Is it OK to have a Baby Shower for my Second Baby?

By : Admin

While traditions may seem near and dear to us, the fact of the matter remains that many traditions that we practice and celebrate have only been around a relatively short time, when you look at the whole of human history. For example, while there certainly are historical reasons for doing so, placing decorations on a fir tree at Christmas time has only been around for a few hundred years. So has giving gifts on Valentine's Day, or passing out candy on Halloween. And, while the baby shower is an idea that's been around for a long time, many of the traditions surrounding it are relatively new.

In times past, the focus of a baby shower really wasn't the baby necessarily. It was largely about the new mother. It was a way for friends and family to help out a new mother by giving her some material items that she might need. More importantly, it was seen as a way for experienced mothers to provide new mothers with advice about a great number of subjects, including labor and delivery, the postpartum experience, breastfeeding, and even child rearing. Given this fact, it was typically common to only have a baby shower for the first time that a woman had a baby. After all, after the first, it was assumed that she would know what to expect during labor and whatnot.

In more recent times, the focus of a baby shower has become more about celebrating the baby. It is less a time of giving advice than it is a party. Friends and family gather to have a good time and to just celebrate the impending arrival. In some ways, the baby shower is as much for the baby as it is for the mother. As such, it has become more and more common for women to have a baby shower for their second and subsequent pregnancies.

Some etiquette experts recommend that the second and subsequent baby showers be limited to close friends and relatives, or to guests that did not attend the shower for the first baby.

Each pregnancy, expectant mother, and unborn child is different. Your pregnancy may not progress the same as the information found here. The information here is based on the average pregnancy. It's not meant to be a replacement for any advice your may receive from your doctor. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, we advise you to contact your doctor.