Planning a Baby Shower
Planning a baby shower is not always easy. There are so many things you need to consider if you really want to make the party a success. A smart way for you to stay on track when planning a baby shower is to make a checklist. With this, you can organize everything you need to have and to do for the shower, as well as reminds you of some important details that you might forget.
The first step is to come up with an estimated budget. The more money you have to spend, the easier planning will be. In this case this will be done with less than a hundred to a couple hundred bucks. Keep in mind that more guests usually mean more gifts. Grab a notebook or a binder to list out the categories that will be covered.
Guest List
It is really your choice or the expectant parents’ choice to decide whether to invite just the ladies, have couples, or include the children as well. On a lower budget, inviting just the ladies and/or close guy friends is advisable. This minimizes the amount of food that you would need to serve.
Games
There are numerous baby shower themed games available on the internet. Pick at least one game to play. A simple game to play is guessing the measurement of the expectant mother’s belly. All you need is yarn or string and scissors to cut. Whoever guesses or comes closest to guessing the size wins. The more games you play, the more entertaining and memorable it will be. For prizes, go to a nice dollar store. It is all about fun, not the prizes.
Mommy’s belly—
The mom-to-be stand in the center of the room and each guests get to decide how big her belly is using a string or a toilet paper sheets. Find out who guessed the closest.
Guess the nursery rhyme—
Give each guest a sheet of nursery rhymes and have them guess the nursery rhyme or finish it. This will help everyone remember them and see who reads those bedtime stories.
Did you say Baby Game?—
Each guest is giving small clothespins to wear around their neck on a necklace or on their shirt. Every time someone says “Baby” if someone catches them they get to take one pin. At the end of the party the guest with the most pins wins a prize.
Memory—
Using a plastic tin of some sort place a bunch of baby items in it such as, bib, thermometer, baby spoon, diaper rash crème, etc. Anything you’d use on a baby. Let each guest get a chance to look in the bin for a few seconds and take it away. Once everyone is finished have them write down everything that was in the box. The person with the most correct answers wins.
Baby Food Tasting ––
Have a variety of baby food in jars, take off the outside wrapper and place a number at the bottom of the jar, on a separate piece of paper write the name of each jar. Each guest is dished out a spoonful of baby food to try. Have them write down what they think each one is. The one with the most correct answers wins a prize.
Food and Drinks
The important part of the baby shower party could be the food and drinks. You must order the right kind of food and drinks for your guests and please them. No one leaving your party place should go disappointed. Ensure the food and drink supplies are perfect and no shortage is met. In fact, you can buy a few reserves if in case more people cash in the last minute.
Baby Shower Souvenirs
Apart fro the thank you cards and the entertainment you had provided them, plan for baby shower souvenirs as a token of your appreciation. You thank their presence by this gesture. The guest who hadn’t given you gifts can be thanked anyway. It need not be expensive and all you have got to do is plan the whole theme before buying them in bulk. Make sure you catch their eye in every department of your party and send them back satisfied and happy.
You can easily find and purchase baby shower gifts online. With the birth of the Internet, planning a baby shower and gifting a child have been more easy. There are so many online stores that offer baby shower supplies and baby gifts to choose from.
Baby Shower Decorations
Baby Shower Party Supplies
Baby Shower Games
Six Good Exercises to do During Pregnancy
Exercising during pregnancy is great. It is healthy to exercise during pregnancy provided you exercise cautiously. Women can exercise all nine months of their pregnancy. Moderate exercise, of different kinds that are appropriate at various stages of pregnancy must be followed. These exercises will help you keep your whole system healthy. During pregnancy one must try to strengthen and tone the pelvic muscles. If you do the right exercises you can reduce backaches and maintain flexibility in the joints and keep them firm. By exercising you could improve sleep.
Here are Six good exercises to do during pregnancy:
AEROBICS
Aerobics provides a good aerobic workout. However, the growing belly can affect your balance and make you more prone to fall. The best option would be cycling with stationary or recumbent biking later in pregnancy.
PILATES
Is now recognised as one of the best exercise programmes for the pregnant body as well.
SWIMMING
Swimming is the best exercise to do while pregnant with get a full body workout. The low impact exercise provides enough resistance to work at the muscle but also helps your cardiovascular health as well.
WALKING
Brisk walking gives a total body workout and is easy on the joints and muscles. If you were not active before getting pregnant, walking is a great way to start an exercise program.
YOGA
Yoga is perfect improving your flexibility and balance. It is also very good for teaching you how to control your breathing. All of these are very useful when labor arrives.
DANCING
As long as you don’t make any jerky movements or lose your balance or even tire yourself to exhaustion, dancing can be a very enjoyable form of exercise.
Important to know that always begin your exercise session with a warm-up period for 5–10 minutes. Start with light activity, such as slow walking, that prepares your muscles. During the warm up, stretch your muscles to avoid stiffness and soreness. After the exercise, slow down by reducing your activity to allow your heart rate to return to normal levels. Cooling down for 5–10 minutes and stretching again also helps to avoid sore muscles.
WARNING SIGNS:
If you have any of the following symptoms while you’re exercising, stop immediately and contact your doctor or midwife:
* excessive fatigue
* dizziness or feeling faint
* shortness of breath
* vaginal bleeding
* difficulty walking
* contractions
* fluid leaking from your vagina
* decreased fetal movement
* rapid heartbeat while at rest
* pain anywhere, but especially in your back or pelvic region
Whatever you choose to do, do it consistently and with care. Pregnancy exercises are very important to your overall health, your cardiovascular strength and will increase your circulation, contributing to an overall healthy pregnancy.