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Baby Shower Etiquette Hosts And Guests Must Follow

Published on Jun 5, 2023.

As a relatively recent phenomenon, baby showers started in the 1940s where baby shower etiquette was once written in stone. Thankfully, this has rapidly changed within the recent decades and while familial ideals do still play a part in this time-honored tradition, the hard and fast rules people used to strictly abide by are now rarely more than mere suggestions. Today, baby showers are all about what the mother-to-be wants and not much more.

Who Hosts the Baby Shower?

Baby showers are held for your community to “shower” you with gifts, so parents-to-be throwing their own party could be perceived as asking for gifts, according to typical baby shower etiquette. Usually, a family member or friend would step up to throw one early on, so you can sit back and enjoy being celebrated. If you don’t hear talk about one in the works and wish for a celebration, consider the likely candidates for the baby shower hostess and if you’re comfortable, ask one of them to take the reins. These days, there aren’t any hard and fast rules – if no one is available, or you simply want to host the event yourself, don’t let anybody stop you.

Best Timing to Throw a Baby Shower

In the past, it was baby shower etiquette to throw a shower at the very end of the third trimester. This worked because families mostly lived close by and travel, timing, and other considerations didn’t need to be taken into account. As families increasingly started spreading apart geographically, it became more common to hold a shower earlier in the third trimester, which is today’s common practice. As a guide, a baby shower shouldn’t be held before the 20-week mark in pregnancy, and showers held too late after 38 weeks run the risk of the baby joining you for the event. Also, be sure to factor in these considerations before setting a date for the shower – whether the mother-to-be is expecting twins or multiples that tend to arrive earlier, religious and cultural beliefs that may have taboos against holding a baby shower before the birth of a baby, as well as seasonal holidays or gatherings where throwing a shower most people will already show up at is more convenient.

Hostess Gifts for Baby Showers

For mothers-to-be, it’s baby shower etiquette to thank someone who has poured in a lot of time and effort to plan a celebration for a big milestone in your life. Plus, it’s certainly a kind gesture that will be greatly appreciated by them. If you’re having a planned event, consider bringing something with you to leave with the hostess – a fragrant candle, gift voucher for a massage, or even an offer to a free lunch. Rather than coming up with something that has an impressive price tag attached to it, show that you’ve put in as much thought into the gift as they had into your party, and make sure to thank them in person.

Gifting Made Simple

While baby shower etiquette isn’t set in stone, bringing a gift for the mother-to-be is customary. At Babybasket.com, we offer a variety of gift sets that you may want to get if you have plans to head to a baby shower. If you have any inquiries about us, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
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