Ever Thought About A Co-Ed Baby Shower?

The roles dads play in the birth of their child has changed a lot over the last few decades! A father's contribution use to consist of calling the OB-Gyn, remembering the overnight bag, and getting the mom safely to the hospital before the contractions got too close. He'd settle in the waiting room with all the other expectant fathers until the doctor came out and gave him all the vital statistics on his new bundle of joy. Then he'd pass out a gift of cigars or doughnuts.

Today's fathers are bravely entering areas that terrified the dads of yesteryear. Doctor appointments. Lamaze classes. Labor rooms. They show sonograms at work and peruse baby name books. They know how to strap a car seat into their SUV and can identify a breast pump. More than ever, dads are stepping up to the plate and participating in their baby's birth.

However, there is still one area, one bit of uncharted territory left to conquer: the Baby Shower.

Now, I know some of you Moms-to-Be aren't too thrilled about this. After all, the baby shower is that blissful time when you get the attention you deserve for all the swollen feet, weird cravings, and heart burn you've experienced for months. The time before you enter the no-sleep-for-days-lucky-if-I-get-a-real-shower zone. I understand completely and I would never want to take that moment away from you. You deserve it. The decorations. The gifts. The pacifier shaped mints. You also deserve a Medal of Honor and a life time supply of Godiva Chocolates.

All I am saying is that there is bound to be more than one baby shower planned for this little bundle of joy and wouldn't it be nice if one of them included the Dad?

I'm not suggesting that Daddy attend the girly, giggly, awe-that's-so-cute party favors and place card holders shower. I'm talking about a get together that meets in the middle between sports bar and afternoon tea. Here are some suggestions.

At a company I worked for, we honored every expectant employee-Mom or Dad-with a baby shower. We would set aside an afternoon and every employee would gather in the conference room to enjoy a baby themed cake and some refreshing punch. Everyone would bring a gift, but it was the same gift. Diapers. Diapers of every size the child might possibly need in his lifetime. Sometimes we coordinated the size by department. Engineering was in charge of new born. Human Resources brought toddler. Sometimes the departments decided amongst themselves who would bring the sizes. But it was diapers all the way! The new parents loved it and they all came to expect they would have a diaper shower at sometime. The rest of the employees had a great time as well because it gave us a much needed opportunity to interact with each other on a personal basis. You can easily adapt this to a friend's shower as well. What new parents can't use diapers?

The other idea was one my friends and I thoroughly enjoyed. We invited not only the new parents, but we invited couples. Grandma and Grandpa. Aunts and Uncles. Friends and relatives, male and female. They all were invited. Sometimes we had cookouts with hot dogs and hamburgers, baked beans, and potato salad by someone's pool. Sometimes we rented a room and catered barbecue with all the fixings. Or closed down a friend's bar for the afternoon and everyone brought a dish. Whatever the location, we brought presents and played games. Yep, the traditional baby shower games. Let me tell you, nothing is funnier than watching a guy with one hand tied behind his back try to fasten an old fashioned cloth diaper on a baby doll! Or to watch a group of guys racing each other to see who is the first to suck the beverage of their choice from a baby bottle!

These are just two ideas. I bet you can think of more if you put your mind to it. The point is, let Mom have her day with all the sweetness. Don't take that away from her. She more than deserves it. But I have seen how much fun the dads have had at these showers and I can tell you, you won't regret one co-ed baby shower. It will create a memory no one will ever forget. Especially the father!

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