. Also, for any game someone wins, give that person a ticket. If it's a question game, give a ticket to each person who answers correctly each time a question is asked. Add the scrapbooking idea, too, and for each page a person makes, that person gets a rally ticket. The rally tickets are put into a pot for a drawing for a bed and breakfast get away. Of course, you will want to 'sell' enough items to cover the cost of the bed and breakfast, so you'll have to get creative on the auction.

gr8scottswife - 6 days ago.
kla2200, I'm glad you mentioned that idea.

lizzie287 - 6 days ago.
It's not odd to have a shower after the baby is born. A lot of people think it's easier to buy gifts once they know FOR SURE what the baby is. Plus, that way you can get personalized gifts as well, with the birthdate and the name and stuff. I actually have a few friends and family members that refuse to attend a baby shower that happens before the baby is born.

braenell - 6 days ago.
My sister is thinking about giving me a baby shower after the baby is born because of financial reasons. That sounds fine to me. Is it really odd to do after baby is born? Please send feedback. Thank you.

kla2200 - 6 days ago.
Someone on this site mentioned this shower activity several months ago and I told my mom (who is throwing my shower with my sister) and she loved it so much she has gone crazy with it: She bought a baby-themed blank scrap-book and TONS of baby scrapbook paper and embelishments. At the shower she is going to leave it all out on a table and ask everyone to design and decorate a special page that we can add pictures to later.

gr8scottswife - 6 days ago.
I told my SIL that I do not care at all about decorations, games, etc. and to surprise me. I told her that the only thing I want to have a hand in is the invitations because I want something specific on them. I didn't want to stress myself out, and I really wanted someone else to be thoughtful enough to throw the shower for me. I will check on how things are going a couple weeks beforehand, though, to make sure invitations have been sent out.

megcantwaitforherfirst - 6 days ago.
there is no need to worry about a baby shower because they arent really the most important part of pregnancy if u are really worried you should talk to your family about it and say u wanna be involved in the planning

Tawny - 6 days ago.
Okay, I am about 7-8 months until I am due. I am confused about the whole baby shower. See, I don't associate with my boyfriend's family TOO much and my family lives 1 hour and 30 minutes away. Well, I am sure they will both want to attend, so I don't know where a good location would be and I don't know who will want to throw it or if ANY one wants to throw one. I am so nervous about it. What if no one throws me one? Where will I get some things to start off smoothe, you know? I am freaking out!!!

cks - 8 days ago.
On the subject of hostess gifts, I had never given or received them before, but when my aunt and I threw my sister-in-laws baby shower back in March, she gave each of us a gift. It was a shower gel/lotion set and I really appreciated the gesture made. I will definitely be giving my friend and aunt gifts when they throw me this shower!!

amber0225 - 8 days ago.
Hey Ladies! No I'm not any where near a shower but would like to comment. My younger sister she is 17 she is expecting her second child its a boy and we are throwing her a second baby shower... I think that both children deserve a shower.. some may think this is weird but I dont think the boy is going to want all PINK stuff.

M.M.Masi - 8 days ago.
I never thought of giving something to the host nor would i expect something given to me for hosting. I guess it's on an individual basis.

onemoremakes3 - 8 days ago.
hey ladys i have a question im having a baby shower may 30 and i was wondering whats a good gift to give to the hostee theirs two of them for throwing the shower if yall have any ideas please lend me some thanks

danigirl79 - 9 days ago.
Hi everyone! I was hoping to get some suggestions from you all about gifts/favors to give to my guests at the baby shower. I hope you can help! I also need some ideas for prizes to be won for our game winners. We are playing the regular 'shower' games but if you have any neat games to pass on I'd really approciate it! Please respond to me on my profile page! Thank you so much! Danielle

jbsmommy - 12 days ago.
it sounds like this might have already been asked but i was wondering if it was in poor taste to have a 2nd baby shower when i have a boy and we found out we are expecting a girl! i have nothing for her except for the neutral big stuff! a few people have commented on the fact that i should have one! is it selfish of me but i only feel her life needs to be celebrated too!

cks - 13 days ago.
m.m.masi - thank you for your input!! My best friend has three about 3 yrs apart each and had a shower for each and I personally saw no problem with that! I just need to stand up to my mom more too!!

M.M.Masi - 13 days ago.
CKS - my first was 10 yrs ago. I too gave everything away. My sis is throwing me a shower. I understand not having multiple showers when sibling are a yr or 2 apart but more than that i think it's fair to have a shower for each. Specially if they are a different sex from your previous. I love babies and baby shower and always participate regardless of the number of children.

M.M.Masi - 13 days ago.
mom2be - i'm also having my shower May 17. I'm having twin boys. I'm also doing the diaper raffle, surely gonna need lots of them.


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next


All forums   latest comments
Trying to conceive   latest comments
Pregnancy   latest comments
Birth   latest comments
Birth defects   latest comments
Babies   latest comments