Baby showers were traditionally intended as an opportunity for experienced moms to offer wisdom to new mothers-to-be. These days it’s generally an excuse for everyone to have a party – and why not? Often a woman’s best friend or close female relative will be the one to organize a baby shower. If you are organizing your own baby shower, here are some tips to help you get started.
Who’s Invited?
Invite your friends, family and colleagues if you are close enough to them. Basically, anyone who you feel might want to share in the celebration of your impending birth.
Men are usually not invited, as it is more of a female bonding exercise, but there are no hard and fast rules, so do whatever feels right. Kids are welcome, so make allowances for any children likely to be there. Provide food and drink, as well as entertainment, and consider having the party outdoors so the kids can let off steam and have fun while the moms are enjoying less energetic pursuits.
Make a Date
It is traditional to plan a baby shower in the last trimester of a woman’s pregnancy. However, due dates are not an exact science, so don’t leave it until the last minute as the baby might arrive unexpectedly early. This is even more the case with a multiple birth. Twins usually arrive sooner than single babies, so bear this in mind when setting a date for the party.
Party Entertainment
The expectant mom is unlikely to want to do anything too energetic, so keep entertainment fairly low key. Quilting is a traditional activity for a baby shower. All the guests are sent a square of fabric and asked to decorate it. The squares are then sewn together to make a pretty quilt for the baby.
Even sitting out in the sun, listening to music and having a chat with your friends will be fun if you don’t have the energy to do much else, but other fun ideas include cupcake and cookie decorating, non-alcoholic cocktail mixing, nail art and makeover parties. Alternatively, you could play some baby-themed games, such as ‘name the celebrity baby’. If you have quite a few children attending, consider hiring the Orlando Fun Crew to take care of the entertainment on your behalf. They have a range of party rentals that will keep children of all ages entertained.
Party Favors
It’s nice to send guests home with a small party favor bag. You don’t need to spend too much money – decorate a cookie or fill small gift bags with colored candy (blue for a boy and pink for a girl).
Party Venue
Hosting a party at home is very low key, but if you don’t have the room, look for a local venue or hold the celebration at a local park (as long as the weather forecast is positive).
Don’t forget to decorate the venue with baby-themed decorations – colored balloons and banners are always a fail-safe. Provide plenty of healthy snacks and drinks too, especially for pregnant guests who need to keep their blood sugar on an even keel.
Baby showers are fun, so enjoy this special time with your friends and family before the new baby comes and changes your life forever!
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