Cancel the Baby Shower.Plan a Nesting Party Instead.

I didn’t need more stuff for baby number two, so I invited my closest friends and family members over. Bringing together my community was the best gift I could have gotten.

- by LINDSAY TIGAR

If there is one universal truth I've learned since becoming a parent, it's that you don't need much in motherhood, but you do need a supportive village to rally behind you. My first pregnancy and my initial postpartum experience were challenging, as I struggled with anxiety and the significant identity change that comes with birthing and raising a human. To cope and adapt, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to invest in new friendships and find like-minded women raising babies at the same time I was.

So when I was expecting my second baby and my friends asked if they could do something to help me, I knew exactly what I wanted: a nesting party, or a “mama shower” as we called it. Considering that I already had a daughter and was welcoming another, I didn’t need anything material for this new addition, but I did need an afternoon of celebrating another chapter in motherhood and doing practical tasks that would help me in navigating those first few chaotic weeks.

I wasn’t the only mom-to-be who decided to opt out of the traditional baby shower in favor of a more personal, thoughtful and purposeful gathering of friends and loved ones. According to Pinterest’s 2025 Predictions report, searches for “nesting party” are up 205% and searches for “nesting party ideas” are up 105%. Gina Jokilehto, owner and creative director of Shi Shi Events, confirms this shift in showers, crediting the uptick in the popularity of these different options to the need to build and foster a community for new parents. “New parents need a village, and a nesting shower is a way to feel supported by that village before the baby even arrives,” she says. “The parties also allow members of your village with specific strengths to shine: Your friend the organizational wizard can tackle closets, dressers and diaper caddies. Another friend or family member might be really handy with tools and can help assemble the stroller, the crib and other baby gear.”