No Reasonable Pregnant Woman Would Ever Turn Down A Baby Shower
If you’re pregnant and on the fence about a friend or family member’s offer to throw you a shower, sit back in a nice comfy chair, put your poor swollen feet here on this ottoman and allow me to explain why you should absolutely have a baby shower.
Sure, baby showers can be dull with their lack of alcohol and often cheesy party games. And being the center of attention as your friends and family sit around for what feels like forever watching you open gifts might not sound like your idea of fun, especially since everyone saw your registry and knows exactly what’s in the boxes already. But even if you feel like you don’t want or need the presents (and babies are expensive, so you should and do) there are still plenty of other reasons to have a baby shower.
Your baby shower may possibly be the last time people ask you how you’re doing for a while. Even if you’re not particularly outgoing or social, it can be a rough transition after the baby is born when every conversation you’re a part of at any family gathering is about the baby. With the new fuss over a newborn, it’s easy for excited friends and family to forget to check in with how you’re doing as a person outside of being a parent. For those tough days after birth when you’re feeling overwhelmed and a wee bit emotional, it’s nice to have a memory to look back on when the focus was on you, not the fruit of your loins.
Have a shower for the photos. Not everyone can afford a maternity photography session, so a baby shower is an easy way to get dolled up and take some pictures of yourself in all your bump-tastic glory. It’s also a good chance to get some nice pictures with your partner, or perhaps the people you plan to ask to be godparents.
A baby shower isn’t just about you, it’s about your family and friends too. Yes, your MIL may be driving you up a wall because she’s pressuring you to name the baby after her and your sister needs to seriously stop, just staph with all her lectures on why you’re a failure of a parent already for not wanting to breastfeed. But try to remember that all of the nagging comes from a good place. Family and friends are happy for you and your pregnancy and they want to do something to celebrate with you. Unless you’re willing to let them all into the delivery room, allowing them to literally shower you with gifts and attention is an easy way to acknowledge their excitement and tell them you appreciate their support during this major life event.
Lastly, consider the cake. As an child you got a birthday cake made to your specifications every year, but as an adult, this tradition usually falls to the wayside. Until your baby shower. As the star of the show who is currently prone to nausea, you get to pick the exact flavor combination of your dreams. Even better, you can eat as much cake as you want without anyone making any comments about your weight, and they will even press the leftovers on you “for the baby.” If you don’t want to have a shower because of all the attention, at least do it for that delicious, perfectly frosted, best thing you ever tasted giant cake from Costco.
(image: bikeriderlondon/Shutterstock.com)
