If You Make An Expensive Baby Shower Registry, You Are A Pregnant Jerk

shutterstock_94579654If you want to come down the rabbit hole with me, I will be happy to tell you all about the semi-secret etiquette rules surrounding pregnancy, babies, and especially baby showers. If you aren’t neck-deep in the world of babies just yet, you may be surprised to hear that such rules exist. But they do. And if you break these rules, all of your friends are going to hate you.

One of the first rules up for debate is the use of the baby shower registry. I personally am pro-registry, as most pregnant women choose to make them. Truth be told, this may be one of the only truly fun things that you get to do in your long, nine-month stretch of pregnancy, or maybe that was just me. I also support guests sticking to the registry, though not as an absolute rule. I believe the registry is your friend; it makes gift buying convenient for both guests and the expectant mother.

Sounds simple, right? This is where things get hairy. It’s one thing to create a baby shower registry, both for personal pleasure and as a convenience to your guests.  It’s quite another to create an expensive baby shower registry full of luxury items because you are an out-of-touch pregnant jerk. From the word on the street, a.k.a. Mommyish commenters, there are pregnant jerks out there who register for a myriad of items with a minimum price tag of $100. I don’t know about you, but I normally spend much less on a typical shower gift. Maybe if it was my sister, I’d be willing to drop a hundy or two.

Unsurprisingly, other guests are equally confused about how much to spend on a shower gift:

Hello there folks… Just wanted to get your take on something… I”m going to TWO baby showers in the next few weeks…neither of the moms-to-be are super close friends of mine… When my close friends have baby showers, I usually spend between $100-200 on stuff… Is it alright to spend less on someone that isn”t as close? What do you normally spend on a shower for a friend…but not a close friend?

pricescope.com

Hi ladies. I’m not a parent so I need some help here. I’m attending a baby shower and the theme is organic and eco-friendly. I have no idea what to get as a gift. The baby is going to be a little girl and my budget is $100-$150. What kind of things would a first time mom appreciate?

forum.purseblog.com

Having had a baby shower recently and been to one recently, in San Francisco, I would say the range is $25 to $50 depending on how well you know the person. When you set up your registry it is nice to have a lot of $20 thru $50 options because people tend to like to buy one item rather than a bunch of $10 items.

www.mothering.com

I would unequivocally agree with the last commenter. It’s just good form to create a diverse baby shower registry with plenty of mid-range options, and a few cheap and expensive items too. Guests on a budget can purchase within their price range, or guests can pool their money together to buy you the all-in-one stroller of your dreams.

Even though it may be the highlight of your pregnancy to create a baby shower registry, just remember that it isn’t all about you. Your registry is for your guests, if they choose to use it. Guests aren’t obligated to buy you any specific baby item. Be kind to your guests by giving them different price ranges to choose from. Or, don’t be surprised if they choose not to attend.

(Image: Ruth Black/Shutterstock)

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