How to make a Baby Shower successful

When I told my friends I was pregnant, one of them told me: "Wow, let's book a date for your baby shower!". Two things came to my mind: A: Beeing of French background, I didn't know what a Baby Shower was, and B: When I figured out what it was, I didn't understand why it was necessary to book a date so early? 

The baby shower is a concept that comes from the United States. It is usually organised during the 8th month of pregnancy. At the end of the pregnancy, apprehension starts to give way to excitement (or at least eagerness to give birth!) and since the future mother is generally no longer working (because she is on maternity leave) she is a lot more available. Sometimes, by superstition, some prefer to organize after birth.

The purpose of the party is to celebrate the future birth (whether it is the first or not). For this, all the friends of the mum-to-be get together to have fun and share a good time together. Hence the importance to make sure that everyone is available and therefore to book a date early!

The future mother may decide to organise the baby shower herself, but it can also be prepared by friends, or the future grandmother. Anything is allowed as long as we have fun and the future mother can have a good time, bathed in friendship. 

We gattered some tips for you or your friends to make this event unforgettable:

What is the best time during pregnancy to organise your Baby Shower?

The beginning of the third quarter is ideal. The pregnancy is sufficiently advanced, the future parents really project on the arrival of the baby. They have started purchasing equipment and prepare the baby's room, but there is still room for gifts! Try to avoid choosing a date too close to your due date because sometimes baby arrives sooner!

How long does this prenatal party last?

It's often an afternoon with friends around a snack. But it can also be done in the form of a brunch or even a late afternoon, after work hours, to allow those working to come.

Who organises the Baby Shower?

The future mum, or someone close to her, her best friend or sister. Everything depends on the desires of the future mother. Some want to take ownership and treat their friends to a wonderful day, others prefer to delegate this to others. If your pregnancy is a difficult one, or you are feeling particularly tired, this last option is definitely recommended.

Who is invited to the Baby Shower?

The Baby Shower works on the same principle as a bachelorette party: a day between girls in honour of the future mother. Men can be invited, but if men are on your guest list, make sure that something in store for them too, or they might quickly get bored. Family members, in particular the future grand mother(s), are also often invited.

Which decoration to choose?

If you know the baby's gender (and are happy to share it with your friends), you can adopt a traditional colour scheme: blue for boys or pink for girls. Or if you prefer something a little more original, we like the following themes:

• Back to childhood: sweets and games of your childhood
• Music: you do not have to confine yourself to lullabies and rhymes, but they will be welcome!
• Country: pick a country that means something to you, your partner or your family and theme the party accordingly
• Traditional storytelling: fairy tales ...
• Personal story: Find a particular theme that tells a story linked to your baby. For example, if the future parents met in an observatory, you could pick astrology, or if the baby was conceived on a Rome visit, pick Italy... Let your imagination run wild!

Which games to choose?

Games are not mandatory, but they can add a lot of fun to your party. My favourites are:

• a quizz on what make the best parents
• a game of prediction which consists in guessing the color of the eyes, the hair, the birth weight of the child, all noted on a notebook as a memory
• a babies quiz: all guests bring a picture of them as a baby and everyone has a guess of who is who. 

If you're not into games, other popular activities may include: drawing the mother’s belly, a Cupcakes workshop and/ or a photo session.

Which gifts would please the mother-to-be?

Of course a mother is always happy to receive gifts for her newborn. But a pregnant woman is always happy to receive gifts for herself too!

Needless to say, a great gift is the gift of long night's sleep! And that's the Cocoonababy of course! In all seriousness, the Cocoonababy is really a great Baby Shower gift as parents often already have a cot or bassinet, but the Cocoonababy is perfect for naps and is also ideal as a portable mattress. And of course it can also by used in a cot for optimal sleep.

The Big Flopsy maternity / nursing cushion is also a great choice: to help the future mother find a comfortable sleeping position in those painful last weeks of pregnancy, but also for after birth: for mum's naps and to breast or bottle feed her baby.

One final piece of advice: if you are organising the party yourself, don't be afraid to ask for help cleaning up. Most guests will be delighted to give you a hand and it will make such a difference in how you will feel at the end of your party.

Above all, have fun, have a good time of conviviality, exchange and sharing: Happy Baby Shower!