As everyone knows, preparing for a baby means acquiring a lot of new items – which makes a baby shower almost a necessity. It’s also an important way for loved ones to show their support of the parents. Having a shower for a second baby has often been seen as excessive, since the parents will likely already have the big-ticket items like cribs and strollers. You can now hold a shower for a second baby, if you take certain things into consideration.
Instead of a full shower, you could host a mini-shower, where guests only bring those necessities that every baby has to have – bath accessories, undershirts, diapers, etc. You can add to the gift registry those items which the parents did not receive with their first baby. Or, instead of a baby shower, you can have a mom shower, asking guests to bring gifts that mom will appreciate as her delivery date approaches. These can be pampering items like rich body wash, or practical items like pajamas.
It’s also a fun idea to have a shower where all the gifts are for mom – but are not related to being a mom, like a flirty nightdress or sexy nail polish (for when she can see her toes again!). You can, on your own or with other guests, purchase a gift certificate for a full day at the salon or some other special event – but be sure to prearrange babysitting, too. You can also have a strategic meeting with the father-to-be and the closest friends and family of the mom before the party, in order to make up a helping hands calendar.
Things you can help out with could include cleaning house so mom can come home from the hospital to washed dishes and folded laundry, scheduling transportation for the older child’s activties, and offering to come along to do errands. The calendar can be revealed to the mom-to-be at the shower, along with all the names and phone numbers of the volunteers. There are situations where neither baby nor mom are in need of any new items. Or, consider having a simple party, featuring good food, music, and the mom’s loved ones.
Optionally, guests can bring unwrapped baby gifts and these can be donated to a womens charity or other organization that can put them to good use. You can also ask guests to bring a dish that can go in the freezer or stored in tupperware (a “freezer” party instead of a traditional shower). This will be much appreciated by mom during the final days of her pregnancy and the days immediately after the birth. If having this kind of a shower, however, you’ll need to let mom know so she can see if she has enough space for everything, as well as choose a date very close to her delivery date.
Finally, if the new baby is going to be several years younger than the next-oldest sibling (a so-called “caboose” baby), you can feel free to host a full-on baby shower. Many times, in situations like this, the parents will no longer have those “big” items anymore, or they might not meet current safety standards.
Regardless of the type of shower you are holding or if the gifts are large or small, remember that you are there to let the mom know that she and her new baby have all your love and support.
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