How to survive a baby shower

[Ktaylor08]

Anyone have any good tips on surviving a baby shower? I know many of us avoid them if we can, but there are some that we just can't skip. So are there good ways to make it bearable other than bringing along your therapist?

[KimAtFertilityAuthority]

Hi K,

Baby showers can be the absolute worst! I've spent my fair share fighting tears and running to the bathroom. I guess my best advice is to find a group you can socialize with who won't be talking about babies the entire time. (tough to do, huh?) Sometimes there is a group of girls who aren't moms, or maybe a group of older women who have adult children. Don't worry if you need to leave a little early. ((hugs))

[Terrie52]

Hello,

If I HAVE TO GO, then I try and spend my time being the social butterfly. I just bounce from person/group to group. Usually there is no time for someone to say..."so when are you having one?, isn't it about time you have one?". I also am a fan of getting in and getting out fast. Usually just after the gift opening starts I sneak out saying sorry, have to be in 2 places at once!

But I do tend to avoid going as much as I can! But I always send a gift and card with best wishes!

Good luck! Let me know how is goes as I have an unavoidable one in June, already dreading it but keep trying to convince myself that maybe the next one will be for my husband and I!!!! WOW that sounds greedy but only meant in in a positive thinking way! LOL!

[Ktaylor08]

Thanks for the tips! I should have been more clear in my original post- I don't have any upcoming showers, I just wanted to start a thread to share tips and advice because baby showers are such a major source of fear, frustration, and anxiety!
As mother's day approaches, I'm reminded of having to go to a baby shower on Mother's day last year for an unplanned pregnancy, while I was in the midst of dealing with unsuccessful treatments (and a Facebook pregnancy announcement to top it off! Needless to say, I cried myself to sleep that night). I made cupcakes for it so I had no time to get so anxious about going, then I brought my fancy camera to take pictures and just kept myself busy with that until I could escape. I ended up meeting someone who was going to the same RE as me, so we comforted each other a little bit and that helped too.
It's even more awkward when it's family... I appreciated the kind words from them, but I really didn't need to be constantly reminded of my IF struggles when I was doing well keeping myself distracted!
Sooo... Anyone have more tips/stories?

[lovesakura]

It helps me to think, "This is bad, but not as horrible as..." Examples being; being buried alive, being eaten by a shark, being stabbed repeatedly in the armpits with a spork. That's what got me through hosting a friend's baby shower. In hopes of making some of you feel better about having to go to baby showers, I'll tell you the gist of that day.

11 A.M. Show up. Friend is still in bed, exhaused from staying out late with friends (who couldn't bother even showing up for the shower). Get started on the one thing my friend was supposed to do but couldn't find the time, despite her and her boyfriend having no job and two weeks to get some string tied together, done. Proceed to decorate.

12 P.M. Watch her boyfriend freak out about having to put together a simple stroller and listening to my friend complain about not having the money to buy even the cheapest diapers.

1 P.M. Baby Shower begins.

1:15 P.M. Friend decides she NEEDS coffee and leaves her own baby shower. Everyone sits around like, "What do we do now?". Walk around getting to know everyone and making small talk, doing my best to ignore the fact that I'm shy and awkward around people I don't know.

2 P.M. Friend shows up with $8 worth of bottled coffee (because we all know that Starbucks is much more important than Pampers when you're on Welfare and living off your grandparents). Rush through some activities while ex-naying all the others.

3 P.M. Baby shower ends, clean up begins.

4 P.M. Leave knowing I'm $300 poorer and emotionally exhausted.

But despite it all I felt good about myself. It took a lot to suck it up and put my feelings aside to do a good deed for someone else when I would have much rather preferred spending time with my husband. But that's life. Sometimes we do things, not because we want to, but because it's the right thing to do. I think putting someone else above my own feelings, even for a few hours, has made me a better person. It also reminded me to be grateful for what I do have in life, a loving husband, a home, and money to provide for the children that we will either have or adopt when the time comes.

So my best advice is this. A baby shower can be painful, but things could be much, much worse. Remember what you have been blessed with and be grateful for those things. One of those things being that baby showers can only last a few hours.

Best wishes to all of you!

[Katiegirl37]

See, I was thinking having a few drinks before may do the trick, lol. I have my sister-in-law's baby shower coming up... it is going to be hell. First grandchild on my husband's side too. Time to put on the big girl panties!

[pinhed9]

thank you for making me laugh! "being buried alive, being eaten by a shark"