List of Needs for Baby Shower

Don't forget the cake!Birthday cake of blocks and toys image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com

Baby showers create special memories of celebrating the coming birth of a new child. Planning a baby shower allows many choices and options in decor, food and themes. Traditional showers, themed showers and the more recent couple showers trend, which includes the father, all share something, though. Each has a list of things that will be needed to pull off a memorable experience.

Decorations

Plan for your decorating theme. Purchase basic decorations such as balloons, crepe paper streamers and baby shower-themed signs from a party supply store. Add specific items for your theme. For example, for a traditional baby shower add a paper stork, teddy bears, candies or mini baby carriages to hold candy or mints. Purchase a little more than you think you need to avoid underestimating the area to be decorated.

Food choices include prepared appetizers, candy, chips, sandwiches and so on. Remember the main food addition to a shower, the baby shower cake and, of course, something to wash it all down with like punch or soda. Include decaffeinated choices for the soon-to-be mom. Tables on which to arrange the food are a necessity for a baby shower as well as dishes to hold the food and for serving. Finish off the food table with napkins featuring a baby shower design, also available from a party store.

Keep the mom to be in mind during the shower. A comfortable chair just for mom may not be a baby shower need as far as the entire shower, but the pregnant guest of honor would most likely agree that an extra comfortable chair is on her list of needs. If she is in her last trimester, a side table adjusted to her height helps, too. The less bending and moving she has to do while in the later stages of pregnancy the better.

Guests usually bring a baby gift. If this is a first baby, then beneficial shower gifts range over a variety of clothing and baby items. Gifts are a definite need if for no other reason than the fun of "oohing" and "ahhhing" over each cute tiny outfit.

Games function as icebreakers at baby showers. For each game played, guests need the items required to play them. Some items are already in the home. For instance, a classic game involves tearing off toilet paper strips and guessing how long a strip should be to fit around the mother-to-be's stomach. Toilet paper is already just down the hall. Other games require items from outside the home, such as a bingo game for a group. Most small department stores carry many items needed for baby shower games.