GUEST POST: Hosting a baby shower might seem daunting, but it’s actually possible and a lot of fun. As president of the Students for Life of America (SFLA) group at Florida State University (FSU), I helped my group throw a successful baby shower this past August. Here’s how it happened and how you can host one too:  

Last spring, a student familiar with SFLA met an expectant mother in class and referred her to our group for help. When we met, I asked if she would be interested in a baby shower to help prepare for the exciting arrival of her new child, and she agreed. Since the baby was due in October, we decided to have the event the week before school started in August. That left us with all summer to plan something amazing. 

As the incoming president of our group, I really wanted to make our baby shower a success. The first thing I did was look at SFLA’s guide to hosting a baby shower. It’s a super helpful page on SFLA’s website that has ideas for fundraising, activities, and finding a location for your shower. I ended up referencing it a lot throughout the planning process. 

My next step was to find a location for the shower. Most universities allow registered student organizations to reserve space for events, and FSU is no exception. I reserved a conference room at our student union for the shower. I was able to tell the school how many tables and chairs we needed, and they provided them for free.  

With a set time and space, we needed money for the gifts and decorations. Since I was home for the summer, I decided to ask my church to donate to the shower. My pastor agreed to allow me to make an announcement before the service so I went in front of the whole church with my request. After I explained that my group was raising money to host a baby shower for a mom on our campus, church members continued to approach me with donations. By the end of the summer, my church had raised $760! 

Once we raised this money, the rest of the shower was easy. Together, my vice president and I picked gifts to buy from the mother’s baby registry. We were able to purchase all her breast pumping accessories, several boxes of diapers, and a cute bathmat for the baby. We also bought decorations and food for the shower. The day of the shower, my group members helped us set up, and we were all ready to go.  

It was a complete success. The mother was super sweet and so thankful for our help. She brought a few friends with her, and her boyfriend came, too. We talked, played games, ate food, and opened presents. It was so fun to meet everyone while celebrating this new life.  

Overall, baby showers are a great way to support new mothers on campus. My group was so grateful for the opportunity to make a difference, and I personally feel that the shower was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done with SFLA. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend throwing one. It’s a great way to show that the pro-life community loves moms and their babies— plus, it’s a lot of fun! 

READ NEXT: How Can Pro-Lifers Compassionately Address Tragic Miscarriages? Understanding Perinatal Hospice is Step One