Author: Marisa

Make Baby Shower Special

A baby shower is one way to show your love and support for the mom-to-be or the parents-to-be, and the little one on the way.

No matter who your invitees are, where the venue will be, what theme you choose, and what activities you planned to do during the shower, always focus on what will make the mom-to-be or the parents-to-be feel loved, special and cared for. The best way to do that is to have the most fun by doing sorts of activities and ofcourse the gifts.

Not to set aside the dad-to-be, but lets face it, it’s really the mom-to-be who needs extra love and support at a time like this, especially for first time moms.

When a woman is pregnant, her body undergoes constant change as the baby inside her grows. She’ll experiece physical change – getting rounder here and there, feeling heavier, stretch marks, on top of hormonal changes causing mood swings and discomfort time and again. They go through emotional turnoil and lots of stress. It’s sweet to be expecting, but it is no joke. Pregnancy is not easy, let alone childbirth, argh!!!

Because of this, mom-to-be really needs that extra love and care, and all the support from family and friends. She will need all the support to help her prepare with the stuff she’ll need for herself and the baby, and importantly to prepare her emotionally and psychologically for what’s to come.

Make sure that during the baby shower, you give emphasis on the gifts. It’s not just really because its a party but those gifts are whats going to help her prepare. Here are some gift ideas for the mom-to-be.

  1.   Maternity Dresses

Pregnant’s body go thru constant physical change, she’ll feel awkward especially for first time moms. It’s difficult to go out and be with friends and colleagues when you don’t feel so well with how you look physically. She’ll need chic maternity dresses that are perfect for day walks, appropriate work maternity dresses that are comfy even when moving here and there, and some comfortable sleep wears too.

  2.   Post-pregnancy Garments

The body changes continue post-pregnancy. Help the mom-to-be, espcially first time moms with post-pregnancy garments like nursing bras which can be very useful for her to nurse her baby easily and comfortably.

  3.   Belly Oils and Stretchmarks Lotion

These are essentials she’ll need during and after pregnancy. Moisturizers and oils can help soothe her skin and give her moment of self pampering, that in turn give her the emotional boost.

  4.   Breastfeeding and Nipple Care Itens and Nursing Pillows

These are essentials that are very useful for moms post-pregnancy. Nursing pillows will help both mom and the baby do the nursing easily and comfortably especially late night feeds. Breastfeeding and Nipple Care  on other hand will help mom ease the cracked nipples and soreness caused by breastfeeding, make her feel relieved and comfortable.

  5.   Recovery Care

If you can afford to have more for a gift, recovery care is a great gift idea. Its a convenient care kit combining the items and essentials mentioned above like the moisturizers and belly oils, breastfeeding essentials, nipple care and more. Including items like calming teas, scented candles, grooming kit for the baby and others that will give comfort for both the mom and baby, and moment of self pampering for the mom.

Finally, baby showers are a time for celebration of a new life. Sharing with the joy of the parents-to-be. Like I said, more than anyone else, it’s the mom-to-be who needs that extra love, care and support. Gift her with items that will help her prepare, but will make her feel appreciated or celebrated and cared for.

In my next articles, I will be sharing with you the best gift ideas for moms-to-be and or for baby showers.

Snowy Baby Shower Theme Ideas

Snowy-inspired baby shower is perfect for babies born on cold winter season. We thought that summer-inspired theme are the only best baby shower theme. But, guess what? Winter-theme can be as perfect and as fun. The ambience of a snowy-themed baby shower is actually cozy and intimate. Thus, making the party feel really special and memorable.

Here are two brilliant ideas for winter-theme baby shower.

  1.   Let It Snow

This theme is super cool and cozy. Especially when you’re expecting a baby girl. You can easily decorate the venue and give it a “frozen” feel. On the other hand, for unisex theme, you can decorate the venue with snowflakes, some festive greeneries and poinsettias. And to make it feel cozy, you can add a fireplace or put up a christmas tree. The tree also gives the christmas feel, and plus the fireplace, makes the venue extra cozy and warm.

Winter food is heaven. Prepare comfort food and hot dishes. You can have some mac and cheese, some hot and tasty soup like pumpkin or lentil soup. You can also have some pasta or pizza. And ofcourse, the desserts. Prepare some colorful cupcakes and decorate them with pretzel sticks, chocolate sprinkles, and some snowman to match the snowflakes and the christmas tree.

This theme is also great outdoors. In this case, prepare some hot chocolate drinks and marshmallows. Others might prefer coffee or tea, prepare some biscuits and cheese, to go along with it. And add some winter fruits too.

  2.   All I Want For Christmas

Is the little one due on Christmas? Well, you’re having a perfect holiday baby. What better theme than a christmas-inspired baby shower.

Holidays are pretty hectic and loaded, so go simple. You won’t need so much decors because the christmas season is already festive with all the christmas tree and christmas decors.

What you can do is give it a baby shower feel. Decorate your christmas tree with baby-related ornaments and colorful ribbons. Add some poinsettias and hang some string lights for a cozy feel.

During the party, you can ask the guests to write some notes on the baby-inspired ornaments, write some sweet words for the mom-to-be or the baby, and words of encouragement and love.

You can prepare the same food like the ones mentioned above for the snowy-theme baby shower.

The warm dishes, the fireplace and the festive greeneries and christmas trees really make the baby shower warm, memorable and special. And winter theme really provides great opportunity for photographs. Plus, the warmth and cozy feeling makes the party truly special and memorable.

Fall Baby Shower Theme Ideas

It’s great and fun to organize summer baby shower, with the beach, sand and the sunshine. But, holding a baby shower in a chilly fall is another experience. It creates a different vibe and mood for the party.

Here are some wonderful and really cool baby shower theme ideas for an autumn baby.

  1.   Apple Picking

Apple picking theme is a great baby showe theme for an autumn baby. This theme is best done outdoors with all the greeneries – the grasses and trees.

Decorate the venue with apples and baskets of apples and different seasonal foliage. Scatter around pumpkins of different sizes and some hay bales.

During the party, let the guests pick the best apples from the baskets or play donut-on-a-string game. 

For the food, make sure to prepare apple pies, and some pastries and treats like caramel apples, cider donuts, some apple jams and biscuits and breads. You can also serve warm dishes like apple cheddar soups.

  2.   Bonfire

Fall season is usually chilly, and when you have an evening baby shower, everyone loves and enjoys the warmth of bonfire. It is another great and fun way to welcome a fall baby.

Autumn-themed baby showers are best done in the evening and outdoors. For this one, decorate the venue with string of lights, logs and blankets. Then, set up chairs around the bonfire for everyone.

For the food, prepare warm dishes and hot drinks that are perfect for a chilly night outdoors. You can have some chillies and s’mores, you can also have some barbecues, some hot soups. Have some spicy pumpkin lattes and hot apple ciders or have some coffee and tea.

Then gather everyone around the campfire and ask guests to share stories about their childhood or their experiences about childbirth and taking care of babies while roasting some marshmallows.

  3.   Little Pumpkin

Pumpkin-inspired is another cool and fun fall baby shower theme. Decorate your venue with pumpkins of different sizes, colorful leaves, some hay bales, scarecrows, and corn stalks.

For the food, prepare pumpkin-inspired dishes and treats like spicy and creamy pumpkin soups, spiced cupcakes, mini pumpkin pies, stuffed pumpkin caps, and some spiced pumpkin latte.

Then, set-out some wooden pumpkin for the guests to sign and serve as a special memento or keepsake for the parents-to-be.

Fall-inspired baby shower theme is perfect for babies born on chilly months in the autumn season. The outdoors and chilly evening makes for a really fun and cozy atmosphere and makes the party specially intimate and memorable.

Kid-Friendly Baby Shower

You don’t always see kids at baby showers, not that they are not allowed to come, but often we thought the party is not for the kids.

Well, you know what? If it’s that important for the mom-to-be or the parents-to-be, baby shower is perfect for the sibling/s-to-be, especially first time siblings, to welcome their baby brother or sister.

We said that baby showers are intended to support moms or parents-to-be, especially first time moms or parents, prepare for the impending role. Siblings also may anticipate the coming of the new baby. It will be strange and new for them.

Like their parents, they too need to prepare and understand what is to come. It would greatly help the sibling/s-to-be to understand what’s coming and to meet kids of their age who are siblings themselves, and in a way learn from them and appreciate what it means to be an older brother or sister.

For this reason, it’s a great idea to organize a kid-friendly baby shower. You can either hold 2 simultaneous  baby showers: 1 for the kids and for the adults (their parents) or a baby shower purely for the kids.

What is great about kid-friendly baby shower is that you don’t have to worry so much about decoration and design, food and activities, and whatnots. All you need to have in mind is to make it festive.

For the decors, you can simply have balloons and all sorts of toys scattered around. You can do the party outdoors like in the gardens or you can do it indoors.

For the food, you can have simple cake pops, cupcakes, chicken lollipops, all sorts of candies and gummies, chips and some lemonades and ice cream. Nothing to stress about really.

For the activities, you don’t need to stress about what will work for your guests. Kids like to play and have fun. So you can play physical games, have them run around, but make them baby related ofcourse. Games that will give them an idea of how and what it’s like to be an older brother or sister.

You can also do crafts and art activities. Kids love to play with crayons and paints and they love to draw. Ask them to make something for the nursery or do some crafts that can be used as decoration for the nursery or something that the baby can use.

In my previous posts, I have shared various baby shower games. Those games can be modified and made into kid-friendly games.

Finally, when you do kid-friendly baby shower, set a time as to when the party starts and the pick-up time. Make sure to include that information for their parents when you send out the invitation. Above all, in all of the activities you’ll do during the party, ensure safety because you’re dealing with kids. And for that reason, it would help a lot to have adults assist you.

Baby Shower – Celebration of Life

Should you throw a baby shower for the second, third or so child or should you only throw one for the firstborn?

Why do we celebrate baby shower in the first place? We do so to celebrate the blessing of a new life. Having that in mind, then whether its the second, third, fourth or so baby, celebrate them all because it’s a blessing of a new life.

Although there might be a difference between the firstborn and the second and succeeding babies, in the sense that first time moms or parents needed the support and love, because it’s all new to them. But for the second time around or so, the baby shower could be a little laid back and simpler, not because it’s no longer exciting. But, because by now the expecting mom or parents already know what to expect. Emotionally, mentally, and physically they already know what to do and how to cope.

In terms of the baby and mom essentials, there might not be so much need on that because they (the mom or parents) most likely already have what they need. Perhaps a little assistance here and there, but nothing like the first time.

This does not mean that the baby shower is not as fun as the one thrown for the firstborn. In fact, it is going to even be more special because, this time you can choose to have an intimate baby shower. Now its not so much about the gifts, although they are important, ofcourse. But, this time it is more about the conversation and being together.

So, for some ideas you can organize for a brunch or an intimate dinner with the “girls only” – the mom and her closest friends. You can also have like a barbecue in your garden or garage with the family and relatives.

Another idea could be a pajama party with girls, a sleep-over and binge watch chick flicks. Perhaps you can organize a small group with the mom’s besties and do some quilting or decorating the nursery or doing some crafts and artsies for the nursery while having some snacks. You can also have the girls spend the day in the kitchen and do some baking and cooking or perhaps spend the day on a salon for an all-day pampering.

The idea is not so much about showering the expecting mom or parents with gifts, but its about spending quality time together and enjoying each other’s company, celebrating mommyhood or parenthood, and above all the coming of a new bundle of joy.

Nothing beats a baby shower that allows for some great conversation and memorable moments of laughters. And for the expecting mom or parents to be able to share their joy with the people closest and dearest to them.

So don’t think that because its the nth baby, then no need for a baby shower. Go ahead and celebrate and have fun.