Why You Should Have a Baby Shower

Is a baby shower really necessary? Some women may say no, and others may adamantly disagree. I am a mother who adamantly disagrees.

Baby showers are an important part of the pregnancy experience. When a woman is pregnant, she no doubt reaches the point in her pregnancy that she is just no longer "feeling" it. She starts to feel emotionally and physically drained. Her feet are tired and sore, her ankles are seriously swollen, she can't get comfortable or sleep well at all, and the extra weight she's carrying around is certainly a huge depression factor.

Baby showers are great because they lift up a pregnant woman's moral. They offer a special occasion for the mother to be, and they offer hope that all the heartache she's going through now will soon be over and will be replaced by the most joyous experience.

Throwing a mother a shower also provides the couple with baby supplies that they otherwise may not be able to obtain on their own. Having a baby is expensive, and to purchase everything you need can really hurt the wallet. Clothes and diapers, diaper bags and diaper wipes, bibs, bottles, pacifiers, playpens, strollers...you name it, a mother needs it and the cost really adds up.

Baby showers have been a tradition for many years and even though it's not always something woman "enjoy" going to, we all understand the importance of having one.

A baby shower doesn't have to be terribly fancy. In fact, it should be fun and a social event. In many cases, a lot of the guests don't know each other, so keeping it light and informal will really help to ease the awkwardness of guests.

A shower should have 3 primary goals in mind:

• Games
• Food
• Gifts

A hostess provides a venue for the event to take place. It doesn't have to be anywhere fancy. Her living room is just fine. Games are a great way to get your guests interacting with each other. It also allows for the time to pass pretty quickly.

A hostess should provide some type of food for her guests. It can be as simple as just finger foods. Don't forget the cake! (The cake is a tradition that really shouldn't be missed.)

Gifts are the whole reason FOR the baby shower, so make sure there's plenty of time for them. If you are the mother to be, make sure you register for gifts. It really helps people who are shopping for you to know they are getting you something that you really want.

Baby showers are a great way for friends and family to gather with the expecting mother and celebrate the arrival of their new upcoming bundle of joy. They have been a tradition for many many years, and if history has a way of repeating itself (which it does) the tradition won't end any time soon.

Celebrating the upcoming birth of a new baby is one of the most precious and important parts about a new mommy's journey through her pregnancy.