Baby shower parties are supposed to be fun, even on a tight budget. With careful planning, you can avoid going way over budget. It can also keep you from being too stressed. Read the following tips on baby shower planning to help you budget the party that you are hosting.

• Make a two-column list, a must-have in every baby shower planning. Jot down the items that you need in one column. Then, in the adjacent column, write the cost of each item.
• Compute the total cost and if it exceeds your budget, don’t hesitate to make some changes. Make sure that everything you need is listed, including the baby shower cake, and they are within your budget.
• If you want to save money on the venue, hold the shower at your home or at a friend’s house.
• Your baby shower budget must include the decorations. If you are going to buy flowers, try to find the most affordable ones. You can also make some cut out decors from colored paper or cardboard and paste them on the wall.
• Catered food can be quite costly, so you have the option to prepare the menu yourself. Or arrange a potluck with the other guests, if it’s okay with them. If they are close friends with the mom-to-be, they will surely agree with this set up. Just don’t forget to address this through the invites, which may be hand-made or printed from your home computer.

It has become a tradition to give the expectant mom some gifts at the baby shower. Although the host wouldn’t send you away if you fail to bring something, it wouldn’t hurt either if you’d present the mom and her baby some type of baby shower gift.

Baby shower gifts can range from different shapes, sizes and prices. To help you decide on what is the best gift for baby shower, check out the following tips:

• If you are celebrating the arrival of the expectant mom’s first baby, it would be great to bring practical gifts (such as formula, diapers, blanket, pacifiers, etc)

• If it is a second baby or baby shower, it’s okay to be a bit spontaneous with your present. Anything from mittens to baby books will do.

• Ask the expectant mom’s mother or sister in what she might really want.

• You may ask the host if she has an idea what the mom might need. Or if you want, you can ask the mom-to-be herself.

• It’s okay to pitch in money with other guests to purchase something extra special.

• There’s no mandatory price for baby shower gifts. Feel free to shell out any amount as long as it fits your budget. What matters most is your sincerity.

Poems add a special touch to baby showers. Whether sweet or humorous, baby shower poems are great additional inscriptions on baby shower invitations and thank-you cards. They can also be read during the shower party.

While you can find baby shower poems on the Internet, you may unleash the poet in you, instead, and make your own. Below is a sample baby shower poem:

Babies are Angels that fly to the earth,

their wings disappear at the time of their birth

one look in their eyes and we’re never the same

They’re part of us now and that part has a name

That part is your heart and a bond that won’t sever

our Babies are Angels, we love them forever.

~Author Unknown

You don’t have to be Shakespeare to write something like that. You don’t need to have some special writing skills. In fact, the simpler your poem, the better.

Compose your poem in four to eight short lines. While most people will say that verses don’t have to rhyme, it’s all right if it’s a baby shower poem. Rhymes will make the poem sound cute and perfect for the occasion.

For your theme, imagine looking at a baby. Think of any of her trait of the baby let it be your starting point. Or imagine yourself as the parent. Think of their anticipation and happiness and use them as an inspiration. Then start writing. Before you know it, you’ve already finished your masterpiece.

Throwing a baby shower may seem as easy as hosting an afternoon tea party. Well, not exactly. In planning a baby shower, there are some things that you need to consider which are beyond brewing a pot of tea.

Who is throwing the baby shower party?

Traditionally, any one close to the mother-to-be, except for the immediate relative. Having a relative of the expectant mom throw the shower would seem as if the family is asking for presents.

When to organize the baby shower?

Most people prefer to schedule during the last trimester when the expectant mom’s belly is more prominent. However, it is also acceptable to hold the shower after the baby’s birth. What’s important is to confirm with the family to avoid any conflicts in schedule and make sure that guests are available to attend.

Who are invited?

It is a common practice to invite the expectant mom’s close female friends and relatives. But it has become acceptable to invite male friends and members of the family, who are mostly husbands of the female guests. If you are having a coed baby shower, it’s best to prepare activities that both men and women will enjoy.

What activities should be prepared for the shower?

Serve some food and refreshments, depending on the budget. Aside from socializing with the mom-to-be, guests will have fun with some silly games.

It’s exciting to plan a baby shower. Just use this guideline to make the shower enjoyable for the mom-to-be and the guests.

A diaper cake is a nice baby shower gift for an expectant mom. It’s basically a bunch of diapers and other baby items arranged to look like a tiered cake. It can be used to decorate the nursery while expecting the baby’s arrival. By then, the parents can use the diapers and the other items for the baby’s needs.

Another good thing about baby diaper cakes is that you won’t have to spend much because you can make your own diaper cake.

First, you are going to need about two regular packs of diapers, rubber bands, cardboard and colorful ribbons or bows to decorate the cake. Don’t forget the items you’d hide inside the cake such as pacifiers, washcloths, socks, mittens and baby supplies like shampoo, rash cream, lotions, and baby wash. Use dowels bought from a home improvement store instead of the ones from a craft store – they are cheaper. You will also need cellophane to wrap around the cake and keep it together.

For step by step instructions on how to make a diaper cake for baby shower, refer to the following.

1. Roll up a diaper then wrap a rubber band around it to keep it from unrolling.
2. Add 7 more rolled up diapers to the rubber band, with the first rolled up diaper serving as the center. This will be the top layer.
3. For the middle layer, do the previous steps then add 15 rolled up diapers. Wrap a strong rubber band around them.
4. For the base layer, make a middle layer then add 30 more rolled diapers around it, wrapping it with big rubber bands.
5. Create a circular base by cutting one out from the cardboard, then place the largest layer over it..
6. Remove one or two diapers (preferably near the center) and in their place, insert some baby items. Each layer should have several hidden gifts.
7. Once all the layers are inserted with gifts, stack the layers together using one or two dowels inserted through the base layer. Make sure the dowels are between the diapers.
8. Decorate the cake with ribbons and bows. It’s up to your creativity to make the decorations attractive.
9. Finally, wrap the finished diaper cake with cellophane.

Just one warning: Do not use pins to hold the diapers together or to attach the items to the diapers. Unaware of the pins, the recipient might get accidentally jabbed when disassembling the cake.

Available in different sizes and colors, helium-filled balloons add color to celebrations such as children’s parties, wedding receptions, etc. Balloons are wonderful eye candies. But there are more to balloons than meets the eye, especially when it comes to baby showers.

Decorations

Let the balloons reflect the meaning of the occasion. Decorate the place with specialty balloons shaped like feeding bottles, teddy bears, pacifiers and other baby-related stuff. The balloons may come in different colors or match the theme. Attach the balloons in the window sills, tables, chairs and other places inside the venue.

Game Props

It’s entertaining to incorporate balloons in baby shower games. One idea is to have each of the guests put a balloon inside their shirt to simulate pregnancy. Then have them race to pick some items, say playing cards, on the floor without bursting their balloons. Whoever picks the most items in two minutes without bursting his or her balloon is the winner. Well, that’s just one idea. I’m sure you can think of other equally fun games.

Gifts

Balloons can add statement to gifts. If you are presenting the mom-to-be with a gift basket, attach small balloons around the basket for added color and design.

Another thing, don’t forget to place some baby shower balloons outside along with streamers to let the guests know which house on the block is hosting the baby shower. Seeing the balloons will surely make them feel as excited about the baby shower as the mom-to-be.

Games are fun ways to break the ice in baby showers. If you are running out of fun baby shower games ideas, try any or all of these games:

Memory Game

Buy 20 or more small baby items and put all of them inside a large basket. The items may include a pacifier, baby bottle, shampoo, small socks, tweezers, rattle, bib, among other baby things. Let the guests take a look inside the basket for 15 seconds, then take the basket away. With a pen and a piece of paper for each guests, ask them to list as many of the baby items as they can remember. The guest who writes the most baby items remembered wins the game. Give the winner a special prize while present the items in the basket to the mom-to-be.

Pin the pacifier

This fun baby shower game is a variation of the game Pin the Donkey’s Tail. Print out a photo of a baby. Then print and cut out a picture of a pacifier (it’s a great idea to print the pacifier on a paper with adhesive on its other side). Have the blindfolded guests take turn in pinning the pacifier on the baby’s mouth in the photo.

Dress the baby

A competitive but fun game for baby showers where in the guests are divided into two teams. The two teams should race each other in dressing up a baby doll. Whichever team that completely dresses the doll faster wins the game.

Balloon Belly

This is one of the most unique and fun baby shower games. Ask each of the guests to put an inflated balloon under their dresses and shirts. Then throw some beads on the floor and have the guests pick as many beads as possible by bending their bellies. The guest who picks the most number of beads in two minutes without bursting his or her balloon is the winner.

Try these game ideas and you are sure to have a memorable baby shower. Baby shower games need not be complicated. Remember to make the rules easy to follow to make the games more fun.

Deciding on the proper wording for baby shower invitations shouldn’t really be a daunting task. Baby showers are usually gatherings of light fun, with the atmosphere more casual than formal, so the wording for baby shower invitations to be sent really shouldn’t put that much of a pressure on the organizer. One shouldn’t get a headache from thinking of the perfect combination of words. It is good to remember that there are a lot of sources, particularly online ones.

You may want to start with a cute verse or rhyme just to set the mood. Part and parcel of a baby shower is its cuteness, so whatever cute rhyme or verse you remember from childhood (a nursery rhyme for example) may work well in this situation. You may also want to quote something from a favorite inspirational author. Or for a not-so-serious effect, you may want to go the way of Dr. Seuss and lift a few rhymes from him. Everybody will appreciate a familiar rhyme and it won’t be hard to find a Dr. Seuss line that’s relatable to the party about to come.

After cleverly setting the mood, the details now start to come in. This is when you tell people the Who-What-Where-How details of the party. Baby shower invitations, in this aspect, are much like any other invitations. Don’t forget to put details of where to RSVP and other details like if you have a gift theme in mind, or colors that the gifts should come in or what participants should wear. Something along the lines of:

The time is coming

Mom’s almost due

And what we know

Is that it’s definitely blue!

Come join us in celebrating Chris and Joy’s baby boy!

19 April at 3:00 PM

1457 Redlane Drive

Santa Barbara, California

RSVP to Paula Jones (805) 555-1234

Chris and Joy are registered at Baby Gap

From there you can get more creative. Don’t stress too much on the wording. This baby shower’s going to be a blast and you know it already.

Racking your brain for the best baby shower gift? What exactly are the best baby shower gifts in town? Having been to several of my girlfriends’ baby showers, I can safely say that the best baby shower gifts are the ones that the mother can use. Toys are cute, but it’s the practical and useful items that are best appreciated. Below, the best baby shower gifts an expectant mother can receive:

Baby Monitor – First-time parents will greatly appreciate the peace of mind with knowing that even if they’re not in the room, they can perfectly hear their baby’s every gurgle and respond to his cries when he does. Being a first-time parent is nerve wracking and a baby monitor provides a blanket of security when it comes to knowing their baby’s welfare.

Diaper Cake – This oddly-named gift is one of the more popular baby shower gifts on the planet. What exactly is it? It is a collection of diapers assembled together in such a way that it resembles a three-tier cake. You can purchase one or make it yourself. These diaper cakes look pretty enough to eat and the new mom will love her supply of diapers for her little one.

Bath Kits – talk about something useful and practical! Bath kits are one of the most practical and useful baby shower gifts one can give. It gives parents less to think about by including the essentials like fluffy towels, baby soap, baby shampoo, bath sponges, and the like.

Baby Seat/Stroller – generous giver? This is something that parents will surely appreciate and will really use. Take note that some research must go into what baby seat or stroller to buy but when you do find one, you’ll surely be the star of the baby shower.

Baby Clothes – onesies, baby pajamas, bibs, little t-shirts, baby socks – these are the things that will come in handy especially when the parents are too busy to buy new ones. Clothes will always be needed and appreciated.

The list goes on and on, and the common thread with these items is their practicality and usability. I’m sure if you bring any one of these gifts, the new mom will surely thank you.

Baby showers are done so that friends and family of the mom-to-be are able to share the joy of the impending arrival. It usually gives the mom-to-be a respite from all the doctor’s appointments and the classes that she has to take. And besides, who needs an excuse to party?

Baby shower games are part and parcel of any baby shower. It’s one way to keep the party going and to amuse the new mom, of course. If you are the one organizing the baby shower, racking your brain for some ideas for baby shower games is something that you may not like given the many things you may already be thinking off. But don’t fret, we have several baby shower games for you and your friends to enjoy.

As you already know, baby shower games are of course baby-themed. Here are a few suggestions to keep the baby shower going:

· List as Many Baby Items As You Can – for this you will need a pen and a pad of paper. Give the women 3-5 minutes to list as many baby items (booties, diapers, baby bottles) as they can. The one who can list the most number of baby items in that span of time wins. Of course this sounds easy, but wait till the last few minutes and watch the woman cram their heads.

· Pin the Baby on the Mommy – some versions of this game call for a paper baby cutout to be taped nearest to the mom-to-be’s belly, but that sounds too easy. Let’s just go the way of Pin the Tail on the Donkey and let the participants pin a paper belly cutout to a silhouette of the pregnant form. The one who pins the baby closest to the tummy wins!

· The Baby Bottle Drinking Game – not exactly what you’re thinking but somehow exactly as you are thinking. Fill a baby bottle with soda, juice, or iced tea and have the participants have a drink-off. The one who finishes first wins. This is a totally fun game and will surely have everybody laughing.

· Guess the Baby Food – take the labels off some jars of commercial baby food and have the participants guess what it is (carrot, sweet potato, etc). The one who guesses the most number of baby food right wins. Best played with 10 different kinds of baby food.

Other baby shower games can be derived from birthday party games or bridal shower games. It only takes a little to be creative, and who knows, you may be inventing the next baby shower game craze.