How to host a “social distancing” baby shower

Follow these 5 simple steps to celebrate mama and baby while taking health and safety precautions.

The pandemic restrictions have been hard on pregnant moms. Besides having to make do without their friends’ and family’s in-person help at a time when they very much need it, they’re missing out on pregnancy milestones they were looking forward to, like a baby shower, birth classes, shopping at maternity clothing stores, or a “babymoon” vacation.

But friends and family can still shower a pregnant mama with love and show her how much she and her baby are cared for, even with COVID restrictions. Here are 5 simple steps for celebrating mom and baby with a socially distant baby shower.

1Send email invitations with plenty of time to spare.

Shipping times have been wonky due to COVID transportation issues, so if there’s a gift registry, give guests plenty of time for their gift to arrive. Send out email invitations at least a month in advance. Don’t forget a link to the registry and instructions for the event (like how to log onto the video call, where guests should park for a socially distant get together, or reminders to bring masks).

2Decide whether to have a virtual, drive-by or outdoors shower.

The easiest option might be a virtual shower with guests gathering on video call to toast the new parents. Another option is a “drive by” party, which has become commonplace in the time of COVID. You could decorate an outdoor area for the pregnant mama to sit and open gifts; just give guests a window of time to stop by so you can stagger their visits.

Another option if you’re in a low-risk area is an outdoors backyard shower. You can use a tape measure to space chairs 6 feet apart, apply disinfectant to the chair arms and any other surfaces before and after the event, and ask guests to wear masks if they need to go inside to use the bathroom.

3Plan for hands-off gift unwrapping and clean-up.

Don’t miss out on opening gifts: Half the fun of a baby shower is seeing the precious tiny clothes and clever baby gadgets! Just plan accordingly to keep everything as hands-off as possible.

If it’s a drive-by shower, have a bag handy outside for gift wrappings. If it’s in the backyard, use paper products and have a trash can outside so each guest can “clean up” after herself when she leaves. If you’re serving food, put the full place setting on each person’s seat so guests aren’t walking around near each other.

4Individually serve food and package party favors.

How to serve food at a socially distant backyard shower? You want to avoid anyone touching the same item or congregating in one area, so your best bet is to have only one person serve food while wearing a mask and washing their hands before and after serving. You might consider plating each person’s food in advance and keeping it in the fridge until they arrive.

Plan on individually packaged party favors, such as mini Bundt cakes or Rice Krispie Treats. If you’re an amateur baker (Who isn’t these days?), you could order some plastic cupcake boxes and package your own cupcakes or muffins for each guest.

5Pray for mom and baby.

Prayers have never been appreciated more than they are right now! Praying together can make the shower into an intimate, spiritual occasion for mama and guests, a bright spot in these days and a cherished memory for the future.

This is a beautiful, customizable template of Catholic prayers to bless a pregnant mother (originally found on Our Favorite Days). If you decide to use these prayers, you might print out the script and place it on each guest’s seat before she arrives, or share via email in advance of a remote gathering. Praying the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary or the Magnificat or any other prayers that are special to the pregnant mom would be fitting too.