There’s a new trend in pregnancy and it has nothing to do with shooting coloured smoke out of a cannon. Known as a ‘nesting party’, it’s a day to come together to, get this, help the new mum-to-be when nesting (getting her space ready for baby).
Wash clothes. Organise stuff. Cook meals. Clean toilets, perhaps. Do the things that heavily pregnant mums probably don’t have the energy to do – things that will 100% help new mums during the first few weeks when the newborn baby bubble is particularly strong – and their vagina is particularly sore.
Nesting parties for the win
In a now-viral Facebook post, Tanya Ebony, a proud grandmother-to-be, shared more about the nesting celebration she threw for her daughter, plus a series of photos of the party in action.
As Tanya explains,
The village came together and washed and folded baby clothes and completed the nursery. Sterilized bottles, breast pump, pacifiers, etc. Meal prep some freezer meals. Household inventory. Made padsicles for postpartum care. Put together the postpartum/baby cart.”
There are pics of everyone helping out including a picture of an installed baby car seat (an important one and often a tricky one for new mums to do on their own) as well as a picture of the friends stocking up the postpartum care baby cart with nappies, wipes, a breast pump, etc.
Tanya, who is a birth worker by trade, also explains that while they worked, they also discussed the important details of the birth – the plan, knowing your rights and also practiced some early labour movement.
Tanya’s nesting party idea has reached viral status and everyone is praising the idea of a nesting party. While baby showers and gender reveals are fun, they can also be quite exhausting to plan and clean up from. That’s why we love the nesting party – it’s not about putting on a big show for friends and family – it’s literally just a group of mates or family members helping a new mum out.
There are no balloons. No fruit platters. Just a group of women coming together to get shit done.
Postpartum partiesÂ
Another idea that we love is a postpartum party, which tends to replace a baby shower (but you can have both if you’d like). Essentially a postpartum party is a baby shower after the birth – not right away though #nothanks.
Instead, it takes place a few weeks after the birth. A month. Maybe two months. Yes, let’s say two months. When the new mum has had a chance to sort of recover. Or at least shower and possibly shave. Maybe even sleep a few hours solid. Maybe.
Like a baby shower, friends and family gather around to shower the mum with gifts.
But at postpartum parties, it’s more about the mum than bub. Sure, bub is there. Being super cute and making gurgly sounds and probably being passed around like a hot potato.
But the star of the show is the super tired mum who needs a little bit of laughter, a lot of love and ALL the support right about now. While guests can bring gifts, the best gifts of all include things like cooked meals, maybe even a voucher for a cleaner?
Party games could include “who can fold this massive pile of washing quickest” and “stack the dishwasher”.
Heck, mum may even be able to enjoy a sushi platter and a glass of bubbles to celebrate the birth – if timed correctly.
What to read next
If you like non-traditional parties, then check out this Balls Voyage party – a woman’s hilarious soiree to celebrate her husband’s vasectomy.
If you’ve got kids, we also love the “fiver” birthday party which is a great way to keep birthday gift costs down.
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