The US phenomenon of ‘baby showers’ is beginning to take hold in the UK. A baby shower ceremony involves guests gathering at the house of parents-to-be and giving gifts for the forthcoming bambino. We’ve got quite a few mums at The Last Detail and in aid of our glorious new ‘Tiny Feet’ range we wanted to present a couple of blog posts dedicated to throwing the perfect baby shower. First up, etiquette – the who, what, why, where and how to getting it right…

Treat mum-to-be! Image from: mamasandpapas.com

Beautiful 'Tiny Feet' decorations from The Last Detail

Baby cakes make wonderful centre pieces Image: completelycakes.com

It’s the ultimately the most important and joyous time in your life – being pregnant and preparing for a ‘mini me’ in your life should be exciting and what better way to spoil a new mum-to-be than holding a fantastic baby shower?

So what do you need to consider?

• Who organises it?
• When should it happen?
• Where should we have it?
• Who to invite
• How much to spend

Baby showers have been a tradition in the US for a long time now, and are growing in popularity here, too. What better excuse is there for getting a group of friends together than to celebrate a new life? Plus, the mum-to-be get lots of great presents for her and her baby, result!

Who organises it?

The only person who shouldn’t arrange a baby shower is the mum-to-be. The whole event should be great fun and completely stress-free for her. Friends, family or work colleagues are the usual organisers.

When should it happen?

The best time to hold a baby shower is some time in the last trimester. You could either keep it as a surprise for the mum-to-be, or tell her what you are planning so that she has something to look forward to in those last few weeks.

Where should we have it?

You need to consider the location before deciding on how many people to invite. Ideally, the party shouldn’t be held at the mum-to-be’s house. It’s not fair for her to have to worry about cleaning up before everyone arrives and after they’ve gone. Ask around to see if anyone else is prepared to host the event at their home. If not, think of playgroups, the local church hall or a health club which might rent you a room for a couple of hours.

Try stringing bunting around the room

Knitted and homemade gifts are lovely Image: party.kaboose.com

Pink and blue decor is perfect for those who don't know the sex of their baby! Alphamom.com

Who to invite

If you are not keeping the baby shower a secret, ask the mum-to-be who she would like to have on the guest list. Remember to ask for names and addresses of close friends that you might not know, such as workmates, or friends met through antenatal or exercise classes. While a baby shower is often a ‘girls only’ affair, partners can come along, too, and it can be a nice way for the dad-to-be to feel involved.

One couple asked the sonographer to secretly write down the sex of their baby at their 20 week scan and seal it in an envelope. This was then passed on to the baby shower organiser who let all the guests know so they could buy appropriate presents. Amid much excitement, everyone managed to keep ‘mum’ throughout the weeks leading up to the party. As the couple opened their first present their baby’s sex was revealed!

How much to spend

If you don’t want to pay for the whole thing yourself, the best way to cover the cost is to ask each guest to chip in. When working out how much it might add up to, remember to consider the following in your budget:

• The gift if you all want to contribute to a bigger, combined present
• Food, paper plates, cups, plastic knives and forks
• Going home ‘goody bags’
• Invitations and stamps
• Prizes for games
• Venue rental
• Decorations
• Cake

Costs can be lowered by, for instance, designing an invitation on your computer and emailing it to the guests. You could also hold the shower at your house to save money on catering and a venue.

Look out for the next blog post coming soon, it’s going to cover:

• Choosing a theme
• Present ideas
• Party food
• Party games and prizes
• Goody bags
  

Enjoy!

Try baking sweet cupcakes and putting them on a Tiny Feet cake stand!

You can decorate any space for a gorgeous baby shower Image: peachespartyplanner.co.uk

Guest books leave mum and dad with a lasting memory of the party!