Baby Showers - They’re A Snap!

My neighbor is expecting her first child this Spring.  Being a mom of two, that really brings me back to the days where my belly was growing each day and the comments I would get from others.  Total strangers would smile or talk to me in the store.  People would go out of their way to be nice or helpful.  But my best memories from my pregnancies were the showers my friends gave me.

Hosting a baby shower can be a daunting task, but in truth, it is quite simple.  By planning early and working on the occasion a little at a time, the entire event can be a joyous occasion for the guest of honor as well as the one who is hosting it!

So, how do you get started?  The most important part is TIMING.  A baby shower isn’t something that can be simply thought up and pulled together on any given day.  Talk with the mother-to-be: when is she due?  Does she have any restrictions (i.e. travel, bedrest, etc)?  Are there any other showers that are being thrown for her?  Choose a date that works well with her schedule.  Make sure you plan far enough out from the due date that an early arrival is less likely, such as two to three months away. 

Consider your day of the week as well.  Weekend showers are usually best; out of town guests can easily make it to town, and working guests can manage it better without the hassle of the Monday through Friday grind.  However, if it is a shower for a coworker, an evening after work might be better for everyone. Talk to the mother-to-be to get her opinion on this.

Next, confer with the guest of honor to create a guest list.  Would she like to make it a couples shower?  What about neighborhood friends?  Relatives?  Coworkers?  Friends from church?  The guest of honor will be able to help create the invitation list and make sure that it doesn’t duplicate any other party lists if another shower is being thrown.  Keep the guest list in check with the location - if you are planning on having it at your home, keep in mind the number of guests your house can comfortably accomodate.  Usually, 10 - 20 guests is plenty for a baby shower.

Then, get ready to send out your invitations.  Invitations should be mailed three to four weeks prior to the event.  Email is too impersonal for something as wonderful as a baby shower; use printed invitations and mail each of them.  With such a special event, guests need plenty of notice to plan on attending.  Also include an “RSVP by” on the invitation to get an accurate count of your guests before the event.  You can also choose to follow up with those that do not reply if you have a few days before the event to do this.

These simple steps are a great way to get started on a baby shower for a special person in your life.