Baby Shower Tips

Read these 31 Baby Shower Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Baby Shower tips and hundreds of other topics.

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BabyShower Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are simple to make and are absolutely scrumptious. Make this recipe for your baby shower guests to eat along with coffee or tea.

Ingredients:


  • 1 cup butter

  • 2 3/4 cups flour

  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup of milk

  • 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Blend flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl and set aside. In a big bowl cream the butter and sugar until they are smooth. Beat the egg and vanilla in, and then gradually add the other dry ingredients.

Roll dough into balls and place in baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are golden. Let the cookies stand a few minutes and then place on wire rack to cool.

Spread Nutella over half the cookies and top with the other half to make cookie sandwiches. Then, decorate with blue or pink icing to complete the look of the Babyshower cookies.

   

Stuffed Mushrooms BabyShower Appetizer

Stuffed mushrooms are a perfect addition to the babyshower appetizer list. To make a quick stuffed mushroom recipe follow these instructions:

Ingredients:


  • 1 lb. fresh 'button' mushrooms

  • 8 oz cream cheese

  • 1 package cooked ground turkey

  • 1 cooked small onion, chopped

Clean the mushrooms and cut the stems off. Chop the stems and mix together with the rest of the ingredients and stuff into the mushrooms. Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

   

Guacamole Dip BabyShower Appetizer

Guacamole is very easy to make and it is delicious as well as healthy! This appetizer is quick to make and every guest will enjoy it.

To make you will need:


  • 2 ripe avocados

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/4 cup sour cream

  • Juice from 1 lime

  • Salt

Remove the pits from the avocados and scoop out the flesh. Combine scooped out avocado with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy. Serve dip with chips, pita slices, vegetables or crackers.

   

Great BabyShower Appetizer

Serving a few appetizers at the shower is much easier than making a big whole meal. You can make some quick ones that will taste delicious but won't take a ling time to make. Here is a recipe for an appetizer that will delight all guests:

Serrano Ham Crisps

Ingredients:


  • Sliced Serrano Ham from the Deli (Prosciutto Ham is a good substitute)

  • Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese Wedges

  • Wheat Crackers

Spread some Laughing Cow Cheese on the crackers. Then roll a small piece of the Serrano Ham and place on top. That's it! Place the Serrano Ham Crisps on a pretty platter and serve.

   

BabyShower Punch

For a great drink for the baby shower make some punch! It looks pretty in a big glass bowl and it tastes great. You can make it with or without alcohol as well as provide a bowl of each!

To make a very good and fun punch use this easy recipe:

Mix:


  • Equal parts of cold orange, cranberry and grape juices. (For a sparkling punch add an equal part of Sprite or lemon Fanta to the juice mix)

  • Add pieces of strawberries, halved grapes and orange slices.

  • Then right when the guests arrive add some fruit sorbet and mix well. For teh 'spiked' version add some rum to the mix.

There you have it, a tasty and colorful punch everyone will love!

   

Lip Balm BabyShower Party Favors

A useful party favor for the baby shower is some personalized lip balm. Most women like lip balm and it's something that won't be tossed away in a drawer.

The best lip balm to use to make this party favor is the type that comes in a round tin or container. Try to get both plain and flavored and give each guest one of each.

To personalize it cut some paper into circles that are the size of the lip balm's lid. You can do this by tracing the lip balm onto the paper with pencil to use as a guide for cutting. Then, get some cute stickers that have cute baby designs on them and attach them onto the cut out circles of paper. You can glue the circles onto the lids of the lip balms as is, or you can add a short message such as the name of the future mommy and date of the shower.

To add a last touch, wrap the lip balms in two's with some mesh material or colored cellophane twisting it closed with a piece of ribbon.

   

Candle Babyshower Party Favors

You can make pretty candle party favors for the guests with a babyshower-personalized touch. Begin by getting some small scented candles in whatever colors work with your shower theme or the traditional pink or blue for the baby's gender. Next, get a yard or so of mesh material (or buy pre-cut pieces) in a color to match the candles (white mesh for light pink or light blue candles will look very pretty).

Using colored computer labels (to match the candles) print out the mommy to be's name and date of the shower and apply one label to each candle.

Wrap two candles in a piece of mesh using small paper plates as a tray and tie them up with some ribbon. Then, attach a small card to the ribbon and write a small cute message, such as 'Thanks for attending Lisa's shower!' or whatever you'd like to say.

If you need a centerpiece you can gather all the candle mesh bags and place on a pretty platter to put on the main table throughout the shower. Then, when people start to leave ask them to each take one mesh candle bag on their way out.

   

A Sweet Babyshower Party Favor

An easy shower party favor that everyone will love is candy. You can make a great candy party favor that will go great with the Babyshower by simply using cheap small baby bottles.

Simply get a bunch of the cheap type baby bottles you can find at most drug stores, the ones with cute color designs will work great. Then fill each one of them to the top with candies and attach a pink or blue balloon with color ribbon to match. If you can fill the balloons with helium that would be a plus as the bottles will look so cute with the floating balloons.

You can scatter the bottles all around the room and have each guest take one as they leave the party.

   
How do I choose a diaper bag that makes me feel pretty?

Feminine Flair

Every new mom has that moment when they realize that their life will never be the same again. Instead of organizing dinner parties, you find yourself planning play dates. You also start to notice that your fancy dresses are spending more time on the hanger than they are on you. Well, you don't always need to be dressed-up to feel pretty; the right designer diaper bag can make you feel just as attractive.

For an everyday designer diaper bag, choose a style that will appeal to your feminine side. A wonderful choice is one of the options from the Blossoms Collection by Trend Lab Baby. Available in a tote or messenger style bag, both options include large mesh dividers and two outer pockets to organize all your baby's essentials. These bags feature a flirty, floral pattern that will continuously remind you of how beautiful it feels to be a mom.

   

Baby Shower Hostess Duties

Someone special in your life is expecting a baby. In your excitement, you decided to throw her a baby shower. How thoughtful! If you've never thrown a baby shower before, you may not know what is expected of a good hostess. Following is a list of duties commonly performed by the baby shower hostess. Keep in mind that, unless the shower is a surprise, the Mom-to-be should be consulted on all matters.

Before the Shower

· Decide on a date and time for the shower.

· Compile the guest list (remembering to get input from the expectant mother).

· Send invitations and receive RSVPs.

· Choose a theme, if there will be one.

· Decide which games will be played.

· Make food and drink selections.

During the Shower

· Greet guests as they arrive.

· Introduce guests to each other.

· Coordinate activities, such as running the games, telling guests when to eat, etc.

· Help the mother-to-be with gifts.

· Assign someone to make a list of names and gifts given for the mom-to-be to send thank you cards to.

· Assign someone to bring each gift to the expectant mother to open (or have each guest present the mom-to-be with her gift).

· Hand out favors to the guests before they leave.

After the Shower

· Make arrangements to get the gifts to the mom-to-be's home.

· Clean up the venue where the shower was hosted.

· Give the list of guests and gifts given to the expectant mother for sending thank you cards.

   

What to Include on Your Baby Shower Invitation

Baby shower invitations can be traditional, cute, or funny. They also need to be informative! Nothing is worse than sending out invitations only to find that you left out a piece of very important information (such as the hostess's contact information). Here's what you need to include on your baby shower invites.


  • Mom-to-be's name

  • The sex of the baby

  • Location of the baby shower

  • Date and time of the shower

  • Theme of the shower, if there one

  • Names and contact information the hosts/hostesses for the guests to RSVP

  • Registry information if the Mother-to-be has registered

   

Artichoke and Spinach Dip Appetizer for the BabyShower

Artichoke dip is always a hit at parties. It is delicious and very easy to make. Follow these instructions for a tasty appetizer the guests won't get enough of!

Ingredients:


  • 7 oz. marinated artichoke hearts drained and chopped

  • 15-20 oz. frozen spinach thawed and drained

  • 1/2 cup low fat sour cream

  • 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

  • 1 pressed garlic clove

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a baking dish making sure they are well blended together. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is all melted and ingreadients are heated through. You can serve the dip with tri color baked corn chips or pita wedges.

   

Babyshower Photography Tips

One of the most important things to do at a babyshower is to take photos. These will be kept for the mom-to-be so she can remember her day and also to show the baby when she is old enough to understand pictures.

Here are some tips for great photo taking during the fun event:


  • Before the guests arrive take a few pictures of the decorated party area

  • Place a sign somewhere near the door or on a corner that has the date and the name of the mommy-to-be (ex. Lena's Baby Shower - December 15th, 2009)

  • Take a picture of every guest as they arrive by the sign mentioned above

  • Make sure to take candid photos during the shower games

  • Take lots of pictures that show the mommy-to-be and her belly

  • Take pictures of the food before serving it to the guests

  • Be sure and take one photo of each time the future mommy opens a gift (take turns with 3 or 4 other friends for this, as it could take a while) be sure that the gifts show well on the photos

  • Take at least one picture of every guest throughout.

  • Make sure that the camera is set right for the lighting conditions in the party area and be sure the flash is on, if needed. A digital camera comes in handy for this, as you can see the picture right away and can retake it if needed.

   

Good Wishes for Mommy and Baby

A nice touch to add to a babyshower is to have guests do a special wish for the new mom and baby. To do this, ask each guest to bring a little charm, such as a small silver figure or a pretty stone etc... Then on a piece of paper have them write a good wish for both mommy and the little one. Tell the guests to write things like what they hope for them, or a good piece of advice or anything they feel they can say to uplift the future mom.

Then on the paper also have the guests describe the charm they brought so that the new mommy will know who brought which charm and what they represent. Also, tell the guests to try and get a charm that will be able to be put through a chain. When you have all the guest's charms put them through a nice pretty chain necklace and present it to the future mom together with the sheets of paper with the corresponding writings.

A good idea for the papers is to place them inside a photo album and add cute decorations through the pages, that way the new mom can leaf through them anytime she wants to remember her friends and her special babyshower.

   

Make Name Tags for the Guests

Chances are that not all the guests at the Babyshower will know each other. A good and fun way to remedy the situation is by making cute nametags for everyone. When people call you to RSVP, ask then how they would like to be known and/or introduced at the shower. As an example, one way would be: 'Sherryl: mommy-to-be's coworker' or 'Emma: mommy-to-be's childhood friend'.

This way everyone will know each other's name and who they are in relation to the future mom. It will also make for some good 'break the ice' small talk when people start making comments about how they met the mommy-to-be. This method of naming everyone will also help the guests know who the family members are. They can congratulate the new grandmothers to be or ask the future cousins to be if they are looking forward to their new playmate cousin.

The nametags can be hand made or designed with a computer. You can make them fun and cute by adding some clip art and just go all out and be creative!

   
Who should I invite to the baby shower?

Who Makes the List?

One of the most important ingredients in the recipe for a successful baby shower is a good guest list. Are you still trying to figure out whom to invite? Here is a little cheat sheet:

  • Grandparents from both sides
  • Sisters from both sides
  • All female relatives from both sides (aunts, cousins, etc.)
  • Female co-workers of the expecting mother
  • Close female friends of the expecting mother

It's in your best interest to run your guest list past the mommy-to-be to make sure that you have included everyone that she would like to have in attendance. If the party is a surprise, consult close friends and relatives of the expecting mother and use a collaborative effort to create a complete guest list.

   
How can I wrap my baby shower present ina a way that is not wasteful?

Waste Not Want Not

Wrapping paper is such a waste. Sure, it looks nice when the gift is sitting there, waiting to be opened. At the end of the day, however, the paper ends up torn and crumpled on the floor. What should you do instead? Wrap your present with materials that will be as useful as the present itself. If you're heading to a baby shower, ditch the baby blue gift bag or cutesy paper with little tug boats on it. Instead, place your gift in a box and wrap it with a receiving blanket. Secure the blanket with safety pins. Instead of a bow, attach an assortment of items that the baby will use to the top of the gift (rattle, pacifier, teething ring, etc.).

   
How can I help the new baby build a reading library?

Use Your Shower to Build a Library

If you're in charge of the baby shower planning it's your job to make it an extra special event. The point of a baby shower is to "shower" the mother with gifts and supplies that she and her new baby will need. Aside from necessity, however, it's a good gesture to arrange something personal for the child. Want a great baby shower tip? On each invitation, ask that the guest bring one of their favorite childhood books to give to the baby. And, have each of them write a personal or inspirational message to the child on the inside cover or title page. This will jump start the new baby's library. As a gift, it would be a great gesture to give the mother some decorative book ends to help organize the new reading selection.

   
What is and easy way to decorate the table at a baby shower?

Simple Baby Shower Table Setting

Are you looking for a creative way to decorate the table at the baby shower that you're hosting? Believe it or not, you probably have all the supplies that you will need in your home. First, cover the table with a festive cloth (pastel colors work best) and place a nice floral arrangement in the center of the table. Next, sprinkle glitter or confetti over the table to give it a festive look. You will need one white dinner napkin for each place setting. Fold each napkin into the shape of a diaper and secure them with safety pins. Now, you have a table fit for a baby shower. If you want to have a little more fun you can make a game out of your diaper napkins. Place scoops of peanut butter inside a few of the napkin diapers. Offer prizes to whichever women seat themselves in front of the dirty diapers!

   
How do I throw a baby shower tea party?

Tea Time!

One of the best baby shower themes is a tea party. To set this up, arrange several tables with fancy table cloths and nice place settings. Then, put a fresh floral centerpiece on each table. Borrow tea sets and china from friends and relatives ahead of time to make sure that you have enough for each table to have its own tea set. Pick up assorted scones and pastries from a bakery (or have each guest bring an appropriate refreshment). If you're the baking type (and if you have the time) you can even make your own desserts to serve. For a main dish, serve deli meats on croissants, cold rice salad, and fresh fruit. When sending out invitations, make clear that guests should dress up for the occassion. If you would like guests to bring anything make sure that this is clear on the invitaions as well.

   
Should men be involved in baby shower plans?

Make a Baby Shower Man Friendly?

When baby shower planning many women wonder whether or not they should include men in the plan. More than likely, most men will not be at all interested in a baby shower. The idea of gossiping about babies, playing silly games, and eating pastel colored cake while sipping punch is probably less than appealing to most men. It's a good gesture, however, to ask the daddy-to-be make an appearance for the gift opening. Opening presents for their new child could be a special moment that the new parents would like to share. It's not uncommon that some the female guests will be chauffered by their male counterparts (some will likely come in from out of town). A great idea is to arrange a simultaneous male gathering in another part of the house or at a location nearby.

   
How should I send out my baby shower invitations?

How to Invite the Invited…

So, you've created the perfect baby shower guest list, now what? You better start sending out those invitations or you won't have any guests. There are many ways to send out invitations including:

  • By mail
  • Making phone calls
  • Via email

If you decide to go the email route, make sure that all of the guests have email addresses and, more importantly, that they check their email regularly. It's imperative that you ask guests to RSVP in this situation and/or that you make follow-up calls. And, if you go the phone route, make sure you've got plenty of time to kill as it will most certainly take a while (and will probably require second and third rounds of phone calls).

The most recommended way of sending out invites is through standard mail. Everyone has a mailbox and the postal service is reliable. Plus, you can add personal touches to all of the invites (you can even write them by hand if you'd like). Make sure you include all pertinent information such as time, location, baby shower theme (if any), directions, and specifications of anything you would like the guests to bring.

   
How do I choose a date for the baby shower?

Setting a Date

Are you canning the calendar in search of the perfect date on which to throw that baby shower? Showers are typically thrown before the baby is born, usually a month or two before the bay is due. It's a good idea to provide the expecting mother with enough time to go out and purchase the items that she didn't receive at the shower but wants to have before the bay is born. Additionally, keep in mind that it is dangerous to plan the shower too close to the due date as you never know if the baby will be in a hurry to get out! Instead of a baby shower, some have a "welcoming shower" a few weeks after the baby is born (this is generally the case if guests are eager to purchase gender specific gifts). This is also a smart idea if you want to include friends and relatives that will be coming in from out of town for the birth (grandparents, aunts, sisters, etc.).

   
How can I make a great baby shower candy dish?

Make Some Diaper Dishes!

A baby shower is the perfect place to display your creative side. Looking for some cutesy ideas? Well, if you go down your baby shower checklist you'll find that you need both decorations and refreshments. Why not combine the two? One of the cutest ideas is to make homemade candy dishes that are shaped like diapers. Follow the instructions below to make your own:


  • Cut out pieces of felt (remember that these will be a candy dishes so make sure they're big enough)

  • Fold the felt pieces into diaper shapes.

  • Attach a small safety pin to each side of your diapers to give them a realistic look.

  • Hold the diaper upright and make sure that the center is hollowed out.

  • Dip each diaper into melted paraffin wax while maintaining its shape.

  • Cover each diaper completely with wax and remove.

  • Place diapers on a cookie sheet to cool.

Once your diapers have cooled, fill them with whatever goodies you'd like and display them. They're sure to be a hit!

   

A Moisturizing Babyshower Party Favor

Indulge the guests at the Babyshower with a couple of small scented lotion bottles. Try to find a bunch of small lotions that come in pink and blue bottles, or whatever color goes with the shower theme. Maybe even try to find a smell that is called 'baby soft' or anything that mentions something related to babies.

To present them, simply wrap a couple of bottles in a colored celophane bag and tie it up with some pretty ribbon. Then, attach small cards to the ribbon and write the name of the future mom and the date of the Babyshower on them.

Place all the bagged lotions in a pretty basket and leave by the entrance door so that each guest can take a bag as they leave the shower.

   

Cute Pea Pod Favors for Guests

A very cute Babyshower party favor that you can make yourself is a 'Pea Pod'. They are easy to make and not too costly. You will need some green cellophane paper, green ribbon and small round green soaps.

Wrap two or three soaps in a rectangular piece of cellophane, leave enough extra cellophane on each side of the soaps to tie the ribbon on. Twist the ends to secure the soaps in the cellophane and tie a piece of ribbon on each side.

Then, you can either attach a small card with a baby message or make one yourself out of cardboard and attach it to the ribbon by hole punching it in the corner.

This works especially well for twin Babyshowers, but of course it's equally cute for any number of babies!

   

Dinner Cruise Baby Shower

If the mom-to-be is up for it and likes to ride on a boat, you could organize a Babyshower on a dinner cruise boat. You can start by consulting with guests to see if they are up for giving a contribution for the cost of the cruise.

Most dinner cruises offer group discounts, so if you can get enough guests (go ahead, invite significant others and husbands as well!) the cost may go down significantly.

Let the person you book the cruise with know that this will be for a baby shower and they may be able to add decorating items or do something special for you. Depending on the boat you choose they may also set the decorations up for you if you give them in advance before the cruise trip.

This would be a nice way to have a shower and it will guarantee no one will be bored. In fact, most people will look forward to it!

   
How can I incorporate the baby's name in my gift?

Give Mom a Personalize Piece of Art

If the baby's name has been chosen before the baby shower, take the opportunity to incorporate the name into your gift. It will make the gift feel more personal and the mom-to-be will appreciate your thoughtfulness. This can be as simple as addressing the card to the new baby or including the baby's name on your gift wrap.

For an even bigger idea, make the name the focal point of your gift. A fun option is a personalized piece of art to hang in the nursery. There are a variety of companies that offer custom-made art for kids that can include the baby's name or initials. Options range from playful paintings that depict whimsical scenes to more contemporary wall hangings that feature simple stripes or polka dots. There are many styles and designs to choose from, so be sure to consider the nursery theme and color pallet before making your decision.

   

A Babyshower at the Office

Many moms-to-be work up until just before the due date. Babyshowers at the office can be a great way to celebrate a co-worker's upcoming baby's arrival and to help her build a nice collection of items for the new addition. An office babyshower is also great for office camaraderie between co-workers and a nice way to get everyone together for a little fun.

It's best to organize an office babyshower with the help of 2 or 3 people. This way each can take on a different responsibility to make everything go smoothly. Mainly you'll need someone to order the cake and food (unless you want to ask co-workers to each bring a dish from home) someone to make out the invitation and collect money and/or gifts for the new mom to be and someone to get drinks, plates, eating utensils and decorations.

Remember to check with your supervisor to make sure that this will be ok to do at the office and to pick a time that will work for everyone. Of course, invite the supervisor as well as he/she will most likely be happy to be part of the celebration also.

It's a good idea to keep this a secret from the mom-to-be, so that she will be completely surprised by the event and not expect it at all. Take lots of pictures and have fun!

   

Make Your Own Baby Shower Invitations

If you are creative and have access to a computer, you can make your own invitations for the mom-to-be's baby shower.

You can use clip-art of baby related items, such as blocks, strollers, baby faces, bibs, rattles, etc... and place them gracefully around the invitation. Then you can pick a cute font to write in the details of the invitation like the date, place, time, mom's name, baby's name, etc...

You can print out your creation on a color printer and then fold it in half; get some big enough envelopes to fit the invitation in, address them and voila!

Another thing you could do is, make a design on the back of the page as well so that when you fold it you will have a 'cover'. Simply do 2 designs, one for the inside and one for the outside, and print all the insides first. Then take the printed pieces, turn them upside down and either place them on the regular paper tray or in the feeder tray. Just make sure that you place the paper the right way so that it will print your outside design on the blank side of the paper.

There are also some pre-made cards that you can use, which are pre-cut, so that all you have to do is put your design on it and then print on the precut cards. Once you have them printed out, you can cut and fold the card to its final shape. There are detailed instructions on the packages and information on which programs and printers they work best with. You can usually find these on the stationary sections of most office supply stores.

   

Babyshower for a Second or Third Baby

Traditionally, babyshowers are only given to first time moms. It's a good way to get the new mommy all the stuff she needs at a time when she's probably very anxious and nervous about the huge change she's about to undergo.

However, the arrival of a second or third child is just as happy and welcoming as the first and there's no reason why it shouldn't be celebrated. If the mom already has most of the items she needs for baby, you can still have a little party for the arrival of the new baby and not get her any baby items she doesn't need. You can mention in the invitation that gifts are optional or make a point to get things for the mom instead. Even if this is not her first pregnancy, she is still big and uncomfortable and anything to make her relax and feel better will be most welcome, I assure you!

Items such as comfy pajamas, soft or un-perfumed (in case her sense of smell is out of wack!) lotions, soft socks, chocolate, books, anything to make it easier, will work wonders. Guests can also bring a little gift for the current children to help them at a time when everything is centered on the new arrival, which may make them feel left out in some cases. The kids can also be part of the babyshower and help in organizing it, or if they are very young they can do their part to 'help' set things up so they feel included.

So, even for veteran moms, a shower for a second and third (and fourth!) child can be a good idea and can also serve as an excuse to get together with friends and have some fun. The occasion can also be a good opportunity to let the mom relax and enjoy herself with her friends while they also attend to mom's other kids and take care of things for mommy for one day.

   
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