How to Host a Virtual Baby Shower
Hosting a baby shower in 2021
A baby shower is an experience every mother-to-be should have the joy of experiencing, they're usually filled with family, friends, cakes, buffets and decorations, as well as fun activities for everyone to get involved with. Making sure Mom is going to be ready for that big day is exciting and rewarding for everyone invited.
Of course Since the pandemic we have all had to change our way of living with social distancing in full force it’s time to go virtual! This means that mom’s to be can have their special day and meet up with all their family and friends using their laptop or smartphone, it may not be exactly the same but we can still make mom smile and distract her from her worries as the baby's birthday edges closer. It’s a great way to get those friends and relatives you haven’t been able to see feel a part of the celebration, pandemic or no pandemic!
Having been pregnant myself throughout the pandemic it’s been a scary and unusual time not being able to see my loved ones. I've always dreamt of what my baby shower would be like (like you do with your wedding), what I would wear, who I would invite, what food I would have and obviously what games the girls might have planned for me. With the absence of alcohol for mommy herself I always thought the games had better be pretty good to keep me amused! Unfortunately I didn't have a baby shower at all, but it did get me thinking what I’d want and how I could have gone about planning something during the current situation, my best friend also lives overseas so I would 100% want her to be involved, to be honest had she have been here she absolutely would have planned this! So below is my guide to planning the best virtual baby shower possible for yourself or someone you love dearly!
Firstly, who to invite?
This being at the forefront of my mind, the guest list is my first go to. Who do you want to invite? Make a list of everyone you would like to send a baby shower invitation to and contact them for their email addresses and telephone numbers just in case there’s a problem setting up! Make sure to speak to the technophobic guests to see if they have a way of logging in to the virtual experience. Have a think about invitations, would you send a virtual email or post paper invitations? Personally I’d post just for that touch experience but everyone has their own preference with this one. Our virtual baby shower contains invitations that can be sent out by email or they can be printed out and posted as you wish. These will be emailed out to the host immediately after purchase.
Next, choose your host. Whether that be zoom, Skype, or Microsoft teams, be sure to set up in advance and check that everything is working correctly. Also be sure to check that your guests have the software or the app installed before the event. The last thing you want is to spend the first hour of the baby shower dealing with technical difficulties.
Timing is key
Be sure to plan a day and time way in advance of the shower itself. Although a virtual shower is much easier to book off with work, it’s best to give people enough notice to really free up some time to enjoy themselves. Think about the time slot you believe the majority of people will be most likely to attend, for example a weekend usually! Also don’t forget to look into the time zones of anyone attending from across the seas!
Baby Shower Gifts
Now this isn’t for everyone. But if you are keen to receive gifts and would prefer not to receive 10 teddy bears then a gift registry is the way forward for you. You can either go to your favourite store and set a gift list up there,or you can create a baby registry on Amazon and send the link out with your invitation. This stops the pain of receiving duplicate gifts as we all know it can be an expensive choice having a little bundle of joy! However if you prefer you can simply put your address along with your invitation and anyone whose chooses to can post a gift at their leisure. In regards to opening the gifts really you need to discuss it with mom to be. If mom is comfortable opening her gifts on the baby shower than leave some time for this, and if she would prefer to do it in private be sure to respect her wishes.
Food and Drinks
Obviously this shower is virtual but the treats don’t need to be! There’s no harm in having a few drinks and snacks to make the event feel as much like the real thing as possible! For me in these circumstances I would ask my guests to arm themselves with their favorite drink (a cocktail if they can!) Non alcoholic for mom of course and set up with a few nibbles to dip into as they go! If you really want to splash out you can always contact local companies to you who deliver afternoon tea and snack boxes to the door! Perfect for that Instagram post!
Introductions
Really you need a party host. So whoever organizes the event takes the key role on the day. Our virtual baby shower contains answer keys and instructions for the host which will help everyone have a great time. This person will take charge on the day and make sure everyone has logged in okay.
Now if everyone already knows each other introductions may not be necessary, but if you have a mixed bag of family and different friendship groups you may want to start off with quick introductions. I don’t recommend a long winded route here as it can be a bit boring going through pleasantries. Really you want to get right to the baby shower, people will relax as you go along and become more comfortable with each other as the baby shower games commence.
Make the experience extra special
If you want to really make mom feel special there are so many things you can do! Some things I would recommend are speaking with who she lives with and creating a bit of a party atmosphere wherever she will be sitting during the baby shower. Put up balloons or maybe a balloon arch! Baby shower banners and decorations are always a nice touch. To make it extra special, posting out a baby shower ‘mom to be’ sash! And If you're feeling super fancy printed t-shirts are also a great go to, but it all depends on budget and time!
At the end of the day this is a celebration of mommy, so there's nothing wrong in turning this into a mom shower, so depending on budget it’s a thoughtful idea if the host and few guests put a bit of money in together and send mommy a nice bouquet of flowers and a pamper package to treat her before the baby arrives. Chances are she's feeling pretty exhausted and in need of a bit of TLC!
All pregnancy games should be simple and easy for everyone to follow in your virtual baby shower. Either follow online or print out at home and post out to your guests ahead of the day! Most of all, have fun!
Whether you're having a baby shower for a boy, a shower for a girl, or it’s still a surprise, there’s a range of suitable baby shower games available that will make sure everyone has a great time.
A few of the popular games in the selection are :
Baby Bingo
The Price is Right
Don't Say Baby
So now you have your guide to your virtual baby shower make sure you relax and enjoy yourself!
