How to Plan a Baby Shower: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
A baby shower is a party held before the birth to celebrate the baby's arrival together with the mom-to-be, usually between the 28th and 34th week of pregnancy, when the bump is visible but the mom still has the energy to enjoy the event. It's traditionally not planned by the mom herself, but by a close friend or a sister, and it typically includes games, a light buffet, and a gift-opening moment. These days, with online registries making it so easy to share what's needed, pairing a shower with a shared list has become standard practice for a lot of families. The trickiest part is almost always managing the gifts: when guests already know what's needed (through a shared baby registry), you avoid duplicates and the whole moment feels easier for everyone. In this guide, you'll find when to plan it, who should host it, game ideas, and how to handle the gift list without any awkwardness.
What a baby shower is (and why it pairs so well with an online registry)
A baby shower is a pre-birth party designed to “shower” the mom-to-be with love and celebrate the baby's arrival together: themed games, a light buffet, maybe a cake, and the gift-opening moment. It's a long-standing tradition, and in recent years it has become even more closely tied to online registries: sharing a single link in the invitations means every guest can see what's genuinely needed before the party, which keeps the actual celebration focused on getting together rather than on the gift table.
When to plan it
The right window is between the 28th and 34th week of pregnancy, roughly 4-6 weeks before the due date: the bump is clearly visible, but the mom-to-be still has the energy to enjoy the party without being too close to her due date. To estimate the date, you can use the due date calculator.
Who should host it
Traditionally it's not the mom-to-be who plans her own shower, but a close friend, a sister, or a close relative, partly to avoid the impression that the family is simply collecting gifts. In practice, these days it's also common for two or three people close to the family to plan it together, splitting both the work and the budget.
How much it costs and how to split the budget
A baby shower can cost almost nothing or turn into a small event, depending on how much you want to put into it. Here are the main expense categories with a rough estimate.
| Expense | Rough cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Venue (home or rented space) | €0-150 | Often free if held at someone's home |
| Food and drinks (light buffet, cake) | €50-150 | Easy to split among the hosts |
| Themed decorations | €20-60 | Balloons, banners, table linens |
| Games and small prizes | €10-30 | Often the cheapest line item |
| Party favors for guests | €0-50 | Optional, increasingly skipped |
Baby shower games and activities
A few classic ideas, easy to prepare and adapt to your group of guests.
- Guess the bump size: everyone cuts a piece of string to the length they think matches the bump, then you check who guessed closest.
- Baby bingo: cards with gifts or milestones (first cry, first diaper change...) to check off as they actually happen in the months that follow.
- Guess who: baby photos of the parents and guests, to match with the right name.
- The clothespin game: everyone gets one clothespin and loses it by saying “baby” or “bump”; whoever collects the most by the end wins.
- Guess the weight and birth date: everyone writes down their prediction, to be reopened after the birth. It's the same idea behind the birth date prediction pool, just in party form.
- Messages for the future: each guest writes a piece of advice or a wish on a postcard for the baby, to be read again in a few years.
The gift list: the trickiest part
This is the part that trips up most hosts: how do you ask what's needed without making the whole event feel like a “gift grab”? The simplest solution is to share the link to an online baby registry in the invitations: each guest can see on their own what's genuinely still needed and reserve an item, avoiding duplicates, without anyone having to ask directly. For pricier items (stroller, car seat, crib), you can turn on a group gift: several guests chip in together, and on BabyWish the money never passes through the platform: it goes straight to the parents, with no fees. If you're still short on ideas, there's the guide to baby gift ideas, and for the invitations, the ready-to-send WhatsApp messages make it easy to share the link without any awkwardness.
Checklist: what to do and when
- 6-8 weeks before: pick the date and venue, decide on the guest list, and talk to the mom-to-be to find out whether she wants a surprise or to be involved in the details.
- 4-3 weeks before: send out the invitations and share the baby registry link, so guests coming from out of town have time to reserve items.
- 1-2 weeks before: confirm the guest count, order food and decorations, and prepare the games and prizes.
- On the day: arrive early to set up, prepare a spot for the gifts, and, most importantly, enjoy the moment together with the mom-to-be.
Frequently asked questions
What is a baby shower?
It's a party held before the birth to celebrate the baby's arrival together with the mom-to-be: it usually includes games, a light buffet, and a gift-opening moment. Today it's common practice to pair the party with an online registry so guests know exactly what's needed.
When should you have the baby shower?
Usually 4-6 weeks before the due date, between the 28th and 34th week of pregnancy: the bump is well visible by then, but the mom-to-be still has the energy to enjoy the party.
Who plans the baby shower, the mom or someone else?
Traditionally not the mom-to-be herself, but a close friend, a sister, or a close relative, partly to avoid the impression that the family is just collecting gifts. These days, it's also common for parents and friends to plan it together.
Is a registry still useful if you're already having a baby shower?
Yes, if anything it helps even more: sharing the registry link in the invitations lets every guest see what's genuinely still needed and reserve an item, avoiding duplicate gifts. For pricier items, you can turn on a group gift.
How do you handle gifts at a baby shower without duplicates?
The simplest way is to share the link to an online baby registry in the invitations: every guest sees what's really needed and reserves an item, avoiding duplicates. For pricier items, you can turn on a group gift.
Sources
- PianetaMamma, “Come si organizza un baby shower perfetto”: pianetamamma.it (accessed June 30, 2026).