Having a baby shower is a rite of passage for first-time parents. But who says that it has to happen before the baby is born? It is becoming increasingly popular to wait until after the baby arrives to throw a celebration. Here are five reasons you should consider an “after baby” baby shower.
1. Relatives live far away.
Yes, you can have a shower before the baby is born even if your relatives are long-distance. But, if you are going to have to make two trips (to participate in a baby shower and to show off the new baby later), you may as well save the cost of one of those trips. Better yet, you can save your relatives the cost of two trips by having the shower after the baby is born, if the plan is for them to come to you. We are having this dilemma ourselves. We decided not to spend the money on flights for a baby shower in Florida beforehand (where most of our relatives are), since we intend on bringing the baby to meet everyone after he/she is born, too. It didn’t make financial sense.
2. You can host the shower yourself and call it a “Sip and See” party.
As it is still considered a bit taboo to throw your own baby shower, having the shower after the baby is born eliminates that rule of thumb. Simply give the shower a new name, like a “sip and see” party, and you can safely host your own celebration once the baby arrives. A “sip and see” is where you invite family and friends over during a specified time frame to meet the baby and nosh on appetizers and drinks (hostessblog.com). Look at it this way – you’ll actually be able to sip on champagne for this party instead of watching everyone else enjoy it at a pre-baby shower held in your honor!
3. You can incorporate the shower with a baptism and kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
This is something that your family and friends will most likely appreciate. Think about it, if you have a pre-baby shower and a meet-the-baby party and a baptism – all in a span of about six months – the important people in your life may get sick of having to buy gifts for all of those different celebrations. However, if you skip the shower beforehand, and incorporate a baptism/christening with an “after-baby” shower, you can save people a lot of time and money. Basically, you hold a reception for the baby’s baptism that also serves as a meet-the-baby gathering. This is especially helpful if you have long-distance relatives that are unable to make multiple trips to celebrate your new baby.
4. You can eliminate the stress that may come with the planning of a “pre-baby” shower.
Even if your sister or best girlfriend is planning your shower, it can still be stressful for the momma-to-be. The hostess usually wants input on theme, food, location, etc. And when it comes to the guest list, things can get even trickier. You may not get along with certain members of the family, but you know you have to invite them or else you’ll hear about it from so-and-so. These are stresses that an expectant mother doesn’t need in the months leading up to her baby’s birth. As mentioned in No. 2 above, you can eliminate a lot of stress by choosing a casual day after the baby is born to allow people a peek at your newborn. There isn’t as much fuss when planning a “drop-by” type of event and the best part is that your spouse will be there with you to deflect a lot of the tension that may arise.
5: You don’t stop needing things for the baby after he/she is born.
Sure, you need pretty much everything before a baby is born, but the list doesn’t stop there. Once your bundle of joy arrives, you will have a much better understanding of what your needs are and what’s to come. Even if you registered for newborn things before your babe was born, you can easily update that registry for the new things that you’ll need (i.e. high chairs, activity mats, learning toys). Then, when you have your “after-baby” shower, folks will have plenty to choose from and the list won’t be irrelevant. With all of the other things that you’ll be purchasing yourself, it is a welcome relief to have others bestow necessities on you after the baby is born.
Source:
http://www.hostessblog.com/2009/03/sparkling-sip-see-baby-shower/