Giving the Mother-to-Be the Best Baby Shower Ever

"I'm pregnant!" Two words that put into motion one of the most exciting nine months of a couple's life. As a friend or close family member of an expectant mother, it is your job to plan the best two hours the mother-to-be will have before her baby arrives. Planning a baby shower is not something you want to do at the last minute. To make sure everyone has a great time the planning process should start at least three weeks before the party is to be given.

What Does the Mother-To-Be Want

The first thing that you will want to do is figure out what the mother-to-be wants for her baby shower. If your baby shower isn't going to be a surprise party you can get a lot of the pre-party planning done simply by sitting down with the expectant mother and ask her who she wants to invite, what baby items she wants and what theme she would like to have. However, if you are planning a surprise party then you will need to be a little sneakier about mining this information. Fortunately, as a close friend of the mother, you probably already have a good idea of what the baby shower of her dreams looks like.

Budget

Before you start any planning it is a good idea to create at least a basic budget. This budget should take into consideration food, drinks, party favors, games, location, rentals and decorations. If you are on a limited budget you can save money by hosting the party at someone's house. When budgeting for food and drink keep in mind the special dietary needs and restrictions that pregnancy require. Keep all drinks "virgin" and keep the sugar and caffeine content low.

Guest List

To ensure that as many people on your guest list can make it to the shower as possible, you need to put together your guest list as soon as you can. The guest list will need to include people that are close to the mother including family members, friends and in-laws, as well as co-workers and more distant relations. Try to get a copy of the mother-to-be's address book. If it is a surprise party then try to enlist the help of the father-to-be. You will also want to decide whether this event will be a women only party or a co-ed party.