Baby Showers - when to have them?
- Thread starter Nuckle75
- Start date
svasbt
Registered User
Too early or not... I really don't know.
I'm half Canadian/half Spanish, married to a half Canadian/half English gentleman. Both my husband and I grew up mostly in Canada and we agreed to give birth there. Our all-Canadian friends (most of whom have already had several children of their own) wanted to throw a baby shower for me (and the baby) when I was about 26 weeks pregnant. My Spanish mom and my English mom-in-law were "terrified". According to these two 60-something European ladies, you don't have the shower prior to the baby has been born. You "jinx" it that way. "What if...?" was the phrase the both of them consistently asked me... Yes, it sounds very negative, but I've learnt to live with my mom's proud heritage and tradition.
I told my friends about the concern, and they said "Well...". A friend who is teaching Folklore in a local university enlightened me by saying that traditionally it really was the way my moms said. But that was because the rate of survival at birth was much lower back then. Nowadays, in Canada at least, the shower for the FIRST baby is normally thrown when the mother is about 30-32 weeks pregnant. That way, she 1) knows exactly what she gets and what she has to buy, and 2) is not too clumsy to have fun and moblie enough to go shopping for more necessities. For the subsequent children, the party is normally thown after the baby has been born, assuming that the parents have already had most of the stuff from the first baby.
We had ours after Junior (our first baby) was born. We have already had a lot of hand-me-downs from cousins so we decided to follow the tradition. But lately I have been invited to baby showers where the expectant mothers were anywhere between 23 and 39 weeks. I think now it's more the matter of convenience.
Whenever you have it, do have fun. Don't think too much.
I'm half Canadian/half Spanish, married to a half Canadian/half English gentleman. Both my husband and I grew up mostly in Canada and we agreed to give birth there. Our all-Canadian friends (most of whom have already had several children of their own) wanted to throw a baby shower for me (and the baby) when I was about 26 weeks pregnant. My Spanish mom and my English mom-in-law were "terrified". According to these two 60-something European ladies, you don't have the shower prior to the baby has been born. You "jinx" it that way. "What if...?" was the phrase the both of them consistently asked me... Yes, it sounds very negative, but I've learnt to live with my mom's proud heritage and tradition.
I told my friends about the concern, and they said "Well...". A friend who is teaching Folklore in a local university enlightened me by saying that traditionally it really was the way my moms said. But that was because the rate of survival at birth was much lower back then. Nowadays, in Canada at least, the shower for the FIRST baby is normally thrown when the mother is about 30-32 weeks pregnant. That way, she 1) knows exactly what she gets and what she has to buy, and 2) is not too clumsy to have fun and moblie enough to go shopping for more necessities. For the subsequent children, the party is normally thown after the baby has been born, assuming that the parents have already had most of the stuff from the first baby.
We had ours after Junior (our first baby) was born. We have already had a lot of hand-me-downs from cousins so we decided to follow the tradition. But lately I have been invited to baby showers where the expectant mothers were anywhere between 23 and 39 weeks. I think now it's more the matter of convenience.
Whenever you have it, do have fun. Don't think too much.
bigdaddygruv
New member
Let someone else...
Its better to let one of your close friends to plan it for you. I've planned them for my wife and the ladies had a ball! We had games gifts and great food!
You may have it at anytime. And its great if you know the gender. SO that way your planner can inform everybody on what to buy!
I can plan it for you if you want! For a fee of course, hehe. Hope all goes well.
Its better to let one of your close friends to plan it for you. I've planned them for my wife and the ladies had a ball! We had games gifts and great food!
You may have it at anytime. And its great if you know the gender. SO that way your planner can inform everybody on what to buy!
I can plan it for you if you want! For a fee of course, hehe. Hope all goes well.
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I think traditionally baby showers were held before the birth so the mom was prepared before the baby arrived. Now there seems to be a trend to wait until after the baby is born - probably so the guests can buy sex appropriate merchandise.
I was home in Canada this summer and had two showers before I was even 20 weeks pregnant! I know my husbands work here will have one after the baby is born.
I'm not superstitious, so having it before was not a problem. Do whatever you feel most comfortable with, but I think any time someone wants to throw you a party - you should take them up on it!!!
I was home in Canada this summer and had two showers before I was even 20 weeks pregnant! I know my husbands work here will have one after the baby is born.
I'm not superstitious, so having it before was not a problem. Do whatever you feel most comfortable with, but I think any time someone wants to throw you a party - you should take them up on it!!!
Thanks!
Just got back last night and very glad to have had the baby shower. Everyone made such a fuss and it was great to see my friends again. I don't know why I was worried about having it so early in the first place - I brought home a whole suitcase full of baby clothes and it's given us a great headstart.
Just got back last night and very glad to have had the baby shower. Everyone made such a fuss and it was great to see my friends again. I don't know why I was worried about having it so early in the first place - I brought home a whole suitcase full of baby clothes and it's given us a great headstart.
My colleagues gave me baby showers just before I started my maternity leave, I was about 8 months pregnant.
I was a little superstitious and worried, what if something happened and I had a still birth, etc. Thank g-d my fears were unfounded.
Mostly I got some clothes and things for the BB2B.
When I started my maternity leave w/ first BB, DH and I bought a crib (cot).
I borrowed a "Moses basket" from a friend.
During my confinement (cho yuet) other people came to visit (ex-colleagues, etc.) and they brought some gifts as well. I remember one of my favorites were some plastic baby eating bowls that my kids still sometimes use for nuts and popcorn that I ration out to them.
I was a little superstitious and worried, what if something happened and I had a still birth, etc. Thank g-d my fears were unfounded.
Mostly I got some clothes and things for the BB2B.
When I started my maternity leave w/ first BB, DH and I bought a crib (cot).
I borrowed a "Moses basket" from a friend.
During my confinement (cho yuet) other people came to visit (ex-colleagues, etc.) and they brought some gifts as well. I remember one of my favorites were some plastic baby eating bowls that my kids still sometimes use for nuts and popcorn that I ration out to them.