Is it okay to have more than one baby shower? Definitely! Friends, coworkers and family are as excited about your new baby as you are, and chances are they want to shower you with gifts. Since it's up to others to throw the shower, you can have as many or as few as you like.
Consider a different type of celebration.
While good etiquette doesn't prevent you from having a second, third, or fourth shower, you may opt to tweak some of your plans if you've recently had your first baby—especially the gift-giving obligation.
A Baby Sprinkle is celebrating the second and third children and so the gifts are going to be different.
If a mother-to-be is expecting a baby soon (a year or so) after her first, “it's perfectly fine to have a second baby shower,” said Lizzie Post, etiquette expert, great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post and co-host of the podcast, Awesome Etiquette.
A baby sprinkle is just like a baby shower but scaled down. If mom is on her second, third (or fourth) child, consider throwing her a baby sprinkle instead of a full blown baby shower.
It's the opportunity for you to see family and friends and celebrate the upcoming birth of a baby. Whether it is the first or fifth baby it shouldn't matter. Having a baby shower is a great opportunity to have a laugh and play games with the closest people around you.
It's fine to have a baby shower for a second or third baby. This party is often (cutely) called a "Sprinkle" instead of a shower since the family welcoming the new child likely already has many of the items needed (though not always!). Immediate family and very close friends are usually included.
If so, you'll be relieved to know that having more than one baby shower is completely acceptable. Not only that — 72% of Babylist users reportedly have more than one shower, according to the data, and we see the exact same thing. Typically this entails a baby shower for each side of the family or co-workers.
What is a baby sprinkle or a baby sprinkle shower? A baby sprinkle is a type of baby shower to celebrate a family's second child. Instead of a traditional shower, the gifts are often diapers, wipes and a few outfits since many families who are expecting their second child already have a lot of the gear they'll need.
For coworkers or acquaintances, people tend to spend around $30 to $50. For friends or distant relatives, many people spend between $50 and $100. For close friends or family members, most people spend between $100 and $200 or more.
Typically, a close friend or family member will throw your shower, but coworkers or another loved one can all host the party. While every baby shower is unique, the host usually takes care of organizing everything — so you can sit back and enjoy being celebrated.
The term “rainbow baby” is used for babies born after a loss due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or child death — the idea is that life can color following a storm. Hosting a rainbow baby shower can be a beautiful way of honoring the loss in the family while celebrating new memories that will be made.
Who hosts a baby sprinkle? While there are plenty of differences between a baby sprinkle and a baby shower, the host for both events is often a close friend or sibling. The host of your baby sprinkle may be the same person who threw your first shower, or it may be someone different.
While traditional baby showers consist of women only, co-ed baby showers are becoming more and more common. However, if you're looking to throw a traditional baby shower and still have the dad-to-be attend, this is completely acceptable and appropriate as most dad-to-be's will want to thank guests before they leave.
The typical amount of time for a baby shower to last is about two hours. That gives your guests plenty of time to eat or snack, chat with the mom-to-be, play games (if you're offering games), and watch the mom-to-be open her gifts. Another option is a drop-in baby shower.
Strict rules like “female guests only,” “the parent-to-be or their immediate family can't host the shower” and “you shouldn't have a shower for any baby after your first” were largely indisputable 60 to 80 years ago. Some people love sticking with those traditions, but with new decades come new flexibility.
Traditionally, baby showers are given only for the family's first child, and only women are invited, though this has changed in recent years, now allowing showers being split up for different audiences: workplace, mixed-sex, etc. Activities at baby showers include gift-giving and playing themed games.
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. For instance, you can't expect your best friend to throw a huge baby shower and pay for it all herself.
As a fast rule, baby showers are often held at the end of the second trimester or early to midway through the third trimester — usually four to six weeks before the due date. Expectant parents who are having multiples may prefer to have the baby shower on the earlier side.
Like first baby showers, parents should never throw the party and send out the invitations themselves. Instead, a close friend or relative should do it. This is to avoid people perceiving the invitations as parents asking for gifts. In addition, second baby showers should be smaller than the first ones.
Though a gift is expected if a guest attends, guests should only be invited to help celebrate the upcoming arrival, not for the gift they bring. If a guest is invited to a shower but can't attend, there is no obligation to send a gift, though they certainly may if they want to.
A Baby Sprinkle is a relaxed gathering of close friends and family to celebrate a new baby on the way. Essentially, Baby Sprinkles are a casual celebration that lasts between 1-2 hours. A Baby Shower has more guests and presents, and the time frame is usually between 2-3 hours.
How Many People Should Attend a Baby Shower. 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.
Baby showers are all about the mom-to-be, but they also celebrate all the important people in the new baby's life. Assigned seating is not necessary, but certain people should have reserved seating with the mom-to-be. If this is not her first child, her other children should sit with her.