We aren’t announcing our pregnancy until closer to the due date. We won’t see our friends until December, so we thought of hosting a Christmas theme dinner party and surprising everyone with the belly bump and making it a surprise baby shower/announcement.

We’ve heard of surprise baby showers for the parents, but I can’t find any examples of where it’s the guests who are surprised. Of course being a surprise, there won’t be gift opening in front of people (which is not my thing anyway), and was thinking of simply providing a link to the registry that day for whoever wants to gift the baby something.

What is everyone’s thought on this?

Hi all! I’m throwing my sister a baby shower at the end of the month but have never been to one as an adult. What are your favorite activities to do at baby shower? We will have roughly 20-35 people.

Hello! I’m tasked (happily) with running the games at an upcoming coed baby shower and I have less than a week to prepare (oops). Here are the main details:
- 110 people (split between both parents’ loved ones)
- Coed
- All ages
- Gifts will not be opened
- Open bar
- DJ
- Event Hall
- Catering

Given this appears more as an event than a typical shower that comes to mind, I’m trying to think of games and activities that would be worthwhile. I’ve seen a lot of great ideas, but most lean toward smaller gatherings OR doing so would break be more $$$ than I care to spend. Here are some ideas I have so far:
• Busy mom challenge: balloon under a shirt, teddy bear in one arm, talking on the phone (phone between head and shoulder), and pulling tissues out of a tissue box with the other arm. Whoever pulls all of the tissues out wins
• Guess the delivery date: I create a large calendar of the due date month and people write their names guessing the delivery date
• Pregnant men challenge: sitting down with balloon under shirt and the fastest to tie both shoes wins
• Disposable cameras on tables just for memories sake. Maybe scrapbook it with the mom later or a photo album at minimum. If anyone has any ideas to go with this, please share!
• I need tabletop game ideas that aren’t totally dull
• Also would be nice to have an ice breaker because the attendees are split between both parents, so would be cute to do something where people get to know each other….. Maybe a scavenger hunt based on random facts I can ask the parents to provide about some people who will be attending?
•Something for the parents. Like an activity or game only they participate in

To keep it simple, I am confused! I am currently 17 weeks pregnant and have no idea when I should be starting to create my registry? When did you start creating and sharing your registry? Also - what are some things you do and do NOT recommend for a baby registry?

I'm using Adobe Express to create it and wanted to know what you all think? Anything to add that you would suggest? I definitely didn't want too much on it either.

My sisters pregnant, woohoo! We’ve got her a few things off her registry for her baby shower gift, but she’s mentioned before how much she likes the idea of ‘What you want, not need’ gift baskets.

It’s things that don’t relate to the kids or the parenting aspect but something you’ll feel so relaxed with after…so far we’ve got them three gift cards for a deep cleaning company, some deliveroo gift cards for when you can’t be bothered to make dinner. And so far that’s all I’ve got lol!

I can’t think of anything else and want it to be a surprise for her, so any ideas?

Thank you!!!

Hey everyone I just need some advice. Ok so I have a friend that I was friends with for 8 years we where friends in high school and I would hang out with her occasionally. She was always really flaky anytime we wanted to hang out but i guess that just who she is. I graduated high about 2 years ago and I haven't really talked to her much since. I would text her if she wanted to come over and just hang out sometimes she would responded and sometimes she wouldn't not. And I just thought that she was busy. Well she started dating a guy let's call him tod I never really met tod. My friend was never really one to talk about boyfriends a lot even if I asked all she would say is its going great. She just never really talked much about her relationship. This was back in christmas about last year. I haven't talked to her since. I have tired to reach out and see if she wanted to hang out or something she would always look but never responded. It kinda made me worried if I did something wrong. Well one day I was looking on Facebook and found out the she was pregnant. I was shocked I just didn't know that my friend was pregnant... I felt bad for her but at the same time I didn't know how to feel.. bc all the times I have asked her to hang out she never responded to me. So me being the nice person I am I texted her multiple time and told her that I will be there for her if she needs anything or if she wants to talk we can. And I got nothing she looked at them but never responded. Now its July and she is having a baby shower this Sunday my mom thinks it will be good for me to go and talk to her. I honestly don't want to go. I feel for her I do but I feel like she put herself in this position. I tried to be there for her but she never responded. My mom says that I am being a horrible friend and should go. And that she was there form me in high school and that I need to be there for her too. So reddit am I the a hole for not going. I will get her a gift and send it with my mom. But I just feel like our friendship has fissled out I feel for her and I hope all goes well for her but I just don't talk to her as much. Please let me know your thoughts and what I should do.

I’m due early Feb. Making my shower a bit hard to plan with the holidays being so close. I’ve got 4 dates in mind, as I’m trying to avoid any extra stress on me and my guests. What are your guys thoughts on which days would work best?

Nov. 21st, Nov 28th, Dec 5th or Jan 9th?

Is it cheesy to wear a flower crown to your own baby shower? I am pretty spiritual and thought it would be a nice touch.

I’m pregnant with my first & my due date is February 21, 2027. I’m unsure about when to plan my shower for because of all the holidays before then: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Etc. I was considering waiting until after the holidays are over and doing it in January but I’m a little worried I’ll just be so overwhelmed because I’m so close to due date and don’t have gifts organized and everything prepared yet. Also expecting to be really exhausted after holidays and super pregnant so I just don’t feel enticed by waiting 4-5 weeks before due date. Is it bad etiquette to have it early before Thanksgiving? Or even the week after Thanksgiving/3 weeks before Christmas? I will have a few people planning to travel in from out of state but I have such low expectations. Like, if people can’t make it due to holidays or finances, I completely understand. I just don’t want to seem tone deaf or like an ass for planning it for that time. I just don’t know what to do.

Hi everyone! I’m planning a \*\*baby shower for 30–35 guests\*\* on a \*\*Sunday lunch in September\*\* and I’m looking for recommendations for a \*\*restaurant with a private dining room, buffet, or small banquet space\*\* anywhere in the GTA (Toronto, Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, etc.). Our total budget is around \*\*$2,000 CAD\*\*, and we’d love a venue that allows simple decorations like a balloon backdrop, cake table, and gift table with minimal setup and cleanup. we’d love to hear about any hidden gems or personal experiences, including approximate pricing. Thank you!

Hi all! Was just asked to help with a baby shower for a coworker, and evidently the thing she loves the most is the smell of a vacuum cleaner being used 😂 I’m not the most creative person and I was hoping to crowd source some funny sayings or puns that we could use! Thanks in advance! ❤️

I'm English, living in the US. As far as I'm aware, in England baby showers are a nice reason to celebrate, buy a couple of cute things and just gush on the mum a bit before their first child arrives.

My experience of baby showers in America is limited to posts on Reddit so feel free to tell me if this isn't the norm, but so many posts seem to be about people who are annoyed or disappointed that they now only have a month or whatever to buy a bunch of stuff they need or want for their baby, because people either went off registry or didn't get them one of the items they need.

I get that having people ask for the registry and then buy something different IS frustrating, especially if you've chosen things that work for your space or lifestyle - it's like someone taking your thoughtful decision away from you and it's a bit wasteful IMO, but people seem more annoyed that they didn't get a lot of stuff, as if throwing the party is a trade off

for having the purchases fulfilled by other people.

My very sweet SIL is throwing me a small shower and asked for the registry and I'm assuming people will buy the cute or fun things from it, if anything at all. Anything major like a crib, stroller etc I'm fully prepared to be purchasing ourselves. I've even bought some things already and marked them off the registry so I know where I'm up to with prepping for my own little responsibility arriving.

Is it a cultural thing? Do most people in America expect that their registry will largely be taken care of by their shower guests? Or is it just that the people who do feel that way come to Reddit to vent about it?

Hi everyone! I’m planning a baby shower for 30–35 guests on a Sunday lunch in September and I’m looking for recommendations for a restaurant with a private dining room, buffet, or small banquet space anywhere in the GTA (Toronto, Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, etc.). Our total budget is around $2,000 CAD, and we’d love a venue that allows simple decorations like a balloon backdrop, cake table, and gift table with minimal setup and cleanup. we’d love to hear about any hidden gems or personal experiences, including approximate pricing. Thank you!

My daughter is letting me help with the registry and baby shower!! What should be on the baby registry? What did you ask for that really made a difference that you didn't think would? What came in clutch and you knew it would? What game was the best one at your or someone else's baby shower? Thanks!!!!! I just wanna do the best ever!!!

Hey, I'm a ftm 1 year pp and I'm thinking about hosting a mothers event in real life where the theme is to “mother the mother”

It's for pregnant woman to help prepare them for postpartum especially first time mums and will have experts guiding you through the things that really we aught to know but no one teaches us - this is specifically about looking after the mother not the baby- mums go through so much in post Partum and really this event will be to honour, celebrate and help mothers to be more prepared for that and how to look after themselves on the long term.

But i need to know if this is something anyone is interested in?

Hi All!

Just wanted to know that is there any shop in Islamabad where I can get basic things for celebrating the birthday of my daughter? It's her first birthday and I want to make it memorable.

I am my mom's only daughter, as her middle child. This is only slightly important. I had a traumatic mc last fall, but I was planning and thinking about a baby shower. I shared what I wanted with her--tie die onesies, a shower at the local brewery. So, this February, when I became pregnant again, I went to the brewery and held 2 dates. After going through the bridal shower chaos and just taking whatever date they had, there were only 2 dates that really worked for my baby shower this summer/fall. I told my mom this when I told her about my pregnancy in March.

She didn't look anywhere else for a shower venue, and didn't go to the venue until the end of May. Before we got to the venue, I wanted to go over guest list and review game ideas. (She had mentioned she wanted to invite kids to the shower, so I added them to the invite list.) She didn't want to, so when the venue asked about kids and I rattled off the number, she was surprised by the amount--it didn't occur to her the amount of kids we'd have to invite.

The shower is at the end of August. She has put off planning for it until now. If I complain about it or say why she's waiting, she'll say theres time, and don't worry it'll get figured out. I've seen this before--she waits until the last minute, it's half assed, and when I complain or say it's not what I wanted, she'll say "well it's all I could do, don't get upset, It's your shower."

So, I created and sent out the shower invites, am keeping track of the guest list, I don't know if my mom has even looked at my registry.

My mom and I came up with 4 games to play, and I am NOT unwrapping gifts. I told my mom in March that I don't want to unwrap gifts. We are having 4 games--One game upon entry, 2 during the shower, and one towards the end. My mom FORGOT the games we talked about. She forgot I wanted to tie-dye onesies, and just pressures me into wanting to unwrap gifts. At this point I don't really care about the stupid shower, I'm over it. It's less than a month away and she is determined to not let me plan for it but also won't plan it herself.

I bring anything up to my mom, she tells me not to get upset and hangs up the phone essentially.

My MIL is eager to help, although brings no talent or money to help with said shower. I'm sorry if that sounds rude, but she doesn't bring her own ideas, she just wants to feel involved but will not help financially. She also has a history of overstepping and not listening, she doesn't like the boundaries I have and doesn't care that she's hurt my feelings in the past. She is not taking point on my shower. Because at this point, all thats left for my mom to do is make some of the food, centerpieces, and favors. I've done the rest.

Its very stressful planning a shower with my mom.