Last Updated on April 13, 2017 by Marie Bautista
Most of us well-meaning friends or sisters of ladies who got married in June would love to host a baby shower for the expectant moms. It can a very daunting task, however, but this guide can help you plan this very special event which will truly make your friend or sister feel special and loved like a queen.
Having a child is always a reason to celebrate. It is one of life’s greatest miracles and we want to be part of it! Through a baby shower, we join with the expectant mom’s joy and at the same time, help her prepare for the birth of baby. I always cherished baby showers my cousins and friends had for me. And oh, don’t believe that you only host a baby shower for the first baby. Every mommy deserves a baby shower, may it be her second, third or fourth baby. It is a perfect way to make the tired and anxious mom-to-be relax and have fun.
Things You Need To Know
Your friend’s expected date of childbirth.
Plan on having the baby shower at least two months before the expectant mom’s due date. A little later than that and the mom may deliver her baby before the baby shower is held. Also, make sure to hold the shower before the mom is done buying birthing and baby needs since baby shower gifts are also meant to lessen the things the mom needs to buy.
Once you have the date, set a place for the shower. I usually had mine in my house, since my friends and I are given the freedom to decorate the place, plus it is more comfortable and private. If holding the baby shower won’t cut it because of space limitations, especially if you have more than 20 guests, then a better choice would be a club’s function room, a restaurant or a hotel.
Baby’s Gender
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| free digital photos by m_bartosch |
Knowing the baby’s gender can guide you on your party theme, decorations and gifts. All things blue would be associated with boys and pink for girls. When I had my first child, I didn’t undergo ultrasound because I wanted my baby’s gender to be a surprise, although I secretly wished for a girl (wish granted!) while hubby of course wanted a boy (so he will smoke a pipe haha). I ended up with yellow baby stuff,which works for both boy and girl babies, although I ended up buying pink stuff anyway, because she looks so pretty in pink.
The mom-to-be’s WISH LIST
Know the mom-to-be’s wish list. This saves her a whole lot from receiving too many items which she needs only a few pieces of, like receiving blankets and small sized newborn clothes. Babies do look tiny when they are born, but they do grow up fast. As in, really fast. What fits her this week won’t fit the next week. Consider buying baby clothes in various sizes and in different styles. Sporty Steelers baby clothes or classic onesies are perfect for any baby.
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| freedigitalphotos by claire bloomfield |
Baby wipes, diapers and toiletries are also perfect, and oh, with my three babies, I was constantly in need of bibs. I swear, my babies burped and drooled like crazy that I always ran out of clean bibs. Little things like them bibs, mittens and socks mean a lot, too.
Decide On A theme
Baby-related themes are perfect. Teddy bears, choo choo trains, cars, and Disney princesses are just some of the themes you can go with.
Get Ready With The Invites
You can create invites using your favorite computer program, and print them out or e-mail them. You can also purchase ready-made baby shower invites at bookstores and you can include the mom-to-be’s wish list in your invite, too.
Rock the place
Unleash your inner child and decorate the venue. Use stuffed toys, baby stuff, loads of pink and blue ribbons and balloons to get the place ready for a rockin’ baby shower.
If you are hosting the baby shower along with close friends, you can have a potluck party instead.
Plan Fun Games
Just because the celebrant is heavy with a child does not mean she can’t have fun. Some fun games you can play on a baby shower are:
- Guess the girth. This is the time a lady (the mom-to-be) won’t get offended if somebody measures her waistline! A long ribbon is passed around as each guest will try to approximate celebrant’s waistline by making a mark on the ribbon. After everyone has made her guess, the ribbon will be tied around the mom-to-be’s belly to see who made the nearest guess.
- Pictionary. A take on the traditional Pictionary game, make a list of baby-or-pregnancy-related stuff. Be creative. Use difficult works like postpartum depression, sterilizer, breast pump. You may need whiteboard, whiteboard marker, manila paper or pentel pens.
- Guess the baby food. You will need bottles of solid baby food and disposable spoons. Remove labels of commercial baby food and have guests guess what these are by tasting them.
- Guess who. Require each guest to bring their baby pictures. Have the celebrant/mom-to-be guess which guest is in the baby picture.
Souvenirs/Give-aways
You may give a souvenir to each guest as a thank-you gesture for attending the baby shower.
A baby shower for a friend or a sister is one of the best gifts a mom-to-be could receive. It was, for me. I felt very special and I was very happy to know that they were sharing my joy in having a baby.
Great ideas for a baby shower! I remember my first baby shower where my best friend prepared games and prizes for us. Then one group of friends pooled their money to buy me a Chicco electric sterilizer which was very useful. Until now, that sterilizer is still functioning. It's with my sister-in-law who just gave birth last December.
Nice! Thanks for these tips! 🙂 This will really come in handy in the coming days…
Nice tips there. I know how happy a mommy is during pregnancy but not to forget dads too. I think they are more excited than mommies. hehehe
It will be so fun for the expentant mother to have a baby shower. I haven't had one before but it will sure be fun.
Dominique @ Dominique's Desk
Thanks for these tips, Marie! My bestfriend gave me a baby shower then, but I wasn't able to return the favor because she gave birth a few months after I did – I couldn't leave my breastfed baby. Babawi na lang ako sa pangalawa! 😀
I haven't had any baby shower but these tips will surely be helpful in the future 🙂
I enjoyed my baby showers especially the gifts 🙂 What made them most fun were the games and the souvenirs. My friends put a lot of effort in it and I was overwhelmed.
i haven't been to a baby shower, will wait for my friends' babies. this post will be a good reference in the future. hahaha
Planning real hard will make any occasion successful. It requires a team of creative people and of course sufficient resources to make it even memorable.
before, i thought that baby showers are for the elite people only. After seeing my friends had baby showers, I also wanted to plan something if it's for myself. I think that will be really cute! 🙂
Great tips! My friends and I love to organize surprise baby showers for our preggy friends. We have done it twice already! Thanks for the game suggestions. I'll keep these tips in mind. 🙂
I haven't experienced attending a baby shower! Thanks so much for the tips. It gives us an idea especially if we have friends we want to give a shower, too!
Interesting ideas. I somehow want to organize parties like this because it excites me to decorate and prepare for everything. 😀 I hope someday I could do this.
these are nice guides, i haven't experienced hosting a baby shower but i always love to show up if there are invitations
great tips for baby showers. Actually I had not attended a baby shower before. 🙁
Na-inspire namn ako bigla mag host ng baby shower! Kaso wala namn ako buntis na friend. Ay teka ang tanong, may friends ba ko? ( kidding) ! Thanks for this tips marie. Next time tips din for a first bday party ha? My baby is turning one on April eh.
Looks like a fun event to host…but it could be stressful as well. These tips are very helpful. As for me, hehehe I'll just be the participant lol!