Welcome Home Baby Party?
Ok, quick background...I'm in Oregon with my fiance's family. (His parents have insisted that we move in with them, since I'm not working, so we can save and they can keep an eye on me and so I'm not alone all day, which I love.) Besides his parents, his family is in southern California, mine are all in Florida, I have no family here whatsoever. I was talking with his mom last night about when we should have the shower. I'm due early Feb and I'm thinking the timing is bad to have a shower close to the holidays. So we're thinking of having a "Welcome Home Baby" party after the baby is born, maybe in March sometime, rather than a traditional shower. Has anyone ever heard of this or is this just a bad idea? And what would the proper "etiquette" be for handling this? Any advice would be great!
Thanks all!
Re: Welcome Home Baby Party?
I threw a "welcome baby" shower for a friend of mine once. In her situation, she was from out of state and was only visiting our home town when the baby was a couple of months old. She specifically requested a shower at that time because of special circumstances, and everybody knew and understood this so they had no problem with having a shower at that time.
It's probably an unpopular opinion on this board, but I see no problem with your family having a shower for you after the baby is born. Your motivation seems to be that you're being considerate of everyone's holidays schedules, and they may truly appreciate that. They might also really love the chance to play with the baby instead of just watching you open presents.
You could always call this a "meet the baby party" without using the word "shower" and omit registry info from the invitation. Make a registry, and the hostess(es) can provide the info if anyone asks when they RSVP.
I honestly don't get that some people think it's a problem to have a regular shower after the baby is born. In the states it seems like it's only appropriate to call it a shower PRIOR to baby being born, but here (and in many other places in Canada as well as other cultures) you rarely hear of showers until after the baby is born. And then they aren't called "welcome home baby" anything it's called a baby shower!
So I don't think it's a problem at all! If it works best for you that way, have a regular shower, just have it after baby is born! Call it a shower, do your invites with registry information, and do everything else like a regular shower if that's what you want!
Of course though, I am assuming that you wouldn't be hosting it..... I do believe that hosting your own baby shower is still taboo most places around North America and in most other cultures as well....
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So, you were talking about when you would throw your shower?
We hosted a BBQ/Welcome Baby Party for our 2nd child. It was not a shower and I did not register. Some people brought gifts (which we did not open during the party) and some didn't.
Since this is your first you can certainly call it a shower whether you have it before or after the birth of your LO - IMO. Be sure to register because obviously many items you will already have since you are waiting until the baby is older. I have hosted 2 "showers" for friends after the LO's were born. They were always soon after delivery (within 2-3 weeks) so they only got the essentials before hand. It worked out really well. I am assuming your FI's mother is hosting? If you are hosting your own then don't call it a shower or register...just make it a Meet the Baby Party. It is not proper etiquette to host your own shower...KWIM?
My parents hosted a "meet the baby party" in their state for us when DS was 6 months old. My IL's did the same this month.
I was so embarrassed people brought gifts. Gah.
But I let them host it and do what they wanted- all I did was show up, baby in tow!
I hosted his baptism at 6 weeks and let me tell you, that was not fun, relaxing, I was still pretty sore, DS was still nursing round the clock, and I did not want anyone's grubby hands on him. My hormones were also still very out of whack and it didn't take much to set me off.
Just warning you.