Virtual Baby Shower?

klcarden

Hi! I am 13 weeks and my hubs and I will be moving overseas during our pregnancy, so it's not realistic to ask people to come to our new location for the shower. I was curious if anyone has done a virtual baby shower? If so, what was it like? What platform did you use (Google Hangout, Skype, Facetime on iPad)?

PunkyBooster

I don't like this idea at all. 

EastCoastBride

I absolutely hate the idea of a virtual baby shower.  If people want to send you gifts, they will. 

Part of the fun of a shower is getting to actually spend time w/ you, IN PERSON.  Not on a computer screen.  

I'd have

1026pumpkin

EastCoastBride:

I absolutely hate the idea of a virtual baby shower.  If people want to send you gifts, they will. 

mben1119

Barf.

526SadieSadie

EastCoastBride:

I absolutely hate the idea of a virtual baby shower.  If people want to send you gifts, they will.&nbs

danieliza1127

I agree with what everyone else has said and just want to add the actual logistics of it probably wouldn't work for you.  I would think most people will just want to send you cash or gift cards because they won't want to spend money on shipping gifts

Monkeybutt80

I agree with what everyone else said about virtual showers.  I've seen situations where one person (a grandma who couldnt travel or an immediate family member like a sister or mother of the mother to be) join via Skype for a portion of the regular

Disneygeek77

I wouldn't go to a virtual shower.  It sounds incredibly boring and awkward.

MzCurnett8886

Either someone offers to throw you a shower before you leave then you and your husband pay for the shipping or you don't get one. It's tacky/gift grabby/selfish to expect people to send a gift overseas and then sit in front of a computer to watch you open

AAA024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo76YtgkxBc

Do you really wanna be like her?

laurakaz13

I'm in the military and my best girlfriends surprised me with a Skype shower.  It was the 4 of them and that's it.  They were together and I couldn't be there and just figured I wouldn't have any shower. 

My girlfriend asked me to

foxyroxy

I'm a high risk pregnancy and someone offered to throw me a virtual shower in my hometown (I am not allowed to travel at all) and I declined. Would I like to have a shower with my family? Yes. But this wouldn't be WITH them. I just shudder at the thought.

mylovelyll

Although I agree with the other posts, you might want to check out the podcast Pregtasic. The podcast I listened to yesterday included one panelist (Una, whose voice and name I think I recognize from Science Friday podcast) who was about to have a virtual

mylovelyll

Pregtastic

h2opolochix

I feel your pain!  My hubby and I just moved from California to Maine and were trying to figure out the shower (with my MIL) because I cannot fly (and will not drive) out because of work and cost between now (15w5d) and what would be a good time (Nov).  I'd be interested to see how it goes for you

UNLIKE the others here, I don't say blah.  A shower can be given still at someone's house so friends and family can have a party, while you can come in  for fun and spend individual time with each person as they say hi on the computer (which btw is sometimes a lot more than you are able to give at a real shower).  It is hard to be away from your home when you are pregnant, and I see no problem with this, as long as you besties and family are on board (that is if they don't mind doing it!).  Let me know how it goes! 

olga1311

Definiely don't host your own, but if someone offers to host one for you and you'll be on skype I don't see a problem with it. Where I live pretty much everything is online, I even talk to my friends that live fairly nearby on skype or over text/FB. I haven't been to one yet but as long as someone offers to host it I think its fine. Especially if the hosts can find a way to project the computer screen on the TV somehow (some TVs can do it) then its like you are there

kristinc01

Someone recently mentioned that they had one or knew someone who did one and no one showed up.  If I was invited to one I would probably just mail a gift and skip the "shower" since the guest of honor wouldn't actually be there, I can take the time to talk to the guest myself instead of trying to fit in into an already busy schedule.  I think the sentiment of trying to incorporate a regular tradition of a first pregnancy is nice, but the skype shower seems awkward.  We threw one of my cousins a mail shower.  She lived far away from the rest of the family and we still wanted to do a shower of sorts so the invitations asked that we mail our presents during a certain week so she would be "showered" by mail.  Some people on here don't like that idea either, but it was hosted by a friend and we would have all sent a present anyway this just made the effort coordinated.

Joaniebaldwin

Don't do it please!!! My husbands cousin had a shower where they skyped some people who couldn't come and it was super rude and annoying to everyone at the shower ! Every 5 minutes you would hear- oh did I lose you? I lost you, are you there? Ect. I wanted to get out of that shower as fast as humanly possible and if someone threw a shower and the guest of honor wasn't even there I would think it was ridiculous. If your worried you won't get any gifts without a shower I would assume anyone who would go to a Skype shower would be just as likely to send a gift once they received a we are expecting card in the mail.

TREDgirl

Wow...I am once again in the minority to a point. If someone back home offers to host a virtual shower than by all means go for it. My neighbor's family all lives up  in PA and couldn't come down to her shower here. So her sisters and cousins all got together, had a little party at one of their places, sent said neighbor gifts and the did it over Skype. It was great and a lot of fun! They were happy to have been able to do 'something' for their pregnant sister while not physically being able to come down. 

But if you're thinking about throwing one then yeah, I wouldn't do that. 

carmelatrix

I'm throwing one over Facebook for my sister right now.  We are playing guessing games, baby shower bingo, hopes for the baby, etc and my sister is posting pictures of herself and the gifts as they arrive.  I also sent everyone who is participating a goody bag via snail mail and prizes for game winners.  People are loving it and my sister is feeling the love.  People are allowed to interact with each other on the page and games on their own time, no forced Skype calls.  It is taking place over a 2 week period.

VanessaMoMe1

I am currently overseas as well with our first child and my sister in law hosted a baby shower for me via Skype. Yes it was awkward being that I didn't really know the women who were there too well and it made me feel even more left out to see and hear them playing games. Plus I had to stay up late to even be apart of it. However they all brought gift cards which my husband used (when he took a short trip back to the U.S)to buy things I registered for at Target (miss it Sooo much!) so it really helped in that way since I'm using the euro out here and everything is just over the top expensive. It was in the end helpful. It's all up to you but definitely do not throw it yourself!

neverblushed

Despite the testimonial in the reply above mine, I can't believe that people are "loving it."

Don't do this.

TessaShull

A lot of these comments were insanely assumptive and rude. Many people I know who live too far to travel or meet up with friends/family have had a virtual shower thrown for them, and that does not mean those you invite to a virtual shower are required to send gifts. It doesn't always have to be by-the-book baby shower etiquette. Some family and friends simply just enjoy the chance to get together however they can to talk and celebrate with you, and planning a special occasion, even if it is virtual, can be a nice way to do that.

There are several platforms online that allow you to have a virtual baby shower: webbabyshower.com, babyjellybeans.com, even Facebook. All of these sites allow you to interact, post pictures, play games and still be connected with family and friends virtually and no one has to dress-up or travel anywhere . There's also the option of the host throwing a normal baby shower, inviting people to a venue or their home, and having the mom-to-be virtually there. Sometimes, that's more fun for family and friends to still be able to get together in person.

There are sites that give advice and ideas on how to host a virtual baby shower: https://thenatureofgrace.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-to-throw-virtual-baby-shower-also.html
https://www.divinecaroline.com/life-etc/momhood/how-throw-online-baby-shower
You can also just search Pinterest or Google to find more virtual baby shower ideas and experience. And if you're worried about people thinking it's "gift-greedy", as so many others pointed out, then simply address the issue on your invitations by saying "Gifts are not required; just your virtual presence!" or "If you would like to send a gift for the baby, please contact the host." 

Relish1025

You could just have a very early shower before you move.