To have or not to have a baby shower – a hint of minimalism

I have been asking myself some serious questions concerning my baby shower. I feel like I’m in a delicate situation where I’m not comfortable to throw a baby shower.

I live hundreds of kilometres away from my family and my childhood friends. Of course, I have rebuilt a life for myself here with a few friends, but it seems like I’m not comfortable to ask them for gifts for my baby.

My boyfriend and I have the chance to have wonderful families. My sister-in-law and my brother-in-law gave us all of their baby gear. My parents-in-law are going to provide us with everything to furnish the baby’s nursery. My parents will come to visit us and save my life to support me for a few weeks (because the baby will be born during the high season at my boyfriend’s work, so I will very often be alone and maybe discouraged ?).

And that’s not counting the other people in our life that gave us tons of their children’s stuff that they don’t use anymore.

So, as you can see, I’m in the best situation, and I have a great support network.

DO I THROW A BABY SHOWER OR NOT?

I find myself at a crossroads where I consider that I have everything I need for baby’s arrival and where I consequently feel bad for throwing myself a big baby shower – and receiving even more stuff.

And why receive more?

If it is to be used only a few times?

This just doesn’t make sense to me.

To top it off, I have a hard time receiving gifts. I’m the kind of person that gets all awkward because I think that it’s such a nice and sweet gesture toward me. In short, it makes me uncomfortable.

A HINT OF MINIMALISM

While talking to my sister-in-law about my social awkwardness (haha), she told me about her baby shower (which I had not been able to go to because we were living in Montréal at that time).

A really simple baby shower, which took the form of a barbecue at the park. If people wanted and had the means to, they could bring a mini-gift like a little something that’s essential for the baby or a box of diapers, for example.

Essentially, a kind of party to celebrate the baby’s arrival and to give the opportunity to our friends and family to mark this happy moment with us, but not in an opulent way.

The kind of baby shower that wouldn’t make me too uncomfortable and that could easily be done in our backyard.

MY LITTLE LIST OF ESSENTIALS TO OFFER FOR A HUMBLE BABY SHOWER

All of this made me a little more comfortable with the idea of having a small event (something not too stressful) for the baby’s arrival, and it made me want to give thought to my list of essentials for babies.

So, for a stress-free shower, here is what I would ask.

EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS

I’m talking here about basic items that will be used many times by the baby and me during their young life. There really is a ton of essentials that are harder to buy second-hand, and that are, I think, really fun to receive.

It can be:

• baby bottles
• pacifiers
• diapers
• wipes
• little blankets
• a small stuffed animal

By the way, my sister talked to me a lot about Philips Avent’s anti-colic bottles. They have a vent system that helps babies swallow less air during feeding. There’s also Philips Avent’s natural baby bottles that can be a good choice. The nipple of this bottle had been designed to be similar to the breast, and it makes it easier to combine breastfeeding (which I would like to do) and the bottle-feeding that dad will give once in a while.

MEALS FOR BABY’S ARRIVAL

I’m talking here about freezer meals, gift cards from restaurants to get hot meals delivered right to your door, gift cards for meal kit delivery boxes or even, why not, meals that you deliver to the mom by dropping by quickly so that she has something freshly cooked to eat!

Let’s remember again that, because of his work, my boyfriend will be almost non-existent a few weeks after the baby’s birth… That’s why I believe this section is really necessary; personally, I want food that can be cooked and eaten quickly as a gift! Haha

So that was roughly my list of essentials for a baby shower that is small, and that doesn’t make you uncomfortable!

I’m aware that not all of us have the chance to have a sister-in-law that is giving us all her baby gear, but know that if you have friends or acquaintances that are done with the baby stage of life, don’t be afraid to ask!

You could be surprised by all the things people are willing to give (or in their case, get rid of) to help you with the arrival of your baby.

** This post was sponsored by PTPA Media and Philips Avent. However, all opinions are ours and are 100% authentic as a way to inspire each and every one in our day-to-day lives. The Sparks and Bloom sisters swear by this!

This post was translated from French to English by: