How To Host An Excellent Baby Shower

So your best friend or sister is having a baby. Congratulations! As they share the excited news you start thinking of all the cute little outfits you can get them to wear, the adorable bedding sets and nursery items and then it comes to you: you can throw her a baby shower!

So you’ve offered to host a baby shower for the new addition and then realize that you’ve never done this before. Perhaps you have never even been to one. Fear not, they are not so difficult and with a little effort they will be fantastic and something that the new mom will never forget.

What will you need to think about?

A standard baby shower has:

Date & Time: Very important. Make sure the guest of honor is able to attend

Location:

  • Also important. Whether at your house, hers or a hall somewhere, location can really make or break the perfect baby shower.
  • Some ideas of locations that are not your house or hers are restaurants, rental halls and public parks. All of which can be reserved for your event and have their own benefits. For example: At a restaurant you do not have to worry about preparing food for the guests as it can be purchased from the restaurant itself.

Read my full article about finding a venue.

A guest list of family and friends:

  • This is probably the most complicated part about a shower. Make sure your mom-to-be has informed everyone that is coming as you would not want to burst that bubble.
  • You will also want to make sure that if two people do not get along that you figure out one of two things: either ensure they will behave while at the shower or find out which the mom-to-be would prefer to be there. Drama is something that no shower deserves nor wants.

Snacks:

  • Pretty standard of any party. It can be as simple as a nutritious vegetable dip or as extravagant as a chocolate fondue. This is completely up to you.
  • For instance: does she plan on finding out the gender and telling people? You could do gender reveal cupcakes. These are simple yet ingenious treats that are easy to have made for your party in advance. You have half the cupcakes frosted with pink icing, the other half with blue icing. Everyone gets a cupcake and when they cut into them either the entire batter is the color of the child coming or they have a colored cream filling informing people of the gender.
  • Remember that some women have odd cravings and sensitivities while they are pregnant. If your guest of honor is sensitive to the smell of chicken for instance, serving chicken may not be welcomed with open arms. If, however, you find she is having cravings for salt and vinegar chips with ketchup, make sure that is available at all times.

Games:

  • Games are a great way to break the ice and to encourage conversation among the party guests. They also prevent awkward silences and help everyone get involved.
  • From a “guess the gender poll” to “what baby food is this” there are plenty of fun and ridiculous games which will encourage conversation, laughter and memories. Remember to check your dignity at the door for some of the games out there, “name that poo” anyone?
  • Read our list of the best baby shower games.

Gifts

It is generally assumed that gifts are involved when it comes to baby showers so arrange a time towards the end where the mom-to-be can open her gifts and make sure you have a clipboard, paper and pens on hand so you can write who gave her what so she does not have to worry about forgetting.

Making it special

So those are the standard necessities, what makes or breaks the shower though is you! Doing a little research may only take 20-30 minutes but will make a world of difference.

You may want to consider party favors and prizes for the games. One fun item is a baby bottle full of chocolate or other candies. Obviously if your mom-to-be is diabetic those can be substituted for more appropriate fillings.

A themed shower

Perhaps a themed event is more her taste. Make sure that your guest of honor’s opinion is first and foremost in your mind. You can host the perfect elegant and modern baby shower but if your mom-to-be is into classic books and Southern charm, this may not be the party for her and may lead to awkwardness.

Regardless of where, when and how you throw the baby shower for your loved one, make sure that she feels loved, appreciated and remembers to stay well fed, hydrated and comfortable as today is definitely her day. She will thank you for it and appreciate every ounce of effort you have put into this and will remember it for the rest of her life.