Who's having a shower/sprinkle for second baby (or third/fourth/etc.)?

NICU RN

I would really like to have a sprinkle for this baby. I genuinely don't care about gifts. Although we having some things we need new and some girl stuff, that is not a big deal. I just really want a chance to celebrate with family and friends. Could I throw some sort of tea/BBQ/gathering and just put no gifts on the invite? Or is that an etiquette faux pas? What if a friend offers? What are people's feelings on this? 

Sekerambo

I will not be having a sprinkle or shower for this baby, but we had a sprinkle for my sil when she had her second.  If someone throws you one then go for it but I would say don't throw one for yourself.  Even if you put "no gifts" on an invite people will feel obligated.  A meet and greet after baby is born would allow you to celebrate without people feeling obligated to bring a gift.  

karlimonster

I will have a BBQ before the baby arrives as my birthday, my step mom and my grandma's bday all fall in August. Additionally, my sister is moving out of state a few months later and I want to make sure we all have at least one more big get together. I have been very clear it is for the birthdays and just a hang out before the baby arrives and things get busy.

I'm very uncomfortable being the center of attention and our son will only be 18 months when his sibling is born. We don't need anything, but I do love getting everyone together. Hence, a laid back birthday BBQ and no mention of the baby. Maybe don't even mention the baby (if you do it before hand) and just call it a summer BBQ or something like that.

haboobjob

My friend is throwing me a sprinkle for baby #2. I def wouldn't throw a party for myself because it seems a little gift grabby (even if that's not your intention). I asked my friend to keep this party low-key and I reduced my guest list a lot, in comparison to my first. 

I think a sip-and-see or BBQ after the baby is born is a nice alternative! 

NICU RN

I would love a meet and greet after baby is born, but my sister in law does not vaccinate. I will not let her daughter be around the new baby until vaccinated due to risks. Not to start a vaccine war, but I have seen young babies die of vaccine preventable diseases because they weren't protected and I won't risk it. So I was hoping to do something before so that side could all be included. Maybe just label it as a BBQ - that's a good idea. 

pelorunningmama

Agree. A summer bbq would be a fun way to get everyone together without them feeling like they need to bring something. 

Stephanie7693

I'm having a shower for this baby, but my BFF is throwing it. My kids are 10 and 6, so we are starting over as far as baby things. And this will be the first shower my husband's family will come to for me, since my oldest is not his, and we still had most of my daughters baby stuff when I got pregnant with my son. 
If I were you, I would just hold a summer bbq. Maybe call it an early labor day bbq since you should have a new baby to worry about by then?

ebilbao

My mom is throwing me a sprinkle for #2. We are having a brunch at a nice restaurant with about half the people who came to my shower the first time. It's smaller and low key. If you want to get friends and family together to see the baby, you can have a "Sip and See". It's a party ever everyone comes at once to meet the baby and you know, sips booze. 

PJpeppercorn

My friends are having a shower for my second. This time we're having a boy and they were insistent that they should do a shower since it was the opposite sex. I don't love being the center of attention but it will only be close friends and family. I've never had a problem going to any number of showers. I love celebrating life events! 

sunnyhoney6512

I am not going to be having a shower/sprinkle for my second ( well I don't plan on it). My mother wants to do one but I told her not to. Now don't get me wrong I love celebrating and hanging out with family but there are some people who side eye second / third etc. showers/ sprinkles. It's crazy. 

Like others have said, I have no problem going to any number of showers and I'd say if you want to celebrate with family a BBQ will be nice. If someone offers that is fine too but it seems like once the baby comes people that want to buy gifts will do so if you have a shower or not.

ShanRum3

My SIL and MIL are throwing us a coed/family BabyQ. This is our 3rd child, and our other two are 11 and 6, so we had gotten rid of pretty much everything!  I did explain to my SIL that I want low key, eat, hang out, but no baby shower games, or favors or anything like that. We will have the cornhole boards set up, and some fun stuff for the kids, like decorating bibs or onesies for us. And even though we have a registry, it was not added to the invite, and only given out to those who asked. I think hosting a BBQ is a good idea, just don't mention baby when you invite people. Or mention that you just want to get together before baby. 

ccfc1984

Why not just call it a summer BBQ to catch up with people and not specifically call it baby related. Then you don't have to worry about the no gifts issue. 

mooncusp22

STM here.... my husbands office is throwing us a shower, wasn't expecting that so it was super nice of them! I put together a small registry of lower priced items. Pretty much have all the bigger stuff still from DD. Otherwise, nothing else planned by family/friends. 

bearsandbeets7

My mom is throwing me a sprinkle and inviting just our close family. We are having it my sisters church which I'm not a member of but I go on Sunday mornings. We will probably have an open invite to the church because that's what is typically done when they hold events such as this there. My MIL hasn't mentioned throwing one so I'm hoping she doesn't. I registered at Walmart for some of the small things we need, nothing expensive. It won't be until the middle of July though. 

Bookhousegirl

I won't be having one for this baby. My SIL offered to host one, but I don't really feel comfortable having a second shower. Our bridal shower, wedding and baby shower for DS1 were all less than a year apart (honeymoon baby) and I felt so guilty having people get us another gift in such a short amount of time. I know that even if we said no gifts, people would feel obligated so we're going to skip it. 

I agree about doing either a sip and see or summer bbq as alternatives. If I had a family member who didn't vaccinate, I would probably just call and explain why you can't have their children there. I also wouldn't want to risk something like that!

jacmkelley

Bookhousegirl said:

I won't be having one for this baby. My SIL offered to host one, but I don't really feel comfortable having a second shower. Our bridal shower, wedding and baby shower for DS1 were all less than a year apart (honeymoon baby) and I felt so guilty having people get us another gift in such a short amount of time. I know that even if we said no gifts, people would feel obligated so we're going to skip it. 

I agree about doing either a sip and see or summer bbq as alternatives. If I had a family member who didn't vaccinate, I would probably just call and explain why you can't have their children there. I also wouldn't want to risk something like that!

Love that DS1 is a honeymoon baby! That's awesome! 

My mom and MIL are throwing me a shower for this baby. They both said since it's a boy it's different. It will be friends and family. Usually you can expect people to have other plans etc... So I won't really cut back on the list. I'm not inviting everyone and their mother. But, I'm not going to shrink it down either. Everyone knows I am just excited to celebrate this baby. It's brunch themed and we are serving mimosas so that it's more about celebrating baby and being together. 

Bookhousegirl

@jacmkelley I think it's cute that he's a honeymoon baby, but people always ask if I was pregnant at my wedding (in a tone that implies they assume I was). Umm, no people, I had my period at my wedding (lucky me) and I was drinking the whole night, trust me, I was not pregnant!

jacmkelley

Bookhousegirl said:

@jacmkelley I think it's cute that he's a honeymoon baby, but people always ask if I was pregnant at my wedding (in a tone that implies they assume I was). Umm, no people, I had my period at my wedding (lucky me) and I was drinking the whole night, trust me, I was not pregnant!

LOL I was the girl who was pregnant at her wedding. Not the way I had planned that my whole life! I wouldn't change it for the world, I love our story. But I definitely had a lot of disappointment while everyone drank at our wedding! I actually had placenta Previa at the time (which went away later in pregnancy) so my wedding day consisted of no alcohol, no dancing (because I was bleeding) and no sex. Shaking my head just typing it... It was a beautiful day but for a girl who very much so enjoys a glass of wine, sex and dancing I was pretty bummed. 

SkiChic626

I'm having a sprinkle but my mom is throwing it.  I wouldn't throw one for myself, that's definitely in poor taste.  If you don't want gifts, why not just have a regular old bbq and not call it anything special?

AliKay20

Bookhousegirl said:

I won't be having one for this baby. My SIL offered to host one, but I don't really feel comfortable having a second shower. Our bridal shower, wedding and baby shower for DS1 were all less than a year apart (honeymoon baby) and I felt so guilty having people get us another gift in such a short amount of time. I know that even if we said no gifts, people would feel obligated so we're going to skip it. 

I agree about doing either a sip and see or summer bbq as alternatives. If I had a family member who didn't vaccinate, I would probably just call and explain why you can't have their children there. I also wouldn't want to risk something like that!

I too felt guilty for having bridal shower, wedding, and now baby shower all within one year! I had to get over this guilt and know that close friends and family genuinely want to celebrate these big life events with you--not because they feel obgligated to but because they want to.

I purposely asked my hosts to invite only close friends and family for baby shower; wanted it to be more intimate and low key (hence a BaBy-Q).

Ceventa

My sister is throwing us a sprinkle in July. Our first was a boy and now we are having a girl so the family insisted on doing something. The good thing is that we kept all of the equipment from DS and he's only two so everything is still in good shape. We did register, but our registry is really small compared to the first baby. It's mainly little girl things, a few items to decorate her nursery, and replacements for things I had to toss out because DS used it until it fell apart (like his baby swaddlers and other everyday items).I insisted on keeping it small and quiet, so I'm looking forward to a fun afternoon with the girls.

ShawnaLynn83

We're having a shower for baby #2.  Our first child we unexpectedly took into our family when she was only 6 weeks old.  We've adopted her since and now she is 5.  When she was a baby our friends and family threw us a shower and we got tons of really nice things.  I somewhat felt guilty having another one but the last one was 5 years ago and we got rid of everything (I don't do clutter) This is our first pregnancy and our friends insisted.  It's definitely appreciated and I really don't think people see it as gift grabby.   I love going to baby showers and celebrating any baby no matter first or fifth.  

NBphotogirl

My friend is throwing me a shower. I was against it at first, but went with it. This is my second, but my son is 17, so needless to say, I don't have any of his old stuff. 
@jacmkelley @Bookhousegirl - we got pregnant the month after we got married! I hesitant about the shower since people had just came to my bridal shower and wedding last fall, but my family is so excited for there to be a baby in the family after so many years! 

pelorunningmama

We are having a very small sprinkle this weekend. My girlfriend's wanted to do something, but I kept the guest list small and didn't make my registry known. I am really excited though to get together and celebrate this sweet baby boy. Since we don't have a clue on names, his "nursery" is still his daddy's office, and I've done nothing to prepare, I am excited to have something special for him. 

tisunge602

I didn't think I'd be having one since this is our 2nd boy, but the other night DH, MIL, and I showed up at a favorite summer outdoor hangout and a small group of friends was waiting there to surprise me with a sprinkle! I was shocked and so touched. Most of the gifts were either for me (chocolate!) or for the family (Amazon gift cards, etc), but we did get a couple things for baby. I'm glad he will have a few things that are just his and not hand me downs from his big brother. Such a fun surprise!

PeachGal23

We were so touched to have a surprise family shower given to us this past weekend for baby boy. We got TONS of clothes - probably more than the 4 showers we were given for DD! My best friends from growing up + their moms are giving us a small sprinkle in a few weeks. They've asked for a registry, so I have the BabyList one I have for small gear/ nursery items.

Alygohome

We will have a bbq after baby is born. We never had a shower with first just a few meet and greets since lots of ppl sent gifts to the nicu while we were there.

NICU RN

Thanks all! My BFF told me last week that she wants to throw one. I never brought it up to her, but apparently she had always been planning on doing one and was just waiting for summer (she's a teacher). So she is planning something low key and I am glad we will have a chance to all get together before baby comes.