Nesting Party is gaining popularity in recent times. It’s more than just a trend; it’s a relaxing and supportive way of celebrating the mother.
Choosing between a baby shower, a nesting party, or having both is up to the parents and their families. However, the expecting mother’s happiness should be the top priority and the final deciding factor.
If you are the parents hosting the party or the cool squad invited to one, here are some tips to make the nesting party more emotionally connected and supportive, building beautiful bonds and memories.
What is a nesting party?
A Nesting Party is a fresh approach to celebrating the expecting parents, where acts of service take center stage. Friends and family come together to help prepare the home for the baby’s arrival, making it a practical and meaningful celebration.
How to Make Your Nesting Party More Special and Personal
Having a Nesting Party is already full of emotion, warmth, and cherished memories. Still, here are some ideas to add a personal touch to the celebration.
- Make a playlist of Music that becomes a memory: Music is connected to our soul and memories. Create a playlist beforehand in such a way that it sets the vibe, energy, and enthusiasm for people to work, help, and enjoy, while also touching them emotionally so they can relive the moment even years later whenever they listen to the songs.
- A Jar of Notes to Read in the Postpartum Phase: Write heartfelt notes of encouragement or reminders of her strength and identity to keep in the mother’s room. Ask her to wait until the postpartum phase to read them. These notes will help her when she struggles to adjust to the new phase, emotions, and hormones. She can read them whenever she feels weak, mentally and emotionally, to regain her energy and confidence.
- Candid Pics and Short Videos to Relive the Moments: If everyone is comfortable, assign someone to capture candid photos and videos of your loved ones’ enthusiasm, warm gestures, and the before-and-after transformation of your home. These moments will preserve the emotions of the day for you to relive later.
- Create a Memory Board: Everyone can contribute a few lines: affirmations, gratitude, reminders, quotes, personal, parental, or relationship goals, and pictures and even sign their names. Display this board in the mother’s room as a source of motivation and strength whenever she needs it, and it will also help to keep the relationship and bonding strong.
- Set Up a Self-Care Bullet Journal with Prompts: Create a journal filled with self-care tips, products, routines, and prompts. Fellow mothers can contribute by sharing their own experiences, offering examples and encouragement. This journal will serve as a reminder that the mother is still important, cared for, and that prioritizing self-care matters.
- Shoot a Video Message for the Baby: Create a collaborative video with everyone sharing their wishes, recalling special moments, or sending fun and emotional messages to the baby for the future. This video will serve as a beautiful, heartfelt keepsake for both the parents and the child to cherish later.
- After the Party, Movie Time: Ask your group to stay an hour or two after the tasks to relax. Plan a cozy setting with soft lighting, relaxing vibes, and delicious food. Enjoy a movie,carefully selected, just like we discussed in the playlist session. If you prefer, instead of a movie, you can opt to watch old photos and videos as a slideshow on the TV.
- Write Heartfelt Letters for Guests as a Token of Appreciation: Express your gratitude, love, and appreciation in heartfelt letters. Thank your loved ones for being the people you trust, for accepting your invitation to the nesting party, and for coming over to support you. Let them know how happy and blessed you feel to have them in your life. Hand these letters over to your guests after the party as a token of appreciation for their presence and support.
- Give Potted Plants as a Meaningful Gift: Along with the letter, you can gift your guests low-maintenance indoor plants as a token of appreciation. It’s a special feeling to watch the plant grow and take care of it, serving as a beautiful memory of the event.
- Plan for a Collaborative Gift for the Baby: Consider creating a collaborative handmade gift for the baby. For example, you can work on knitting together, with each person contributing a part. Alternatively, you can all contribute to making something like sewing a pillow or crafting a special item. This way, the final gift is filled with beautiful memories and a personal touch from everyone who attended.
- Photoshoot: Even without makeup and in comfortable clothes, have your amateur photographer squad take some maternity photos. Pose together and capture the raw, natural moments to create lasting memories.
- Celebrate the Siblings: If the party is for a second-time or third-time mom, don’t forget the kids. Give them all the pampering, fun, and attention they need, considering their lives are also about to change. Help them prepare for the postpartum phase, especially with toddlers, by rearranging toys, books, wardrobes, etc.
- A Relaxation Day: Give the mother a complete relaxation experience by setting up a cozy space to rest and enjoy the day. If possible, plan a pedicure, manicure, head massage, or pregnancy massage to make her feel pampered, celebrated, and loved.
- A Day for Unsolicited Advice: Dedicate some time to sharing personal birth stories, motherhood milestones, and experiences, giving answers to the mother’s concerns and doubts in a judgment-free zone. Help her understand that she has an amazing support system she can rely on, even during postpartum challenges.
Some Activities to Include in Your Nesting Party
- Baby clothes washing, folding, and sorting
- Hospital bag packing
- Crib, car seat, and stroller installation and assembling
- Bottle and breast pump sterilization
- Preparing frozen meals
- Helping with baby items to buy, reviewing options, giving input, and finalizing the cart
- Planning toddler activities for the initial postpartum phase, sorting toys, organizing furniture and wardrobes, and preparing snacks
Things to Consider
- Whom to Invite: Include only the closest people, and consider their schedules, especially if they are going through challenging phases in their own lives.
- How Many People to Include: Keep the number small. This will help maintain a calm, organized atmosphere and ensure the party serves its purpose. Aim for around 4-8 people.
- When to Host the Party: The party should take place during the last trimester, which aligns with the nesting phase. However, it shouldn’t be too late, so there’s still time for final nesting activities, and the mom has enough energy to enjoy the party.
- How Long Should the Party Last: The party shouldn’t be too short, which could create a rushed feeling to finish the tasks and disrupt the enjoyment, nor too long to overwhelm the guests and parents-to-be.
- Setting Boundaries: Learn how to maintain boundaries and respect those of your guests. The people you invite should be those you trust and feel comfortable having in your space.
- Organizing and Planning: Plan ahead so the party is well-organized and mess-free. Organize the tasks, decide how to divide and assign them among the group, and gather all the necessary items for each task.
- Setting Priorities: A combination of a celebratory vibe and practical help should be your priority. Know what tasks are appropriate and who is responsible for them. Be prepared for awkward moments and imperfections, and handle them with ease. Treat everyone equally and respectfully, and prioritize a comfortable, relaxed, and supportive atmosphere.
Reflections from Mindful Portrait
We can’t expect the nesting party to complete all the nesting activities-there may still be plenty left for the parents to do on their own. However, having the party will definitely help lessen the burden and create a unique experience for everyone involved. Just take it lightly. Things might not go exactly as planned, but still, enjoy the process, experience genuine connections, organically grow a support network, and create beautiful memories.
