Baby Shower FAQs for Mums-to-Be and Baby Shower Organisers

A baby is always a perfect 'excuse' to have a celebration - so as soon as the news is out about the new person in the making, you will probably be thinking about organising a baby shower.

Baby showers have gained considerable popularity in the past decade. This may be attributed to families becoming smaller; therefore, each child gets more individual attention.

 

What is a baby shower?

A baby shower is a party thrown in honour of a couple who is expecting their firstborn. Baby showers are held with the purpose of bestowing gifts upon the first-time mother so she'll have the items needed by the baby on its arrival day.

Baby showers also serve as a welcoming event for a new member of the family.

 

Who can have a baby shower?

By tradition, a baby shower is held only for the first baby. These days, a baby shower is trendy in the UK - just head over to Instagram, and you will see that even the global pandemic didn't stop them! After all, each and every baby is unique, don't you agree?

Who hosts the baby shower?

Traditionally, a close friend or a family member from either side organises the baby shower. But you can have anyone throw a baby shower for you. Be it family, friends, or co-workers.

When is the best time to have the baby shower?

Usually, the baby shower is held in the later stages of the pregnancy, around four to six weeks prior to the due date.

Sometimes, people purposefully wait for the baby to arrive for some reason.

 

Who are to be invited to the baby shower?

It depends. If it is a workplace shower, naturally, you might only invite co-workers of the mommy to be. Or, if it is an intimate baby shower for just family, invite family members. But you may also opt to just hold one big baby shower where everyone is invited.

These days, couples showers are also becoming popular. During a couples shower, both men and women are invited. And surprisingly, guys enjoy baby showers as much as women do.

Be also mindful when inviting friends who have recently experienced losses or are having problems having a child. Most may feel left out if uninvited. What you can do is to ask them personally if they would be able to come in respect to their current situation.

And to avoid leaving out someone uninvited unintentionally, write a guest list beforehand.

 

What themes are appropriate for a baby shower?

Themed baby showers are, of course, a bit more difficult to organised. The more famous themes include,

1. Mother Shower. Shower the mommy with gifts to pamper her. This is a nice twist over the usual gifts of baby items.

2. Dad's Shower. Gifts for dad like coffee, Tylenol, etc., will be appropriate.

3. Baby Safety Shower. All presents must be of a safe nature.

4. Nursery Theme Showers. The concept of the baby shower is based on the nursery's theme.

 

What to serve the guests at the baby shower?

If you are adopting a theme, try to match the food you will serve with your particular baby shower theme.

The time of day when the baby shower is to be held also plays an essential factor. If you have the shower at about noon or at dinnertime, serve a full meal, as this will be what your guests expect to be served. For early afternoon or early evening, baby showers, finger foods, cake, and a light punch will do.

As with the choice of food, as much as possible, serve those that may also be ingested by the mother-to-be. Which most likely does not include alcohol. As a substitute, serve sparkling cider instead.

There are a lot of things to consider during a baby shower. But of course, nothing beats proper planning and early preparation.

Have a great baby shower!