Why Do People Have Baby Showers?

A baby shower is a way to celebrate the pending or recent birth of a child by presenting gifts to the parents at a party. 

Baby showers are usually held 4-6 weeks before the child is born.

Baby showers are a great way for friends to celebrate a mum-to-be. Having a baby shower is a very common trend outside of Nigeria and the practice is increasingly becoming more common among Nigerian young women.

Some people even choose to have the baby shower after the child is born rather than before.

While some new mothers-to-be would love to have their friends throw them a baby shower, others prefer not to have one. Some cultures around the world in fact do not believe in baby showers.

One culture in particular that is against having baby showers are the Jewish people.

Expectant Jewish parents do not to have baby showers or buy things for their baby ahead of time because they are concerned with superstition, or the “evil eye.” The evil eye has deep roots in the Jewish tradition—it’s the idea that celebrating something we anticipate before it happens, such as a shower before a baby is born, might “cause” something bad to happen to the mother or baby.

In fact, traditionally Jewish parents do not even discuss baby names until the baby is born.

While this belief may be peculiar to the Jewish culture, there may actually be advantages of having a baby shower.

Since the last couple months of pregnancy can be stressful for a mother-to-be. Hosting a baby shower can provide her with much needed emotional support, not to mention a dose of fun and companionship.

A newborn is a symbol of renewal, love and happiness, and the baby shower is a special opportunity for friends and family to join in on the momentous occasion of welcoming a new life.

Did you have a baby shower? Do you believe in them?