Celebrating a Second Baby with a Shower

Baby showers are one of the best ways for new moms and dads to get everything the need to start off on the right foot. It is also a wonderful way for family and friends to show their love and support. Having a shower for a second baby has often been seen as excessive, since the parents will likely already have the big-ticket items like cribs and strollers. However, it has become more acceptable to hold showers for a second baby, but with certain modifications.

Instead of a full shower, you could host a mini-shower, where guests only bring those necessities that every baby has to have - bath accessories, undershirts, diapers, etc. Another idea is to ask mom and dad to name the items they never received for their first baby, or that need replacing. You can also have a shower where the gifts are for mom, with guests bringing relaxing and useful items for her to enjoy during the last days of her pregnancy and after the baby is born. She'll appreciate receiving something soothing like aromatherapy candles, or even something for day-to-day use, like a soft robe.

It can also be especially fun to throw a shower that reminds the mom that she won’t be pregnant forever, with gifts like lingerie, chocolate treats, alcoholic beverages, and other items. You might want to arrange for tickets or gift certificates to some special event or treat, like a concert or spa day - but be sure to include babysitting. You might also consider sitting down with the father-to-be and the guests, prior to the party, to draw up a dry-erase calendar with offers of assistance to the new mom.

Some tasks that you could arrange for include getting the house organized and laundry done so mom and baby can come home to a clean house, helping transport the older child to his/her activities, or going along to help out on a big grocery or warehouse club run. You can then give mom the finished calendar at the shower, with all the contact information in case of changes. It may be that both mom and the baby in fact don't need anything new. Or, consider having a simple party, featuring good food, music, and the mom's loved ones.

You could ask the guests to buy baby items, smaller items like diapers and clothing, and then bring them to donate to a women's charity or shelter. You might also ask everyone to bring small portions of prepared food that can be frozen or stored (this is known as a "freezer party"). During the final days of pregnancy and the first week after the birth, mom will definitely appreciate this. If having this kind of a shower, however, you'll need to let mom know so she can see if she has enough space for everything, as well as choose a date very close to her delivery date.

Do keep in mind that in the case of caboose babies (a "caboose" baby is born several years after the next-oldest sibling), a full shower can be held with no impropriety. Many times, in situations like this, the parents will no longer have those "big" items anymore, or they might not meet current safety standards.

And remember, even if the baby shower is a small one or doesn't feature enormous gifts, the whole reason you are there is to simply show the mom that she and her new baby are cared for.

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