Were there children at your baby shower? If so, did you feel attention was taken away from your party?
I've been invited to a baby shower of a close friend and I was asked by the hostess to not bring LO as she does not want attention taken off my friend. I was taken aback.
Thoughts?
bananas / 9118 posts
I had our two little girl cousins at mine- it was a family shower, and it was so much fun having them there. I don't feel like any attention was lost, but I guess that's for the hostess to decide.
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
Wow. Doesn't want your cutie to steal her thunder? 
We had a 4 year old at my shower. I wouldn't mind if people brought their LOs to my shower.Does your friend know that the hostess asked you not to bring the baby?
grapefruit / 4400 posts
I don't mind children at showers at all. I actually sent my guestlist and addresses to MIL (who is hosting my shower) and then included LO's names for guests who have kids. MIL replied that she wasn't planning on inviting the children because there would be "a lot of excitement" and she wasn't sure who was going to watch them (their moms, maybe?).
I know my best friend was planning on bringing her 1 1/2 year old daughter, but after seeing that email, she's not so sure about it anymore (she's helping plan the shower so she was CC'd onto the email).
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
We had kids at mine. But I hate attention and loved having the LO's there because 1. I want the attention off of me and 2. I love having them around.
I've taken my LO to a baby shower. I do agree that babies always seem to take the attention, but she didn't seem to mind either.
grapefruit / 4056 posts
My baby shower is child friendly, and we let people know that it was okay for them to bring their kids ... I don't understand the whole "thunder stealing" phenomenon ... some people are so insecure.
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
@HabesBabe: I feel like it's one of those things where the mom can make the decision for themselves. If I don't feel like it's appropriate for my LO to be there, I woulnd't bring her. But usually at showers it's just sitting around, mingling and eating.
hostess / wonderful apple seed / 16729 posts
Wow, really? I thought kids at a baby shower was a normal thing. I thought it was pretty much a given.
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
@Rubies: Ugh. That sucks. I'm sure your friend wouldn't mind if you brought the baby..
pomegranate / 3980 posts
There were a ton of kids/ babies at my baby shower, I honestly didn't mind at all. The parents kept them under control and everything was fine. I would be a little upset if someone made me leave my little girl at home!
coconut / 8234 posts
I think kids at baby showers is awesome! I wanted my 10-month old godson to come but his mommy (my BFF) wanted just a girl's weekend--but there was a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old and a 13 year old at my shower.
I just figured of all the parties that you could bring a child to, it would be a baby shower.
grapefruit / 4400 posts
@artbee: I totally agree! I don't know how "exciting" eating finger sandwiches and opening presents would be. Oh well... half of my friends have kids, so I'm curious what will happen in a month!
grapefruit / 4187 posts
My older sister felt so bad that she had to bring her newborn to my bridal shower that she actually had her MIL come and keep the baby in the basement so he wouldn't take attention away from me. I thought she was nutzo and I demanded that he be brought up for us to poke at! 
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
I think that's a little weird, every baby shower I've been to welcomes children.
At my shower there was like 10 kids haha, but each are integral parts of my lives - my nanny kids, my littlest sister, my two little cousins and a couple kids I used to babysit.
So many times people can't come unless they can bring their kids. And kids are easily entertained, all the showers I went to, I never felt put-off by the kids being there.
@MsMini: not sure I would even mind thunder-stealing lol... it's incredibly awkward to have the focus on you for an ENTIRE day. I felt like everyone was just watching me.
honeydew / 7589 posts
I think that's kind of nuts, personally. I would think out of all parties, baby showers should allow LO's. But I suppose that different people would feel differently about it. I certainly wouldn't mind.
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
@miss-spunkin: That's why for all my showers I had my 5 year old niece help me with gifts. Everyone ooohed and ahhhhed over how cute she was, instead of paying attention to me. Loved it!
grape / 95 posts
There was one baby at my shower and I loved it. In fact, I included a note on the guest list for the hostess with all the babies that may possibly attend (but as it turned out, only 1 came) I didn't think it took away from my shower at all and wasn't even a question in my book.
However, one of my best friends is having a baby shower just two weeks after my LO is due to arrive. We're both invited but it did cross my mind that I wouldn't want her to steal the show or be in the way because she'll just be a newborn. So, I'm kind of contradicting myself here. I guess I'm saying that it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility for the host to make this request?
kiwi / 537 posts
We had a 5 at mine and I was more than OK with it. I also brought my LO to one when she was about a month old. I asked the hostess beforehand though and would have understood if they preferred her not to be there.
pomegranate / 3329 posts
Our three kids were at ours, along with their cousins. I just went to one last month and there were lots of kids there, include my baby. Does the hostess not have kids? IMO it sounds like something someone who doesn't have/want/isn't expecting would say...
grapefruit / 4400 posts
@StbHisMrs: I don't think that necessarily has anything to do with it (having kids or not). My MIL/host doesn't want kids at my shower, either, and she obviously has kids
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
Heck yeah! I wanted our nieces and nephews there! There were 5 kids 8 and under. My niece(8) and 2 nephews (8,5) and my husband's niece (4). The younger one would have came as well if my MIL felt comfortable traveling with 2 young kids. My husband's cousin asked to bring her LO (13 months) when she found out there will be other kids so MIL can meet her for the first time. I had no problems whatsoever.
I personally did not feel attention was taken off me. But then some people want ALL the attention on them
We actually scheduled the shower so that the kids will be on Spring Break and can attend.
I don't know everyone that knows me knows that our nieces and nephews are extremely important to me. They were at my bridal shower as well.
hostess / wonderful grape / 20803 posts
My sister hosted my shower and her two little toddler girls were there. Also my cousin brought her toddler twin girls and one of my friends brought her 6 month old. I told all my friends with babies to bring them if they wanted but most did not because they wanted an afternoon off! I had no problem with kids at out shower. But, I personally would not bring my LO to a shower if I could avoid it because I know my attention would be more on my baby and less on the honoree.
grapefruit / 4703 posts
People love to see the mommy-to-be interacting with kids / holding babies at baby showers, at least in my experience!
eggplant / 11824 posts
Some people don’t want kids at a baby shower because it might steal their thunder? Oh, Lord.
There were kids at my baby shower; I honestly would never have guessed anyone wouldn’t want children at a baby shower. Isn’t celebrating babies/children sort of you know, the whole point of a shower?? LOL
persimmon / 1465 posts
Really? How much attention does one person need? And it's a baby shower, not really a super important milestone the mum-to-be has been working her whole life towards. Does everyone at the shower have to pay complete attention to the Mum the whole time they are there. Sorry, my tolerance for people's ridiculous behaviour is at a low level today.
Anyway, at my shower my nephew (11) tagged along. He heard there would be wall to wall cake. lol. A good friend brought her 6 month old baby. The cutest baby you have ever seen! It was great. I had such a lovely afternoon. Even with my thunder stolen. lol.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
I'd love to have kids at my shower! It's ladies only, though. Had I thought about it, I would have told my friends to invite ladies and families.
grapefruit / 4554 posts
I had my nieces and nephews at mine. So a total of 8 kids was at mine and wouldn't have changed it.
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
How can you not welcome kids at a baby shower? Man, I'd hate to see what happens when the baby comes ... sorry, your thunder will be stolen then for sure.
pear / 1837 posts
The only time I'd object to children at my baby shower would be if the shower was at 9 PM on Halloween and you want to bring your twin 8 year old boys after trick-or-treating.
Other than that, I'd think baby showers would be the most welcoming social events for little kids! There were two babies at my shower. Especially if the group of attendees don't know each other well, babies are good icebreakers!
I guess I could see not wanting kids if you do some kind of fancy baby shower tea at the Ritz or something, but most of the ones I've attended have been in people's homes, where you'd think it was fine to bring a baby.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
I had 5 kids at my shower! I wanted them there!
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts
I can't imagine not having my nieces, cousin's kids, friend's kids at my shower. And I don't mind the attention being taken away, I love little kiddos!
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
Um... if you're about to pop about a kid you better get used to babies "stealing" the attention away from you! I could understand someone not wanting older children (8,9, 10 years) since they would likely get bored and possibly get into trouble. But I would always expect that babies and toddlers are invited to a baby shower.
pomegranate / 3414 posts
We had about 7 kids at my shower. The menu was even designed to be kid friendly: chicken nuggets and tossed salad.
pomegranate / 3225 posts
I would love to have my friend's well behaved children at my shower. My own nephews, however, which are little hellions, I can see not inviting. They are constantly screaming/having fits so it would not be a condusive environment!
GOLD / pomelo / 5167 posts
Nope! Only women. I just don't understand Jack and Jill baby showers, the men don't care about onesies and baby stuff.
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