Baby Shower Hints, Tips & Advice

Baby showers are now a right of passage in pregnancy. They can be a great amount of fun. The problem is that so many people have started to believe that a baby shower needs to cost a pretty penny. The truth is that baby showers are designed to celebrate the pregnant mother-to-be and her baby. It’s a gathering of friends and family to show support. Here are some ideas to have a great shower – without breaking the bank!

Re-use Decorations
If you happen to have some decorations saved from another shower, re-use them! Or pull out some strings of Christmas lights and hang them around the party room – they spice up any occasion. You can also use baby items as decorations, either yours or some from friends. Think kid books, baby bath lotions, stuffed animals, etc. These small things can really help set the tone and don’t have to be overpowering to be effective.

Eat off plates.
I know it sounds crazy, but consider using your real plates instead of disposable plates. If you have a set of nice dishes, pull those out. If the thought of doing dishes really turns you off consider our budget disposable baby shower tableware.

Buy in bulk.
For food consider going to your local bulk food store. Here you can get a large selection for less. Think a huge bag of veggies and dip for appetizers. Many also have bags of sweets or nuts to set out for munchies. My personal favorite is in the freezer aisle: frozen mini cream puffs and eclairs. Either way buying in bulk is likely to save you money.

Bake the cake!
Baking a cake doesn’t have to be difficult. You can simply bake a long sheet sponge cake in your own oven. Once it’s iced or decorated to your preference you can add some pre-made designed pieces of sweets (like you’d purchase for a kid’s birthday) or go for a simple style. For simple yet elegant, you can also make cupcakes. A nice cupcake sprinkled with colored sugar is very attractive. You can even arrange these in decorative format, like spelling out the word baby in cupcakes as a centerpiece. If you want the cupcakes in a baby theme or a sponge in a baby design we offer them in our baby shower baking section.

Game Prizes and Favours
It’s nice to give small gifts to the winners of baby shower games. These don’t have to break the budget at all. Consider getting them at a supermarket. Even when you purchase gift bags and baby shower favours, you’re only spending a couple of pounds per favour. You can even skip the gift bags and simply use organza bags and some old ribbon from your home. Most supermarkets and pound stores then sell candles, nice bath stuff or sweets to make a great thank you gift. If you want some ideas then look at our baby shower favours section. You will see that for personalised favours we often cost less than making favours yourself as we buy in bulk and well, this is what we do!

Baby gifts on a budget.
If you’d like to give the mother-to-be something beyond the baby shower, which is a present in and of itself, consider inexpensive options. Coupons for babysitting, a gift basket of baby goodies from the dollar store, the promise of a meal after the baby arrives – these are all good ideas for budget baby shower gifts.

Save money on the invitations.
Consider using a service like Evite to send electronic invitations to your guests who have email. This saves on postage as well as the actual invitation an time. It’s also a handy way to manage your guest list. What if someone doesn’t have email? Drop them a nice note in the mail with a printed version of the online invitation and a note to call in their RSVP

When throwing a baby shower in the new year say thanks to your friends and family who attend with mini favours. These token gifts are a fantastic way to thank your guests for attending your baby shower. You can make your guests feel special by personalising their favour with their name and adding a special message. There are so many different types to choose from our range. The most popular Baby Shower Favours that we offer are based on sweets, bookmarks, keyrings and candles. We have divided this section into pink, blue and neutral. We also have bath salts and soaps which smell lovely for pamper time. Cute charms and personalised ribbon also add the perfect finishing touch to your favours, which your guests will adore.

In the US the trend is to shower Mum-To-Be with lots of lavish baby gifts at her baby shower. It is is not uncommon to read about a celebrity shower where luxury gifts are the norm. But most of us are not famous and wealthy and in the UK we feel that it's the 'get together' with friends which is the important part, not the cost of the gifts you give!

There is still often superstition here in the UK about giving expensive baby gifts before the arrival in case anything goes wrong, so we think a baby shower is an ideal time to focus on and spoil Mum-To-Be. After all, when baby arrives, poor old Mum doesn’t seem to get a look in! Therefore ideal baby shower gifts are for Mum herself and these don’t need to be expensive.

As we were one of the first baby shower specialist companies in the UK, we wanted the whole concept and idea to be very much targeted to the UK market and making mum-to-be feel special before the baby is born. We want everyone who attends to feel comfortable at these parties, so we recommend a gift that is either pamper, is practical or brings a smile to the face of the expectant mum.

We offer a great selection of baby shower gifts that are just perfect for Mum-To-Be. These range from practical lotions and potions to use during labour to pampering treats that she can use herself once baby arrives. One gift that has proved incredibly popular as a novel gift is the 'Squeeze To Ease' Stress Ball. This is an ideal baby shower present and made special with a label tied with a ribbon bow with the personalised message of your choice. We offer baby blue, pink and a purple ball to choose from. You can even select the skin tone of the baby image on the card! These are not expensive gifts being only £3.95, but shows your fun side and will be practical use at times of stress or throwing at the Dad!

Imagine the situation: Your best friend or close relative is having a baby and you want to plan a baby shower. Where do you even begin? Since there’s a lot more to planning a baby shower than simply sending out invitations and cutting cake, you might want a few tips on how to make the party a memorable event. For instance, a hostess will need to consider how to decorate the party venue, as well as which baby shower games and activities, if any, should be played. Here are some tips to help you that we have found to be of use to previous customers visiting Babies Babies.

Consider The Baby’s Due Date

Plan the party with the due date in mind. If it’s possible, try planning the baby shower about six weeks before the baby is due. That way, mum-to-be still has time to get any last-minute bits and pieces she needs plus prepare herself for the birth. Ask the parents-to-be if they prefer a certain date, too. When the party date is established, send out invitations or email about four to six weeks before the party so guests can arrange their schedules and purchase gifts.

Be Mindful of Your Budget

Think about money and venue space. Before you even think of ordering invitations, you’ll need to think of your budget, how many guests to invite and the size of the venue you want. The home of the hostess or grandma- to- be is usually a very popular choice.

Guest List

10 to 25 guests seems to be the average number invited to a shower, but you will need to make a list of who you think Mum-to-be would want there and make sure you don’t leave anyone out!! Perhaps ask her partner for a list of contacts from her phone who he knows she would want to invite as this may include an old school friend that you do not know as the hostess, but she would want there at the party.

Party Schedule

Determine the party’s length. Depending on the number of guests you have, two to three hours is plenty of time for a shower. You have time to eat, mingle and open gifts. The most common order is for guests to arrive and mingle, play a few games to get everyone in the party mood, eat whatever food you decide to serve, Mum-to-be opens gifts, cut the cake if you are having one then hand out favours or cupcakes as the guests leave as a thank you for attending.

Consider Your Menu

Think of your menu. Finger food seems to be a favourite as it can be easier to eat especially if seating is limited at the party venue. Smaller plates will also make it easier to balance food on your lap or hold while standing. Be aware that you may need to cater for vegetarians, people with allergies as well as providing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Try to Theme Your Baby Shower

Plan the party around a theme. At Babies Babies we have so many different baby shower tableware themes to choose from that you may be spoilt for choice, but we believe that we have something for all tastes and themes.

Play Some Games

Put a limit on party games. We suggest 3-6 games but remember to include a customer favourite 'mums advice cards and prediction game party pack'. Some people don’t like playing baby shower games, so keep the games light and let people mingle. Again at Babies Babies, we have over 40 games to choose fun so we are certain that you will find games suitable for your guest list and party. The most popular is Pin the Dummy on the Baby and this is available in both white and ethnic origin babies.

Baby Shower Favours

It isn’t a must-do, but it is a nice gesture to hand something to each guest as they leave as a thank you for attending the baby shower. Some ideas for favours are bags of sweets, bookmarks, candles, handmade favours, cupcakes or simply a thank you card and a slice of cake.

We hope this has given you some good ideas for your baby shower and will help with the planning of it and you will find all you need at Babies Babies including lovely gifts for Mum-to-be, the baby and even Dad! Happy planning. www.babiesbabies.co.uk

Choosing the venue for a Baby Shower has a great effect on the atmosphere for the party.

You may decide on the intimacy of your home. This has the advantage of being less expensive than other options but space may be an issue or the thought of cleaning up afterward. In warmer months having the baby shower outside may be an option but this can be risky with the British weather and unexpected rain! If your budget will stretch it may be worth researching suitable venues to hire. These may include local coffee houses, public houses or a hotel. The choice is wide and will be influenced by cost, location and the ambiance that you are trying to create.

Whatever the venue, always remember that the most important element of any party will be the people attending. With friendly faces and amusing parenting stories, a great time will be had by all.

Once you know where you are holding the party, you now need to know how to decorate it to create the perfect atmosphere. At www.babiesbabies.co.uk we try to offer the best in themed decorations and ideas to make your venue and day become extra special.

In our Baby Shower Decorations section, we have lots of balloons, banners and hanging decorations to choose from. We have many ranges in various baby themes to match your taste and most also include matching tableware like napkins, plates and table covers.

If any help is needed, we have a dedicated customer care team on hand to help, just give us a call.

We wish you a memorable and enjoyable party.