Baby Shower Essentials

wineren · June 2017

@margareth I feel like it would be totally okay to invite her. I'm not sure how you're doing invitations or if the host is or whatnot... I could see stopping by and saying, no obligation at all, but we're have my baby shower on the common area etc. and I think it would be great if you and nameofbaby could come by. Would you be interested in getting an invitation?

That said, baby shower ettiquitte confuses the heck out of me sometimes.

margareth-2 · June 2017

@wineren Thank you. Yes, baby shower etiquette can throw me for a loop! (Obviously, considering I can't figure out these minor questions on my own lol.) I'll mentioned it IF I see her this week -- keep it casual... Thanks again!

towntowns · June 2017

I'm not sure if this is considered the baby shower thread - but anyone have any ideas on hostess gifts? I have a few people hosting my baby shower and am unsure what is really appropriate or how much to spend.

margareth-2 · June 2017

@towntowns I was actually just pondering this! For my mom I decided on a book she has been talking about wanting (just for the record, it's a hardcover new release) and for my friend I decided on Kate Spade stationery with her initial on it... and for each I will write a heartfelt card.

jena333-2 · June 2017

I brought this up earlier in the thread but it didn't gain any traction. I'm interested to see what other people's ideas are

Sugargirl1019 · June 2017

I haven't given it any thought for hostess gifts

eeeek.

So.. it looks like I'll be playing with fire having the shower at 34+4 weeks, so my aunt can come.

hmclaren · June 2017

@Sugargirl1019 I found out today that mine will be at 34+4 too! It was the only day that would work where nobody important to me is on vacation or anything.

Breath_Easy92 · June 2017

One of my showers is at 32 weeks and the other is at almost 36 weeks

I told my MIL that the 36 week one would be pushing it but she said I was being dramatic. Ugh she hates me so I'm surprised she's even doing it.

But anyway, as the hostess gifts I was thinking of getting them all a box of chocolates from a local candy maker, a bottle of wine, and a thank you card.

BecauseLove · June 2017

My inspiration mostly comes from my wedding: For my wedding I gave each of my local hosts of my bridal shower a wristlet with a gift certificate in it for a local restaurant. For the actual wedding I gave my bridesmaids and groomsmen a gift bag that included a t-shirt in it that they all still wear a ton (doesn't say anything about the wedding on it)..and is super fun to see them out and about it.

For my local shower I think I will do a gift certificate to a local restaurant and something else but not sure what yet. Not sure what I am getting for my distance shower as I have a variety of friends all hosting it together. Probably kinda a gift bag of a few things including a gift certificate of some sort to the movies or frozen yogurt or something like that.

Side Note:
Any advice what is appropriate to give if people offer you used baby stuffs (not necessarily at the shower but possibly). Is it appropriate to offer some sort of token $$ gift or is just a thank you enough or is there something in the middle ground I should be considering?
I have some friends that just had babies and I think for them they are maybe interested in selling some of what they are giving and other friends had babies forever ago and just seem happy to be cleaning out closets and garages.

juliebeannn · June 2017

@Sugargirl1019 Me too! My shower is 34+6! My in-laws have been abroad in Ethiopia the last few years and they're flying back the day before my shower. I hope I'm not super hot, huge and uncomfortable around then.

wannabeamongoose · June 2017

My first was born two years ago, but I made a basket with some jelly made with wine and then paired it with cheese that would go well with that wine, crackers, and a bottle of actual wine of the same type used in the jelly. It's actually become my go-to gift because it's just so darn cute and themed. I've done something similar with beer jelly for my beer people.

wannabeamongoose · June 2017

@BecauseLove I think if they offer to gift it, treat it as you would any other gift with a thank you note. We've had a lot of people straight up just give or lend us stuff and we always still send a thank you note. If they don't reach out to you to offer to gift it, but you think they might want to get rid of it, I would ask if they would be interested in selling it. Then it's up to them to say no, yes, or I'll just give it to you.

Sugargirl1019 · June 2017

juliebeannn said:

@Sugargirl1019 Me too! My shower is 34+6! My in-laws have been abroad in Ethiopia the last few years and they're flying back the day before my shower. I hope I'm not super hot, huge and uncomfortable around then.

This is totally my worry! I have a knee length dress! I don't want huge cankles and sausage toes and sweat stains on my boobs and under my arms lol

Rhubarb7216 · June 2017

My shower is going to be at 30+1 and it feels a little on the early side, but my stepmom is having double hip replacement surgery two days later and if we waited until she was recovered enough to come it would be on the late side, plus I'm at risk for preterm labor, so earlier seems safer...

mercury94 · June 2017

@Rhubarb7216 I don't think 30 weeks is to early. I have one at 29 weeks and one at 33. It was the only way that both sides of the family could have the celebration they want. The one at 29 weeks is about an 8 hour drive and I wouldn't want to do that much later in the pregnancy. The one at 33 weeks is local.

BecauseLove · June 2017

Rhubarb7216 I off to my first baby shower at 25 weeks...its when the dates worked for the host so I am just going with the flow (plus its a 5 hour drive 1 way so I didn't want to do anything in August). My 2nd shower is local and is at 33 weeks.

Thanks Lizlann

I will keep that in mind. I haven't asked anyone other than my SIL for stuff (I am going to pillage anything she is willing to give away or loan to us as our kiddos are on the right season time line for clothing etc. I did tell her if anything she wants back isn't in good shape when they have their 2nd we would buy them new replacements)...everything else being volunteered. I had one friend that brought a basket up of clothes. a bouncy, and a swing when she visited and at the end I asked if she wanted any $$ for it she said yes...so I paid her like $75 as a thank you token. Other friends I don't feel like they want $ just that they are happy to clean out a closet and have the stuff be put to use.

k8ywags · June 2017

@BecauseLove I've been offered 2nd hand stuff a few times this pregnancy. I tend to say "thank you so much, how much do you want for it?" Then they have the opportunity to say that they don't want anything or they can nominate an amount if they were looking to sell. That way I can still say no if it's too expensive and it doesn't look like I'm assuming its a gift

margareth-2 · June 2017

I sincerely apologize for asking this question again (I'm 99.9% sure I asked it in some thread!) but perhaps mommy brain has hit me prematurely... haha... I live in a NYC apartment and was definitely planning on getting a white noise machine. I've read good things about the Dohm sound conditioner. But a friend gave us the on the go (smaller) sleep sheep. Will that be good enough, or should I get a regular white noise machine anyway?

heatherlynn321 · June 2017

@margareth Is the sleep sheep the one with Velcro on the neck? If it is, I liked it for on the go, but I think it goes off after so many minutes. We bought a Dohm too and can't sleep without it, it has changed our lives for the better.

margareth-2 · June 2017

@heatherlynn321 You've officially made this decision for me!

Makes total sense. Thanks so much!

margareth-2 · June 2017

Sleeping or not sleeping and the "mechanics" around it gives me some anxiety... I think it'll probably be the hardest thing to deal with since I relish my own sleep! Ha

heatherlynn321 · June 2017

@margareth Once you get a Dohm, you'll need to pack it when you go on trips, lol. We went on vacation one year after we bought it, and didn't think about bringing it, and didn't realize we couldn't sleep without it, lol. Now, whenever we go somewhere, it's at the top if our packing list.

Sugargirl1019 · June 2017

I'm glad to hear about the Dohm, as I added it to my registry recently not knowing what I was doing and picked one randomly!

I also registered for this awkward travel sheep white noise thing.. idk why it's awesome but I heard the travel sheep was so I registered for it..

Rhubarb7216 · June 2017

Sugargirl1019 said:

I'm glad to hear about the Dohm, as I added it to my registry recently not knowing what I was doing and picked one randomly!

I also registered for this awkward travel sheep white noise thing.. idk why it's awesome but I heard the travel sheep was so I registered for it..

I registered for the Dohm too. It was recommended by a friend who has two kids.

Sugargirl1019 · June 2017

All of the baby shower invites I'm seeing have registry info on it. Or should I add an insert stating the registry info? Is it like a wedding shower..?

And how do we go about saying we'd like books instead of cards? My sister is younger than me and has never done this so we're doing invites together.. maybe an insert with both of this info would be good? Or can it all go on the invite if there's enough space?

divinemsm620 · June 2017

Sugargirl1019 said:

All of the baby shower invites I'm seeing have registry info on it. Or should I add an insert stating the registry info? Is it like a wedding shower..?

I wouldn't do an insert, personally, as it's another piece of paper that could easily be lost or misplaced! I think a simple "Sugargirl [and DH] are registered at such-and-such store" is fine and not gift-grabby; I'd always rather know where someone is registered so I get them gifts they will like!

my MIL is asking for books rather than cards on my shower invites but I haven't seen the invitations yet. My whole shower will be book-themed, however (lifelong reader & English teacher).

heatherlynn321 · June 2017

@Sugargirl1019 When I sent my sister's invites, I got them from Etsy, and most of the Etsy invites had a $5 add on available for a books instead of cards insert.

tfrangul · June 2017

@Sugargirl1019 I had a Dr suess theme so my invite rhymed and Incorporated bring a book instead of a card. I just looked on Pinterest. They have great ideas for wording.

lilpoots · June 2017

@margareth we tried the dohm and thought it was too loud/distracting. We ended up getting the Lectrofan and now we have two.

ellemnop90 · June 2017

@Sugargirl1019 my mom got my invites from etsy and mine came with a cute book mark insert that has a great little poem explaining book instead of cards. If you google it, I'm sure you could find something similar!

dogdisnylovr · June 2017

@Sugargirl1019 These are the invitations we ordered for mine. The registry info is right on the invite and then there is a card requesting a book. I've seen a lot of cute saying and poems about bringing a card instead of a book. But I will say that 2 people that I saw open the invitation didn't see the diaper raffle and the book card and were getting ready to throw them away.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/b6/2tvkd0kdu7u2.jpg

Breath_Easy92 · June 2017

@Sugargirl1019 I felt weird about saying I was registered someplace on the invite because I helped make them (even though a family friend sent them out). So I put "baby's name" is registered at BabiesRUs. However, it is totally socially appropriate to put where you are registred on the invite as long as the invitation is being sent from an address other than where you live and the RSVP person is someone other than you and the baby's father. (Yay for for finishing school

and I said I'd never need to know that crap lol). Also, my shower is Suess theamed so we did the rhyming thing for the books instead of cards too but I see nothing wrong with putting a sentence or two about how you would like to get started on baby's library.

BecauseLove · June 2017

Sugargirl1019 I just got the invite for my first shower (it's this weekend) and it included a cute little card taped to the back with our registry info. I think you can print it on the invite or do the card or leave it off and have people ask the host. Whatever you feel most comfortable with.

So far it is has been really fun to see people picking things out (what they decide to get) from my registry. Also loving how generous my friends seem to be with giving me their kiddos items (most have kids ages 3-12) so they are mostly just cleaning house at this point. But I am kinda looking forward to knowing that my kiddo will be dressed in things from my besties that their kiddos wore too.

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