There are plenty of articles titled “Top 10 baby shower games,” “How to throw a great baby shower,” and “Baby shower themes she will love!” But what about the really helpful stuff no one mentions, like how not to ruin a baby shower?
Whether you’re the Mother-To-Be (MtB) throwing your own shower or have stumbled on this article because you’re throwing one for a pregnant friend, here are a few mistake people make that ruin baby showers (so don’t do them):
Don’t serve any food:
Honestly, food being served at any type of party is half of my deciding factor of whether to go or not. I’m not the only one who hates small talk with friends-of-friends of the MtB. People like free food. So if you DON’T serve food, you can be sure your guests are silently judging this party.
Play cliché games
I’m at my fifth baby shower of the summer and we are once again playing the baby portrait game (blindly drawing a “baby” on a piece of paper sitting on my head). Isn’t this supposed to be a party?
~My favorite unique game is where you interview MtB and Dad-to-Be’s parents about them as babies. You then read off something they did and have guests guess which person did that as a kid. “Who loved to run around their house butt-naked at the age of 6? …Dad-to-Be!”
Play awful games that will make your mother-to-be feel awkward
I’m talking about you, Guess Mommy’s Belly Size game. Who thinks it’s a good idea for guests to guess how much yarn it’ll take to get around mom’s growing belly? You know there will be people throwing the game, obviously guessing too small, as to not hurt MtB’s feelings. And the rest will over guess, making MtB feel fatter than she already does.
Serve alcohol
Let’s have a party with awesome drinks that the MtB can’t have! This one is just common sense. Don’t torture the poor girl, showing her what she can’t have for however many more months. Unless MtB insists she really doesn’t care, don’t serve alcohol at a baby shower.
Invite people MtB doesn’t really know or doesn’t actually like
Small talk with people I hardly know because I haven’t talked to them in years is exactly what I want to do at my baby shower. And why not throw in the passive aggressive mother in law who hates me? Said no pregnant mom, ever. I understand the urge to invite every single person you know because more guests means more gifts, right? But don’t.
Force people to small talk on their own
You only get maybe 10 combined minutes of MtB’s sole attention before she needs to talk to her other guests so the rest of the time, you’re expected to small talk with people you probably don’t really know. One person is an old roommate, another is her best friend from 2nd grade, while a third is her cousin’s aunt’s sister who doesn’t actually know MtB very well but honestly just came for the free food (see #1). Some people are shy or introverted so this is their worst nightmare. Whoever is hosting this thing—make the rounds! Include the loner in the corner. Keep the games going, since those give guests an excuse to talk or look busy.
Make/bring a creepy baby cake
This is just terrifying and no one should have to tell you not to bring a baby-head-coming-out-a-vagina cake to a party. She doesn’t need to be reminded that a baby will soon be bursting from her own body soon enough.
Want to ruin a baby shower? Do any (or if you’re feeling daring, do all) of these things and you’ll accomplish just that! But avoid these things and the baby shower you throw will be one that the MtB will cherish forever.
abedabun dawn
Sunday 5th of November 2017
lol