Having a baby in the midst of a global pandemic might’ve put a wrench in your plans for a large baby shower, especially if this is your first baby! A lot of mom’s have had to get creative with how they celebrate their pregnancy and little one on the way.
If you are in need of ideas for hosting a baby shower in the midst of a corona virus outbreak, then check out all of these creative ideas!
A virtual baby shower is exactly what it sounds like and can happen before or after the baby comes (similar to a sip and see). We absolutely acknowledge that it won’t replace a real, in person shower, but it’s better than nothing and that sweet baby deserves to be celebrated!
It’ll be a little bit different, not as many fun games, refreshments and it may be more like a pajama party than the dressing up you’re used to. That’s okay! Everyone will get to relax and enjoy the party!
First, let’s figure out how you’ll host the baby shower. There are actual web services specifically for hosting a virtual baby shower like WebBabyShower. Otherwise, you can use Facebook, Instagram live, zoom, skype, facetime, or google hangouts to stream your shower!
After you’ve figured out how to host your shower, start with registering for what you need online. You can register online at most major retailers or create a registry on Amazon. Baby List is another popular online baby registry that allows you to add items from various places, even small shops!
If you need ideas for what to register for, you can check out this blog-- it was originally intended for twins but I bet you find some good ideas!
There are perks to registering with various retailers, like Amazon sends you a discount in order to purchase and complete your registry after your baby shower.
Next, you can create a digital invite. WebBabyShower allows you to do this on their website so it’s a one stop shop for all those needs or you can use Punchbowl, PaperlessPost, or Evite to create a digital invite with all the instructions for joining you in celebrating your little one.
Make sure to include the link to the registry that you’ve probably spent a lot of time on already!
A perk to hosting a virtual baby shower is that you don’t have to clean the whole house and decorate! You can keep the decor simple, just a small backdrop behind you is all you’ll need. Or better yet, use Zoom and use their virtual backgrounds. Super simple!
So what do you actually do during the shower? First, keep the guest list relatively small! Maybe consider hosting 2-3 virtual showers in a day (like different time slots) so that there aren’t too many people trying to speak over everyone else. Designate a host to keep everyone on topic and moving along. Bonus if they’re a good DJ!
You can play some fun, not awkward games like The Price is Right (hold the item up, have everyone guess the price, and reveal their answer to the camera), pictionary type games, or jackbox is a great way to play fun games!
Plan to wrap it up in about 30-45 minutes, nothing long and drawn out.
Some other ideas include: giving a nursery tour, opening any gifts that have been delivered to your house or you can get really creative and have a drive by parade with gift drop off + cupcakes to go! That way you can socially distance and still get to see some familiar faces in person!
AUTHOR: Ashley Olson is a certified paediatric sleep consultant, owner of Heaven Sent Sleep, and passionate about helping new parents, experienced parents, desperate and sleep-deprived parents form healthy sleep habits for their children.
She has over 3 years of experience in working with families and has completed over 150 hours of coursework plus continuing education related to infant and toddler sleep. The focus of her work is on fostering a routine that grows your bond with your child while improving their sleep habits. She specializes in custom sleep plans and one on one support in changing sleep practices!
