Sip and see

CaityEMC · January 2014

Hi ladies- my MIL wants throw me a baby shower but I am already having one in my hometown. I really hate the attention being on me so I was thinking of suggesting a sip and see where we have a litle brunch that her friends, family etc. can come meet the baby and I dont have to be the center of attention. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, my MIL is just more formal than me and everything is over the top and exhausting with her. Anyways.... Has anyone ever been to a sip and see- are they more enjoyable than showers, or duds? Thanks!!

KristaU831 · January 2014

i like showers better. but that's just my preference.

the idea of people wanting to pass my tiny baby around makes me want to curl up and die, i hated people passing my DD around. and if you do a sip and see that's what's going to happen. gives me shivers just thinking about it. i might be the odd one out though.

chickpea912 · January 2014

We basically did this with our daughter - we didn't do the shower thing (we're sort of traditional in this aspect of Jewish customs), so they day after her baby naming at the synagogue, we had a meet the baby open house. It was fine - awkward because my mom left in the middle of it b/c she couldn't handle being in a crowd and was dealing with a depressive episode, but it was fine.

katekat8721 · January 2014

I'm glad you asked this! I don't mean to hijack, it's just inquiring minds need to know. Do you normally register for a sip and see? Because I wouldn't think so, but people in my area seem to be doing it and it's weird to me

I like the idea of a sip and see, but I don't like the idea of everyone touching the babies and if you're supposed to register for them, I really don't like that!

OP, maybe you could tell MIL you'd prefer to have a girl's day brunch instead of a shower or something? Invite fewer people, keep it more casual?

wtfisup · January 2014

I have never heard of this sip and see! Interesting.

flerlgirl · January 2014

Lurk the baby shower board and see what other people have done regarding the sip n sees. That might give you some ideas.

CaityEMC · January 2014

Thanks ladies- some good points I hadn't thought of! I'll check out the shower board! Gotta keep the MIL's happy

chickpea912 · January 2014

@katekat8721 What do you mean by register for it? I did have a registry, even without a shower, since we knew people would likely buy gifts and at least this way, we could help direct and let people know what we could use. But our sip and see was a full month after M was born, so it was different.

katekat8721 · January 2014

chickpea912 said:

@katekat8721 What do you mean by register for it? I did have a registry, even without a shower, since we knew people would likely buy gifts and at least this way, we could help direct and let people know what we could use. But our sip and see was a full month after M was born, so it was different.

I'm not sure exactly, but a few friends who are pregnant have posted their "baby to do list" on FB and it mentioned "register for the sip and see". I totally understand having registries for family/friends to help give them gift ideas, but I thought it was strange to have a registry for the sole purpose of the sip and see since those are usually held after baby is born right?

SchoolPsychSteph · January 2014

I thought about doing a sip and see for this baby, but it's kind of silly. I don't like the idea of my baby being passed around either.

tbmadeamistake · January 2014

We didn't do a sip and see, but we had an after-baptism bbq when C was about three months. At that point she had had her first round of shots and I was more comfortable with people passing her around. We didn't register (had already had a shower) and certainly didn't expect gifts, but most people brought a book or toy or anyway. If you're going to do a baptism or naming, maybe go that route?

chickpea912 · January 2014

I guess I never thought about the registry being FOR a particular event... just being for the baby in general. There was a ton on the registry that wasn't for a newborn, but for later on, so any gifts that we got when she was a month old weren't late or unusable or anything.

Read247 · January 2014

A sip and see is just that. Sip and SEE. Generally speaking the baby isn't supposed to get passed around. At least the ones I've been to they weren't. The baby was in the swing sleeping most of time unless the mother was nursing. It was maybe a 2 hour brunch with mimosas and people can bring gifts and usually do, but its by no means a shower. (You're not supposed to register for it.) At least that's my experience...

If you're worried about people handling the baby just establish your ground rules ahead of time. If someone asks during the party just be honest. "There are a lot of people here and if I let one person hold her everyone will want to. I'm not comfortable with that many people handling my newborn because her immune system is functionally immature."

Kinipela7 · January 2014

Sip and see's just sound WEIRD to me

lucreciac · January 2014

Honestly I can't even imagine wanting to see a bunch of people all at one time right after having my baby. I was so overwhelmed the first time trying to nurse and just get through the day - doesn't sound like a good idea for me. Maybe I'm just weird?