You don’t say! Really? Well! Let’s organize a baby shower. Thus starts the secret planning of the baby shower event. Before anyone knows what is happening, suitable sites are being researched. Plans are developed to dupe the unsuspecting mom into showing up at the appointed place on time. She will certainly receive some much needed gifts for her Little Miracle. But she will receive something else at that shower. She will join the network of new parents. That is one club that will be a lifesaver over the early months of her child’s life. The knowledge shared by these friends will reassure her when she is worried and confused about her new role. She will be put on the informal list of people to whom toys and clothes can be passed down. She will eventually pass on her baby’s used clothing to someone else who needs it.
The secret planning pays off and the mom- to- be walks into the ambush. There is fun and laughter as everyone explains his role in the clever deception. Some ice breaker games soon have everyone on a first name basis and the routines set down for baby showers are enacted.
If she was unsure about whether she could rely on her friends for support, mom now realizes that they are all there for her and her baby. Tips and advice on baby care are soon shared. Mom starts to feel that she just may be able to pull this thing off
With military precision the shower rules are followed. The note-taker writes down who gave which gift. The hat designer sews ribbons and bows on an improvised hat for the mom to wear. This would all seem pretty silly to the uninitiated. But it has been done this way for so long because it works. Throughout the evening, the mom understands in her heart that she has reliable and knowledgeable friends who have her best interests in mind. They will do what she needs them to do when the baby arrives.
Baby shower gifts fall into two categories. Gifts from people who have had babies tend to be practical, useful and perhaps a little unexciting. Among these gifts are the supplies of daily diapers, perhaps a wireless baby monitor and a baby bath. These gifts are the ones that will be ripped from their packages by a bleary eyed new mom in the months to come. These are what she will need for the nitty gritty of baby care.
People who have not given birth and raised a newborn sometimes give gifts that are less than useful to the new mom. But these inexperienced gift givers are usually young people. They bring an energy to the group. They are the people who will gladly do some physically demanding activities with the baby. They will take baby out of the home so mom can rest.
Baby showers may look a bit strange to some people. But most first time moms know, at the end of the evening, that she can relax a bit. She is among friends. They are willing to help ease her into her new role and provide her with support.
