So it is your turn to host a shower and you have no idea where to begin. What food do I serve? What games should we play? Who should I invite? When should I have it? When do I send out invitations? How much will this cost? If this is your first time all of these questions are probably running through your head.

Stop for a minute a take a breath. Relax, believe me ladies I am a professional when it come to party planning. I am a professional when it comes to party planning Just follow these easy baby shower planning steps and you will be on your way to hosting a fun, and impressive, baby shower.

Step One: Set the Date.

It is usually best to have the shower two to three months before the anticipated due date. This will help make sure that the mother is in attendance and enjoying herself! It would be a real shame to go through all the work of planning a shower and then not have your guest of honor rushing off to the hospital!

Step Two: Build the Guest List.

Once you have the date set, it is time to think about getting a guest list together. Sit down with the mother to be and come up with the number of people that she would like to invite and that you can accommodate. Once you have the guest list ironed down it is time to start sending out invitations.

Step Three: Send Invitations.

You should try to send out the invitations 6-8 weeks in advance. This gives guests plenty of time to plan, clear their calendars and R.S.V.P.

Make sure to include the time, date, and address of the party, as well as R.S.V.P. number and name. It also might be helpful to include an e-mail address for people to R.S.V.P. to. This is sometimes much more convenient than phone calls. Also make sure to include a separate slip with directions to the host home and any registry information.

Step Four: Plan Time Schedule of Activities.

I usually set up baby showers like this, as people are arriving have snacks and beverages set out. Allow time (usually around 20-30 minutes) for everyone to arrive. After people have arrived and had a chance to settle in and have a bite to eat, move to a room for a few ice breaker games.

After you have played games it is time for the mother to be to open gifts. Make sure she has someone to right down who gives which gifts for thank you cards. When gifts have been opened and past around, I usually cut cake and set out punch. This gives time for people to visit for a little while and then leave as they are ready.

A shower should usually take about an hour and a half to two hours, but allow extra time, you dont want to rush you guest off early.

Step Five: Plan the Menu.

Really, anything is appropriate for a baby shower. Finger foods and salads are very convenient. Be creative you could pick a theme, Mexican, picnic food, soups, or maybe just lay out a spread of the mother-to-bes favorite foods. Make sure that you are aware of any special diet needs and then just have fun with it!

Step Six: Decide on Decorations

Decorations do not have to be elaborate. You may just want to lay out some nice table clothes with a bundle of flowers as centerpieces. If you have planned your menu with a theme, try to coordinate your decorations with the theme. There are also the classic decorations of crepe paper and balloons. Make the environment fun and comfortable and you wont go wrong.

Step Seven: Pick out Party Favors

Party favors can be a variety of things. You can shop at your local party supply store for fun little trinkets. A great gift idea is to purchase small, inexpensive baby bottles and fill them with pastel party mints. Insert a paper with the address of a local womens shelter or crises pregnancy center and a brief note asking guests to fill the baby bottles with change and then donate that money the shelter.

Step Eight: Confirm Guest List

This should be done about two weeks before the shower. Check back with the people on your guest list and confirm who is going to be able to come and who cannot make it. This will give you a good idea of how much food and favors to buy, and will help you to make sure that everyone received there invitation.

Step Nine: Purchase Food and Favors

You should do this two to three days before the shower. This way you will make sure that everything is fresh, and that you have enough of everything to accommodate your guest list. You cant go wrong with purchasing extra; you can give whatever is left to guests as they leave, if you need to.

Step Ten: Prepare Food, Decorate, and Host

Prepare any food that you can the night before and put up decorations. That way on the day of the party, all you have to do is worry about your guests.