Sprinkle

I would have to agree with Natalie, don't be TACKY. If someone wants to buy you a gift they will but don't make them feel obligated. It's not their fault you didn't save stuff from the first etc. If you want to celebrate with food etc. just have a dinner party and suggest a no gift option. Let them know if they want to buy an outfit or something for the baby after he arrives it is their choice, but you just want to have a nice time.

Hi Melissa,
I agree with Michelle B, have a get together with friends and have people bring food that you can freeze. That's what I we did for a friend of mine. She was having another and it was a nice way for all of us to get together before the baby was born. Plus my friend said the food was so much better than any other gift she could have gotten. Good luck and congrats!!
Chris

I have 3 kids... approx 3 yrs apart on each...
I have never innitiated any showers or sprinkles, but have had one thrown by friends for each baby...
I see nothing wrong with celebrating EACH child no matter how many you have...
Things get used, stained, broken, lost, given away, chewed on, or just plain over used...
All of my friends/family look at each child as something to celebrate. Doesn't matter if its #1 or #10...
Personally when I go to showers / sprinkles it may be the practical side of me but I always get the people a couple packs of diapers of different sizes...
If you were married and divorced then got married again would you have a second wedding to celebrate? a second reception? Of course you would...
In a society of individuals we have somehow lost the "family" of community and friends. It has been replaced with aloneness.
I look at all my friends as family so do i feel bad for them wanting to celebrate an extention to their "family"? No...So if your one of those people who think having more than one shower is "selfish and only out for the gifts" I would just like to say that I have been blessed to have friends that look on me as a member of their family... Isn't that what we all long for? If those invited arn't close to you then they just won't come....
If someone wants to throw you a party go for it. Its up to them if they get you gifts or not...
Now that you have a child you know more about what worked for you... So do a registry based on that... Look thru your infant clothes and see if you need replacements of things... Also put on a couple things for older munchkin... Now, most of the time you don't get whats on your registry but it gives people an idea of what your style, taste, theme, need, etc is.

My opinoin is let your friends do it!! Who cares what other people think. Each baby is worth celebrating!!. PLUS, you had a son first and now you're going to have a daughter. Everything needed is completely different. I LOVE buying presents for my friends and their babies, no matter how many they have. All my friends love throwing showers/sprinkles. Some of my friends had all the big stuff, so we've had a diaper shower or bring an outfit shower, etc. If you are inviting your "true" friends, I think they will want to celebrate with you. Why wouldn't someone want to share in this life and even more, why NOT bring presents...that's the part I love the most!! Those who dont like it can stay home
:-) just my opinoin;-)

I agree that it seems like you are seeking out gifts, even though that isn't totally true, that is why I never had one, BUT... I did go register for the things I did needed, because people do like to bring the baby a gift. (funny how that works huh?) That way, when they asked what I needed, I mentioned that I had registered for the few things that I really needed, and it let them still be a surprise when we opened it. I never announced this, other than to my mother, and mother in law, they are great at spreading the word through conversation, and I only directly told people when they asked if there was anything in particular that I needed for the baby. this worked out great for my second and third... actually for my third after doing it for the second, people asked me if I was registered like I did for the last one. Doing it this way, made it easy for everyone to get us the items we really needed, while not having that dreaded second shower looking like something it's not...I don't care who you are, you're going to need some new things for the next baby!!!! you might as well have a nice way to point people in the right direction. Hope it is helpful to you, and congrats on the new bundle of joy! A.

I say do it, it's not like you asked for the party. Those who want to bring a gift will. Those that don't; won't. It sounds like your doing it for purpose of just enjoying time with friends and family and some good food. People these days are to worries about is so and so doing this party to get gifts. Baby # 2 deserves just as much fanfare as the first baby. SO I say have fun at your Sprinkle it sounds like a neat idea. Congrats.

I don't disagree with the fact that all babies should be celebrated...but to have showers or sprinkles (cute name, by the way!) for a 2nd/3rd/4th pregnancy really seems like a request for gifts. There are exceptions - like for people that have remarried and it's the first child for their new spouse; they have an unexpected pregnancy later in life (after they've given up all their baby stuff). If you do go ahead with a sprinkle, keep it to just family and close friends or friends that weren't invited to your first.

Most people will bring/send gifts after you have the baby, so why not just leave it at that - or have a meet the baby party. (Which that's just having a get together and saying that it will give people a chance to meet the baby...)

If it's not about the gifts, invite those close to you and specify 'no gifts' and really make it about the company! You can scrapbook pages to a baby album for the new baby (put together packages of milestones and everyone takes one and works on it while chatting, leaving space for pictures that you can add later - they can also write a message to baby on their page and sign it); you can get paints and everyone can decorate bibs - just celebrate the upcoming arrival and have a good time; get a memory or advice book for everyone to share...I think you get the idea!

It's very exciting news to be expecting a new baby! Congratulations!!

I like the ideas presented here about "(firstborn's name) is gaining a little brother/sister and wants to celebrate!". One thought would be to send out a registry of chores rather than gifts - like "some freezables" or "one day of tidying" once the newling comes along. Small gifts or even hand-me-downs might be requested from family if you know you're having a different gender (unless you have lots of unisex clothes). Or you could choose to just call it a celebration and not expect gifts - your call.
I've always thought of showers as a celebration of the mom-to-be, not the baby, so sprinkles are kinda like a re-celebration of the same thing but with different belly contents. Making it a celebration of big brother/sisterhood-to-be may go over better, but on a much smaller scale than your previous shower.

Melissa,
We've had a Sprinkle shower for my sister's grandchildren. You could have a friend do invites something like ...
"Your oldest child name is have a baby brother or sister lets celebrate the occasion " I think every child should be sprinkled.

Best wishes on your future arrival,
D. in Newaygo.

Probably not a good idea. Usually people bring a gift after you have the baby anyways. To me it just seems as if it is a gift seeking opportunity.

Congratulations on your second! It looks like you are getting strong opinions on both sides. Personally, I am not a fan of showers. Talking with several of my single girlfriends...I am not alone. (nobody says anything because they think we are supposed to like them) So, I had to think about it when friends and family wanted to host showers for my wedding and baby. I finally rationalized that showers are a way for women to congratulate and welcome other women into a new phase of their life...i.e. marriage and motherhood...by providing things they will need to fulfill their new role. Well, you have already been welcomed into motherhood. This is not to say the birth of your second child is any less important only that you are already fulfilling the role of mother. Keep in mind, people will still be excited by the birth of your second child and will congratulate you by sending gifts.

I've been on both ends of giving and recieving a sprinkle. My cousin threw one for me with my second child (which is only 3yrs younger than my first) and I wasn't really too into the idea. My first shower I recieved so many gifts I felt weird about having a second shower. So I asked my cousin to just invite the family.

I helped to throw a sprinkle for my girlfriend due to that she had 3 boys and was having a girl and completely unprepared. But again-we just invited family and kept it very personal.

I personally do not agree with the 2 shower thing. To me it's right up there with Hallmark created holidays.

How about having a "Meet the New Baby" party after he/she is born? You could have a short luncheon for you and your friends and everyone could meet the baby. DH could take the baby off your hands for most of the party. Write "no gifts please" on the invitation. If they still bring a gift, it's their problem (or they just really wanted to give you something).

Do it! Why not? Every child deserves a celebration, don't they? If any of your friends or family don't like the idea, they don't have to come.

I would keep it low key, maybe a small lunch thing, no games or crazy decorations. Maybe instead of traditional baby gifts you could have guests bring casseroles that you can throw in the freezer and heat up after the baby comes so that you and your husband don't have to worry about meals, or gift certificates to a local restaurant with carry out.

Some friends of mine have Blessingways, they are more about celebrating the mother than the baby. Who doesn't need a little bit of celebrating?

I really don't like the idea. Your friends will usually get you something when the baby is born and I am pretty much offended by people inviting me to another , I want gifts party, after they had a baby already.
i am sure that I am in the minority but I just feel like it is asking people for gifts.

I had a large shower for my first nothing for my second or third however tons of my friends set up to bring me meals for 2 weeks after the baby was born and offered to come clean my house while I was at the hospital. WAY better gift then I could have ever asked for

So basically a sprinkle is a 2nd baby shower? If you just want to celebrate with friends and family, go for it. Why should a get together be labeled? If you label it a sprinkle then people feel obligated to get you a gift, regardless of whether or not you say you want any. I say just have a get together if that's what you want and if people want to get you things, they will.

I agree with the others - as well intentioned as it may be it sounds like you are looking for more gifts. I have seen people have "sprinkles" for mothers to be who are having a second child that is born way after the other children (5+ years) - so everything they have is either gone because they never expected to have more children or so out of date it needs to be replaced. Given you first child is only one you really do not fit into that category. When I had my 2nd and 3rd friends still brought tons of gifts without ever being asked - that is just what friends do.

Congratulations on your so to be new baby.

Instead of gifts, you can have guests bring a meal that you can put in your freezer to use after the baby is born. I have done this in the past and it has worked out very well. It is so nice to be able to not have to worry about making dinner with a newborn!

I'm anxious to see what everyone says! Never heard of it...

I have had "sprinkles" for 3 of my sister & sister-in-laws, and thought they were great! We kept it simple and small, and focused on getting together, having fun, and celebrating the new little one on the way. The gifts we gave were smaller gifts, just little things to fill in the gaps between what they already had and what they needed. I don't see anything wrong with a sprinkle with a few close family members and your best friends. Especially if someone else wants to plan it and do it for you. Congratulations on your baby girl and God Bless!

My sister just had a sprinkle for her second due in June. It was just the girls - mom, mom-in-law, sisters and sisters-in-law. We went out to lunch and then went back and had cake and opened gifts. We just got little things - clothes, receiving blankets, etc. It was a lot of fun and not as much fuss as a first shower. Congrats! =)

My honest opinion is that if I were invited, I would think you're just looking for another gift. I would challenge yourself to treat each child independently, but a "Sprinkle" is not a good idea to me.

It can be nice, especially if you're having a girl after a boy or vice versa. Our church has done them every now and then, particularly if it is known that the family would not be able to get some of the things on their own. They had one for us with my third baby, a boy after two girls, but we were new at this church and my husband was a new minster there so there was an added social dynamic as well.

If it's what your family and/or friends want to do for you, say thank you and enjoy!

Edited to add: OH, just had another thought. I loved the idea of the freezer meal gifts instead of more conventional ones, or it could also be a diaper shower if you are using disposables (well, even if you're not!). Then people won't feel obligated to get any higher-priced items, just come and enjoy your company and bring a pack of diapers. Either idea could be expressed in the invitation along with idea that it is just to share this happy time with them.