Like many moms who had a Covid baby (read my Covid birth story here), I was left wondering if and how I should celebrate my soon coming baby girl. I opted for a virtual baby shower, so I could also include people that lived out of town, unlike the drive by baby showers some women have opted for. Here are some ways you can host an amazing online baby shower.
1. Use Facebook Rooms
I did a quick pinterest search and didn’t find much, but I have done online events before so I decided to use Facebook events to host the virtual shower. They rolled out Facebook Rooms last year, making it easy to video call with up to 50 people. It’s listed as an option when you create an online Facebook Event. You can even send a link to those that do not have a Facebook account that may want to participate in the virtual baby shower.
2. Follow Up Personally
So prior to the online event date, I sent out virtual invites through Facebook messenger. I also followed up with personal calls and texts since I know it’s easy to miss event invitations. I asked my best friend to help keep the event updated and share info about my registry and event reminders to make sure everyone left time for extended shipping times due to covid delays.
I used Babylist for my baby registry because it allows you to add items from any site and also allows you to link to your registries at other stores like Target or Amazon. I added a lot of items from Etsy for custom touches for baby girl.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commision should you choose to purchase something through one of my links at no cost to you.
3. Games & Prizes
Baby shower games are a fun way to break the ice and not make it all about the gifts, especially for an online event. I saved PDFs to my phone and texted or emailed guests a few minutes prior to the event. The games we opted for were Who Knows Mommy Best and How long is each animal Pregnant. I found them on The Paper Trail Blog. I read off the answers and then asked who got the most right at the end of each game. Sending an e-gift card is a perfect game prize for a virtual shower.
4. Opening Gifts
We decorated a corner of our home with balloons and my best friend helped me wrap the gifts in gift bags (instead of amazon boxes).
It looked beautiful for everyone watching, and made it more fun to open gifts as well. Just be sure to plan out where your device will be, whether you need a tripod or someone to hold your phone, tablet, or computer. I didn’t have this delta completely ironed out, and it would have gone a little smoother had I had a tripod setup prior to the event. Since most virtual party guests will have sent you a gift, and lets be honest, everyone wants to swoon over tiny baby clothes, this part is super fun.
5. Plan to Chat
One of the reasons Facebook Rooms are so fun is the chance to see everyone’s faces! After being distant from so many for so long we are all missing the interaction, so plan to leave time to chat and catch up with as many that choose to stay for the entire event. If you’re like me and have older children, this is the perfect time to bring them on to see everyone as well.
6. Dress for the Occasion
For me personally, dressing up is one of the highlights of my baby shower. I found a super cute smock maternity dress from ASOS to wear for my virtual shower. It made me feel beautiful and I always enjoy myself more when I am feeling confident about what I’m wearing. I even dressed up my 2 year old daughter for the event as well. You can see more maternity outfits here and on my LIKEtoKNOW it page!
7. Have Fun
Most importantly, don’t stress about making it perfect. At the end of the day, your friends and family only care about celebrating you and that precious babe you’re working so hard to grow. There’s no need to make it performative. Be genuine, be you, and just have fun. I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun the online event was, because I was very sad leading up to the event knowing we were missing out on an in person event.
I hope this sparks some ideas for hosting your online shower! Not sure what to register for? Follow my Amazon Storefront to find everything you need for baby and Postpartum recovery. I even made a list of everything I loved for my first babies registry here. Congratulations on this exciting time, mama!
