The general consensus is that nesting parties are much better suited to the needs of expectant parents than traditional baby showers. – Photo: vgajic / Getty Images, Via ETX Daily UP
We're all familiar with baby showers, the festive gatherings during which expectant parents are showered with gifts by their nearest and dearest. But many now prefer nesting parties, which are less flashy and less consumer-oriented than traditional baby showers.
Forget gender reveal parties and baby showers, as the latest trend for future parents is nesting parties. These events aim to prepare parents-to-be for the arrival of their baby, not by giving them expensive gifts, but by helping them prepare for the postpartum period. As the name implies, nesting parties focus on preparing the family nest.
Friends and family get together to lend a helping hand to the parents-to-be, whether by preparing meals to eat on their return from the maternity ward, or by assembling furniture for the baby's room. The idea is to create a warm, functional environment to welcome the newborn in the best possible conditions.
"One of my closest friends organised this (nesting party) for me and everyone came around. I wrote a list of things that I would like to be done and everyone just got stuck in. There were no pretty dresses or balloon garlands for this one," recounts Mikaelah in a TikTok video. In the same post, this New Zealand mother confides that the event helped her feel calmer and more ready for her daughter's arrival.
In recent months, testimonials of this kind have multiplied on TikTok. So much so that the hashtag #nestingparty now accompanies over seven million videos on the app. The general consensus is that nesting parties are much better suited to the needs of future parents than traditional baby showers.
"Imagine giving birth and your house is spotless. Everything is put where it belongs. What an amazing feeling that would be!" explains Ashley Coull, aka @mommydoesntdodishes, on TikTok.
The weeks leading up to childbirth can be a particularly trying time for expectant mothers, between managing day-to-day tasks and preparing for the baby's arrival. This is where nesting parties come into their own. They bring together family and friends to help with the final preparations, taking some of the pressure off mothers-to-be so that they can face the end of their pregnancy with greater peace of mind.
Of course, nesting parties are not for everyone. Some parents prefer to prepare their home in privacy rather than getting their loved ones involved. However, according to Pinterest, these events are becoming increasingly popular with the younger generation. Searches for "nesting party” and "nesting party ideas” on the platform have jumped by 205% and 105% respectively in one year. A trend that serves as a reminder that it takes a village to welcome a child in the best possible conditions. — AFP Relaxnews
