Theme

Any good baby shower should have a theme integrated. If you do decide to have a theme at your next baby shower, make sure your invitations reflects that theme or message. Choose interesting colors and characters to get their attention quickly. Also, be weary about the content, layout, and presentation of the invitation. Keep the each guest in mind when making the baby shower invitation card.

Content

Make sure you provide your guests will all the information required for them to attend the baby shower. This includes the day, time, and date of the party. Also, there should be a greeting saying something along the line of “You’re invited to Amanda’s baby shower.” It’s not extremely important, but having the individuals name on the card will make it more personal. In this way, they are more likely to attend. Furthermore, you should include how many guest the invitation holder may bring.

Don’t just leave it at that!! Provide directions to the party’s location. This is especially handy for guests who do not know the area well or who maybe arriving from out of town. Remember to include info about RSVPs especially the exact date to RSVP by.

Gift Registry

If the new mom has a gift registry, be sure to indicate this information in the invitation. Many retail stores have special cards that can be added to the invitation. Also, be sure to indicate any other special request you have such as not to bring any gifts or meals to the baby shower.

The Timing

Nothing is worse than mailing out all your invitations right at the last minute. You must have the guests in mind. Emailing or mailing them out earlier will allow the guests enough time arrange it in their schedule and to get the RSVP’s back as well. A rule of thumb is to mail it at least 2-3 weeks in advance.

Remember that the baby shower invitations main objective is to gain awareness and send out important information about your party. This is the first piece of the party the guests are being exposed to so it’s a good idea to make the invitation as appealing as possible so that a good first impression is made.

Baby Shower Planning Stages

Plan it. Plan it. Plan it. I can’t stress this enough. The level of enjoyment at the baby shower is directly related to how well you planned it. There are a lot of things to consider but the main aspects to keep in mind are:

• The party plans
• Where the party will be thrown
• The New mom’s likes and dislikes
• The time of day the party will be held

Usually, the first baby only has a baby shower but this guideline is not set in stone. If this is the second time around you are hosting a baby shower, try something different. No one likes to go to the same type of baby shower every time. Try something different and unique to keep all your guests, and the new mom, entertained and happy.

Themes to Consider

A lot of individuals now-a-days are using interesting unique themes to add flavor to the regular bland baby shower party. Themes are a great way to get people talking during the party, makes it easier to choose types of games and foods, and keeps people awake during the party. Remember, people at your party probably have already been to several baby showers. You don’t have to make it incredibly fancy but a good theme will set the tone of the party. The simpler it is the more people will enjoy it. Here are just a few ideas:

Theme 1 – Daddy Shower

I mean why not? You’ll be surprised how much a new father would like to have one.

Theme 2 – Mommy Shower

Basically these are gifts to pamper the mother.

Theme 3 – Couple Shower

Don’t just celebrate with either parent separately. Make mom and dad both present.

Theme 4 – Nursery Theme Shower

All items related to a nursery type theme.

Theme 5 – Saftey Shower

Gifts and presents all related towards a safety nature. 

The Hunger Shower

Another large factor of a baby shower success depends on the food and munchies you provide. Just remember that the amount, size, and types of food will depend on the time of day you are holding your party. Be considerate as well. Know and plan your menu ahead for any vegetarians or religious guests that might arrive.

If your party is held during lunch or dinner time, people will be very hungry and will expect a full size meal. Brunch time is very popular and is great for most of your guests because it fits into their schedule.

Games Galore

Now that you introduced and fed your guests, it’s time for everybody’s favorite part of shower; the games!! Well baby shower games have gotten such a bad rap that most people avoid this no fly zone, but it doesn’t have to be like that. There are numerous amounts of fun, entertaining, and educational games that are available online, at stores, or you can make some up yourself!!

The main point of games is to get everybody involved and to stir up some fun. Some games are silly and foolish, but that’s what will keep your guests entertained. The more unique and different the game is the better reaction it will have with the guests. Again, try to keep the games simple so that everybody can get into it. Complicated games will only hinder your already great party.

The Presents

The baby gifts are probably the most integral part of any baby shower. The main point is to please the guest of honor, the mom or dad or both, and to help them out with baby accessories that they themselves do not have to go out and purchase. Some people purchase practical gifts like pampers or baby clothing and some people buy fun gifts that the receiver might not have purchased otherwise.

Are you bad at shopping or just don’t really know what to gift to get for a baby shower? A new company called Baby Giggles has introduced some very unique gift baskets for baby showers. These gift baskets contain all baby accessories that a new mother might need, from rattles to diapers to plush animals, and are ingeniously designed to look like a cake or pizza.

These are just some simple ideas to make your baby shower a memorable occasion. Read up on other ways you can establish yourself as the baby shower guru.

Mother Blessing evolved from the root word Blessingway. This word is actually a Navajo term that many people use and the meaning implies a celebration of pregnancy and motherhood. Since the Navajo people do not approve of the term in this manner, many people use the term Mother Blessing or phrases similar to it.

As mentioned before, the emphasis is not on gift giving but toward a more positive theme. Since the positive message is to keep the mother to be happy and content about her future child, the common baby shower nightmare stories of labor and parenting are not discussed. Many people also choose not to develop and play those impractical games associated with most baby showers.

As with invitations, indicate specifically what you want your guests to bring and what you want them not to bring. If you want, indicate specifically that gifts are not required or needed to be brought. Also if you develop an activity that requires your guests to bring something such as a candle or bead, inform them clearly on the invitation.

Now you must be thinking. There are no presents and there are no silly games. What the heck is done at a Mother Blessing? 

There are many activities that can be done at a Mother Blessing. Here are some common activities performed at most Mother Blessings:

Belly Casting

Best way to celebrate a pregnancy is to have a keepsake for remembrance. These casts are fairly easy to create and proper ingredients are available at most mother/baby related stores. Pamper the mother as the cast is being made, this little extra indulgence is a great way to treat the mother.

Necklace

Most mothers indicate that they feel very lonely and scared during their first and usually every successive labor period. Here’s a way to keep the expecting mother happy. Create a necklace or any other type of jewelry and give it to the mother during the Mother Blessing. In this way, during her terrifying labor period, she will have a reminder of her friends and family thinking of her.

Prayer Flags

These are stripes of cloth that are usually 3″ x 16″, can be larger or smaller, that were originally inspired by Tibetan prayer flags. The cloth is given to each guest, during the Mother Blessing, to write down a blessing or positive message. Same as the necklace objective, the prayer flag is kept with the mother during her labor period so that she has a reminder of all her friends and family members thinking of her.

Candle Lighting

This can be done is two ways. The first manner is to have all the guests bring a candle to the mother blessing. The candles can be laid out on a table or around the room. A popular means is to have the guests light up the candles and say a few positive words or blessings that can help the mother’s confidence about her pregnancy. Another way is to give each guest a candle at the end of the party to take home. Once the mother has gone into labor later on, a phone tree is initiated and all the candle holders are informed of the labor period. They are told to light up the candle and make prayers or have good thoughts as the mother goes through her labor.

Remember that the Mother Blessing should have a positive, women centered theme. It’s encouraged to have the expecting father present and pamper him as well at the Mother Blessing. The whole point of Mother Blessing gatherings is to downplay the material gift giving occasion and increase the recognition the mother and her baby deserve.