Baby shower planning often requires a lot of time and work, but after all is said and done, producing a successful event can be one of the most rewarding experiences a host can have. When she sees the excitement, joy, and fun everyone is having, all the energy expended is returned in spades.

Because of the work involved in a baby shower, it’s usually hosted by a close friend or family member of the guest of honor. And this honored position carries with it a huge amount of influence in deciding one of the biggest questions about the shower - is it surprise for the mom or will she know about it ahead of time?

A surprise shower requires more coordination between the expectant mother’s family or husband and the host. They’ll have to make sure that the mom is available on the date and time of the shower while keeping in the dark about the event. This person will be responsible for creating an alibi and transporting the mom to the event since the host will be busy welcoming guests and performing the last-minute party preparations.

While a non-surprise shower is less cloak-and-dagger, it can still be just as much fun, while requiring less stress. Regardless of which type of party is chosen, picking a theme for the event goes a long way in organizing the shower. With a theme, things like decorations, food, invitations, and games can all be chosen more easily.

To facilitate as many guests coming as possible, shower invitations should be sent at least four weeks before the event. Remember to have all the necessary information friends, family members, and colleagues of the guest of honor will require: time, date, location, contact information, email address, and shower registry information if available.

As guests are arriving, the host should greet and welcome them to her event. When the mom arrives, have her seated in a position of honor and in comfort… it’s her event! Since the guests come from different parts of the mom’s life, they often will need introductions. And there’s no better way to introduce people and break the ice than with some baby shower games. Have them ready to go, and consider handing out prizes to the winners to keep things fun.

Before the guests leave, the expectant mom may want to open the baby shower gifts and have her reactions recorded on camera. Someone should assist her in recording the names of the giver and the gift brought for later use in sending thank you notes.

A successful baby shower is really all about supporting the mother-to-be in an exciting new phase of her life. I wish you all the luck in the world in this endeavor!