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I think a baby shower should be for each baby
Family & Parenting / 11:34 PM - Wednesday March 06, 2013

I think a baby shower should be for each baby

But a lot of people say no, its only for the first baby. If its all for the baby, then why does it matter?

Update: March 07, 2013.
Lots of responses to this one! I don't ever look at a baby shower as the mother expecting expensive items such as furniture. Yes for the 1st baby the parents need all that stuff. But a get together to get a few new things for the new baby and spend time with the prego before she has the baby is a good idea. This question came up because my sister is on her 2nd baby....8 years later...with a new guy. Her husband is deceased. So I am throwing her a shower for this baby. A few people have commented on that its not for a 2nd baby. Well, this is a "new" family so to speak and why shouldn't they have one as part of the baby coming into the world? Its for the baby...not the mom :) I'm hoping she has a girl this time!

- Asked by thekissbandit, A Thinker, Female, 29-35

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I only had one for my first, but it doesn't bother me if people have more than one. If nothing else, a diaper shower is a good idea.

- Response by sweetnsilly84, A Cool Mom, Female, 26-28, Home Maker

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I don't think the baby gives a shit- so that it si all for the baby is kind of absurd. I think in olden times it was really to help parents who couldn't afford all the baby stuff like a crib/walker etc.

You should have that already for the 2nd child.

Plus hitting up friends and family multiple times for gifts and tormenting them with those gay ass baby shower games is inhumane. Once is enough.

- Response by A Thinker, Female, 36-45

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I think there should be a shower for each baby also.

- Response by frenchkiss49, A Thinker, Female, 56-65, Tampa, Who Cares?

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Probably because of people NOT wanting to continue to give gifts.
But, if it is family, then each baby should be celebrated, shower style!

- Response by kismet331, A Thinker, Female, 36-45

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Well..it's to help the new parents build up their baby supplies...babies ,after all ,require many items...It's also to celebrate them becoming parents. At least that's how I see it. After the first baby--they are on their own.

- Response by bobbysg1rl, A Cool Mom, Female, 36-45, Pittsburgh, Medical / Dental

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You have asked the question. I mean THEE question. I don't get it either. Every baby deserves some kind of community support.

- Response by rekkonball, A Guy Critical, Male, 66 or older, Retired

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I had a shower for my first son but not one for my second. I saved a lot of stuff. Didn't need to have one. If I had a girl I might have had a second one though.

- Response by A Thinker, Female, 29-35

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I think each baby is Special! Even if the couple is rich and doesn't need anything, you can still have a party!

- Response by kmf1, A Life of the Party, Female, 46-55, Minneapolis, Who Cares?

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I've never heard of a baby shower "only" being for the 1st child a woman/couple has. My twin sister has 2 girls and she had a baby shower for each pregnancy. Some folks are probably being cheap and just want to limit the mother's celebration based on their wallet. Unless they are funding the entire event, then I can see their reasoning. However, if it's a collective effort amongst several friends/family members, then go for it!

- Response by Veronica71276, A Creative, Female, 36-45, Who Cares?

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I think a baby shower should be for the first baby. Most of the expensive baby shower supplies are bought for the first one so the parents should be able to swing it after that unless there is a situation where someone is expecting multiples.

- Response by anonymisslady, A Career Woman, Female, 36-45, Medical / Dental

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I think the "rules" say it's ok to have a second shower if the second baby is any of the following: a different gender than the first; born many years later or if the family has moved a long distance or otherwise likely lost most of the things from the first child.

We never had a shower, but my mom parents were really helpful and got our sons crib, an umbrella stroller and enough clothes for a small army... Even so, it could be fun to have a shower. If your worried about judgement, just tell people gifts aren't necessary.

I personally think showers are a lot of fun, they can make the mom feel special and that her pregnancy is being celebrated, so as long as it doesn't seem like a big money grab with registering for a bunch of expensive gifts, I think it's great regardless of the pregnancy.

I never had a shower for my son, as my family and longtime friends were far away when he was born and they aren't traditional in Europe, and I missed it. It would have been nice to have had a little onsie decorating party!

If we ever have a second child, I'm going to ask my friend to organize one! Finally living here for a long time, I know enough other expat moms that it would be fun, and I would like to partake in the experience once in my life. It doesn't have to be about expensive gifts, all of your friends get you a little something when a baby is born anyways, but it would be nice to get together for a baby themed cupcake party...

Consider anyways that people are usually going to get you gifts when a child is born, so even if you do register for the small things you may be missing for a second child (clothes of the right season if the second is born in a different season, or these little things you later realized would have made your life a lot easier), it makes more sense than letting people guess and get you a ton of duplicates. I realized this after we DIDN'T do a baby registry for our son and we got about 30 fancy rattles, 10 warm booties in size 0-3 months, a suitcase full of expensive stuffed animals and 4 crib music boxes.... I'm not complaining, what we didn't use we donated, but I understand why people do registries...

- Response by milla, A Thinker, Female, 36-45

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I respectfully disagree.

For the first baby, I figure that the couple needs all the big expensive items - crib, high chair, car seat, stroller, etc etc - so a baby shower helps them out with those things. But for any subsequent children, the parents *already* have the big-dollar baby items - it's *their* problem to buy the smaller stuff that their new baby will need.

I think it's presumptuous to expect other people to give you a gift every time you have unprotected sex that results in a pregnancy. I mean - seriously? What if you have 15 kids? I'm supposed to fork over money for every one of 'em? WHY?

I don't have kids, I already support enough of other people's kids with my tax dollars - I don't need to be buying your 4th child a gift. If prospective parents can't afford to buy even the small baby items, they need to re-think their plan of having another child.

BTW - lest I come off as a "Scrooge" - I *DO* happily buy gifts for the new kids/grandkids of people I care about. I don't need a shower invitation to want to give them something. But when I get invited to the 2nd baby shower for my co-worker's brother's mailman's dog-groomer...that's ridiculous. It's bad enough I got invited to the FIRST baby shower, when it's somebody I barely know.

- Response by justpassingthru, A Thinker, Female, 56-65, Financial / Banking

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