baby shower

wondering if folks could send me baby shower suggetions. i am supposed to be planning a shower for a friend. she's having a baby girl.

thanks!

My sister gave me a book shower - guests all arrived with a book, or two, for the baby. It was really wonderful - some chose books that were favourites with their own children, or with themselves as children, or that just tickled their fancy. My daughter now has a great library of those sturdy board books, which is wonderful, because those are the ones you can't get at the library. It was also cool the way each person really expressed themselves with their gift!

I have also heard of showers where guests get together to buy the baby's car seat, or some similar big-ticket item.

Whatever you decide to do, I also suggest that guests (both those who have kids and those who don't) put together a collection of advice for the new mom - some funny, some handy, all signed. My favourites, among the ones I received, were, "Sleep when the baby sleeps," (who hasn't heard that?), "Learn to breastfeed lying down," and "It's all a phase... it all passes!" Words I live by.

KathyO

[Rachels]

A friend of mine recently gave me a baby shower (I too am expecting a baby girl), and did several things that were particularly helpful or meaningful. In addition to all the gifts and food and typical shower stuff, she had cut up strips of beautiful paper and had all the guests write blessings for the baby, for me, and for the birth. They went around and read them aloud to me, then folded them up and put them in a beautiful little wooden keepsake box for me to take with me to my daughter's birth. It was great to have something so thoughtful and meaningful amidst all the fun and laughter. Also, my friend had bought a box of thank-you notes and pre-stamped all the envelopes. Before the guests left, she passed out the envelopes and had everybody write their own mailing address, so that they were addressed and stamped before I even left the shower. A HUGE help! Good luck and have fun!

Consider if it is your friend's first baby or not. We have participated in some very popular "Casserole Showers" where the new parent's get their freezer stocked with oven-ready suppers. This may be more appreciated if your friend has kids already as she will be even more pressed for time and peace than the average first-time mom and she will already have a lot of that baby gear.