Ten Tips for Planning a Unique Baby Shower

What is a baby shower? A baby shower is a party thrown for a new mom to be. It is when you shower this person with all the things they may need for their new baby. I love throwing showers for friends and attending them. And since I love to throw parties anyways I have learned a thing or two, here are some of the things I have learned that make a perfect unique but fun baby shower. This wont be your moms old baby shower.

1) Pick a theme. Like any party the theme makes the party. My shower many years ago was Noah's ark. My friend's recently was the jungle. She was having a baby boy. The king of the jungle was arriving. Even the cake had a lion on it.

2) Food. Now that you have picked a theme have your food go with your theme. If you are having a monkey theme, have bananas in your dishes. Plantain, banana splits, banana pudding, etc...or ask guest to bring creative dishes, the most creative gets a prize. I would keep the food light if ou are throwing the party yourself. It more than one person, break the duties between each other. Or have a potluck shower, where everyone brings a dish to share.

3) Surprise. I love surprises. So if you are planning to throw a baby shower make it a surprise. Get the daddy involved, and surprise the mommy to be. Everyone loves surprises. I am a hrad person to surprise but I love them.

4) Games. This is a big one. Games makes a party happen, so get a lot of fun games to play. I like playing the sock game. In the invitation ask everyone to bring a pair of new baby socks. When guest arrive throw all the socks in a basket. Ready to play. Everyone gets 1 minute or you can time everyone. Their task is to pair up all the socks or as many socks in 1 minute. This is fun. Another fun game is to get a small laundry baskets and fill it with baby items. Have the guest wear a cover on their eyes and guess what is in the basket. This one is timed as well. I like playing the dirty diaper game where you get baby food and smush it on a diaper. Each diaper gets a different flavor. Guests have to figure out which is which. You can also play the guest the baby food game. In small cups serve baby food, have the guest taste each one and write down the flavor. Fun, Fun, fun!! If you are inviting daddys to the shower. Have small dolls and have the daddys change diapers and change clothes see who does it the fastest against the daddy to be. Set up an obsticle course with different things for the daddys to do. Get the diaper bag ready, get baby in car seat, feed the baby, change the diaper, time. See who does it the fastest.

5) Place. Never have a baby shower at the mommy to be's house. They have alot to deal with. Find a fun place to have the shower at. Throw it at your house or grandma's, so that the mommy to be doesnt have to be stuck cleaning. Also remember this mommy might not get out much after the baby comes. SO lets have fun.

6) Something old, something new. I love gently used handme downs. Have each guest bring anything used that their kids may no longer use that the new mommy to be may be able to use. My friend gave me a bag full of baby clothes with tags that her baby out grew. Have a laundry basket for those used items.

7) Pamper the mommy. At my baby shower, I was given gifts for mommy. Everyone always gives gift for the baby but what about the mommy. I received socks for the hospital, and a gown. I did know that i would need them but I did.

8) Throw the daddy a shower. The dads always get left out. Throw daddy a diaper shower. We had a shower for a friend. It was all guys. They came over to watch a game brought a case of beer and a case of pampers. My friend did not need pampers until the baby was 7 months old.

9) Tell All book. Have all the guest write advice on a sheet of paper. I was a new mom and knew nothing about babies. This will help. On my sheet of paper i would write about burping a baby, purse organizing/doubling as a diaper bag, etc...useful tips that you would think would help another mom. Things that happened that you knew nothing about. These will be like letters to the new mom. She can read them. You can make them funny stories that happen to you. Wisdom from the mommas.

10) Unique to be different. Ask the mommy what she wants. You dont want to upset a preggo mommy. So ask her what she would like. Maybe a party is not in her schedule. Have everyone pitch in, get giftcards, and meet for her for brunch. Make her happy. Instead of having her register have everyone meet at Babies R Us, treat the mommy to a shopping trip. She will get everything she needs in one trip.

I hope for my next baby to have the best baby shower. I had 2 showers when I was having my son. The 1st one, no-one showed up. It was right around Christmas and everyone had to work. It was just my mom, daddy's sister, and a neighbor. But my next shower made up for it. My co-workers surprised me at work. I normally took a break around 10 am. As I walk into the breakroom all my co-workers are in there. I had so many presents. They all pitched in and got me something of everything. By the end of the day, my son everything from a crib to a full year worth's of clothes. It was a great surprise. They went with my animal theme from my first shower. I was even given a mum. The person who made it gave it to me for good luck. She said it had been passed down from person to person for good luck. All the items on there were from past baby showers. She gave it to me like passing a baton or torch. It was my turn. I thought this was special. So when we threw a baby shower for my sister in law. I passed down the mum to her. I explained the story to her and told her I was know passing the baton to her. Things like this make a shower special. Like I said, it's about the family who is about to receive a new bundle of joy.

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