Planning a baby shower

A celebration of the imminent arrival of a brand new life, a baby shower is a wonderful day all about the mom-to-be, but it can also be quite stressful. As the organizer, or simply the guest of honour, a little bit of forethought and planning can make sure that you don’t get overwhelmed!

Pick a host, or do it yourself

It’s traditional for a baby shower to be hosted by a close friend or relative with a bit of direction from the mum-to-be. However, these days many people prefer to organize the celebrations themselves. Either way is fine.

Fix the right date

First up, schedule a convenient date and time for the shower. Most people prefer to pick a day toward the end of their pregnancy but not too close to their due date. Others prefer to wait until the baby is born before celebrating. It’s entirely up to you.

Choose your guests carefully

Whether you’re hosting yourself or enlisting the help of a friend, you’ll need to decide on whom to invite. Baby shower guests are usually close female friends and relatives. But if you’d prefer partners and children there too make it clear on your invitation. It’s your party, so you can make the rules!

Send invites in time

You can send out specially designed invitations cards by post, but nowadays it’s more common to invite guests online. Creating a "baby shower" group on social media will make it simpler to communicate with guests and keep track of any dietary needs etc. Try and give guests at least 4 to 6 weeks of notice to put the date in their diaries.