HOW TO HOST A BABY SHOWER

Becoming a family looks different for everyone. Whether you’re a surrogate, an IVF mum, two dads/mums, a single parent; celebrating the beginning of a new life is such an exciting part of the journey.

Where to begin?

Anyone can host a baby shower. Anyone. If you’re a new mum-to-be and would love your friends/family to host one for you...just ask. They may not know that you’re hoping they’ll offer or even want one to begin with. Don’t be shy, it’s an honor to be asked to be a host of such a special celebration.

You may also want to host your baby shower on your own. This is 1000% a fabulous idea! It’s 2021 and the rules are thrown out the window.

Whether you’re a new mum to be, or a friend/family member of a mum-to-be and you’re tasked with the job of hosting a baby shower, you’ve got this! It might seem like a daunting task to begin with, but it can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be.

Hosting a baby shower? Here’s a few tips:

1. What is the budget? You want to have a super transparent understanding of what the mum-to-be is contributing or completely paying for. If the mum-to-be wants a life sized ice sculpture of her pregnant body, you’re going to need to REALLY look at the budget.
2. Respect the mum-to-be, her personality and vision. Is she conscious about being eco-friendly? Balloons may not be the way to go.
3. Work with a little team of people. There might be some people who would really appreciate being involved (other best friends, mum, MIL, Nana and possibly even the partner/husband/wife). They may want to contribute to a specific part of the baby shower (e.g. food, drinks, the cake). It’s nice to share the load and delegate some tasks.
4. Food: to keep it easy and cheap, pick a time of the day that isn’t a main meal time (i.e. not lunch/dinner). A morning tea or afternoon tea make for a nice and casual celebration. Keep the food simple like small plates or a platter. Better yet, ask your guests to bring a small plate each or to contribute to the platter. If putting food on isn’t your cup of tea, you could book a table at your local cafe. Note: Find out if you need to consider food allergies or needs. Your mum-to-be could have Gestational Diabetes and may be unable to eat many party foods.
5. Make what you can and/or source from friends. A homemade baby shower cake and decorations is such a lovely way to personalise your event.
6. Games: ask your mum-to-be if she’d like some games. Not every 7-8 month pregnant mumma-bear wants her guests guessing how big she's gotten.

You can make the cake and eat it too:

That’s right, making a baby shower cake is a piece of cake!

Laura’s Carrot Cake:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (baking) oil
• 4 Eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 medium carrots
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp nutmeg
  

Directions

1. Grease and line 23cm tin
2. Mix Sugar, egg and oil first
3. Then mix all other ingredients together
4. Pour into the tin
5. Bake at 180°C for 1 hour (until the knife comes out clean)

Simple Cream Cheese Icing:

• 75g butter, at room temperature
• 250g cream cheese (not the spreadable kind)
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 4 cups icing sugar
  

To make the icing, mix softened butter, cream cheese, lemon zest and juice with icing sugar in a food processor. Mix until smooth.

Change it up:

- Add walnuts or other fruit and nuts (get creative) to the wet mixture.
- Mix out the lemon in the icing and use orange instead

Note: You can cut the top off your cake (discard - aka eat while decorating the rest of the cake) and then cut your cake in half to build up layers (like in the photo).

12 Games to add some sparkle to your hosted event:

To bring a bit of fun to the baby shower celebrations, games can get a room full of people giggling and laughing away together. You can even have little prizes if you’re able to. But what to play? Here’s a list of 12 game/activity ideas for hosting a baby shower:

1. Advice for the parents (see free printable).
2. Name suggestions (see free printable).
3. Wishes for the baby (see free printable) - If mumma is growing more than one baby, you could edit the document (in a programme you’re familiar with) to write, ‘the babies’.
4. Baby predictions (see free printable).
5. Guess the baby’s due date, name and weight
6. Guess mumma’s bump measurement. You can get each guest to cut a piece of wool/string for their guess. The person who is closest, ‘could’ win a prize.
7. Who’s that baby? Ask the guests to send you a photo of them as a baby, before the baby shower. When guests arrive, have them displayed with a number . Guests get a piece of paper to write down their guesses. The person with the most answers ‘could’ win a prize. This is a GREAT icebreaker!
8. Blindfold nappy challenge: Find a dolly and a pack of nappies (could even go old-school and use cloth nappies). Each guest gets blindfolded and has to change the dolly’s nappy in the quickest amount of time.
9. Baby bottle challenge: Have guests enter a baby bottle drinking contest. Whoever can drink the milk from a baby bottle the fastest, wins.
10. Baby food challenge: Prepare a range of baby foods (e.g. baby jar food from the supermarket). Have your guests taste and try to guess what the baby food is. The guest with the most correct answers, wins.
11. Baby shower charades: All you need to do is choose baby-related words and/or phrases. Write down a range of words/phrases and have guests guess what the word or phrase is (e.g. breastfeeding, dirty nappy, “smooth as a baby’s bum”, “bun in the oven”, baby boomer, “sleep like a baby”, poo explosion.
12. Night time nappy: Have guests write a small note on a newborn nappy. This can then go into a ‘night time nappy’ container for the parents to use for the baby(s), in those sleepless nights. These could be words of affirmation, a funny joke or even ‘dad’s turn’.

Personalise your hosted baby shower:

• Create a signature mum/mom drink. Instead of a mimosa, you can make a mum-osa/mom-osa. All you need to do is provide some juice and some bubbles. The mum-to-be could add sparkling water or lemonade.
• Ready to POP! Find little bottles of bubbles and gift your guests a bottle. Use the free printable to label your bottles. When the mum-to-be pops, everyone can have bubbles, in celebration.
• Guests could make floral headpieces. This is a great activity, simple and creative. Your guests will look gorgeous and it creates a sense of togetherness.

Bobux Baby Shower gift idea:

A baby’s first pair of shoes are something that will be treasured forever. Bobux Soft Soles are the perfect gift idea. Find a pair here.

Have a fun & fabulous time hosting.

X 

Laura

@ohreallyoriley

Author Bio:

I’m Laura (32), a SAHM to 3 munchkins (Henry-3 years old, Walter-2 years old, & Florence-1 year old). We live in the sunny Hawke’s Bay (NZ) & share a small snippet of our lives on Instagram. I’m a passionate creative who loves to cook, bake & make all sorts. I’m a Jack of all crafts, master of none.