The Spruce advises not holding the baby shower too early, or too late. If you are more than 20 weeks into your pregnancy, congratulations! And if you're ready to have a Zoom baby shower with family and friends, feel free to begin sending out party invitations.
When should you plan a baby shower? Baby showers are typically held four to six weeks before the baby's due date—late enough that the pregnancy is well along, but likely early enough to avoid the baby arriving beforehand and disrupting the party plans. However, some people prefer to have a shower after the delivery.
When to have a baby shower. There's no hard and fast rule, but many baby showers happen one or two months before the baby's due date. Throwing the shower sooner is fine, too; maybe there are scheduling constraints or concerns about the baby arriving early, for example.
Don't Schedule It Too Early or Too Late
A baby shower should not be held before the 20-week mark in pregnancy.
While the ideal time to have a baby shower is when the mom-to-be is about 28-32 weeks, you really can have a baby shower any time that works with the mom-to-be's schedule. There really are no set rules!
The Number of Weeks You're Along
On the other hand, if you're late into your third trimester and are feeling ready for labor at any moment it might be a little too late to have a baby shower (plus you may be super uncomfortable!). From experience, my favorite time to have baby shower is around 22-26 weeks.
Most often, the host pays for the baby shower. This is not always one person. For example, several aunts and cousins might cover the full tab of a shower at a restaurant, or a group of coworkers may help coordinate all the decorations, food and fun.
The Time of Celebration
The odd number months are chosen for this ceremony as it believed to bring good luck to the pregnant mother and the baby. However, the 7th month is the most popular and convenient since the baby has reached a safe and stable state by this time.
It's a little trickier to determine how many weeks seven months pregnant is. The weeks of pregnancy don't fit neatly into months, so seven months can begin between 25 weeks and 27 weeks pregnant and extend up to 28 to 31 weeks.
Traditionally, baby showers are held in the third trimester of pregnancy from 28 to 32 weeks. This is because this is a great time to start planning and hosting your event.
Most people agree that anytime between 24 and 32 weeks (six to eight months) is the best time to throw a baby shower. Your baby shower schedule will likely depend on several factors including invited guests, time of year, and of of course the honoree's preference for the date and time.
If the baby is at 22 weeks gestation or earlier, it is better to cancel the shower until later notice, possibly after the baby has arrived home. If you would like to have a type of shower, ask guests to come and give gentle support to the parents that they care about.
Tradition states that when it comes to throwing a baby shower, those who love you should do the honors. This person could be your best friend from college, a colleague from work, the next-door neighbor… or your sister, sister-in-law, mother, aunt, etc.
Most women report that the best time to throw a baby shower is between the 28th and 32nd week of the pregnancy. For them, that's a sweet spot because the baby bump is already big enough for cute 'belly pics,' while being early enough that they are active and full of energy.
It's usual to host the baby shower when mum-to-be is between 28 and 35 weeks pregnant. It's the ideal time while she's still got some energy and has a cute bump. This early date also means that she can plan easily, exchange any duplicate gifts, and fill the nursery with gorgeous newborn baby shower gifts.
A baby shower is technically a party to honor the mother, so her name goes on the baby shower invitation by default. However, many modern baby showers are co-ed and also include the father. If that's the case, the mother's and father's names can both be included at the top of the card.
Avoid inviting distant relatives, neighbors you barely know, long-lost friends, casual co-workers, resentful friends, and disrespectful family members to your baby shower. A baby shower is a special time to celebrate your pregnancy with close friends and supportive family.
Purpose. The mother-to-be's wrists are adorned with glass bangles (red and green) in odd numbers. It is believed that the bangle sound induces the child's senses and brain activity. It is also well-known that fetal hearing begins in the 7th month.
Baby showers don't have to be only for ladies. Although it's still okay to only have a ladies-only baby shower, It's become more commonplace for guys to attend. So, if you're planning a baby shower, figure out if you want the baby shower to be female-only for the new mom or a co-ed baby shower.
Traditionally the host will pay but this will depend on many factors. This includes the venue, budget, size of the guest list, and how extravagant it may be.
Every baby shower is different, but most ladies agree that 15 to 30 is the perfect number of ladies at a typical baby shower or about 30-40 for a coed. These numbers change depending on the size of the family, number of friends, and even work colleagues involved.
Further recent studies have shown that when a woman lies on her back in late pregnancy (compared to lying on side) the baby is less active and has changes in heart-rate patterns. This is thought to be due to lower oxygen levels in the baby when the mother lies on her back.
During this period, you can expect your baby to move more. Weeks 22-24: By the start of week 24, you are entering your sixth month of pregnancy.
It is during this first trimester that the fetus is most susceptible to damage from substances, like alcohol, drugs and certain medicines, and illnesses, like rubella (German measles). During the first trimester, your body and your baby's body are changing rapidly.