It would be wonderful if you got everything you needed for your baby at your baby shower. It rarely happens though. When you become pregnant, your mind fills with images of chubby cheeks, sticky kisses, and precious layettes. People tell you to wait until after to shower to shop, to avoid returns, because “you will get everything you need”. This is often untrue. Unfortunately, not everything you need (or even things you asked for) will come from your baby shower. So how do help guide your loved ones towards the useful gifts rather than 8-foot stuffed dragons that will your baby before they play with it?

Here are a few things you can do so that requests are polite, but your message clear.

1. Register at places other than Babies R Us and Carter’s. A lot of people feel too intimidated by the prices and will end up having to guess (hence the huge stuffed dragon that your baby will scream at the sight of, rather than cuddle with). Target and JC Penney both have gift registries that are accessible both in-store and on-line.

2. If you are in on your shower planning, or at least know who will be throwing it for you, request one of our Diaper Cakes. Not only are they elegant and beautiful, they’re affordable and made of high quality, usable diapers.

3. Ask one of your friends to be involved in the planning of your shower, if at all possible. Many friends tend to listen to your requests better than family members who may not know you as well as they think you do. Having a friend as your shower liaison ensures that people of different income levels will be referred to the appropriate registry (if this is necessary) so that your requests are more likely to be honored.

4. Know what you want… and don’t ask for it. Well, don’t ask everybody. Think of what you want and/or need. When people ask you what you want for the baby, tell each person something different. You can tell two people the same thing, but no more than that. It is when you tell everyone that you want a Diaper Genie that you end up with four of them. If you don’t get the Diaper Genie at all, and you want it that badly, you’ll buy it anyway.

5. Know the specific keepsakes that you want and aim for functional, personalized ones. Big Dot of Happiness has Mommy- and Daddy-to-be gifts that are useful, affordable, and keepsake-worthy. Go for the Advice Cards, which act as both a party activity for your guests and indispensable knowledge for you.

6. Keep your registries updated. Many retailers mark a product on your list when it has been purchased. Unfortunately, not everyone pays attention. Yes, it will ruin the surprise, but it keeps you from endless returns and exchanges. Another option is to give a friend your password and let her (or him) monitor the gifts, deleting what is no longer needed.

Don’t let this stuff scare you. A screaming infant at four a.m. is imposing enough, after all. The most important thing about a shower is not the gifts, it’s the parents-to-be and celebrating the joy of a new life with family and friends.

Posted by Jillian, a Dot-arilla Blogger