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Adoption Baby Shower Ideas
Throw an Adoption Baby Shower! Adoption is a miracle in the lives of the new parents and should be celebrated in equal manner as any other baby shower. Adoptive mothers and fathers need and deserve just as much love and support as birth parents. There are some concerns and details to take into account that are specific to an adoptive baby shower: Give the adoptive parents a few weeks with their new child before throwing the baby shower. Talk with them to see when would be best for them. Send the baby shower invitations out after the child is with the parents about 3-4 weeks before the shower. It is also a REALLY good idea to include the age of the child on the invitations. This helps the guests to buy age appropriate clothes and gifts. It's also good to include the adopted child's name and adoption date. Avoid any references on the invitations (and the entire baby shower for that matter) to pregnancy, birth, labor stories, etc. as the new mom may be sensitive to such issues. Or if the baby was adopted from New York you could do a "Big Apple" theme. Wherever the child was adopted from, choose something distinctive about that area and use it for a theme. For example, if the child is adopted from the California coast, you could do an ocean theme. A good theme to use is always the nursery theme that the expectant mother has chosen for the nursery. Many adoption baby showers are co-ed or Couples baby showers . The father-to-be has often put in just as much concern, effort and love into the adoption as the mother-to-be and so a Couples baby shower is a celebration for him too! If no specific theme is desired, that is just fine. No theme is needed and you could just do a "baby" themed baby shower. All of these games , favors , decorations , and food ideas can be used for a general "baby" theme. And it can be a very CUTE baby shower with just a "baby" theme. If the child is older than 2, you could throw a "Welcome Party" rather than a baby shower. Just like at any other baby shower, games are a fun way to celebrate a new child. They get all of the guests laughing, interacting and thinking about the new child. Here are some great games to paly at an adoption baby shower . Any baby themed games (like Baby Name Scramble, Baby Bingo, Nursery Rhyme game) are great choices and a lot of fun. The only word of caution I have is to avoid any baby shower games that are related to preganancy (Guess how big Mommy's tummy is, for example). If the adopted child is over a year or two old, then the baby themed games might not be the best, but mother or parenting related games would be better. If it is an international adoption, you could play this international baby shower game ... You could also create a game specifically for the mother, baby and/or adoption. For example, you could have a globe or map out and have people guess what part of China or Texas (or wherever the baby was born) the child was born. Or you could have everyone guess the child's birthday and give a prize to the closest guess. The Favors , Food and Decorations depend wholly upon the Baby Shower Theme. There is no special consideration or difference with these details that pertain to an adoption baby shower specifically. Just follow the guidelines by clicking the links to each appropriate category. Adoptive parents need just as much love and support as do birth parents. And we can show that love through a baby shower gift. When considering a gift for an adopted child, you should consider what age the baby is. Most adopted children are not newborns. So if a guest bought some newborn clothes and booties as a gift, it would be embarrassing if the gift was too small and didn't fit. A baby older than 1 year old doesn't need baby formula. Diapers vary in size according to age and weight. Pacifiers might not be used by an older child. Bottom Line for Gifts: Find out the age of the adopted child when he/she will be placed with the parents and buy an age related gift. The addition of a child to a family, be it by birth, or adoption is a special and wonder event and one that should be celebrated. A baby shower for adopting parents is so meaningful for them and such a help! Be sensitive to the parents' feelings - there is no way to know the pain and hardship that may have preceded the adoption. No references to pregnancy. No references to birth or labor. No references to nursing. Focus on the baby and the parents' joy and the cute things they enjoy about their baby. Include the mommy-to-be in the planning and make it a memorable time of love for her and the father-to-be.
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