Throwing a baby shower

Baby showers -- girly parties where guests give presents to a mum-to-be -- have long been a tradition in the West and are growing in popularity here, too. What better excuse for getting a group of friends together than to celebrate a new life?

Who organises it? 

The only person who shouldn't organise a baby shower is the mum-to-be. The whole event should be great fun and completely stress-free for her, while someone else does all the organising and hard work. Friends, family and/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 from 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. 

 

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, husbands can come along, too, and it can be a nice way for dad to feel involved. One couple asked the doctor 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 the 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 the answer was revealed! 

 

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, so she doesn't have to worry about cleaning the house before everyone arrives or clearing up 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, a favourite restaurant or a club which might rent a room for a small fee for a couple of hours.

P/S : For me, I tak kisah pun buat kat rumah I. Lagi best! =)

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 include:

• invitations and stamps

• food, paper plates, cups, plastic knives and forks etc

• cake

• decorations

• prizes for games

• going home 'goody bags'

• location rental

• presents -- you may all want to contribute to a bigger, combined present.

Costs can be lowered by, for instance, designing an invitation on a computer and emailing them to as many people as possible; asking everyone to bring a dish and borrowing the right number of plates, etc if you don't have enough, to save buying them; holding the shower at someone's house rather than hiring somewhere.

P/S : Potluck is my favorite. Every one bring their own dish. Cheaper and we can taste how horrible and excellent chef are our friends.

Choosing a theme 

Baby showers usually have some sort of baby theme to get everyone in the mood. You can either buy decorations with a baby theme or make your own. Popular themes include:

• Teddy bear's tea party Get hold of as many teddies as you can and make sure each guest brings one, too! As presents, they could bring teddy bear-related books. The cake could be in the shape of a teddy bear.

• Nursery rhymes Arrange toys linked to nursery rhymes around the room -- shoes (There Was An Old Lady), spider (Little Miss Muffet), bucket (Jack & Jill's pail), toy boats (Row Row Row Your Boat), roses (Ring O' Ring of Roses). Ask guests if they can count how many rhymes are represented.

• Books Ask each guest to bring a book that meant something to them as a child. It's a great way for mum to start up her child's library. For decoration, everyone could also bring books to arrange around the room. The cake could be in the shape of a fairy tale book.

It's also really nice to ask guests to write a poem, ditty, limerick or rhyme about the mum-to-be and her baby. Buy a book to stick them all into and it will be a memento she can pass on to her child when the baby grows up. Alternatively, ask everyone to sign a book with a few words of 'wisdom' to pass on to the prospective mum. She might not take your advice, but it could give her a few laughs! 

Present ideas 

If they're not mums themselves, it can be difficult for guests to know what to buy. Have a list prepared by the mum-to-be, or try some of these ideas:

For Mum

• Pedicure kit -- for when she can reach her toes again!

• Magazine subscription -- so she can have a quick read when feeding

• Frozen dish -- ask everyone to bring a meal for the freezer which can be defrosted when needed once the baby's born. (See our freezable recipes for new mums.)

For Baby

• Classic books, such as Beatrix Potter, Winnie the Pooh or fairy tales

• Nursery rhyme tapes

• Bathroom kit: first toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and shampoo

P/S: Mintak barang mahal sikitlah macam stroller ke, baby coat ke barulah kopak poket kawan kawan tu.

Party food 

Ask everyone to bring a dish of nibbles. Home-made snacks are ideal, but guests who are working and/or have young families themselves may prefer to make a financial contribution or bring shop-bought snacks, such as curry puffs, nasi lemak, ready-made sandwiches, crisps, quiche, juice and so on. If you're worried about what's safe for your expectant friend to eat and what's not, visit our Is it safe to...? page. 

 

Party games and prizes 

You could all sit around and chat about how painful labour is for a couple of hours, but your pregnant friend may appreciate it more if you play a few lighthearted games, instead! These could include:

• Guess the celeb Cut out some old magazine pictures of pregnant celebrities (Catherine ZD, Kate Moss, Jade Goody, Jordan etc), fold back the head and ask everyone to guess who's who.

• Letter puzzles With words such as baby, nappy, labour, birth and so on hidden among the letters. Prizes for guests who find all the words.

• Guess the name If mum's willing, have a list of 20 boys and 20 girls names, and promise a prize to whoever guesses the name correctly once the baby's born.

Any small prize will be appreciated, but if the guests are mums, too, try something like a pass for two to the cinema, a promise of one evening's babysitting or relaxing bath oil.

P/S : Okay I love this part. Can I organise it by myself? 

Goody bags 

It's nice to give a small goody bag as guests leave as a way of saying thank you for coming and for any presents given. A small token is all that is needed, such as sugared almonds in a little tulle bag, a scented candle or chocolates: something they (especially mums) might not indulge in and buy for themselves.

Have fun!

P/S : Kek dia comel sangat. Hopefully ada rezeki tahun depan. Dan tak sabar nak masuk rumah baru juga tahun depan. =) 

Credit to http://www.babycenter.com.my/a554814/throwing-a-baby-shower