Pregnancy is a special time for women. It’s a time when we develop the maternal bond with our growing child. It’s a time during which we can fantasize about all of the possibilities that the promise of new life brings. It’s a time when we can finally not feel guilty about putting on a few extra pounds. But with all of the magic of pregnancy, there are a few aspects that are, shall we say, less magical. Morning sickness, hormonal surges, anxiety, and perhaps worst of all, the constant stress that comes from spending nine months as a total slave to your our own bodies—these trials can have a way of wearing us down emotionally, to the point where all we want to do is curl up in a ball and cry.
Thankfully, there are ways to help offset those third-trimester blues, and one of the most effective is a well-planned babyshower. Babyshowers help expectant mothers regain the excitement of pregnancy, while also (hopefully) getting some useful baby-related gifts along the way. However, unless you have some good baby shower decoration ideas, you just won’t be able to capture the right festive spirit. Well, we’re here to help. If you find yourself trying to plan a baby shower, but don’t know what to do about the decor, take a look at our list of cute, homemade baby shower decoration ideas. With a little bit of time and imagination, you’ll be able to turn your apartment into the perfect party palace for any mom-to-be.
1.General baby shower ideas
Many who throw baby showers like to have a specific theme in mind. On the other hand, there’s something to be said for a generic, themeless baby shower: It’s simple, it appeals to a wider group of people, and it doesn’t take a whole lot of explaining. And, should you be looking for coed baby shower decoration ideas, generic is probably where you’ll need to start. Of course, that’s not to say that a generic baby shower can’t also be fun and creative. Here are some cute baby shower decoration ideas that should work with any theme (or no theme at all).
- Get the colors right. Traditionally, there have been two dominant colors when it comes to baby showers: pink for girls and blue for boys. And, to be honest, you really can’t go too wrong with just sticking with this formula. On the other hand, if you really want to make something fun and memorable, why not branch out? Speak with the mother-to-be, and find out if she has a specific color in mind for her baby. Maybe she’s been trying out some decorating ideas for the baby room, and has found a color that she really likes. Maybe she doesn’t know the sex of her baby, and needs a color that would fit either gender equally well. The point is, if she is already imagining a specific color, then the baby shower will be all the more special if you can incorporate that color into the design. And how can you go about doing that? There are the simple ways—colored streamers, cupcakes, flowers, etc. Or, you can go all out. Have you considered painting your apartment walls the new color? If it’s a color that you like, and if doing so won’t violate your rental contract, why not give it a try? You can always repaint the walls later if you’d like, and your baby shower guest of honor will know that you cared enough to go the extra mile.
- Build a diaper cake. As unappetizing as a ‘diaper cake’ may sound, it’s actually a beloved and much-appreciated gift for parents of new babies. In essence, it’s a ‘cake’ made almost entirely out of diapers, and no, it’s not meant to be eaten. To make a diaper cake, you’ll need approximately 50–100 diapers (try to stick with size two diapers, as the baby will likely outgrow the smaller sizes really quickly), a pack of average-sized rubber bands, three large rubber bands, a roll of paper towels, a piece of flat cardboard, 8–10 small washcloths, a teething blanket, and various baby-themed decorations and toys. Start by rolling each diaper into a tight cylinder, and then securing them into that shape with one average-sized rubber band each. Stand the roll of paper towel roll on its end, and then arrange the the diapers standing on end around the paper towel roll. Continue placing diapers in an ever-growing circle until you have an entire ‘tier’ of the cake, four or five diapers deep. Encircle the entire tier with one of your large rubber bands. Pick up the entire tier, and place it on your flat cardboard piece, and use a pencil to trace a circle around it. Cut out that circle, and leave the first tier sitting on top of it (so that the diaper cake will be transportable without falling apart). Move on to your second tier, and again arrange diapers so that they form a second, smaller circle around the center roll of paper towels. Use a large rubber band to secure this tier, and then move onto the third, and final, tier. This last tier will be made up of washcloths which have been similarly rolled into cylinders and wrapped in rubber bands. Follow the same process as with the first two tiers. Once all three of the tiers are secured, finish off the ‘cake’ by decorating it in various other baby toys, gifts, and decorations.
- Make a quilt. Even if you don’t consider yourself a seamstress, you can still help make a comfy quilt for the baby boy or girl to snuggle into. One of the best parts about creating a baby-shower quilt is that the decoration is also an activity and a gift. Use a 5×5” square of cardboard and some light, solid-colored fabrics to cut out several identical squares of fabric (one or two pieces for each guest). Have each guest use fabric markers, along with any stencils (cookie cutters work well) to decorate the squares. Leave a ½ inch border on each square, and have each guest sign their name to their squares. Arrange the squares in the way that you prefer, and then sew them together to create the front of the quilt. Cut a single piece of fabric to size for the back panel. Sew the front and back pieces together, leaving a 1’ wide opening on the bottom of the quilt (sew the front and back together inside-out so that the stitches are less visible). Turn the quilt right-side-out, and then stuff it with batting until it reaches the desired fluffiness. Display the quilt for the duration of the party, and then send it home with your guest of honor.
2.Baby shower decorating ideas for boys
In today’s society, traditional gender roles are becoming less sharply defined. That having been said, many mothers still like to have gender-specific decorations and gifts to mark the arrival of their little one. Fortunately, when it comes to decoration ideas for baby showers for boys, you don’t need a Y chromosome to know how to celebrate one. Here are a few of our favorite boy baby shower decoration ideas with a DIY twist:
*pro tip – This is also very popular for girls as well
- Decorate some boy-themed onesies. With all of the pee, poop, spit up, and everyday wear and tear that finds its way onto a baby’s clothes, new parents often find themselves running short on clean baby clothes. Help out by creating some nice boy-themed onesies that can be thrown on at a moment’s notice. Small onesies can be decorated to look like sports jerseys, super hero costumes, three-piece suits, etc., with the use of fabric ink and non-puffy fabric paint, and can then be hung on the walls or on clotheslines. Have every guest decorate their own onesie, show them off around the room, and then send the onsies home with the mom-to-be once the party has ended. You can also flip the script on this and use it for girls as well. Just simply change the colors and decoration accordingly.
- Have a ball. Little boys and sports enthusiasm go together like frosting and cupcakes, so sports-themed cupcakes for a boy baby shower just kind of makes sense. After all, cupcake decorating ideas for baby showers aren’t only for girls; cupcakes of different colors can be arranged mosaic-style to create sports imagery, or cookies and cupcakes can be decorated individually to resemble various sports balls. A little permanent marker on an appropriately colored balloon can also result in an inflatable facsimile of various sports balls.
- Cowboy up. Even if the expectant mother isn’t really into country western culture (but especially if she is), a cowboy-themed baby shower is a fun way to welcome little cowpokes into the world. Most cowboy baby shower decoration ideas involve the liberal use of cowboy hat imagery, along with boots and horses. But while you can certainly plaster cutouts of hats, boots, and horses on your walls, consider turning your apartment into an old-west saloon instead. Get some old lace tablecloths to cover your tables, and encourage guests to come in western costume. Top place settings with miniature cowboy hats and other baby-sized western wear, and use tea-dyed cardstock with guests’ names printed in fun western-style fonts (such as Slacky, Griffy, or Fredericka the Great) to designate place settings.
- Make it super. No matter what kind of man he turns out to be as an adult, there’s a good chance that the baby boy in question will spend a good portion of his youth wishing he were a superhero. Why not just go with it? A superhero-themed DIY baby shower is relatively easy to accomplish. Use black construction paper to decorate the walls like a sprawling cityscape, with silhouetted buildings stretching across the horizon. Supply fabric inks and paints, along with solid-color baby bibs, and encourage guests to create their own baby ‘capes.’ These cape-bibs will come in handy once the baby starts sampling solid food, and will help everyone get excited about the future superhero in their midst.
3.Baby Shower Decorating Ideas for Girls
As much fun as a boy-themed baby shower can be, there are few things as delightfully girly as a baby shower for a new daughter. Often, this means flowers, beautifully decorated treats, and lots and lots of pink. On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with breaking tradition to try something new. The most important thing is that the expectant mother feels special and ends up with some good supplies. Here are several DIY baby shower decorations for girls that you might consider; just how traditional you decide to go with these girl baby shower DIY decorations is totally up to you.
- Doll-up the beverages. For an easy baby shower decoration idea on a budget, dressing up simple water bottles is a nice way to go. Get some tulle fabric or some bows, and wrap the bottles so that they look like little dresses or tutus. Alternately, you could buy or make some small, doll-sized dresses, and then ‘dress’ the bottles up to look like little girls (you might need a glue gun to get the outfits to stay where they’re supposed to.
- Use baby shoe party favors. What is it about little girls’ baby shoes that is so adorable? Whatever it is, the truth is that expectant mothers are simply nuts for baby shoes. So, give the mom-to-be what she want’s, and purchase several different pairs of new baby shoes (one pair per guest). Tie each pair together with some ribbon, and add a name card so that each guest knows which pair is theirs. Place a small decorative bag filled with treats and party favors in each shoe, and when each guest has enjoyed their loot, have them give the shoes to the mom to take home.
- Princess balloon hangers. It’s been said that every little girl is a princess, so it only makes sense to throw a princess-themed baby shower. And while things like plastic tiaras and other princess-related decorations can easily be found at local party supply stores, we’ve stumbled upon one of the most magically princessy baby shower decorating ideas for a girl. Simply purchase some ribbon, several bags of balloons in the appropriate colors (pinks tend to be a favorite for princess-themed showers), and also pick up several rolls of pennies from the bank. Place one or two pennies into every balloon, and then inflate the balloons (being extra careful not to inhale any of the pennies). Next, tie a very short length of ribbon to each balloon (6–9” should be enough), and then use masking tape to attach the other end of each ribbon to the ceiling. The weight from the penny will cause the balloon to hang suspended upside down like a large raindrop. Cover the entire ceiling with these balloons to give your apartment a fairytale-like appearance that is perfect for any princess-themed baby shower.
- Rose centerpieces. There are a number of easy DIY decorating ideas for baby shower tables that will give your party a fun and festive feeling. However, if you’re looking for something elegant, beautiful, and small enough to keep from infringing on valuable table space, then these DIY rose centerpieces might be what you’re looking for. Just purchase a dozen roses from the local grocer or florist, and clip them so that only an inch or two of stem remains. Then, get some basic glass (or even clear plastic) votive candleholders. Place one rose each in the candleholder, and set them around the table. The delicate beauty of the flowers will bring a feeling of classic femininity to the baby shower, and the rose’s natural fragrance will help everyone enjoy the experience even more. Of all of the centerpiece ideas for baby shower tables, this one may be the most simple, and the most effective.
What did we miss? Share your own DIY baby shower design ideas in our comments-section!