How to Host a Baby Shower + DIY Baby Shower Gifts

Set the date. A baby shower is typically held four to six weeks before the due date; however, some mommy-to-be's prefer to have the shower after the baby is born. For example, if her religion encourages it or if she has chosen to keep the baby's sex a surprise and doesn't want gender-neutral gifts.

Make the guest list. It can be a tricky situation. Who decides who is invited: the guest of honor or the host? Since the host bears the expense of the party, it is up to her how many guests she's comfortable accommodating. If the shower isn't a surprise, the host can give the mom-to-be a number and ask whom she'd like to invite. For a surprise party, the mom-to-be's college roommate trumps the host's coworkers or second cousins. 
How many guests are too many? A baby shower should be an intimate occasion so it doesn't have to be a gathering of anyone that honoree has ever met. Limit the guest list to close friends and family (pro tip: it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone invited that there is a baby on the way). 
Make it co-ed! Baby showers don't have women only anymore; the father-to-be and other male family members will also enjoy celebrating the new baby.

Should you include registry information on the invitation? Many invitations for baby showers do include registry information, but it could make the shower seem like a "gimme-fest." Everyone knows that you're supposed to bring a gift to a baby shower, so it isn't really a faux pas to say where the soon-to-be-parents are registered. It will save time and effort for the guests because they won't have to guess or ask.

Pick a theme. Not every baby shower has to have a theme, but it does make it a little more fun! You can choose a theme that is related to the honoree's tastes or favorite movies like Mary Poppins or maybe their favorite book as a child like The Hungry Caterpillar or The Bernstein Bears. Or you could do something like a Nautical baby shower!
It's OK if you don't want to have a theme. Pick a bright and happy color scheme and go with that. The party is going to be lovely and the mommy-to-be is going to be happy and glowing.
If you want to host a baby shower no one is going to ever forget, check out our list of Themed Party Ideas You Wish You Thought Of!

Plan the party activities. Do you want to play games? A lot of baby showers do play games, but sometimes they're cringe-worthy or overplayed. Check out our collection 12 Easy Baby Shower Games to find activities that will make your party fun for everyone (including gift bingo!).

Plan the menu. Baby showers can be pretty long, especially if the mommy is opening gifts all at once. Make sure that you have substantial food available to keep everyone going. You can ask some people to pitch in and make it a potluck so that you don't have to do everything.

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