With the arrival of Pinterest and Instagram, there’s no reason to host doily-clad baby showers or play lame games at the mom-to-be’s expense.

On the flip side, planning a baby shower doesn’t have to be wedding-esque with gasp-worthy budgets to boot. Luckily, Pampers® has been improving the lives of babies and their parents for over 50 years, and is here to help you plan the  first celebration of many!

Timing is everything

The third trimester of a pregnancy can take its toll on moms-to-be. It’s best to plan her baby shower at least 6 weeks before the due date. This way, she will be confident enough to enjoy the happy occasion, and has plenty of time to buy the things she wasn’t gifted.

To theme or not to theme, that is the question?

The theme should reflect the personality and preferences of the glowing mom-to-be, but can also be centred around the gender. Current trends include coed and green showers, with many planners opting to forgo the basic pink and blue themes. Pinterest released their top baby shower themes for 2018,

Location, location, location!

It is important to consider what the mom-to-be would appreciate the most. If she is a home-body, then have the shower at home. However, if she likes going out for lunch and friends, find a beautiful space that lends itself to privacy.If you do opt for a more public venue, make sure to call ahead with the number of guests and the reason for the booking. Some venues will go the extra mile to make this an event to remember, but you want to be aware of additional costs upfront. Pampers has a brilliant checklist that takes the guess work out of planning!

Getting the food right

It’s not a baby shower without beautiful eats and treats, and often it forms part of the décor too. However, if you’ve already blown most of your budget elsewhere, you might need to be clever with your food choices. We love these budget friendly food ideas that will allow you to splurge on a stunning cake or indulgent treats.  Remember to ask your guests if they have any food allergies, and do check in with the glowing mom-to-be about her current food cravings.  It’s a celebration, so bubbles are most definitely required, but ensure to have “fancy” non-alcoholic drinks or bubbles on hand so that the mommy-to-be doesn’t feel left out!

Oh the games we play

It’s essential to plan games that are both entertaining and interactive for all guests. A winner for every mom-to-be is the famous nappy raffle. Each guest is requested to bring a pack of nappies… Pampers obviously J, and enter their names into a draw for a small prize. It might not sound exciting, but mom will thank you for the mountain of nappies! Check out Pampers game inspirations for free downloads.   

The art of gifting

Not everyone is comfortable with asking for gifts, so ask the mom-to-be what she needs, and create a gift registry for her here. It completes the shower planning, and ensures mom doesn’t end up with a lifetimes worth of gripe water!One of the latest trends is gifting an Artefact baby book. This will help mom treasure the first couple of months of her new bundle of joy!

It takes a tribe…

Don’t leave mom-to-be to go it solo until her shower, the best way to be part of her journey, and find out what she really needs is to surprise her with an outing to a baby show. As lady luck would have it, UK’s number one parenting event brand, The Baby Show & #MeetUp, is coming to South Africa 28 September 2018 – 30 September 2018.The Baby Show will be hosted at the Kyalami International Convention Centre in Gauteng and will showcase the latest trends, essential products, and ample opportunities to talk to leading experts. By the way, Pampers is also a proud sponsor of The Baby Show & #MeetUp! 

About Pampers®

Pampers® is the world’s top selling brand of baby nappies. For more than 50 years, Pampers® has been helping to improve life for babies, toddlers, and the parents who care for them through a complete line of nappies, training pants, and wipes designed for every stage of baby’s development.   

About Procter & Gamble

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, AmbiPur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.