Here are five fantastic ideas on what to do instead of a baby shower. There are many ways to still celebrate with friends and family to honor the baby’s parents-to-be, even if they don’t want a traditional baby shower.
You’ll find baby shower alternatives suitable before the mom’s due date and something for when the baby arrives. And for hosts who are throwing a baby shower but don’t want games, you can also read our advice on what to do at a baby shower without games.
5 Fun Alternatives On What To Do Instead Of A Baby Shower
Gender reveal party
Something you can throw the baby’s parents as a way to celebrate with family and friends that’s not a baby shower is a gender reveal party. You can have it when the mom is around week 20 of pregnancy.
You can even include baby shower activities like cake cutting, games, and gift opening during the gender reveal celebration. But of course, if you’re planning the gender reveal party’s theme, the decorations and gifts should still be gender-neutral.
There are many fun ideas to try to reveal the gender of the baby. But the most common way is to have the couple slice a cake in front of everyone, where the interior can be pink for a baby girl or blue for a baby boy.
Blessingway
Another baby shower alternative idea that you can throw for the mom before her baby’s arrival is a blessingway. Compared to a baby shower, this celebration happens closer to the mom’s due date.
It’s a fantastic way to show your support to the mother or both parents before their baby’s arrival because other experienced family and friends who are also parents themselves can share experiences about parenthood. Other moms close to the mom-to-be should attend to help her manage her worries about the birthing experience.
What activities or games can you have at a blessingway party? It’s up to the hosts and what she thinks the mom-to-be would like, but some ideas to try to include maternity photo shoots, henna tattoos, and belly casting.
Babymoon
A celebration you can throw for the baby’s parents before their child’s arrival is a babymoon. From the name itself, it’s a honeymoon, but it’s for the couple expecting their first baby.
Understandably, parenthood, especially during the first years of the baby’s arrival, would mean the parents have little time to themselves. You can surprise the parents-to-be with a mini vacation, which will also give them some relaxation before all the baby duties.
Parents-to-be can have the babymoon during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. But of course, be mindful of the places and activities you’ll set up for the mom-to-be for her safety as someone expecting.
Sip and see party
A celebration that most parents do is the sip and see party, which is a baby shower alternative that you have after the baby’s arrival. It’s among the best ways to give everyone a chance to meet their baby and even get advice from other parents who have a child of their own.
There are many reasons the mom or both parents prefer a sip and see party, including their preference to focus on the pregnancy first, budget limitation, or simply because. You’ll have the sip and see the party at the baby’s parents’ home within the first month of the child’s arrival.
A sip and see party is also more casual than a typical baby shower, but the parents will still appreciate gifts from the guests. You can even have games and invite the children of the guests.
100 days of celebration
In some cultures, there’s a celebration held after the child’s first 100 days after birth. An example is the Baek-il, a Korean celebration where the family prays and gives food offerings to thank the Shaman spirit of childbirth as the child has survived its first 100 days in the world.
Back then, infants had a high death rate due to Korea’s harsh climate, lack of medical information, poor hygiene, and childhood diseases. It was even practiced not to take the baby outdoors until its 100th day after birth.
The foods served at this celebration were steamed rice cakes, which were shared with 100 guests. This was practiced because of the belief that the child would have a long life.
What’s An Open House Baby Shower?
There are many unique and creative baby shower alternatives nowadays, but a type of celebration that modifies the typical baby shower is the open house baby shower. The host will arrange a designated time slot for each guest so that everyone can send their well wishes to the soon-to-be mom.
This modern party is ideal for those with many guests and if the parents-to-be are more focused on gathering with friends and family than receiving gifts. Additionally, most open house baby showers don’t have a gift opening as it’s time-consuming.
If you want a more straightforward comparison of a typical baby shower to the alternatives discussed, you can check what do you do at a baby shower.
Conclusion
Was this list inspiring? To recap what to do instead of a baby shower, the host can throw a gender reveal party, blessingway, babymoon, sip and see, or 100 days of celebration.
Or if the mom would rather spend time with all guests, you can plan an open house for her. Leave us a comment below about which of these alternatives you’d choose over a traditional baby shower.