Surprise baby showers can be a lot of fun if the mother-to-be typically likes
that sort of thing. Remember that pregnancy magnifies emotions (or completely
changes them). If the mother-to-be is someone who typically needs to have
everything planned out and needs to know what to expect, then these needs are
probably magnified in pregnancy (especially with all the “unknowns” that go
along with pregnancy, labor and birth). She probably wouldn’t be a good
candidate for a surprise shower.
If you’ve decided that a surprise shower is the way to go, keep a few things
in mind. You’ll probably need to enlist the help of her husband from the start.
First of all, make sure the mother-to-be can make it to the shower: double check
for prenatal and other appointments as well as any commitments of which you may
not be aware. Then, it’s up to the husband to make sure she doesn’t plan
anything for the big day.
Next, devise a plan to get her to the shower. You could ask her to help you
pick out new paint for your bedroom or you could plan a “girlfriend’s”
afternoon. When planning a guest list for a surprise shower, you’ll want to
consult different people to make sure you haven’t left out anyone close to the
mother-to-be. Her husband, mother, sisters and other friends can all contribute
to this task.
Members of my book
club threw a surprise “double” shower for my friend and I who were due just
weeks apart. The shower was great and included all of our mutual friends as well
as family members. The only disappointing thing about it was that we both had
friends from college and work that we would have loved to invite to a shower to
celebrate with us, but didn’t get the chance. Other than that, a surprise shower
can be run like any other shower – just tailor it to the mother-to-be and it’s
sure to be a success. Oh, and don’t worry if the surprise gets blown – what’s
still important is the gathering of loved ones to celebrate a new birth.
