Baby Showers

I think it depends. My mom was the same way, telling me how no one should have more than one baby shower. I think there are cases where it is okay, but certainly not for 4 kids in 8 years. Like for instance, my best friend's mom had her fourth child a few years ago, thing was, her other 3 kids were all in their 20's. So it's not like she still had all her baby stuff laying around the house. I still had all my bigger baby items like the crib, high chair etc. but with my third child being a boy and my first two were girls I thought it might have been nice to have a baby shower for some "boy" things. I didn't though. But my family gave me gifts for him after he was born and I got the stuff I needed. I think how much you spend is up to you. I usually don't go over $20. I like to make up a gift basket of practical stuff like diapers, wipes, diaper cream, powder, baby wash, etc. If you get someone a gift for their shower, I don't think you should have to give another gift once the baby is born family or not.

Hi OpL I agree with you. Especially in these times of economic struggle, I do think it is rude to have showers for babies past the first. By the time the 4th child is born, I would think that she has all the newborn stuff she could possibly need. Its not like the stuff changes from year to year, century to century! I think that when the baby is born a simple congratulations card is all I would do. I think asking for gifts on baby 4 is just a tad greedy. As far as your new baby, and congratulatons on that, no, I don't think you should expect a shower. Family members are different. If they want to do something than they will and thats great if they can. I just had to attend a wedding shower last weekend and I'll be honest with you, not only was I asked to attend (gift in hand, of course) I was also asked to bring a desert for 50!! I did it because its my best friends daughter, but it was financially, hard. I live on limited income and would have much rather spent that money on things I need and God knows I need lots of things!! Do what you think is right but if you decide to decline, do not feel bad. Maybe if enough people declined to attend, they would refocus on the economic condition we are in and pull out the stuff they have from past children..P.S. How many times can you watch someone open baby stuff??? Once is enough for me!! I hate showers!!!!!

Some families have a baby shower for their first baby. Other families have a baby shower for each of their babies over the years that they are born. At the moment there is a world recession so I know a person that had many baby showers to go to must feel quite poor after all that shopping. So the couple are having their fourth child in eight years. I think about $10 to $20 would be the right amount to spend. I have had a few gifts after each of my children were born. I haven't ever had a baby shower. I had my first son fourteen years ago and then my second son after a big gap. He is just two years old and I now have a baby daughter as well.

I could see having a second baby shower if there is a large gap between children, but if someone is having kids so close together I don't really think a baby shower is necessary.

Baby shower is just common to the wealthy people here in my country but with the average people, they never mind celebrating it though it was the first baby. I will also giving birth this coming May and baby shower was not in my plan because i am more preparing to the expenses when I will give birth because it is so expensive. I just wish that my baby will healthy and wont have a hard labor.

It makes sense to have a shower for the first child because you need almost everything at that point since its your first. But then it is pointless unless you are having a child of the opposite gender. And in that case, just ask for mostly clothes and diapers. Fairly cheap stuff basically. I am pregnant with my second child (my first was a girl, and this one is also a girl) so I am not having a baby shower. It seems wrong to me since I still have boxes and boxes of clothes, baby toys, bottles, and even diapers that she outgrew too fast to wear! So I personally would not have a baby shower for all my kids, but every person has their own ideas of how they want things done. If invited, I would go and enjoy the company, eat free food lol, and buy them something simple like pajamas, or a small pack of diapers. Think of it as a social event i guess :)

I have gone to four baby showers in one year. My advice to my friends: Stop having children! My friend and her brother's girlfriend are both expecting children at the same time. I have bought so many people baby gifts, and I cannot afford to buy anymore for awhile. My friends are having children like there is no tomorrow. Most of them aren't even 25 yet, and they are having a lot of children. I am not against people having children, but seriously, children are expensive, and have you all seen the price of diapers lately? Who can afford that? I do not want children until I am in my thirty's, and if I have any, two or three is the limit.

Hi Opinionated, I know just what you mean. I remember being told when I was younger that you get a shower for your first baby and that's it. After that you are on your own. I got one for my 2nd child but that was 8 yrs after the first and trust me...I was surprised and had nothing to do with it. Now for my 3rd who was born a bit more than a year later, I did not get a shower. Why should I? I still had all my baby stuff from my 2nd child when I found I was pregnant again. My fourth child was born 6 years later and yes...my friends did give me a shower and again...surprised and very grateful. In a way I see your point if the babies are born fairly close together. The couple still has things to be handed down. I do think each child is special. I think rather than a shower that a gift when the child is born to celebrate his birth would make more sense. It should not be the mother asking for a shower. Who is giving the shower?

hi opinionatedlady Me too but I thought a baby shower was only for the first baby, I did not get a baby shower for my second one who came just 11 months later. I dont know as its exactly 'wrong but seems a bit tacky to me. I would not spend more than you can really afford. After all nobody should expect you to provide the whole baby wardrobe yourself.lol. well if its a family member best to keep the peace and get two gifts. Yes why not since you are prego with number four, you deserve it, turn about fair play I always say. hint around, you may get a surprise one. he he.

I am no Emily Post but I totally agree with what you are saying. I would hazzard to guess they are even alittle dependant on the graciousness of their friends to further their family too. By that I mean that I bet if they hadn't gotten all the shower gifts for the other kids they wouldn't be quite so quick to have more. Even if that isn't a cognosant thought on their part. As far as the amount of money you might spend I would probably bring it down considerably.

I've also noticed that the traditional one-shower-only rule has changed over the years. These days, it's fairly common for each pregnancy to merit a shower. Like you, expense is a factor, so I would buy something that one would never have enough of...just to prevent a needless expense on yet another somehting or other the baby already has. Things like diapers, bibs, lotions, wipes, etc. can be found cheaply, and are always welcome. So are gift cards. And when the baby is born, you can give a small stuffed animal, but shouldn't be expected to spend heaps of money on both the shower and again at the time of birth. And by all means...I hope you get a shower. Things don't always survive the 1st three kids to hand down to the 4th lol. Karen

best wishes may you enjoy the occasion and your baby is so lucky to have you as her parents.

i think it depends on the parents. If i am very much well off, i would give showers to all of my babies. They are blessings. And money is nothing when you see your kids grow up knowing that you've been fair to all of them.

I have two girls and i had a baby shower for each girl. they are 4 years apart so I didn't think that it was bad because i didn't have any of my first daughters things. I didn't plan my baby showers my mom and mother-in-law planned them for me i just attended and had fun. i thought that everybody had a baby shower for each baby but when i think about it it does sound overwhelming having had a baby shower for her fourth kid when they are close in age. I don't think that its bad having a baby shower for each kid but for some people it might be a bit much. If you do attend, you don't have to spend a lot of money on a gift for a baby shower, the babies grow out of everything quick so it would be kind of pointless. Most people prefer getting diapers because babies go through a lot of them in a week and if you sum it up it adds up to a lot of money.