Traditionally baby showers are hosted by a close friend or family member such as the mum-to-be's own mother or mother-in-law. However, there is an increasing trend for the dad-to-be to take on the role as the host of the baby shower. So here are a few tips for any dad-to-be thinking about throwing a baby shower for his other half (OH) to help him with the organisation.
1. Who to invite - this is IMPORTANT! Have you been paying attention to her when she talks of her friends, colleagues and family? Who are her closest friends that she'd want there - and who might she a) have had a recent bust up with, b) secretly can't stand, or c) would rather eat her own arm than have to socialise with at her own baby shower! Does she get on with her colleagues or does she leave work at the door when she gets home? Would she want her friends/colleagues/family socialising with each other or would it be better to keep them separate? If you don't know already start subtly digging for the info you need!
2. Only make it a mixed male and female party if you KNOW that your OH would like it. You might prefer to have some male company to discuss the footie with but if your OH would rather some private girly gossip time then keep it just female. If you can't stand the thought of being the only male there then perhaps make a deal with the mum-to-be's closest friend that you'll do the organising but she'll run the party once the guest of honour has arrived whilst you sink a couple of pints in your local.
3. If you stay at the party to be the host then make sure you are the host. This means it's up to you to keep the party running on time, get the games played in plenty of time (including rounding up the guests to listen to the game rules, giving out the props needed and spurring everyone on), having the food laid out and topping up drinks where necessary. Keep everything running smoothly, don't embarrass your OH with any little anecdotes about her pregnancy habits that she'd rather keep between the two of you and be an attentive host and you'll have all her friends wishing their OH's were as brilliant as you!
4. Make sure you actually invite the guests - this doesn't have to be a formal invitation by post, as emailing or Facebook messaging is OK too, just make sure that you give people plenty of notice and that you follow up to find out who has confirmed so you know the final number of guests to cater for.
5. What kind of venue is going to be appropriate? Would your OH prefer to chill out at home or be (non-alcoholic) wined and dined at a restaurant? Is she a spa-day type woman or a lady who lunches on delicate afternoon teas? Would she like a big formal 'do' or a relaxed picnic in the park? You know her better than anyone (and if you don't know you will once the baby is born!) so pick wisely. And if you really aren't sure then have a word with her closest friend and ask for some help!
6. Play to your strengths - if you are a dab hand in the kitchen then do the catering yourself and save yourself a few pennies (and earn a few brownie points!). If, however, your cooking leaves a lot to be desired then do everyone a favour and sort out external catering (and no, this does not mean picking up a KFC bargain bucket on the way to the party or ordering Pizza halfway through!). Make sure you only serve food that's safe for pregnant woman and have some tasty non-alcoholic drinks available.
7. Is your OH the life and soul of the party and the type who would appreciate some raucous games? Or would the thought of playing any kind of game make her cringe with embarrassment? If you want games then pick them carefully - baby shower bingo is pretty safe if you know gifts will be opened at the party but save the full-on team games for baby showers where you are confident that the mum-to-be and her friends will feel comfortable getting stuck in.
8. Pick a theme for the party. If you are feeling creative then you could go for a nursery rhyme, children's book or popular character theme and use props such as soft toys and posters and incorporate the theme through the games and food too. If, however, this is one step too far with everything else to organise then play it safe and go for a simple co-ordinating colour-scheme. If you know the baby's gender (and are happy for everyone else to know too) then go for a traditional pink or blue theme. If the gender is a surprise then go for neutral yellows, pale greens and purples.
9. Think about whether you want to have favours to thank the guests for coming. It's certainly not compulsory but it is a nice touch (which won't go unnoticed by your OH's friends by the way), and doesn't have to cost lot. A simple little box of sweets or even a cupcake in a box (especially if you've made it yourself) will go down a treat.
10. Make sure if you need to purchase baby shower decorations and tableware that you buy them in plenty of time. Don't forget - you won't often find baby shower specific party supplies on the UK high street currently so you'll usually have to order from the internet. This means that you have to factor in enough time for your order to be processed and then delivered. Telling your OH about all the fab things you'd PLANNED to get but ran out of time to will not go down well!
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