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Home › Articles › Entertaining › An Open House Baby Shower

An Open House Baby Shower

A New Twist on That Special Party for the Mom-to-be

By Renee Roberson

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An After-baby Shower

Another alternative to a traditional baby shower is inviting guests to attend a shower after the birth of a baby. Andrea Schlegel, a resident of Mooresville, N.C., has had both a standard baby shower and one held after the birth of her son. She says out of the two she enjoyed the one where her son was present the most.

"It gave everyone a chance to meet him and fuss over him and it was just as exciting for me to present him to everyone," Schlegel says. "It is a lot of fun at showers where you are still pregnant because people get to guess about the baby and other fun games, but having the baby actually there makes it so special for everyone, especially when you have relatives and friends that live far away and can't visit regularly."

For guests attending a shower after the birth of a baby, gift giving may be an easier task because the parents know specifically what they still need for the baby at that point.

"I believe it is harder to know what you need when you are pregnant with your first child, and there are a lot of gifts given that you don't really need or use much," Schlegel says.

Open house baby showers are ideal for guests who want to show their love and support for the guest of honor and her new arrival but are limited on time. Whether the open house shower is thrown by a friend, relative or church members, there are many ways to structure it so it will be more relaxing and fun for everyone involved. And showers held after the birth of a baby are gaining popularity too, as guests will love bringing gifts perfectly tailored for the new addition.

Tips on Planning an Open House Shower
  • Invitations: Most people have a three- or four-hour window of time in which guests can drop in. For example, the invitation might say "Please join us between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. for an open house baby shower honoring Jane Smith."
  • Refreshments: Finger foods, such as cut-up sandwiches, meatballs, cocktail sausages, cheese and crackers, vegetables and dips, cake and punch are usually good choices. Ask guests to RSVP to help determine a more accurate count for food planning purposes.
  • Games/Activities: This can be optional. If you have a few games you'd like for guests to participate in, it's probably best to try and orchestrate them when the largest amount of people have arrived.
  • Gifts: The expectant mom can open gifts as her guests are leaving, or the host can set aside time during each hour so the mom can open gifts from guests who are still at the party.


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