Perfect Baby Shower Planning

As the Baby Shower host organising the get-together is less stressful than a hen party, but to make a success the host must have some idea of what the mum-to-be likes and dislikes. With the usual baby shower planning time being 4 to 6 weeks before the delivery date some mums just feel all they want is a relaxing pamper and a get-together with close family and a few friends. Ohers prefer to have their Baby Shower in the second trimester when they still have the energy to have a final-shout, opting for party games and a larger group of guests.

The UK has adopted this tradition for our American cousins and it’s a big thing there whereby most of the baby’s needs are gifted at the party. In the UK it is usually a little more scaled down with thoughtful and fun gifts.

So where do you have the party? If you decide to host the party it can be at your home or if there’s a group of you wanting to do something special then a venue hire is an option. Obviously cost has to be taken into account as you’ll have cost of venue hire, catering and activities. So you’ll need a budget with contribution from the group. If you’re keeping the occasion simple with family and friends it becomes less costly. The most important consideration has to be what the main guest wants before organisation starts.

Who do you invite? The guest list is decided on the type of baby shower mum wants. Once you have this then your guest list can be effortlessly drawn-up. Intimate get-togethers are simple to organise. Larger events need more organisations and starting a Facebook group is the easiest way to reach out to friends and family.

What should we do at the Baby Shower? Depending on the type of occasion mum wants organising catering and activities should be fairly straight forward. A typical informal shower includes delicious home-made food, a few games or a pamper service and gift opening with plenty of time for catch-up chats. For larger groups more activities, such as a mocktail workshop, or fun portrait drawing, craft workshops and getting the caterers in. Talking catering, there’s some really easy ideas from lunch buffets, barbeques to gentile traditional English afternoon teas that outside caterers can provide. How about having a themed afternoon tea party based on the mum’s favourite colour, film, Disney character?

Pamper party mummy:-

• Seated massage
• Luxury organic pedicure
• Luxury organic manicure
• Facial massage
• Organic facial
• Indian head massage

Activity time: craft workshops are becoming popular e.g. Personalised crafted letters that can be designed by each guests to decorate the nursery; Decorated baby clothes hangers; Group portrait sketching workshop with professional portrait tuition to draw the mum-to-be or even your impression of what the baby will look like.

So what should I buy? Baby Showers can be just like buying a wedding present you get a list from mummy, give a little cash or just buy something personally from you. The gifts need not be all baby orientated they can be something relaxing for mum, Neal’s Yard Remedies do a great mother and baby range if you prefer to gift an organic aromatherapy product. These type of party gifts are a good idea if the shower is not the first one for the mum-to-be as she might already be stocked up with all things baby.

Here’s a few ideas for shower gifts for at a reasonable budget:-

• Aromatherapy candles
• Baby monitor
• Nursery books
• Maternity night-wear
• Baby food recipe books
• Body scrubs and moisturising body butters
• Fun baby grows
• Bath bombs
• Baby Hand and Foot Ink print kit
• Personalised baby towels or swaddle blankets (that’s if you know the name of the baby)
• Educational toys

Should I send a Card? Cards are traditional but mostly end up in recycling. So, how about signing and sending a carefully chosen book that can be kept as a reference and a forever keep-sake.

What games should we play? Here’s a few ideas:-

• Match the adult to the baby. Guest bring picture of them as a baby and then the group has to match a who’s who. Match baby names with celebrity parents.
• Pin the hair curl on the baby.  Print a large size baby picture and cut out a curl and the group pin the curl to baby…. a bit like pinning the tail on the donkey.  Prizes at the end of course.
•  Mother and baby themed charades.  Look Who’s Talking…. It’s a film.  Three words.
•  Of course there’s always a piñata.  Great fun and not just for kids

Don’t forget to decorate!  Balloons, banners, decorations and party favours.