Why do we observe proper etiquette at baby showers? Being knowledgeable about etiquette helps you, as the hostess, ensure that the mom-to-be and your guests have a great time. Yes, many of the formal rules of etiquette we've observed in the past have been relaxed to reflect our current social mores, but many of them have also survived. And for good reason: etiquette takes the guesswork out of any social event by setting appropriate expectations. The result? Everyone can relax and have fun!

Invitations - Setting the Tone of the Shower

When should baby shower invitations be sent out? They should reach guests two to three weeks in advance to allow everyone ample time to 1) arrange their busy schedules, 2) hire baby sitters for their own kids, and 3) shop for presents.

Hosting - The Best Baby Shower Gift You Can Give

Traditionally, a friend, but not a relative, of the expectant mother was expected to host the shower to avoid having it look as though the family were soliciting presents. Now, however, anyone can throw the baby shower to honor the mother-to-be including the expectant mom herself!

A word of caution, however. Hosting a baby shower takes a lot of both time and money, so no one should be put on the spot and asked to host a baby shower. The best hostess is a volunteer hostess who is willing, able, and happy to perform in this role.

Time

Usually, the baby shower is held before the baby's arrival. Towards the end of the pregnancy, some feelings of fear may set in due to many factors - physical discomfort, impatience, worry about the delivery - so the baby shower can be a welcome diversion.

Seeing old friends and relatives at the shower helps emphasize the importance of the pregnancy, and while traditionally a shower was only held for the first baby, it is now considered acceptable to have baby showers for subsequent children, including adoptions.

Guest List

The guest list should be made in consultation with the expectant mother since there may be many people she would like to include whom the host doesn't know. Although traditionally, baby showers were only for women, the mother may nowadays choose to have both men and women at her celebration. In fact, more and more baby showers are being held for both the mother and father.

Behavior

Since the entire reason for the event is to celebrate the upcoming birth, every guest is expected to congratulate the expectant parents. And as with all other parties, the guests should also give plenty of thanks to the host for organizing and holding the shower.