Why are baby showers female only? This is a question a lot of men (and women) ask today. There are many reasons for it and this is why I wrote a whole article about it. You want to get this topic right before you organize yours so you don’t end up with some unpleasant memories of this rare event in your life. Besides the reasons, you’ll read also about the history behind traditional baby showers.
Short Answer to Why Baby Showers are Female Only
Tradition is the reason why so many events are celebrated a certain way and baby showers are no different. Considering baby showers consist of gift-giving, games, and feminine discussions to prepare for the birth of a baby, only women were invited to this event.
5 Reasons Why Baby Showers are Female Only
A good place to start would be to understand why they are female only. This section, beyond the reasons, will help you understand the deeper meaning behind it all.
1. It’s for the Mother-to-be
As an expecting mother, a woman is going through a lot of changes. She may have thought she was prepared for these changes. But the reality is she could be feeling overwhelmed especially if it’s her first child.
Being around other women will help make her feel a little more comfortable and at ease which is what she is longing for the most. It doesn’t mean that she’s not getting the support she needs from you. It just means that she needs it from other women more than a man who doesn’t fully understand what she’s going through.
2. The Much Needed Gifts
There is no denying that with a baby comes a lot of responsibility but also a lot of equipment and clothes. All the things needed to look after a baby can end up being expensive which is why baby showers are needed so people can gift the baby what he or she needs.
Send out a baby registry before the baby shower in order to get everything that is still needed. This is the biggest reason behind why baby showers are female only because other women and experienced mothers will know what the expecting mother needs such as a sippy cup or a bottle.
3. Tradition
As already stated in this article, tradition has a huge role to play in why baby showers are female only. In the early 1900s baby showers were strictly for women and only women who were close to the expecting mother. It’s because of this that a lot of people still stick to the way baby showers are expected to be.
Things are slowly changing as more co-ed baby showers are taking place but women may still prefer having only women at their baby shower. This is something you’ll both need to talk about in order to make sure everyone is comfortable and happy.
4. Preparation
Due to the fact that women are invited to baby showers, it gives the expecting mother time to talk to other mothers who may give her advice that she needs. This is to make sure she is prepared as much as possible. She may feel embarrassed asking for help from other women in front of you which is why she may say that she wants a female only baby shower.
Maybe she needs help figuring out if diapers expire. She can find out all she needs to know from experienced mothers.
Being able to discuss things with all of her female family members and friends can help her feel more confident that she has everything she needs for the baby and that she feels mentally prepared. Having a baby can be a scary thing for some women so talking to other women can help ease her mind as she understands what everyone else went through.
It’s a great way for experienced mothers to also share tips and tricks that could help once the baby arrives. All advice is needed for a first-time mother.
5. It’s Not Just for Baby
This may not have crossed your mind but a baby shower isn’t just for the baby but it’s for the mother too. Of course, the gifts are bought for the baby but in fact, it’s all to help you and the mother of your child. The shower is to give your wife the attention she feels she needs while in her pregnancy.
This event is to celebrate the fact that your wife is becoming a mother. Of course, you’re also becoming a father but because she is carrying your unborn child, she is the one that gets celebrated. And, rightfully so as she is doing most of the work carrying the baby.
A Short History of Baby Showers
It’s always interesting to know the reasons behind everything which is why knowing the history behind baby showers might be something worth noting. For example, the phrase ‘shower’ links to the fact that the mother is showered with gifts which is why there are also ‘bridal showers’.
It was in the early 1900s when baby showers were more for giving the mother and baby the items needed to ensure that the baby was well looked after. As time passed though, baby showers then had games and activities introduced in the mid-1900s.
This was to make the event more enjoyable. Baby showers were also typically arranged by a friend and not a family member. This is because it could be seen as rude for a family member to ‘beg’ for gifts from the guests.
A baby shower was also traditionally only given for the first child which is no longer the case as a lot of people have more than one baby shower if they have more than one child. Of course, most parents save items from when their firstborn was small in order to reuse them but some parents also like to start over.
For more information on the history of baby showers, check out this Youtube video,
How Does a Female-Only Baby Shower Look Like Today?
At a baby shower, you will most likely find snacks, treats, and other decorations surrounding the mother along with the gifts everyone brings. If the gender has been revealed you will see the color scheme matching the gender such as pink or blue.
Depending on the layout of the event there’s usually a sitting area for all the women that could be a picnic area with tables and chairs. The day is broken up into different activities and games for everyone to play with gifts being unwrapped near the end. To accommodate the activities of the day a mother-to-be will have to choose the best time for a baby shower to start.
Of course, all baby showers are different as everyone has their own preferences and ideas of what should happen. But the above usually happens in all baby showers.
Should Baby Showers be Less Female Only?
This is a choice that can only be made between you and your partner. It’s possible that you, as the father, want to be more involved in the baby shower which would need to be discussed with your wife. But with the way society is going baby showers are becoming less female.
It’s not to say that they should be less female as that’s a personal choice but it would be nice to see more men involved in all aspects of the parenting experience. Having men around could entail an amazing time spent with those important to both you and your partner.
This is an article I wrote about the question of whether men should be at baby showers, which you might want to check out.