How to Throw A Beautiful Baby Shower

One of the nicest things you can do for your pregnant friend (apart from pointing her in the direction of quality, fashionable maternity wear) is to throw her a baby shower. Having babies is an expensive business, and the gifts she’ll receive will not only help her out when it comes to setting up her home for her new baby, it’ll also provide her with a lot of support and well-wishes…which are all very important when you’re going through a pregnancy! Baby showers–like babies actually–come in many different shapes and sizes (OK, well, babies are generally all baby-shaped but there’s definitely a variation in sizes, and anyway, we’re trying to make an analogy…) so you’re limited only by your imagination and the tastes of your expecting friend! Here are a few tips on how to make it a special event she’ll never forget…Think Outside the BoxBaby showers don’t always have to be pastel-coloured stork-themed oohing and ahhing affairs. Modern mums-to-be have far more taste and the modern dad is a lot more involved in his baby’s life, so why not throw a unisex shower that includes the dad-to-be and his friends as well!! A father-to-be will be just as grateful for baby things and the opportunity to celebrate the pending arrival of their little one, and think of it this way—twice the people equals twice the presents! If you think your friend would prefer a girls-only event however, there are other ways to make it different and fun–instead of the usual morning tea, why not make it a classy after-dinner affair, complete with mocktails for your pregnant friend? A bit of glamour isn’t such a bad thing in a baby shower, and it may be the last fancy night out mum-to-be has in a while!Games and ThemesBaby showers are often a collection of friends from different areas of your friends life–mother-in-laws, work colleagues and school friends all mix into the crowd, and often there are quite a few people whose only connection is to the mum-to-be, who for her part is probably so swept up in greeting and thanking people that she hardly has time to babysit a loner (no pun intended). To combat awkward situations in which people feel left out, organise a few games early on in the shower to make everyone feel comfortable and get to know each other. You could have a contest for people to suggest baby names, include trivia about the due date, and even start a poll for whether it’s going to be a boy or a girl! As for themes, a dress-up party is a great way to break the ice with everyone, and asking people to dress up as what they want to be “when they grow up” is a cute theme for a baby shower.GiftsYour pregnant friend will probably receive a lot of gifts (and be eternally grateful to you for throwing the party), and most of these will probably be things she needs for the baby. As a special present from you, why not buy her a special treat for her—a massage, a beautiful maternity dress or a manicure—so that she feels utterly spoiled all day. Your friend will be so delighted she may even end up naming the baby after you…