Hosting a Baby Shower

Purpose of a Baby Shower

Baby showers are a popular way to provide mothers-to-be with items they will need for their new baby. Beyond the gift giving, a baby shower is also a social event that includes friends and family joining together to celebrate the birth of the new baby.

When to Hold a Baby Shower

If you plan on hosting a baby shower, the first thing you'll have to decide is when to do it. Traditionally, baby showers have been held from one to two months before the baby is born. However, a new trend is to host a shower one to two months after the birth. Whichever timeframe you choose to hold the shower, don't schedule it too close to the baby's arrival date to avoid complications of a premature or late delivery.

Invitations

If out of town guests are on the list, invitations should be mailed to them 4-6 weeks prior to the shower to allow time for making travel plans. For guests who live nearby, invitations should be sent 2-4 weeks before the shower date to allow adequate time for guests to make their plans and find the perfect gift.

Baby shower invitations are available in a variety of themes. In fact, you can find free printable shower invitations online or you can order customized invitations if you don't want to use pre-printed invitations found at your local department store. In today's electronic age, email invitations are also acceptable.

No matter which type of invitation you choose to use, be sure to include the following information:

• Where the mom-to-be is registered
• Directions and a map of how to get to the shower
• Relevant theme information
• RSVP date (but be sure to plan for guest who respond late or not at all)
• Anything unique to the shower that you want guests to know

When deciding who to invite, ask the mother-to-be to look over the guest list to make sure you don't inadvertently leave someone out.

Food to Serve

If you are hosting a baby shower, you'll be relieved to know that a hot meal is not usually served at a baby shower. Instead, food served at baby showers include chips, pretzels, vegetables and dip, finger sandwiches, wings and other finger foods. When choosing beverages to serve, keep the mother-to-be in mind and avoid alcohol and caffeine.

Shower Games

Shower games are not a mandatory part of every baby shower; however, they do serve as icebreakers to help guests get to know each other. One fun ice breaker includes passing a baby item like a bottle from person to person. The guest holding the item gives her name and tells how she know the mother-to-be.

Baby showers are not long affairs, so no more than two or three games need to be planned if you choose to include baby shower games. Be sure to leave plenty of time for opening gifts, eating and visiting.

Etiquette for Hosting a Baby Shower

Traditionally, baby shower etiquette includes guidelines like:

• Only non-relatives host a baby shower (more than one person can host)
• Shower should last about two hours
• Showers for babies other than the first—only invite people close to the mother-to-be

These guidelines are not written in stone. If you are the sister of an expectant mother and want to host a baby shower, do it. It's a wonderful way to show how much you care.

Pampering The Mom-To-Be

When hosting a baby shower plan ahead to provide a comfortable chair for the mother-to-be to sit in, assign a person to hand her the gifts, and another to write a list tracking who gives what gift. The mother-to-be can use this list to aid her when writing her thank you notes.

Another way to make the day special for the mom-to-be is to include some of her favorite foods when planning the menu. And at the end of the party, have a plan to help her get the gifts home..