What happens at a baby shower?
Everything you ever wanted to know about what happens at a baby shower is right here!
If you are anything like me and it’s your first baby then you might not even know what a real baby shower is.
I kid you not, I wasn’t even ready!
I had no idea what a baby shower was.
When I was pregnant with my firstborn none of my other friends had children so this was completely new to me.
And it probably is a bit foreign to you too which is probably why you’re here right?
Anyway, I’m going to do my best to answer all your baby shower questions here and give you some baby shower ideas (including the ones you might feel a bit too shy to ask yourself).
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for my FREE baby shower checklist towards the bottom of the page! It’s a great takeaway if you will be planning your own baby shower soon.
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Baby shower etiquette that you need to know about:
- What is a baby shower
- What happens at a baby shower
- Are invitations necessary
- Can the father attend
- What do you do at a baby shower
- when do people usually have baby showers
- Games you can play at your baby shower
- Can you have a shower for your second baby
- The kind of food you can expect at a baby shower
- Typical baby shower gift ideas
What is a baby shower?
A baby shower simply put is a small party for pregnant women who are close to their due date (you can make it big if you want too).
It consists of close family and friends that come to celebrate the imminent arrival of your baby.
The idea behind a baby shower is to have some fun and celebrate the soon to be mother.
People will also usually bring gifts for you on the day too.
What happens at a baby shower?
A baby shower will usually be organized by a close family member or your best friend.
Depending on how well they know you it will usually be a surprise or an organized event with you quietly planning behind the scenes.
The day is filled with lots of fun, games, and food. It’s a time for you to have a bit of fun and be silly before your baby arrives.
Some mothers also use this as an opportunity to do a gender reveal.
If you have been disciplined enough to keep your baby’s sex a secret for all this time then a baby shower would be the perfect time to reveal it.
Who throws a baby shower?
A baby shower can be thrown by anyone. Usually, it will fall in the hands of a best friend, a mother in law or even the soon to be mom herself.
There are no strict rules on who should throw the baby shower so you should just go for what you are comfortable with.
If you feel confident enough to throw the baby shower yourself no one will think badly of you for doing so.
Are invitations necessary?
No, they are not but some people like to go all out and make it a day to remember.
Either way you go on this is fine. Although I would advise against it if financially things are a bit tight.
Can the father attend the baby shower?
Traditionally it’s only for the mother but these days there is more of a cry for equality so it is totally your choice as to whether you would like your partner there or not.
Personally speaking, I think my husband would rather have gone fishing in an icy pond than be in a room full of women ooo-ing and ahhh-ing.
But like I say to each their own, you have to do what makes you happy!
What do you do at a baby shower?
This is where all the fun is. You can make it whatever you want.
Some people like to play games such as guess the gender, think of funny baby names, name the baby food (one of my favorites) or even play “drink up” (I’ll let you make of that what you will!)
Want to remember this Baby shower pin? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board!
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When do people usually have baby showers?
Technically you can have a baby shower at any time but some people are more comfortable having it later on in their pregnancy.
Most people will opt for having their baby shower anywhere from late second trimester up until the third trimester a couple of weeks before the baby is born.
Some great baby shower ideas: games
1. Name the baby animal
The idea here is that you get everyone to split into teams. Give each team a piece of paper to write their answers down.
The organizer has a list of animals and the participants have to write down the name of the animals baby.
2. Guess Who
You ask each person to bring a baby picture of themselves to the party. At the party, people have to try and guess who the baby in the picture is.
Ever wondered about what happens at a baby shower?
3. Don’t say it
Don’t say it is a really great game because it gets everyone talking.
The idea of the baby shower game is that no one is allowed to use the word baby for the whole day.
As your guests enter they are given 1 baby pin to attach to their clothes.
As the guests talk they are each listening very carefully to what the other person is saying.
If the word “baby” is mentioned then the person who said it has to give away their pin to the other person.
At the end of the day. The person with the most pins wins.
4. Guess how much
The organizer of the baby shower gets a number of items, for example, a packet of wipes or a box of nappies.
The guests each get a pen and paper and have to guess how much the packet of wipes cost. The person closest to the correct amount wins.
5. Can you name it?
Before the baby shower, the organizer will put together a collection of songs from children’s tv shows.
The idea is that you play a little piece of each song and everyone has to guess what the theme tune is from. (This is my favorite)
Can I have a baby shower for my second baby?
Yes, of course, you can! Multiple baby showers is very common today. In times past it wasn’t this way and baby showers were only meant to be for when someone becomes a mother for the first time.
Nowadays people like to celebrate the coming of second, even third and fourth baby arrivals.
To mark the event as being for a second or third baby it is often called a “baby sprinkle” as opposed to a shower.
I must say I kind of like the idea of it.
What kind of food is prepared for a baby shower?
Most of the time we are talking finger food such as sausages, burgers, salad, fruit, and sandwiches but there is always going to be exceptions to the rule.
Some people will prefer to cater more heavily for their guests. Neither way is necessarily right or wrong.
What else happens at a baby shower?
Anything you want. It’s your day so you can make it as outlandish or as reserved as you like.
What happens at your baby shower is entirely up to you.
What can you expect to receive or ask for at a baby shower?
I’ve put together some really great items that you will need for when your baby arrives.
These are essentials baby items so there should be no need to secretly return items after your guests have left. (Not that I’m suggesting any of you would ever do that, ha!)
Heres my rundown:
1. Newborn Nappies – These will be an essential part of your life for a while to come.
2. Baby Wipes – Hand in hand with nappies
- Baby Lounger – These are the best thing if you need your hands free for a few minutes. Simple to use and easily washable. Be sure to make sure you don’t get duplicates at your baby shower though. Unless you are expecting twins!
5. Back Seat Baby Mirror – This will make your life so much easier when you are driving and baby is in their rear-facing car seat.
6. Thermometer – ALWAYS have one of these handy. Even if you never use it there will be times when you will be happy just knowing it is there.
8. Bullet Baby Care System– If you plan on making wholesome foods for your baby then you will definitely need one of these.
All these items are no-nonsense purchases, meaning that they won’t be items that just take up valuable space in a cupboard somewhere.
You will actually be able to put these to good use.
Never feel embarrassed to make a list of items that you would like for the baby.
Believe me, people only want to be helpful and sometimes they really have no idea what you might need.
Help them out by providing a list from which to purchase.
Final thoughts on baby shower etiquette
Baby showers can be incredibly fun especially as you are preparing for baby. Make the most of your day and don’t forget you are fully entitled to have another shower with your second baby too!
Now you know what happens at a baby shower, you can grab yourself a Baby Shower Checklist here:
If this post has tickled your fancy why not try some of my other posts here:
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