Baby what??

Baby Showers! We have all heard of them, and most of us have either had to plan, attend, or have one. What is it? Well, a baby shower is something you throw for a person that's having a baby. Kind of like you get a bachelorette party before you get married, exept the theme of this party is your ( or your friend/ familys' baby.)

So, what's it all about, what do you do? Well Hopefully the person having the baby has a gift registry up at the local Toy's R Us, or venue of their choice. You look on the registry and buy them something for the baby that's hopefully going to be a bit of a help with the new mum-to-be, like diapers, blankets, toys, feeding equipment etc. The whole point is to have a bit of fun and give her a much cheaper headstart with baby, which is especially great if she is a single mom.

Some people bring food ( potluck, nibbly's ) and you play games like Baby Bingo, Gift Bingo, Trivia, Guess baby's birthday, Name poem, string toss, scavenger hunt etc. You can have themed parties to, which is especially fun if you know the sex of the baby.

The baby shower, ideally shouldn't be planned out by the mother to be. It's usually done by a family member or friend, who plans everything from the location to invitations for the guest list. It doesn't have to be left to one person only either - this can be done by a group, co-workers etc >> The more the merrier, and hopefully better organised!!

When do I have one? Well, it's up to the mother really. Most people have it 1-3 months before the baby is due. Sometimes due to time contraints, scheduling it's not possible until after the baby is born. Some mother's may prefer to do it afte the baby is born, that way everyone knows the correct sex of the baby, and they know what she does and doesn't have so buying for the shower is alot easier. The location depends on personal taste. Some people like to have it in a house, some at a restaurant, some at a park (sunny summer shower) etc etc. Whatever is the easiest, convenient and within budget for you. The shower should be pre-planned at least a month in advance to give everyone time to work it into their schedule, and budget.

What about men? Personally, I doubt it's something men would be into. The baby shower revolves around baby and the mom to be, so playing baby bingo may not be on the top of his "fun things to do list". However, if you have male friends showing some interest in it, go ahead!

What makes good gifts?? Gift ideas vary. Ideally, it is best to have a look if she has a baby registry. That way it avoids the hassle of duplicates or giving her something she doesn't need. If the only gifts left are those out of your price range then the next safest bet is a gift card for mom to use at the store for baby, or perhaps to pamper herself. Usually something that's good for baby, is something that's "their first" eg: first blankie, first toy friend, first shoes. Even some nice photo frames to put baby's picture in is a good idea :) If she's a single mom, this may actually be a better idea. She can use the card and get what she decides she still really needs after the shower, or to treat herself on the day's life seems a little hard.