Baby showers are so exciting. It’s kind of the ultimate party. A new little person is here! And as your group of friend’s super hostess, you have mastered the art of the perfect baby shower.
But hosting an adoption baby shower is a first for you. What should you consider? How best can you celebrate your sweet friends and their new little one? Don’t worry, girl. We got this.
1. Get your invitee list first – and don’t forget about the birth family!
Will the birth parents/grandparents be in attendance? If so, AWESOME!! So awesome. This baby is loved by so many and now you all get to celebrate together! Work with both the birth mom and adoptive mom to come up with a plan that makes everyone comfortable!
My favorite adoption baby shower I ever attended had an adoption 101 cheat sheet in the invite that taught about adoption positive language. I loved it! Advocating while partying! Triple hostess points! If the birth parents chooses not to attend, I think it would be appropriate to still honor them at the shower. Set up a love note area for guests to write messages of support to the birth parents or asks guests to bring items for a gift basket for the birth parents.
2. Now, pick a date. This may be more complex then you first realize.
Some adoptive parents are chosen before the birth and may wish to have the shower during that time. Some adoptive parents like to wait until after placement. Again, communication is the key here. Talk with the adoptive parents about when they feel most comfortable holding the shower. Our adoption happened very quickly and so we had our baby shower after placement. I loved it! It was so fun introducing our little man to our loved ones.
3. Lastly, work closely with your adoptive mom about what is most comfortable for her.
Ask all the questions. Is she comfortable playing games? Do they want gifts? Ultimately this party is about celebrating the creation of a new family. Keep that sweet purpose in mind and listen closely to the adoptive family and you can’t go wrong.
4. One more thing: Don’t forget to shower adoptive parents of older children as well!
We have friends who adopted a sibling group and their loved ones hosted a huge “welcome to the family” barbecue! It was an awesome celebration, a great show of support. I loved watching a community of people come out in support of this new family coming together. Adoption creates families and families are worth celebrating!
