Showering the Bump with all the love - Everything you need to know about Baby Showers!
Welcome to our very first blog post! For those who don’t know of us, here is a brief overview of who we are! We are a Step-Mum (Suzie) and Step Daughter (Simone) duo that have been working together for over 10 years. Smitten Bub Co. is our newest adventure and 1 of 3 businesses we operate. We are coffee lovers, big foodies, love a nice glass of wine and well we’re not very good at not being busy and are really loving growing Smitten from the ground up!
Why babies? Good question.…Suzie has two children of her own (now 19 and 13), but we still wouldn’t say she is the most maternal and well Simone hasn't had a baby yet! Guess we just thought it was a good idea at the time! Babies are pretty cute and just quietly it’s the fabrics – we get to play with the most wonderful prints.
Hello, I am Simone, and generally the one behind the blog posts and all things social. As I mentioned, I don't yet have any children of my own! However, I am a big sister with 13 and 19 year age gaps, I have the pleasure of being a god mother and I would say about 98% of my friends have kids, so although I don't have any little ones of my own just yet, I am pretty well educated in the baby department. Although, it is important to know that I will never claim to be an expert!
Since Smitten was born, we have both realised how many expectant parents don't know where to start and that is TOTALLY OK! We thought it would be a great idea to provide a platform to help answer some of those questions you may be too embarrassed to ask or that you might not have even thought about. Please follow along on our journey and share our content with anyone that you think might find it useful! Our aim is to create somewhat of a flow to our content so why not start with the celebration of our little bundles of joy.... 'The Baby Shower'.
Have you ever heard the saying "It takes a village to raise a child"? Well, baby showers are the perfect way to assemble that village! Whether you're an expectant parent, a BFF, or just a lover of all things baby, read on for a splash of information on the history and purpose of baby showers.
First of all, let's talk history. Baby showers have been around for centuries, with roots in ancient Greek, Roman, and African cultures. In those days, baby showers were more about blessings and gifts, but nowadays they're all about celebrating the new arrival and showering the expectant parents with love, support, and (of course) gifts.
We have you covered, below are some common questions that people ask about Baby Showers.
Do I need to have a baby shower?
Well, that's like asking if you need a cuddle from a fluffy kitten! Sure, you don't strictly need one and don't feel pressured to agree to one (the baby doesn't need to feel that extra stress), but why say no to a celebration of love and support for the arrival of your baby? Whether it's a small gathering of close friends for coffee or tea at the local café or big extravagant soirée with all the staging and catering, a baby shower is a sweet way to kick off this new chapter in your life. So, grab your bump friendly party dress and let everyone spoil you – your baby bump deserves it!
When do I have a baby shower?
It's like asking yourself, when is the best time to have a baby?! There isn't really and really based on what suits the schedule of those actually having the baby. Not everyone will be able to make it, however you need to make sure mum-to-be can attend otherwise there is no point if the star of the show can't attend! Most people will hold their baby shower between 6-8 months. That way mum-to-be is still feeling relatively good and they can still enjoy the celebrations before the bub arrives.
Who typically organises a baby shower?
Anyone really, you will know your people better than anyone else. Some parents-to-be are adamant that they want to organise and host it themselves. However, usually, a close friend or family member of the expectant mother takes the lead. And don't worry, there's no set rule on when the shower should take place – some prefer to do it early on, while others wait until the home stretch. Just remember it is meant to be a celebration not a stressful occasion.
Do baby showers have themes?
This is a personal preference, it does makes decorating and planning a little easier as you stick to one idea/look. Feel free to head over to our Instagram or Tiktok for some inspo on what we think is on trend this year.
Our Top 10 Baby Shower Themes for 2023:
- Baby in Bloom
- Some bunny soon to arrive
- A baby sprinkle
- Boho baby
- A baby's been brewing
- We are over the moon / Love you to the moon and back
- Mama to bee
- Rustic woodlands
- We can bearly wait
- Rainbow baby
Do I need a baby registry?
It is a personal preference, some people don't like to assume their guests are going to bring a gift, others like to be organised and make it easier for guests to pick and choose a gift. Personally, I have been to many baby showers and the ones I like attending are those that do have a registry. As a guest it is great to have a list of items the parents "need" rather than trying to guess. It is also handy if you have a range of items at all different price points. We are not sponsored nor endorsed by any particular websites or providers however we do have a fair bit of traffic from 'Babylist.com' and 'Myregistry.com'. Please do you research on Google and find what suits your situation, we do love websites like this as our product can be featured rather than the goods all having to come from one store such as Baby Bunting, Target, David Jones, etc. One of the baby showers I have actually hosted I spoke to the mum to be and compiled a list on Google Sheets, the link was then shared with the guests and they could type against the item they were purchasing, worked really well and it was FREE!
So what do I need to do now if I have decided I want a Baby Shower?
Well now we are onto the nitty-gritty details. What do you need to throw a successful baby shower? Here is a checklist we have put together to get you started:
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Guest list: Write down all the names of the people you want to invite, great a Facebook event or send out the invitations, and wait for the RSVPs to roll in.
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Venue: Find a place that's convenient for the mum-to-be and has enough space to fit all your guests. Bonus points if it's cute and Instagram-worthy! This can be someone's house, a café, a backyard, or a bookable venue close by.
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Decorations/Theming: If you have decided on a theme start compiling decorations and items for your venue/space. Jump on google and check out places like Etsy and Amazon as they are great places to start.
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Food and drinks: Go as simple or as elaborate as you like. Can literally be a BBQ, party pies and sausage rolls or a high tea style event. Our tip is make a shopping list so you don't forget anything. Remember to accommodate any special dietary requests!
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Games and activities: Ask the expectant parents to be first before planning anything. So people love this, some people hate it. If you are entertaining your guest definitely google something like "baby shower games that are not cringe worthy".
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Gifts: Provide a list of baby items that the expectant parents need, or set up a gift registry so your guests can pick from a curated selection of items.
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Favours: It is always nice for your guests to take a little something home as a token of appreciation for coming. Some really cute ideas include: 'Ready to pop - a bag of popcorn', 'Watch me grow - a small plant/succulent', 'Bottle of Nail Polish - Here's to 10 little fingers and 10 little toes', 'Pop when she Pops, Enjoy a Toast when Baby arrives - a mini bottle of champagne' or think of something unique to you, just make sure it is something people will use as you don't want your money to go to waste!
With this list in hand, you're ready to dive into the wonderful world of baby showers! Just remember: the goal is to have fun and celebrate the arrival of your new bub. Happy showering! Oh and when in doubt... just GOOGLE!
Well that's a wrap, folks! We hope you found our first blog super handy. I will be doing more of these (when I get the time). In the meantime, f you want a good laugh be sure to follow us on TikTok or Instagram and see how rubbish I am in front of the camera.
Simone xx
NOTE: All images we have utilised in this blog are from Pinterest
