THE BABY SHOWER BOOM IN THE UK

Baby showers in the US have been around for decades. We see them all the time in many American made films or soaps and are always attended by the mother, close female relatives and friends of the mum-to-be. However, after many years it seems as though us English have caught onto the trend and they are now taking off over here. Baby showers are a lovely idea. Throwing a small party for the expectant mother, usually attended by mainly female guests, to celebrate the up and coming birth of her baby is a great way to celebrate, and also to let Mum know that she has so much support behind her.

Possible shower room idea

WHEN AND WHERE?

The best time to throw a baby shower is in the last two months to 6 weeks of the mother’s pregnancy, however be sure not to have the shower too close, just in case she goes into early labor. This gives Mum and Dad a little bit of time to still purchase any items they haven’t received yet at the party.

You also need to consider your budget when planning where the shower should be held, therefore you need to know numbers. If your budget is small try asking around family and friends of expectant mum-to-be and see if any would offer their home for the party. If not, there are church halls, function rooms and halls for a very reasonable price. Or for those with a larger budget you could hold it in a restaurant, bar, county club, spa or hotel.

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WHO ORGANIZES A BABY SHOWER?

A close family friend or family member should do the organizing, as it would be unfair for the pregnant mother to be put under pressure if she is not feeling up to it and then have to clean up after everyone afterwards would not be enjoyable for her.

If she likes surprises, maybe you could throw her a surprise baby shower. That way, everything is already set up and organized before she arrives and the expectant mum doesn’t have to worry about a thing. Though make sure you invite the right people. Also surprise showers are seen as a nice gesture for expectant mothers on their second (or more!) pregnancy.  

However, if no one can help to organize the party due to other commitments, you should consider hiring a professional event planner. We have the knowledge, experience and creativity to make your baby shower a great success leaving mum, family and friends to enjoy the party.

Centerpiece idea's for your shower

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU SPEND?

This all depends on who many people you are inviting or the size of your budget. The best method of keeping costs low is to ask guests to contribute. There are several items that you need to consider when organizing the shower such as:

·         Decorations

·         Cutlery such as paper plates, plastic knives, forks and paper napkins

·         Cake

·         Invitations

·         Venue Search

·         Gifts

Favors for guests - Baby sock roses

BABY SHOWER GAMES

We all want to have a little fun, and what better way to make Mum to be smile than with a few games? Such as:

Pin The Nappy On The Baby – Just like ‘pin the tail on the donkey’ using a photo of a baby instead. 

Measure Mums Tum – Measure Mum to be’s tummy all the way around. The winner is the guest who guesses the closest.

Guess The Sex Of The Baby – A great opportunity to reveal the sex of your baby at the shower by writing down on a piece of paper whether it is a boy or a girl and revealing the sex (if you want to) to the winner, or winners! 

Guest The Baby Pictures – Have everyone who attends the shower bring a baby photo of themselves. The guests have to try and figure out who is who. One game that is sure to get everyone laughing.

Putting On The Nappy Game – Have guests bring a doll from home and time each other to see who can put a nappy on the doll in the quickest time.

Baby Shower balloons great for any shower

THEMES

There are several theme’s you can choose, from traditional to the more modern, here are just a few:

·         It’s a boy/girl with everything decorated blue for a boy and pink for a gir

·         Pastel colours such as yellow, pink, green, lilac and baby blue. These are very natural and would work well as any shower.

·         Baby animals such as childlike pictures of lions, bears, pigs, cows, etc

·         Base the theme on your childhood favourite books such as The Hungry Caterpiller,

·         Mad Hatters Tea Party shower is a more adult theme, as you can hold an afternoon tea party and get everyone to dress up in silly hats for fun to take Mum’s mind off the birth

Baby Shower garland

WHAT GIFTS SHOULD YOU BUY?

The general rule is that you buy gifts that will make life a little easier for mum to be or the expectant parents. Most guests tent to buy baby clothes, bottle, toys, nappies, bibs, etc as this will help greatly when the baby is born.

However, if money is tight, why not ask guests to bring along items that they no longer require if their children have grown up or out of baby items such as cloths, toys, prams, cots, etc.

Or how about a baby shower Gift Registry? All you have to do is pick the gifts you want and your guests can buy it for you. Simple!