Nesting Party vs. Baby Shower: What’s the Difference?

Modern baby showers have been around since the mid-20th century, though commemorating the arrival of a child is a ritual that’s existed in human societies since ancient times. As such, it’s no wonder a new way to celebrate childrearing has reared its head recently—but what is a nesting party, anyway?

While baby showers are dedicated to gifts and games, nesting parties are geared towards practical preparations before the baby arrives. Some of the unique characteristics include:

• Activities – While baby showers are typically social events, nesting parties revolve around the organizational, preparatory, and assembly-related tasks involved in prepping for a baby.
• Guests – Some baby showers can be fairly large, but nesting parties are usually more intimate and involve your closest friends and family.
• Location – Many people select outside venues for their baby showers. Because nesting parties are about preparing the home, they’re held where the baby will come home from the hospital.
• Gifts – Baby registries are usually a keystone of baby showers, but they aren’t always a part of nesting parties. Rather, the main focus is helping with tasks—though some expecting parents could greatly appreciate material contributions!

Reasons to Throw a Nesting Party Instead of a Baby Shower

Still on the fence as to whether to go the traditional or modern route? It can be helpful to consider why other expecting parents have chosen nesting parties over baby showers. Ask yourself if:

• You need a little extra help prepping your home – From the moment you discover you’re expecting, pregnancy can feel like a never-ending to-do list. Nesting showers let you crowdsource some of the tasks on your list, from organizing baby clothes to assembling furniture. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, a nesting party could help you quash those anxieties—and have fun while doing it.
• You love activity-driven social gatherings – Do you struggle to stay put at sit-down parties? Nesting parties tend to be more dynamic than your typical baby shower. Rather than sitting in a circle playing baby games, you and your guests will stay engaged through shared efforts.
• You prefer casual to formal social occasions – Some expecting parents simply don’t like the formality of baby showers. Nesting parties offer a more relaxed setting where guests can bond through collaborative, hands-on tasks.
• You’re operating on a tight budget – A nesting party doesn’t require a venue, catering, or even décor! It’s a cost-effective opportunity to gather your nearest and dearest without any extra spending.

Do I have to choose between a nesting party and a baby shower?

Not at all! Plenty of expectant parents ultimately decide to have both. In many cases, parents or family members may expect the traditional baby shower, or they may not be mobile enough to assist with household tasks.

If your social circle is up for it, you can certainly host both a nesting party for your industrious friends and a baby shower for those who love the tradition.

What to Consider When Planning a Nesting Party

Nesting parties are a fairly new idea, which gives you plenty of latitude to improvise and customize a gathering that will genuinely help you out. When planning your event, it helps to make the following considerations.

Your To-Do List

To begin, it’s a good idea to write out all of the tasks remaining on your pre-baby to-do list. This could include:

• Setting up your nursery (e.g. the crib, nursery furniture, or décor)
• Washing, folding, and organizing baby clothes
• Preparing your changing station
• Protecting and baby-proofing your home
• Cooking and freezing meals for the postpartum recovery period

Baby Gear You Still Need

Before your party, see if there’s any baby registry essentials you’re still missing. Be sure you have enough:

• Diapers and wipes
• Bottles, formula, spit-up wipes, and nursing supplies
• Baby clothes
• Swaddlers and sleep sacks
• Transport gear, like strollers, carriers, and car seats

Group Activities vs. Solo Tasks

All is fair game at a nesting party, but it can help to divide the tasks you’re thinking of tackling into “group” and “solo” categories. For instance, some group-friendly activities could be:

• Decorating the nursery
• Setting up larger baby furniture
• Organizing your baby’s dresser
• Cooking postpartum meals
• Sterilizing your breastfeeding gear

Some tasks that can be accomplished independently could be:

• Washing baby clothes
• Folding baby clothes by item
• Setting up a crib monitor
• Cleaning pacifiers and bottles

Your Guest List

It can help to choose guests who will enjoy being of service in the spirit of your party. Close friends and family members are sure to treasure the opportunity to be included in such a valuable part of preparing for parenthood.

And don’t take it personally if your invitees aren’t sure what to expect from a nesting party! It can help to provide a brief explainer in your invitation of what to expect. That way, they’ll know whether to bring gifts or contributions and arrive revved up and ready to get their hands dirty.

Nesting Party Ideas to Throw a Unique Event for Your Household

Once you’ve established your priorities for your nesting party, it’s time to conjure up some ideas to make things feel festive and fun. Let these thoughtful, useful activities inspire you to come up with a game plan that’ll leave you feeling prepared, bonded with your loved ones, and excited to meet your new baby:

DIY-Decorate Your Nursery

Gather your paint, wall decals, and most DIY-gifted companions to give your nursery the polish your little one deserves! From stencils and wall art to hand-made baby mobiles, there are innumerable ways to turn your spare room into an oasis of care.

Before your gathering, you might try sharing a nursery mood board with your guests to exchange ideas. This way, you’ll have a plan in mind for your nursery room set-up before the date of your party.

Changing Station Set-Up

Newborns can burn through up to 12 diapers per day. Staying stocked up on changing inventory can be a tall order for new parents. Let your guests help you by organizing and stocking your baby changing station.

You’ll need:

• Diapers
• Wipes
• Diaper rash cream
• Spare sets of clothes (in case of accidents)

Collective Baby Gear Tutorials

Back to puzzling over that breast pump: In the world of modern caregiving, there are countless sophisticated gizmos that can be useful, but they aren’t always straightforward to use.

As an intermission between activities, consider making “figuring it out” a shared effort. Whether you search YouTube tutorials or have a seasoned friend demonstrate how to use an electric infant snot sucker, you and your guests are sure to share plenty of laughs learning how to be a high-tech parent in the modern era.

Prep Postpartum Recovery Meals

For those first few weeks with your newborn, stocking up on frozen meals can help you sustain your energy levels.

Sure, you can stockpile store-bought frozen meals for those early weeks and months. However, a healthier option—and an excellent way to put your loved ones to work—is prepping wholesome, homemade meals together.

Some freezable meal ideas include:

• Filling pasta dishes, like crispy mac and cheese
• Pre-prepared homemade burgers (either meat or vegetarian)
• Pre-prepared hearty soups or chilis

Dine with a Doula

Whether you’re working with someone already or you’d like to be more informed about birth and postpartum life, you might consider inviting a doula to speak at your nesting party—a heartfelt way of engaging your friends and family. A doula can answer all of your questions and give baby care tutorials. Plus, you might find it soothing to have the presence of someone who knows what to expect at your event.

If you’re on a tight budget, but still looking to throw a nesting party with some expert entertainment, queue up a podcast, talk, or lecture during quieter activities (e.g. painting your nursery walls; putting together a rocking chair).

Get Even More Excited for Baby with the SneakPeek Test®

Think of it this way: The more items you have on your to-do list, the more activities you can experiment with at your nesting party. No matter how you organize your event, your friends and family are sure to feel a special connection to your little one after helping to prepare their first home.

If you’re eager to tick more to-do items off your agenda, cross “discover baby’s sex” off the list with the SneakPeek test. The SneakPeek Early Gender Test is a simple-to-use, at-home test that lets you learn your baby’s predicted sex as early as 6 weeks into pregnancy and with over 99% clinically proven accuracy. It’s no wonder it’s the #1 OBGYN-recommended at-home early sex prediction test.*

Whether you’re ready to get more specific with your baby shower ideas or eager to paint the nursery, the SneakPeek’s test has your back. Order yours today. and start planning for your little one weeks before any type of ultrasound for pregnancy.

*SneakPeek recommended six to one among 100 OBGYNs survey