Baby showers are organized to celebrate the coming of a baby. They are incredibly fun and most mothers enjoy them at least once, especially during the first pregnancy. Others also hold baby showers for subsequent pregnancies. But the thing is when do you have a baby shower? Most expectant mothers are not aware of that. The question of the timing has been asked a lot and the good news is that there is no such thing as perfect timing. However, some specific suggestions about when you have a baby shower and the baby shower etiquette are really important and will be covered in this page.

When Do You Have a Baby Shower?

In the past, baby showers were organized for the last trimester and this seemed to work since most family members lived close to each other. However, now most people live far away from their families and having a baby shower set early in the third trimester is common in today’s society. Of course, there are various reasons that could warrant having a baby shower much earlier and these following factors all decide when you have a babt shower:

Reasons	Descriptions
Twins/Multiple Pregnancies	Multiple pregnancies such as twins are more likely to be delivered earlier than the due date. Most people will want to organize the shower earlier to ensure that the mother does not miss it if the babies come early. Chances are also high that she may need to be on bed rest in the last trimester. For such pregnancies, the baby shower is commonly held in the second trimester or early third trimester.
Geographic Location	If family members are located in different states and countries, the baby shower is held at time and location that makes it easy for most to attend. The shower is held early making it comfortable for the mother to-be to travel.
Religious and Cultural Beliefs	Some religions and cultures do not allow people to celebrate babies before their arrival. In such cases, the shower may have to be postponed until the baby is born and the upside to this is that the baby is in attendance.
Seasons and Gatherings	In cases where the family is scattered in different locations, the baby shower may have to be set early in line with holidays and family gatherings. This makes it easier for all to attend without being inconvenienced to travel randomly.

Even with all these different circumstances, the timing of the baby shower should not be held before the fetus is 20 weeks old.

Baby Shower Etiquette

1. Who Should Throw the Baby Shower?

Baby shower etiquette indicates that family must not organize the baby shower as this makes them look like they are asking for gifts. However, we reckon that anyone can throw the baby shower, of course with the exception of the expectant couple. Close friends and relatives should feel comfortable to organize the baby shower.

2. Who Should Be Invited to the Baby Shower?

Baby showers are intimate events for close friends, close colleagues and family. If you are hosting the event, you need to consult with the expectant mother and father so as to avoid including people they’d rather not invite or excluding close friends and family. Do not finalize the guest list without consulting with the guests of honor.

3. What Should You Do at the Baby Shower?

A baby shower is an event like any other and you need to organize a program of events. There are a couple of important considerations you need to keep in mind and these include:

Contents	Descriptions
A Theme	You need to have a theme for the event. While this is not really necessary, it helps you make the event more exciting for the guests and also helps you organize with a clear view of the baby shower in mind. Themes help you select the right décor and other elements of the shower.
Refreshments	You will need to provide food and refreshments. However, you must have a budget to guide you on the type of food and refreshments to serve. You can have a formal or fancy shower depending on the time and budget of it.
Games	The baby shower needs to be exciting and games are usually a part of this event. You can organize silly games or if you wish to skip the games and competitions, organize other activities that people can engage in so as to keep your guests entertained.
Favors	It’s always good to have some sort of rewards for the guests. This shows your appreciation and you can make the entire concept fun. You can have small gifts for all who are in attendance or include prizes to be won in the games.

To learn more about how to organize a shower and baby shower etiquette, watch the video below:

4. Is It Okay to Have More Than One Baby Shower?

It’s perfectly okay. Your family, friends and coworkers are just as excited as you are about the new baby and chances are high they cannot wait to shower you and your unborn baby with plenty of gifts. The good news is that it is up to the people in your life to throw the baby shower and not you. If they are comfortable throwing you multiple showers, they may go ahead and organize as many as they want to.

5. What About Baby Showers for Baby #2 (and #3 and…)

It wasn’t always acceptable to throw a baby shower for second and third pregnancies. However, this notion has changed over the years and we are now seeing baby showers being thrown for second, third and more pregnancies. If your friends, family and coworkers want to organize a baby shower for all your pregnancies, we see no reason to stop them. However, you may want to keep a register of gifts to avoid getting what you already have from previous pregnancies. You can also choose to forgo the gifts and request for the company only.