I have been invited to a Baby shower soon.. the mother is 30 weeks gone (my friend) and I got an invitation.. its on the 28th OCT.

Trouble is, I havent got a clue what they are.

Do I have to get a gift? Is that the idea.. I have heard of them in America but never over here until Honey on Eastenders had one apparently but I missed that episode!

Any ideas I will be gratefull.

thanks in advance. xxxx

i think the idea is the mother to be is showered with gifts
From the ones i have seen on the telly normally the mum to be invites friends round they have drinks, nibbles etc & give her gifts
it will probably be a laugh x

haha@honey in eastenders..lol cute

Yeah iv not heard of them over here either till a work colleague had one....ya just buy a pressie, drink tea and eat cake as far as i can see..lol

just buy a little gift and sit round chatting, some useful is always good, like a bag of baby toiletries!

lots of peeps will probably buy toiletries

i would get her a lovely gift bag and fill it with ..l
*lots of pairs of scratch mits (for baby,coz you always seem to loose 1 wherever you go!))
*lots of breast pads and massive sanitry towels for mum ..(she will go through millions of these lol)
*oooooh a few cans of red bull and some pro plus ,enough to last a good few months !!!!!

I grew up in Zimbabwe (Colonial style) andhave attended numerous baby showers. I've also attended one here in UK so here's what happens.

Usually the mother to be's best mate or mother invites the friends, family, close colleagues etcs, for tea/coffee/nibbles/wine etc. Each guest brings a gift for the baby or a pampering item for the mum to be. You can add apoem with the gift to help her guess what it is but don't do this unless you have been asked.

Tradition maintains that it is usually a suprise party. Ideal gifts are things like babygows, mitts and socks, blankets, toiletry items such as baby powder, nappy creme, etc....... The idea is that you wish the new mum to be well and help to start her off with baby supplies. Keep within your budget, however, and don't feel you have to buy anything expensive. A couple of baby bibs or a Johnson's soap and shampoo is absolutely fine.
HTH

Usually, everyone brings gifts for the baby:

clothes, diapers, baby lotion, baby jewellery, babybook, wetwipes, crib, carriage, playpen, carseat, baby journal for mom to write in....absolutely ANYTHING that's for a baby...

They are to celebrate an impending arrival AND to help mom prepare as babies are such costly lil critters
My babyshower was OBSCENE and I've yet to meet anyone who's had one as huge as mine unless they're rich and know rich people (it took 3 minivans and 2 cars to bring everything home to my house haha and I'm NOT rich and nor is my family lol) and I wound up with absolutely nothing to buy for my daughter. LITERALLY. I didn't even have to buy diapers for at least 4mths. The ONLY things I paid for were the dresser and the diaper chaning cushioned pad to sit on top of it. I didn't even pay for the crib.

HOWEVER, at most showers I've been to, most people forget about "mom" and mom gets nothing for herself.
So, what I do, is I put together a basket for MOM. Since mom is doing all the work and the suffering, she most certainly deserves SOMETHING.
Usually I put products that she can pamper herself with, a gift certificate for a favorite store, maybe a gift cert to a salon for pampering, treats like chocolate and/or gourmet coffee/teas etc. I just put stuff for MOM only!!!!

Mother's, ESPECIALLY 1st timers, neglect themselves when the baby is born and get's burnt out. Providing something that will ensure that they take 5min, 10min or an hour for themselves is important and much appreciated by them.


hope this helps



PS: I usually include a certificate I create on my computer for Mom. The certificate is a donation of 24hrs of my time of FREE babysitting. To be used all at once or split up ;-)

I have been to one before & it was ace.

Everyone gets gifts for the baby, bibs, dummys, clothes etc.

If I went to another I would get the mother something to this time, out of twenty of us only one person got something for the mummy !

I'd go for something cute for mummy too, thats because i am one and don't get enough pressie's anymore !!

They are great ideas!!
LOL
Send me that template Victoria for that certifiacte... you have my email. LOL thats a fab idea! xxx

Wow... so mums basically get lots of gifts?

Right ladies and gents... inviting you all to my 'baby shower'... very soon

have one hun, its an excuse for a get together with your mates lol & you might get loads of goodies lol xxxxxxxx

I'll take a look.... been such a while, and changed my puter since.

If not, I'll whip one up for ya

Well, with thanks to all the ideas from you geeks I have managed to put together a hamper type pressie for new mum and baby.


I bought a gift pack thing in a hexagonal shape for baby consisting of bibs, baby grow, flannels, cloths, booties, scratch mits, and a rattle.
I alo got a soft fleece blanket, and a blue teddy.

Then, for mum I got Bath and shower gel, body lotion and eau d'toilette by Oceanus at Body Shop. Then got a bath scrunchie, body mit, and loofah.
And some bath bombs and mini star soaps in the same colours.. and finally, a pack of 4 candles and 5 scented wooden blue and white roses.

Wow I hope that should be enough.. or have I gone overboard?
Never been to a baby shower!! LOL

I spent about £30 on it all together and wrapped it all up using florists cello wrap! ... With a ribbon to finish it off. I dont know how much hampers like this are but I am sure its cheaper doing it yourself! haha
will post some piccies if I can..

Thanks again, to all you folks that gave me some great ideas.
xxxx

aw they look lovely, you have obviously put loads of time & effort into it xxxxxx