A baby is truly a bundle of joy and it well deserves a warm welcome in to the world.

An important traditional family event celebrated across the length and breadth of the country with the north of India celebrating it as Godh Bharaai, as Seemandam in South, as Valaikappu in Tamil regions, as Srimanth in Gujarat and as Shaad in Bengal. Every region has a unique ritualistic practice that signifies blessings for the to-be-mother and the baby.

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Organize the Shower

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Traditional celebrations of baby shower call for a lot of guests and the mother-to-be is the center of attention. Though this is a low-key celebration, there are many things that families must take into account before they organize the shower. This is the first celebration around the baby and the event will leave behind pleasant memories for years to come. Baby shower is also the occasion that will give the mom-to-be a positive frame of mind as she prepares for labour. Here are some tips to plan and manage the day:

∞ The time of celebration of godh bharai differs between cultures. Try to choose a public holiday. This way none of your guests can find excuses to miss the event

∞ Choose a venue that is close to your home. This will help you cut down on the stress of traveling and other logistics

∞ Start preparing the guest list a month prior to the date of the godh bharaai so that there is ample time to design the invite and ensure that no one is missed out

∞ Take the help of your friends to organize the décor and the theme during the event

∞ Delegate. Make specific task lists for the husband, the close friend and the relatives in the family. This will ensure that there is only little for you to handle

∞ Start planning and shopping for things required for the event theme and the games

∞ Start collecting the e-mail ids of all the guests. This will make it easy to send the invites in one go, once the invite is ready

∞ Shop for return gifts and plan ahead to take the help of friends or family members to wrap them

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In many homes, traditional practices dominate trendy new-age themes for baby showers. These are usually restricted only to the close family members. You and your husband can plan to add a fun theme to the celebration. Such theme based celebrations give you an opportunity to invite and celebrate with friends, colleagues and neighbours. Once the rituals for the day are done with, thematic décor and activities can take over.

Themes

∞ Pastels and baby colours can be the primary theme of the décor ∞ Guests can be seated on colourful plastic rocking chairs∞ Drinks can be served in small feeding bottles∞ Food can be served in bowls or baby plates∞ Replace napkins with bibs∞ Guests can be given small toys as gifts∞ The parents-to-be can be asked to cut a fondant cake that is in the shape of a pregnant belly or a diaper etc ∞ Guests can also be given badges such as Uncle-to-be, Cool-aunt-to-be

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Theme ideas:Lady Bug Theme:Lady bug is the most adored insect and it represents femininity. A lady bug theme for your baby shower would be cute and well received by your guests. Here are some ways to bring the theme alive:∞ There are lady bug cushions available that can be placed on the chairs ∞ Little cut outs of lady bugs can be hung from the ceiling∞ The guests can be requested to wear clothes in black and red

Rubber Duck Theme:The rubber duck is the most adorable toy that is used to keep a child engaged.∞ Small bowls of water with rubber ducks floating on them could be placed around the room∞ Guests can be made to walk around like ducks∞ Craft out duck beaks that can be worn by the guests

Jungle/Safari Theme:This theme gives a lot of scope for arrangements:∞ Leaves and greens can be used for the décor∞ Guests can be asked to dress up as different animals∞ The mother-to-be can herself be dressed up as a pregnant animal ∞ The spread of food can include a lot of leafy salads

Flower/Garden:Flower and gardens can represent the blossoming of something new. This is one of the best themes for a baby shower:∞ The entire room can be decorated florally with many designs∞ The women can be asked to wear flower bands∞ The guests can also be asked to make floral decorations as part of the games

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As the mother-to-be, you would be the center of the event. Baby shower will have guests galore and many activities throughout the day. Most often than not baby showers are organized when the mother-to-be is heavily pregnant. While baby shower will give you something to look forward to, the planning and the event itself call for a lot of work and involvement. It is important not to strain yourself too much. Baby shower is your day and you should make the best of the event without compromising on your health.

Planning For Mom-To-Be:

∞ During a baby shower, feeling comfortable in your clothes scores over looking your best. Choose traditional clothing sans heavy work and that is light on your body. The material you choose can differ based on the season. The make –up and henna can be light so that it doesn’t hide your pregnancy glow

∞ On the day, take ample rest before the start of the function. Hold a bottle of water close to you and keep yourself hydrated

∞ The spread of food will have many of your favourite dishes. It is however important that you don’t overload yourself as overeating may cause discomfort. Be polite and refuse too much food that is offered to you. Eat only to your capacity

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Indian Baby Shower Facts:Wondering how your counterparts in other regions celebrate their baby showers? Here is a peek into their traditions. It will be exciting to exchange ideas between cultures to make your shower more exciting. Indeed an interesting idea and the right time for the birth of national integration, isn’t it? ;-)

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Godh Bharaai or Godh Bharai means ‘filling-the-lap’ of the mother-to-be with blessings and gifts. Traditionally godh bharai is celebrated with elders placing gifts of cash and jewellery, fruits and cash on the lap of the pregnant woman

Valaikaappu which is the traditional baby shower celebration in Tamilnadu is celebrated by stacking valayals (bangles) on the hands of the mother-to-be. These bangles are not removed until labour. And during labour they are removed one by one to take the lady’s mind off the pain of contractions

In the Gujrati Shrimant, the junior brothers-in-law of the pregnant woman gently press her cheek to leave imprints of vermillion. In our culture, the lil bro-in-law is treated as a son. By gently caressing the sister-in-law, the brother-in-law reminds her not to forget her pseudo son, just because she is going to give birth to her own child soon. The lady in turn gives her brother-in-law gifts to reaffirm her affection for him and reminding him of his duties of a soon-to-be uncle

In Shaad or the Bengali baby shower, the pregnant woman is served her favourite delicacies. The idea is that a happy tummy mommy will make for a happy baby

Seemantham performed by the south Indian Hindu families is a religious ceremony. A special paste is made with tender banyan leaves and poured into the nostril of the pregnant woman with a silk cloth. This is supposed to confer immunity upon the baby

Dohal Jevan celebrated in Maharashtra literally means to satisfy the food cravings of the pregnant woman.

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Unlike other events, baby shower is about you and your baby. In the process of organizing the event, do not forget to think about yourself and how you can make this event as memorable as possible. Small but significant things that you do around this time will sustain the joy for a lifetime.

Tips

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∞ Baby shower is the right excuse to have a pregnancy portfolio done with your husband. Look out for a good photographer who can capture the special moments that you can treasure for a lifetime

∞ Right after the baby shower, it is a good idea to plan a short getaway or vacation before the baby arrives. This will be the last trip the two of you can take before the baby comes and helps a great deal to take your mind off the stress of labour

∞ The cash gifts that you receive during the baby shower can be saved up to decorate the baby room. Involve the guests at the shower to suggest creative ideas to do up the baby room

∞ Why not invite your gynecologist to the shower? Though her schedule may keep her busy, it will be a nice gesture to invite the person who gives your little one its first welcome into the world

∞ Through the baby shower, your child starts receiving love and care even before it is born. Some children are however not so lucky. Why not make this day special by making a donation to a children’s home?

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The traditional customs of baby shower can make the event a solemn occasion. Including fun games to the shower will make the day exciting for both the mother-to-be as well as the guests. The themes of these games revolve around the baby and the parents-to-be. Babies always bring families together. These activities provide opportunities for families to bond well.

Games

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∞ The gender guessing game is commonly played during traditional godh bharai ceremonies. The pregnant lady is asked to pick a wrapped sweet that could either be a pedha or a barfi. It is believed that a pedha means she is expecting a boy and a barfi means she is expecting a girl

∞ Chits of paper are given to the guests. They are requested to write down one blessing on the paper. This can be just one word or couple of phrases such as ‘Health’, ‘Wealth’ or can even be light-hearted ones such as ‘world-tour’, ‘Lamborghini’. These are then dropped into a fish bowl. The mommy to be can then read out the blessings that her little one has received. Alternatively, the guests can be asked to read out their blessings for the child and this can be video taped∞ A number of baby things

including diapers, bottles, and pacifiers are laid out on a tray. The guests are allowed to have one look and the tray is covered. The guests are then made to recall the items and make a list of them

∞ Participants are given baby dolls and other material such as diapers, baby powders, clothes and so on. They are asked to dress up the dolls in the shortest time possible

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As godh bharai is a celebration involving a majority of women, the gifting ideas revolve around things that will be cherished by the womenfolk:

Return Gifts Ideas

∞ Scented diyas or candles

∞ Decorated jewellery boxes

∞ Embroidered scarves or stoles

∞ Mirror-work clutches/purses

∞ Hand-made thank you cards with a photo of the guest along with you

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