Baby Shower Planning

Tips on Planning a Baby Shower

What comes to mind after hearing the four magical words, “We’re having a baby?” A baby shower, of course. Organizing a party with the expectant parents’ closest friends and family members is the perfect way of expressing “Congratulations,” or “We’re happy for you,” or “Best wishes.”

Aimed at further boosting the parents-to-be’s excitement for the future member of their family, the baby shower is usually hosted by a close friend or relative, at any time during the last months of the pregnancy.

Just like any other party, a baby shower requires careful planning to ensure that it will go as smoothly as possible, and be memorable for everyone. Although there are no rules cast in stone in preparing for a baby shower, there are some helpful tips to follow to help the host organize every aspect of the event.

1) Decide on the location.

Most baby showers are held at the parent-to-be’s house, since the expectant mother’s health needs to be considered. It is recommended for small, intimate parties, with only the closest friends and family members. Guests also tend to be more comfortable if the party’s setting is at home.

If the expectant parents love the outdoors, a barbecue party at their garden, or a local park may also be an option. Naturally, the weather must be considered – baby shower does not literally mean soaking the guests in the rain.

For less complications, the host may reserve a secluded area in a restaurant or bar. It may be more costly, but at least the decoration, food and drinks, as well as the post-party cleanup will already be taken care of.

2) Choose the party’s theme.

For easier decoration ideas, a theme may be decided upon. Consider the expectant parents’ favorite movies or hangouts. Another option is to decorate the party site by re-creating the place where they had their honeymoon, such as a cruise ship, or Paris-inspired café.

Since the party will also be a celebration of the future baby, a childish atmosphere may also be considered. Choose cartoon characters, bright colors, and other designs depending on the baby’s gender.

3) Finalize the menu.

The party’s menu will depend upon the time of the event. In most baby showers, the host serves finger food, pastries and other baked goods for convenience. However, if the event will be held during lunch or dinner time, heavier meals will naturally be served. Alcoholic drinks may also be prepared, depending on the guests’ preference.

4) Design a fun program.

Contrary to what most people believe, a baby shower is not only limited to mingling around, gift giving, eating and drinking. Fun games may also be included, such as charades, or those which will bring back the guests’ childhood memories. Remember that the main point is to make sure everyone will have a good time, and various games will surely liven up the event.

5) Create the guest list and send out invitations.

Prepare a list of the expectant parents’ closest friends and family members. Make sure to seek their approval before sending out invitations, to avoid any embarrassing mistakes later. Bear in mind that it’s the parents’ event, and not the host’s, so their choice of people should matter the most.

Ready-made baby shower invitations are readily available in gift shops and craft stores. However, homemade invitations may also be used to provide the host’s personal touch.

Send out invitations out two to four weeks before the party to give time for the guests to fix their schedule. Baby shower invitations follow the same format as any other invitation — it indicates the date, time, place, attire preferred, gift registry, if any, the host’s contact numbers for RSVP. Just to be organized, prepare a final list of attendees a few days before the baby shower.

News About Baby Showers The Best Baby Shower Games A Gorilla Size Baby Shower at Franklin Park Zoo 1 Sep 2010 at 4:39pm Bring Kiki Baby Shower Gifts and Receive Discounted Admission to the Zoo By Brianne Barrett Boston, MA - Join expectant mother Kiki, her mate, Kit, and the other members of the gorilla family to celebrate Kiki's upcoming baby birth during a special baby shower at Franklin Park Zoo. Kiki, one of the Zoo's seven western lowland gorillas, is pregnant with her third baby and is expected to give ... Expecting Moms Get Free Baby Shower 1 Sep 2010 at 1:19pm Expecting moms are gathering this weekend for a free community baby shower, and the organization putting the shower together needs donations. Baby boots: McAlester church, health officials team up for teen moms 1 Sep 2010 at 3:07pm Preparing for a new baby is tough under any circumstances, but for teen mothers, the challenges can be overwhelming. Baby Aspen Launches New Baby Gifts 1 Sep 2010 at 3:00am Exciting new baby gifts inspired by all things whimsical, from the sea to the safari, unveiled in Baby Aspen's 2010 launch of boutique-quality gifts, designed to enchant parents and baby! Baby shower aimed at areas with high infant mortality rate 28 Aug 2010 at 5:48pm LeBonheur Children's Hospital hosted its annual baby shower for new moms in the Mid-South who live in areas with high infant mortality. Trailer 'baby' 'Machete' makes pointed statement 3 Sep 2010 at 5:03am He was born in a trailer. A movie trailer. They call him Machete, because that's his name and that's his weapon of choice. (Good thing his last name isn't Water Pistol or Throw Pillow.) Danny Trejo is ... Machete! And he's so good with the big knives, whirling and twirling and slicing and dicing and stabbing and throwing with lethal fierceness -- or maybe it's fierce lethalness -- that he could ... The Juppy Baby Walker, The Only Baby Walker That Fits In A Purse, Announces T... 1 Sep 2010 at 10:00am The Juppy Baby Walker is a unique blending of common sense and design and is exceeding expectations of moms everywhere whether it be on Amazon.com (consistent top 10 baby product) or their own site TheJuppy.com. Bean Station baby weighs in at 13lbs 7oz 1 Sep 2010 at 11:45pm He may be Mommy's Little Man, but Lucas Dale Lefevers is one big baby boy. Tallulah Morehead: Big Brother 12: The Puppetry of the Pea-Brains. 3 Sep 2010 at 9:02am Sunday: The first quarter hour of Sunday evening's show replayed the Thursday show with a few new Diary Room soundbites, before we even got to... Day of the Bone Thief 3 Sep 2010 at 5:00pm Ottawa based author Rick Mofina -- a former journalist who has reported from the Caribbean, Africa and Kuwait's border with Iraq -- has more than a million books in print that have been published in 15 countries.[...]   Baby Shower Books & Resources Itzbeen Baby Care Timer, Blue Itzbeen Baby Care Timer, Blue (Baby Product) By Itzbeen Buy new: $25.00 11 used and new from $12.95 Customer Rating: Cloud b Sleep Sheep - Four Soothing Sounds From Nature Cloud b Sleep Sheep - Four Soothing Sounds From Nature (Baby Product) By Cloud b Buy new: $19.57 46 used and new from $18.48 Customer Rating: The Essential Baby Organizer: Birth to One Year The Essential Baby Organizer: Birth to One Year (The Essential Organizers) (Spiral-bound) By Dani Rasmussen Buy new: $19.95 16 used and new from $16.95 Customer Rating: Boogaloo Zebra Diaper Bag Boogaloo Zebra Diaper Bag (Baby Product) By Boogaloo Click for more info Customer Rating: