Spinoff to My

I think you need to keep it easy as possible. You don't know how you are going to feel at any point after the birth and a newborns schedule can be all over the place. I know you said you like to host things but I can almost guarantee you won't really feel 100% up to it when the day of the party comes. You also have no clue how your baby will be. Mine screamed 24/7.

I would just go to a local deli and order cold cuts and salads. Easier the better.

As for the opinions on the other thread- I agree with Jess. Breathe. People will always have a different opinion. But in the end it shouldn't matter one bit in your life. Do what you and your family wants and that's thats b

Spinoff to My

To be fair, it wasn't a lot of people that commented. You never said why you were hosting that kind of party until after you got those comments. Also, I didn't read the comment as an attack on the type of party. I took it as your baby will be 1 month old and that's a lot to deal with Things can get taken out of context. Everyone does it, including me.

Re: Spinoff to My "Meet the Baby" Post

Lol! I think bridal showers are the absolute worst!!! Total gift solicitations when you will already bring a gift for the wedding!

They have a lot of these meet the baby things in my neighborhood. I asked & was told you typically bring a small gift (outfit, etc) for the new child... Similar to going to their house.

As for posters, nothing more fun than some light drama.

Re: Spinoff to My "Meet the Baby" Post

I had a big shower, but DD was in the NICU for 6 weeks after she was born so she couldn't have visitors. When she came home, I told everyone that the day she came home I wanted everyone to stay away. The following day, my house was open to all family who wanted to come. The following weekend after that, my house was open to all friends that wanted to come. We had cold cuts, bagels, and some cheese and crackers around if people wanted to eat, or we ordered food with our visitors if they stayed longer. It was an open invitation for all, no times planned, and I certainly did not go crazy trying to keep my house spotless or maintain myself any more than normal. They were coming to see the baby, not look at how clean my house was or what a disaster I was.

ETA: I didn't even do a formal invitation. As soon as our friends and family heard she was finally coming home from the hospital, they were asking when they could come meet her. Via text message or phone, I just told them "family can come anytime on Sunday, friends can come anytime next weekend."

Message edited 6/19/2015 10:59:29 AM.

Re: Spinoff to My "Meet the Baby" Post

Spinoff to My

I think is fine. Just have something low key. I am Jewish too so I get no having a shower etc. For my DS we had a bris at our house the week after he was born. 50 people at my house. Luckily my in-laws setup and helped clean up. We cateres bagels and bought the fish from Costco (way cheaper than bagel boss or something). The easy thing with the bris is that it is kind of an open house thing with out a formal invitation. Even though it was in the middle of the week most poeple important to us came.

Re: Spinoff to My "Meet the Baby" Post

Posted by DaniJude

Posted by MrsT809

As a guest I would take a gathering where I get to actually meet the baby over a shower any day. Don't let the negative posts get to you. You did get some good advice at least. I think the at home, relaxed, bagel idea is perfect. Pick up a fruit platter and some cookies from the grocery store and get a few dozen bagels with assorted cream cheeses from your favorite local place and call it a day. I would assume people will bring goodies as well. I'd plan it for maybe 6 weeks pp so you feel good, baby is a bit older, and you have some wiggle room if the baby is late.

I welcome invites to everything I go to - showers, birthday parties, social gatherings, anything that exudes happiness and togetherness. If someone is inviting me that means they are in my life, either friend or family, which means they are special and I love and care for them. I have never, ever thought to myself when opening an invitation, "ugh they want gifts". That is horrible and not how I was raised, AT ALL. I am nothing but thrilled to enjoy celebrations with people I care about. And to me, one where I can spend time in a home - a comfortable and warm setting with the purpose of meeting your newborn baby, sounds wonderful. A breath of fresh air.

When I had my son people reached out to me to meet him - these are the types of people I would "invite" to a gathering like the one you are going to have... Family, close friends, co-workers. These are people that expressed interest to me about wanting to see the baby. I felt bad some of them schlepped out to Suffolk, from Nassau, to do so but they were all so overjoyed to do it - they just wanted to meet him, and that meant a lot. But I did drive myself a little batty because every Thursday and Friday evening and every single Saturday and Sunday for weeks and weeks after my son was born I had a revolving door of people. And it was lovely but tiring because I'm very particular - house has to be spotless, baby all dressed and ready to meet people, dog on best behavior, food and drinks out for whoever comes by, etc. So, to me, this is a great idea - anyone who asks, let them know you are picking a date to have people to meet your new baby and it'll be a brunch. That way, you clean and drive yourself crazy after just giving birth once rather than close to two dozen times. And yes, I had people close to two dozen times. EVERY SINGLE PERSON who came and visited my son would have given me gifts anyway -- when I saw them, some mailed them, some gave them at work, or gave to my mom to give me... I never, ever solicited them in any way. Many of those women ALSO came to my shower and gave gifts and then gave ANOTHER when the baby was born. The ones I had over the house didn't make me feel so bad, I had them over, sat with them, we got to talk, have cake and coffee. I felt good I "hosted" them a little and they held my son and got to spend time with him. The ones who didn't get a chance to come over and gave me gifts I felt bad accepting them and here they didn't get to meet him and I didn't have them over! I would write heartfelt thank you's because it was so nice of them. All of those people would have given gifts no matter what - I never asked, never even thought about wanting them.

And the gifts I received after the baby arrived were the most touching - most of them were more personal, with his name, or keepsakes, with his birth date, etc. Things I still have to this day and really cherish. So it boils down to that when a baby is born people bring a gift of some kind no matter what - gathering at the house to meet the baby or NOT. Because I did NOT and I got tons of stuff and had TONS of people - either stop by or send something.

And looking back, I think your idea is great - I think my family and friends would have welcomed it because the people who DID visit felt like they were "disrupting" us or imposing or "omg we don't want to wake him" -- that kind of, "you just gave birth, are you up for visitors??" but they were so antsy to meet him -- and that was so nice to me, so I would tell them it's fine! But with this method, they know you are OK with it, and you will be in a position to expect people. I think that will make those who come feel even better. In the future, I think I might do something like this. It'll save me running around two dozen times to host two dozen sets of people to meet my son! lol.

Don't worry - enjoy it.

Re: Spinoff to My "Meet the Baby" Post

Posted by DaniJude

Posted by MrsT809

As a guest I would take a gathering where I get to actually meet the baby over a shower any day. Don't let the negative posts get to you. You did get some good advice at least. I think the at home, relaxed, bagel idea is perfect. Pick up a fruit platter and some cookies from the grocery store and get a few dozen bagels with assorted cream cheeses from your favorite local place and call it a day. I would assume people will bring goodies as well. I'd plan it for maybe 6 weeks pp so you feel good, baby is a bit older, and you have some wiggle room if the baby is late.

I welcome invites to everything I go to - showers, birthday parties, social gatherings, anything that exudes happiness and togetherness. If someone is inviting me that means they are in my life, either friend or family, which means they are special and I love and care for them. I have never, ever thought to myself when opening an invitation, "ugh they want gifts". That is horrible and not how I was raised, AT ALL. I am nothing but thrilled to enjoy celebrations with people I care about. And to me, one where I can spend time in a home - a comfortable and warm setting with the purpose of meeting your newborn baby, sounds wonderful. A breath of fresh air.

When I had my son people reached out to me to meet him - these are the types of people I would "invite" to a gathering like the one you are going to have... Family, close friends, co-workers. These are people that expressed interest to me about wanting to see the baby. I felt bad some of them schlepped out to Suffolk, from Nassau, to do so but they were all so overjoyed to do it - they just wanted to meet him, and that meant a lot. But I did drive myself a little batty because every Thursday and Friday evening and every single Saturday and Sunday for weeks and weeks after my son was born I had a revolving door of people. And it was lovely but tiring because I'm very particular - house has to be spotless, baby all dressed and ready to meet people, dog on best behavior, food and drinks out for whoever comes by, etc. So, to me, this is a great idea - anyone who asks, let them know you are picking a date to have people to meet your new baby and it'll be a brunch. That way, you clean and drive yourself crazy after just giving birth once rather than close to two dozen times. And yes, I had people close to two dozen times. EVERY SINGLE PERSON who came and visited my son would have given me gifts anyway -- when I saw them, some mailed them, some gave them at work, or gave to my mom to give me... I never, ever solicited them in any way. Many of those women ALSO came to my shower and gave gifts and then gave ANOTHER when the baby was born. The ones I had over the house didn't make me feel so bad, I had them over, sat with them, we got to talk, have cake and coffee. I felt good I "hosted" them a little and they held my son and got to spend time with him. The ones who didn't get a chance to come over and gave me gifts I felt bad accepting them and here they didn't get to meet him and I didn't have them over! I would write heartfelt thank you's because it was so nice of them. All of those people would have given gifts no matter what - I never asked, never even thought about wanting them.

And the gifts I received after the baby arrived were the most touching - most of them were more personal, with his name, or keepsakes, with his birth date, etc. Things I still have to this day and really cherish. So it boils down to that when a baby is born people bring a gift of some kind no matter what - gathering at the house to meet the baby or NOT. Because I did NOT and I got tons of stuff and had TONS of people - either stop by or send something.

And looking back, I think your idea is great - I think my family and friends would have welcomed it because the people who DID visit felt like they were "disrupting" us or imposing or "omg we don't want to wake him" -- that kind of, "you just gave birth, are you up for visitors??" but they were so antsy to meet him -- and that was so nice to me, so I would tell them it's fine! But with this method, they know you are OK with it, and you will be in a position to expect people. I think that will make those who come feel even better. In the future, I think I might do something like this. It'll save me running around two dozen times to host two dozen sets of people to meet my son! lol.

Don't worry - enjoy it.

Re: Spinoff to My "Meet the Baby" Post

Posted by Summergirl

Posted by DaniJude

Posted by MrsT809

As a guest I would take a gathering where I get to actually meet the baby over a shower any day. Don't let the negative posts get to you. You did get some good advice at least. I think the at home, relaxed, bagel idea is perfect. Pick up a fruit platter and some cookies from the grocery store and get a few dozen bagels with assorted cream cheeses from your favorite local place and call it a day. I would assume people will bring goodies as well. I'd plan it for maybe 6 weeks pp so you feel good, baby is a bit older, and you have some wiggle room if the baby is late.

I welcome invites to everything I go to - showers, birthday parties, social gatherings, anything that exudes happiness and togetherness. If someone is inviting me that means they are in my life, either friend or family, which means they are special and I love and care for them. I have never, ever thought to myself when opening an invitation, "ugh they want gifts". That is horrible and not how I was raised, AT ALL. I am nothing but thrilled to enjoy celebrations with people I care about. And to me, one where I can spend time in a home - a comfortable and warm setting with the purpose of meeting your newborn baby, sounds wonderful. A breath of fresh air.

When I had my son people reached out to me to meet him - these are the types of people I would "invite" to a gathering like the one you are going to have... Family, close friends, co-workers. These are people that expressed interest to me about wanting to see the baby. I felt bad some of them schlepped out to Suffolk, from Nassau, to do so but they were all so overjoyed to do it - they just wanted to meet him, and that meant a lot. But I did drive myself a little batty because every Thursday and Friday evening and every single Saturday and Sunday for weeks and weeks after my son was born I had a revolving door of people. And it was lovely but tiring because I'm very particular - house has to be spotless, baby all dressed and ready to meet people, dog on best behavior, food and drinks out for whoever comes by, etc. So, to me, this is a great idea - anyone who asks, let them know you are picking a date to have people to meet your new baby and it'll be a brunch. That way, you clean and drive yourself crazy after just giving birth once rather than close to two dozen times. And yes, I had people close to two dozen times. EVERY SINGLE PERSON who came and visited my son would have given me gifts anyway -- when I saw them, some mailed them, some gave them at work, or gave to my mom to give me... I never, ever solicited them in any way. Many of those women ALSO came to my shower and gave gifts and then gave ANOTHER when the baby was born. The ones I had over the house didn't make me feel so bad, I had them over, sat with them, we got to talk, have cake and coffee. I felt good I "hosted" them a little and they held my son and got to spend time with him. The ones who didn't get a chance to come over and gave me gifts I felt bad accepting them and here they didn't get to meet him and I didn't have them over! I would write heartfelt thank you's because it was so nice of them. All of those people would have given gifts no matter what - I never asked, never even thought about wanting them.

And the gifts I received after the baby arrived were the most touching - most of them were more personal, with his name, or keepsakes, with his birth date, etc. Things I still have to this day and really cherish. So it boils down to that when a baby is born people bring a gift of some kind no matter what - gathering at the house to meet the baby or NOT. Because I did NOT and I got tons of stuff and had TONS of people - either stop by or send something.

And looking back, I think your idea is great - I think my family and friends would have welcomed it because the people who DID visit felt like they were "disrupting" us or imposing or "omg we don't want to wake him" -- that kind of, "you just gave birth, are you up for visitors??" but they were so antsy to meet him -- and that was so nice to me, so I would tell them it's fine! But with this method, they know you are OK with it, and you will be in a position to expect people. I think that will make those who come feel even better. In the future, I think I might do something like this. It'll save me running around two dozen times to host two dozen sets of people to meet my son! lol.

Don't worry - enjoy it.

Beautifully stated!

I didn't see your previous post, so I looked it up. I think your party sounds like a lovely idea. If I was invited by someone to a party like this, I would love to come, and would not think anyone was looking for gifts.

Re: Spinoff to My "Meet the Baby" Post

You are very welcome! :)
And sorry for any negativity that was posted over something so nice. Enjoy your party!

Spinoff to My

Down south they call this type of party a sip and see..you come, have some coffee, maybe a cookie or a bagel and stare at the baby lol!! Its a way for parents to introduce their little ones from the comfort of their own home and people to come at their own pace throughout the day to visit the new addition. I think its a great idea and people will love the laid back approach. Like a PP a few dozen bagels, some fruit and cookie platters, urn of coffee and you're good to go. I would ask a close friend, sister or parents to come help with setup and clean up only because at 4-6 weeks post partum you may be very tired and still sore. Especially if you end up with a c-section. Enjoy!!

Message edited 6/23/2015 3:50:35 PM.

Spinoff to My

Honestly, this sounds like an awesome idea. I'm not Jewish and don't like showers. Also, how is it any different than a bris (except for the snipping obviously) if you were having a boy?

Personally, I'd do it on a weekend morning and have bagels, muffins, fruit, etc. That way people can visit, grab a bagel, coo at the baby and still have the rest of their day. And you can get everyone out of your house at a decent time!