Baby shower

[puddingsforsandy]

I have been invited to a baby shower. I don't think I have ever attended one and if I have, it would have been more of a gathering but without the name.

I received a text from friend saying her mum will be in contact via email for all guests to receive a gift list. She ended the text saying she's had to do this as she has bought so much stuff esp clothes and nappies already but it's the big things that she hasn't yet done. Wtf? big things to me mean prams and cots.

I feel quite anxious about this email that hasn't yet arrived as this month, financially its been a squeeze and I fear I won't be able to afford something decent.

I was planning on buying a baby outfit but the text sounds quite specific.

They have hired a big hall and all the trimmings etc. Sigh it sounds like so much hard work. Scared to look like a cheapskate/mean person.

any mistakes blame it on my phone!

Ugh....Grabby of Grabbsville....sounds awful.

Another tradition which has swam across the pond....

Have a mystery short sickness and gift the baby when it arrives....safely

When people say don't buy for a baby before its born do they also not buy anything for their baby either? Do you wait until its born to buy everything ? Genuinely intrigued. seeing as though baby showers are usually a couple of weeks before the due date , would you have nothing prepared just in case? I understand their can be traumatic circumstances as it has happened close to us but this is rare and we ourselves had absolutely everything before our baby was born.

for my first, I avoided the whole thing, very few knew I was pregnant and those who did understood why I asked them to not send any gifts until the baby was born or close to.
(high risk pregnancy)

and no-one bothered much about the second.

I don't gift until after baby is born, but obviously I had stuff ready when mine were born... but not until after 30 weeks.

Sorry to see that this tacky excuse to grab gifts & money is starting to show up in the UK. I live in the States and unfortunately I've attended about half a dozen baby showers. I hate them and as I'm TTC right now I have vowed to myself that I won't be doing this if/when I get pregnant. The hard part will be explaining that I don't want one to my friends who've all had their own baby showers without admitting that I find them to be appallingly tacky and greedy. Then a another part of me thinks that since I've spent a fortune on their bloody baby showers maybe I should have one to recoup what I've spent - but of course that's how these bloody traditions get continued!

Buy what you want to buy and what you can afford. I don't get the whole baby shower thing- what then do you buy once the baby is born?!

Jeez, I like a baby shower when it's just a fun, "friends all bring their good advice and a packet of nappies and we eat pizza" sort of affair but caterers ?????????????

It sounds bonkers. I'd feign illness. Or maybe you work in an industry where a sudden recall to work is possible ? hospitality and emergency services have served me well for last minute excuses