The Real Basics You Should Know About Baby Shower

Take the wishes of the mom-to-be into account at every stage. That includes the games, food, invitation list and all other aspects of the baby shower.

You can have baby showers either before or after the baby is born. Generally, they’re held 1 or 2 months before due date. But they’re also held after baby arrives because of medical or other reasons.

These days, it is perfectly ok for a close relative or even the couple themselves to host a shower. Those “rules" about only non-relatives hosting a baby shower are quite dated now.

Before deciding on the kind of baby shower you plan to have -- girls-only or coed, theme or no theme and so on -- consult mom-to-be and find out what she prefers.

Who can be invited? Generally, anyone the mom-to-be feels she should call. She’s the best guide here.

Do you always need to send written baby shower invitations? It is usually the better choice. With a written invitation, guests have all details at their fingertips and need not rely on memory. Plus, you can (and usually should) include directions on how to get there.

At the same time, it is fine to just inform people on the phone. Do tell them well in advance, though. So they have enough time to buy gifts, arrange for a baby sitter, etc. And leave your contact numbers with them so they can reach you easily if they need any clarifications.

Can you hold a surprise shower? Sure. It can be a wonderful feeling for the expectant mother. But do consult someone close to her (mother, sister, etc) to know about her likely preferences in all areas.

Fun Facts About the History of Baby Showers

Diapers, and rocking chairs and gliders, oh my! The modern baby shower has become the time and place to literally shower new moms (and sometimes dads) with the many things they’ll need to welcome a newborn into the world. But baby showers didn’t start out that way. In fact, the first baby showers looked remarkably different than they do today.

Fact #1 – Birth celebrations are as old as—well—birth.
Ancient people definitely did not throw baby showers as we know them today, but they did recognize that the birth of a child was a life-changing event that deserved recognition. During the days of pyramids and togas, new moms were often sequestered for a certain number of days after birth because it was believed childbirth was an “impure” process.
Although mom was hidden away, that didn’t stop family and friends from celebrating. Ancient Greeks would shout after the birth to signify peace. Ten days later, loved ones would have a special meal for mom. And, in a twist on the celebrations of today, the new mom was the one who gave out gifts—most likely gifts of thanksgiving to the birth goddess. Temple visits and, sometimes, festivals were also to honor birth in ancient times. Babies may have received their names during some ancient festivals.

Fact #2 – Religious ceremonies were the primary celebration during the Middle Ages.
For centuries, baptism, a religious ceremony welcoming a newborn into Christianity, was the central newborn celebration. It frequently took place the day after the child was born, however mom typically did not attend because she would have been sequestered for 40 days to prevent her from exposing others to the “impurity” of childbirth. The stars of the show at a baptism—other than that cute little newborn, of course—were the godparents. Although these spiritual tutors often gave gifts, instead of rocking chairs and gliders godparents often gave pricey silver spoons.

Fact #3 – Renaissance starts to recognize moms-to-be.
It was only during the Renaissance, the time of Shakespeare and Michelangelo that new moms started to get the goodies. Family and friends rewarded expectant moms with clothes, food, paintings, and other gifts. One of the top items on the gift-giving list was a wooden tray decorated with well wishes for mom and the growing family. The tray was typically used to carry food and gifts to the new mom.

5 Baby Shower Games That Are Actually Fun

1. Race to Water Break

Everyone puts one of these baby-filled ice cubes in their drink. Whoever’s melts first, wins!

2. Celebrity Mom Trivia

Make a list of celebrity moms and see who can name all of their kids.

3. Gender Reveal Voting

 

Instant conversation starter: have your guests vote when they walk in.

4. Guess the Baby Photo

Have everyone bring a baby photo and try to figure out who’s who.

5. Name the Baby Animal

Write down a list of animals and see who can guess the terms used for their young. Did you know a baby kangaroo is a joey?

5 Hottest Baby Shower Themes 2014

1.  Mustache Showers – These are great for dad showers as well as those having boys. You can throw a “Little Man Mustache” shower for the baby, complete with invitations decorated with mustaches, fun sayings such as “wet your whiskers” over the drinks and mustaches on the cups. Diaper cakes are also a fun way to display larger mustaches on the party table and you can even make chocolate lollipops in mustache shapes.

2.  French Showers – French-themed showers are wonderful for baby girls, and can create a very “girlie” or elegant atmosphere. You'll be able to find beautifully designed invitations that include the Eiffel Tower, coffees, and other items as well as color coordinate the theme with any of the colors that your mom to be chooses. If your mom to be has a very bright sense of style, you may even consider a Crique de Solei – or a Cirque du BeBe shower.

3.  Motorcycle Showers – If either parent is an avid motorcycle lover, you can easily find great party favors, décor, and invitations that will fit a motorcycle themed baby shower. These work great for boys and girls, and you can easily adapt any theme to the colors that you choose.

4.  Luau – Who doesn't love a good luau? No matter what time of year it is, you can create a wonderful luau that will bring everyone together in a festive atmosphere. There are tons of great luau decorations that you can find online or offline at larger party stores and you'll easily be able to create a layout of wonderfully yummy foods that go right along with a luau. Don't forget the virgin Pina Coladas and the pineapple!

5.  Money Tree or Wishing Well Shower – This theme actually comes from many centuries of traditions where guests would pin money on a wedding dress of the bride, the dress of an expectant mother, and so on. With a money tree idea, you could ask guests to bring cash and create a cute money tree from a fake plant where guests can pin or clip on money for the parents. This can be a great idea for those that already have the majority of what they need and simply need items like diapers and formula – which we all know cost a ton today. Wishing well showers can work the same way, with a cute “well” fashioned from a large vase, old milk can, or other tall item that can be decorated to look like a well. Guests can add in gift cards or cash for the parents.

A World of Baby Showers – Baby Showers in India and China

Baby Showers are popular all around the world – even in the distant lands of India and China. The customs of celebrating Mums-to-be may differ from the Baby Showers that we know here in US but they are all wonderful ways of sharing the joy and excitement of becoming a new Mum.
 
In India Baby Showers are called 'Godh Bharai' which has a lovely meaning – it translates as 'to fill the lap'.  The tradition is to fill the Mum-to-be's lap with gifts, sweets and fruits to bless her and her little one with abundance and prosperity. 

The Godh Bharai is usually held at the end of the 7th month or in the 8th month of pregnancy. The Godh Bharai is a women-only party with singing and dancing, fun and games and feasting.  Gifts include jewellery and money for the expectant Mum, baby clothes and accessories that she will need once her baby is born. Silver bangles are given as they represent prosperity, intelligence, success and strength – all good wishes for both Mother and baby.
As the Godh Bharai is for women only there is normally an amount of teasing and fun but it’s also a great way of giving the Mum-to-be love and support at such an important time in her life.

Baby Showers in China are known as 'Red Egg and Ginger Parties' and are held on the evening of the first or second full moon after the baby’s birth and are big celebrations.  They are banquets with 8 course meals and gifts range from little red envelopes full of money (red is a lucky colour in China), prams and pushchairs to baby clothes and accessories.  Guests are presented with hard boiled eggs that have been dyed red (to symbolize happiness and the renewal of life) and picked red ginger (which is supposed to balance out an overtired new Mum’s yin and yang with a little heat).

Top 5 Best Baby Shower Games

 Everyone loves a bouncing baby, but not everyone loves run-of-the-mill baby shower games. We certainly don't! So if you're like us and are looking for games that are decidedly fresh and fun, we've put together some seriously unstuffy options for you to choose from. Here are the Top 20 Best Baby Shower Games-from Beau-coup to you!

1. Don't Say Baby

Mum's the word when it comes to saying 'baby'! Get this great icebreaker started the moment your guests walk through the door. As you greet each guest, give each a diaper pin to wear on his or her shirt. Once all of your guests have arrived, tell everyone that they can't say 'baby' for the duration of the shower (or until it's time to open presents). If anyone hears someone else saying the forbidden word, he or she can steal the rule breaker's pin. At the end of the game, the person with the most pins wins a gift.

2. Guess the Baby Game

Pink cheeks and rosy memories abound when you play this game at your baby shower. You'll need to set the wheels in motion as you send out invitations to the shower. With each invite, include a note instructing guests to bring along a picture of themselves as babies. As each guest arrives, assign a number to each picture and post it up on the wall. Have each guest guess which picture corresponds to each guest. After everyone is finished cooing over the photos, give a prize to the person with the most matches that matched up!

3. Baby Items in the Bag

Keep guests guessing with this practical game. Put at least ten common, useful baby items inside a diaper bag; a bib, teething ring, rattle, bottle and diaper are just a few goodies that are also fairly inexpensive. Give each guest a pen and paper before passing the diaper bag around. Without looking, each person should stick a hand inside the bag and identify as many items as possible. Give each two minutes to feel around and make their guesses before moving the bag to the next person. Once everyone has had a turn, find out who had the most correct answers. The winner gets a prize and the parents-to-be get the diaper bag filled with baby essentials!

4. Mommy and Daddy's Secrets

If you're looking for a fun, yet touching, baby shower game for your coed baby shower, you're in luck (though you can always adjust the game to fit a shower just for the girls). Ask the mom and dad for answers to twenty questions-make sure to do this with the significant other nowhere in sight! Some great questions include, "Where were you when you heard the news?" "Do you want a girl or boy?" and "If you could have your way, what would you want your child to be when he or she grows up?" After you quiz each and record their answers, bring both into the room and put the future parents on the hot spot one at a time. Ask each to guess the answer their partner gave to each question-before polling the audience to see who thinks the answer is correct. Everyone's a winner with this lively game!

5. Baby Sketch Artists

Who knew paper plates could be this much fun? Pass out sturdy paper plates and markers to all of your guests. Let them know they'll be drawing a picture of the baby, and the best sketch will win. The catch is that everyone has to draw with the paper plate on her or his head! It's a hilarious sight-and the finished drawings are guaranteed to have everyone in stitches.

How friends and family can help after the Baby Shower?

Whether you hosted or attended a baby shower the prep work for mommy-to-be and daddy-to-be isn't done yet. There is plenty to do after the baby shower that would be a great help to the parents to be.

• Help sort gifts - Ideally, mom-to-be received baby gifts at the baby shower for different stages during baby's first year. Help sort through clothes, organize different sized diapers, toys, etc. and store them where mom & dad won't forget about them.
• Offer to take the thank you cards to the post office.
• Help prepare first items for baby. Wash and sanitize bottles, clothes, bedding or toys.
• Help set up the nursery. make the crib, help hang any decor, set up lamps, etc. Stock the changing table with a freshly washed changing pad, wipes, diaper creams and diapers.
• Prepare freezer meals - Those first few weeks are going to be tiring whether this is a first, second or third child. Prepping freezer meals will ensure that parents and siblings won't be eating cereal because of tiredness or lack of ingredients in the house. Even a week's worth of dinners is helpful.
• Babysit - If this isn't the first baby offer to watch the other kids. Whether mom and dad need a last date night before baby comes, or someone to watch the kids while shopping for groceries or baby items I'm sure it would be greatly appreciated to have someone watch the kids.

Those first weeks check in to make see if mom & dad need anything from the store or just need a sanity break. They'll appreciate the help even though the baby shower is over.

5 Tips for Preparing Baby Shower Invitations

Host a baby shower for the mom-to-be that she’ll never forget. Explore these party ideas for every type of baby shower from adorable to sophisticated. Party ideas include everything you need to throw a wonderful shower for the glowing mom-to-be, such as menu plans, party favors, games, and more. Whether you plan to host the baby shower at your home, or at a venue, you’ll find shower ideas to make the event perfect for the expectant mom and her guests.

    Guest List: Organize your guest list with the parents-to-be in order to make sure that you don’t forget to send baby shower invitations to anyone important. Usually, they will want friends and family to attend and sometimes some co-workers as well. Gather the guests’ addresses or email addresses depending on how you plan to send out the baby shower invites.

    Ladies Only or Mixed: Decide ahead of time if you want just women to attend the event or if you want to host a “Jack and Jill” baby shower. If you decide to invite both men and women, make sure the baby shower invitation wording makes it clear that everyone is invited.

    Timing: A baby shower is typically held 6-8 weeks before the baby’s due date. Choose the date of the event with the mommy-to-be to make sure the date of the shower works for her and does not conflict with any of her doctor appointments. Also, be sure to send out the baby shower invites far enough in advance (4-6 weeks out) so that everyone can plan to attend.

    Invitation Design: If you have a theme for the shower, like rubber duckies or monkeys, you can often find cute invitations that match the theme. You don't always need a theme for a baby shower, so if you don't have one, there are plenty of adorable baby shower invitations from which to choose. Storks, peas-in-a-pod, rattles, strollers, and moms-to-be are popular shower invitation designs.

    Wording: Select appropriate baby shower wording for the invitations. Inspirational quotes, rhyming words, and cute phrases are all perfect for baby shower invitations. You should also explicitly state on the invitations important things like if the shower is a surprise, if guests should bring gifts, directions to the party, etc.

You can also find some good Baby Shower invitations. Click here and choose PERFECT DESIGNED INVITATIONS for you!

Diaper cakes are great centerpieces at baby showers

Diaper cakes are almost a staple of baby showers today. Purchase ready-made, this is a stylish way to present a mom-to-be with a gift of diapers. The Baby Shower Corner sells ready-made diaper cakes in several varieties via an online store. This review is based on an assessment of the quality, style, function, available options and value for price of the diaper cake.

Fabulously fresh and spunky, this adorable brand new Mama & Me The Baby Shower Corner 3-tier diaper cake is sure to hit the right mark for both baby and mom! Packed with over 75 Level 1 Pampers Swaddlers, the luxurious line of Mama Mio body care and the adorable GUND Spunky Puppy, this gift is practical as well as luxurious!

Each item in the Mama Mio gift set targets common issues a new mom will encounter from stretch marks to dry skin and will help her repair the mild ailments so she can enjoy those first precious months with new baby! This luxurious kit contains the best of the Mama Mio pregnancy skin care range in convenient miniatures, so you can prevent stretch marks, soothe your sensitive post-pregnant skin and find relief for your itchy pregnancy belly wherever you are.

Here is the links you can check out for the Baby Girl, Baby Boy, Twin Girls, Twin Boys. All of them are three tier Diaper Cake.

Check it out right now,

Mama & Me Baby Boy 3-Tier Diaper Cake  
Mama & Me Baby Girl 3-Tier Diaper Cake
Mama & Babies Twin Boys 3-Tier Diaper Cake
Mama & Babies" Twin Girls 3-Tier Diaper Cake  

Simply adorable, this stylish diaper cake also makes a great baby shower gift or centerpiece!

The Princess & The Elephant Baby Girl Gift Basket - from the “Baby Shower Corner”

In every celebration, although it is not that compulsory to give gifts, would it be too much to ask for just a well wished gift that you could at least put on some effort to give. From all the preparations that the parents had been doing, it is totally just to at least be considerate for such event because whatever it is there would be not much of a choice for the parents to complain. In the first place, they are actually the one asking for your presence for them to share that special moment of celebrating new life that is yet to start. Baby showers are perfectly reasonable, some may think that it is just a waste of money and time others say that it would really matter for them to be in great awe for the expected arrival of the new baby that is yet to be born.

Somehow, when it comes to such occasions Knowing what a particular baby likes is sometimes hard to do because they still are not born yet and could not even tell you what they want and all but with the suggestions of the parents you will somehow find it easier and that would totally make your search for the good gift less confusing.  If you are having a hard time choosing from all those usual gift ideas that anyone have in mind, it might be helpful for you to consider two types of gift if the parents are up for the surprise of not taking the Ultrasound check up. It would always be their choice and as someone who is just there to support them, you are obliged to prepare either of the two or can also be both for them to so glad about it. For some people, it might look like the usual gift but as long as it came from your own ideas that you think could also be helpful for them to appreciate it more well it really depends. You might always consider the princess and the elephant baby girl gift basket, from all those gift ideas that could certainly create some confusion for you, giving you some ideas would not hurt so you might as well consider it.

Though you can also choose from a wide range of options, you know too well that you would only choose what is the best so you might be consulting Google for some answers of any other person close enough for you. Personally choosing a gift will really be more considerable because that would entirely be heart felt by the parents and those people who are also excited for the baby and even more excited than the parents.

Baby Shower Corner Inspiration

As the population increases we could not really control on how fast it grows as the generation nowadays seems to be progressing if you might think of it that way. We all do have our own opinion and as for those people who would like to believe that it is then shall we say that faith in humanity be restored. Some may think that giving birth to a child is the same as giving him the best possible welcoming party ever accompanied by those people who are truly waiting for the arrival of the baby. That is why these days it has been a trending celebration compared to those days where people settle for the regular celebration and nothing extraordinary.

Though the arrival of the baby is already considered a great news and it will not really matter if you would hold baby shower or not still in the present days it has been considered as a big deal for most of them, from all the preparation of the baby's needs down to that baby shower theme they are having problems from it is really helpful for them to have some ideas on what they should do.

Different preferences coming from different people from all walks of life actually. There are parents or even single parents who prefer to celebrate it with those people who are only close to them and there are also those that really likes the idea of big celebrations. Some people prefer something simple yet they still have that ideas that could alter the theme into something more interesting and wonderful. That is why choosing the theme for the baby shower may be a bit confusing especially there are themes that are becoming too mainstream and the like, making the celebration seem like unoriginal. 

There are definitely a lot of wide range of alternatives that you could choose from and it is not that easy as it may look for it comes with a lot of possible repercussion that may arise along the way. So you have to make sure that you are choosing from what you fancy most and from what really captured your interest and not just on the suggestions of the people around you. You don't really need to choose the most popular theme because it might be so used and known to people and the celebration may look ordinary and for sure any parents would not want that to happen.

It may be somewhat a trivial problem that anyone could deal with but with the excited parents expecting a bouncing baby boy or a girl and all those people who are also after it, they really make it their problem and that is something that they are entitled to right? After all, it may or may not be their last chance to celebrate such kind of celebration that is why it really matters for them.