More commonly known as ‘Man Yue’ in Mandarin (满月), Baby showers can be quite a big occasion in Singapore. Planning for one can quite a mean feat especially for new parents. Here’s a checklist to help you plan for your baby shower.

1. Budget

How much are you willing to spend for your baby’s shower? The amount you spend will determine the kind of baby shower you would like to have – Are you thinking of a big party or a small cosy affair? Food will cost the most so do set aside enough budget for this portion.

2. Who to Invite

After you have allocated your budget, come up with a guest list with your spouse on who you two would like to invite – Relatives, school friends, colleagues, other groups of friends, etc.

Tip: If you are not sure who to invite from your in-law’s side, you may want to check with your spouse before sending the invites out.

3. Venue

If you are looking at a small and cosy affair, home is a good place to start (if you don’t mind to clean and wash up later on). Other venues you may want to consider are Public function rooms (SAFRA, NTUC Clubhouses), restaurants and cafes.

Suggestion: Want something out of the box? Try your nearby parks or even the local museums.

4. Food

Judging from your guest list, what sort of food will suit their taste buds? Are majority of your guests Chinese? Do you have invited guests who are Muslims as well? These are a few important questions to ask yourself before deciding on the food.

Must have items in your baby’s ‘Man Yue’

• Red Eggs – Colour red represents luck and blessings. The eggs represent fertility and new life.
• Ang Ku Kuehs – Represent good fortune and longevity.

Tip: Outsource Your Items

Sleepless nights. Endless feeding. Round-the-clock supervision. Taking care of your newborn can be overwhelming, on top of having to plan for your bub’s one month. Why not outsource to various reliable vendors? That way, you have fewer things to worry prior to and on the event day itself.

5. Theme

Traditional? Modern? Or both? The possibilities are endless! There are a slew of birthday ideas and themes to choose from on the web. If you are looking for something more timeless, you may want to go for generic themes such as colour or gender based themes. It’s also important to strike a balance between the modern and traditional, and retain the customs of a baby’s first month.

Suggestion: Jazz up your buffet line and surprise your guests with Neo Garden’s adorable Teddy Bear theme (Additional $150 on top of their usual buffet package).

6. Activities

What are you going to do during the baby shower? If you have the budget, you can consider a photo booth corner. If you are expecting many parents and friends with children, you may consider hiring a balloon sculptor or a magician to keep the children entertained while the adults mingle and catch up with one another.

7. Gifts

Baby clothes, toys, books, diapers, red packets. Be expected to be showered with many baby gifts from your guests. It would be polite to return the favour to your guests. Besides the traditional baby shower gift pack for your guests, some novelty gift ideas you may want to consider are:

• Small bottle of Honey
• Customized sweets
• A small bottle of nuts and seeds
• Baby foot cookie cutter
• Small pot of plant

What’s next?

Once you have thought through the above items, take a step back and let your baby be the star of the show! There may be one or two hiccups here and there, so it’s good to be mentally prepared and be open to any changes that will happen on your baby’s ‘Man Yue’. Why not look at these changes as a stepping stone to prepare you for your greatest journey ahead?

Article sponsored by Neo Garden.

This article was first published in The New Age Parents e-magazine.

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