Baby Shower Planning Do's & Don'ts

Welcoming Baby! It is so exciting to get-together with friends and family to celebrate the upcoming birth of a child. To help you make the new parents baby shower fun and exciting, we put together some basic baby shower information and a checklist of baby shower do’s and don’ts. What exactly is a baby shower? A baby shower is a party for the parents-to-be so that they can receive baby gifts for the new baby. Traditionally only women would be invited to a baby shower but, couples parties have become quite popular as well as daddy showers. Usually a close friend, co-worker, or family member throws the party. Baby Shower Gift Ideas Most new parents will register a list of what they want and need at a baby products store. Some practical and traditional baby gifts would be: Clothing and layette needs such as onesies, pajamas, blankets, and bibs. Accessories such as bottles, pacifiers, bath products, and baby care grooming products. Diapers – lots of them! Toys such as rattles, teethers, and plush stuffed animals. Other gifts that have become popular are diaper cakes and gift basket sets. These all-in-one gifts include a variety of practical baby products that are presented in a unique design. They can be customized to the baby shower theme and make beautiful table centerpieces. Now that we’ve covered the basics, lets get on with the list. Do… Get Organized – make a list of everything you need to accomplish and include deadline dates. Start planning early - planning early will allow for errors and changes. Make a guest list and verify with the mom-to-be that everyone she wants to invite is on the list. Set the date and time of day that is convenient for everyone, especially the mom-to-be. Decide whether the baby shower will be formal or casual. Plan a menu – choose foods that are easy to eat, especially if the baby shower is casual. Checkout our article on baby shower food ideas & recipes Plan the decorations and theme for the baby shower. Make sure to include baby shower favors for the guests. Plan to play at least 2 - 3 games and buy practical, useful prizes for the guests. Assign someone to be the mama’s assistant - this person should make sure she is comfortable, bring her drinks and food as needed, etc. Make sure the party is not too long. Two to three hours is a sufficient amount of time. Include directions with the invitations. Make a list of gifts received and who they are from for thank you notes. Don’t… Don’t…Wait until the last minute to plan the baby shower. Don’t…Forget you are the host and should be taking care of the mama’s and guests needs. Don’t…Forget dietary restrictions - try to plan a menu that is acceptable for all the guests. Don’t…Set the shower date too close to the mama’s due date. Don’t…Forget about to include the father-to-be. Don’t…Make the baby shower last too long. Don’t…Play embarrassing and awkward games. Don’t…Serve hard to handle and messy food. Don’t…Forget to thank the guests for attending. If you follow a well-planned schedule your party is sure to be a huge success. Planning a baby shower can be fun and stress-free with a little bit of research and the right information. Did we miss anything? If you have any ideas you would like to add to the list, we would love to hear from you. Just send customer service your ideas and we will add them to our list. We want to hear from you!