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.