What Is a Sip and See?
Why You Should Consider Doing a Sip and See Instead of a Baby Shower
Being pregnant was truly a wonderful time in my life. Besides the fact that I got to grow my favourite human on the face of the earth, I also got to prep and plan for his arrival. Friends, also excited for a squishy baby to play with, were so excited to throw a baby shower for me.
My Sip and See was perfect. I spent the entire afternoon actually talking with my guests instead of sitting in a special chair away from the conversation.
I'll admit that I was exceptionally fortunate in that I had two showers thrown for my baby-to-be: one was a traditional shower thrown by family, and one was a Sip and See thrown by friends. For those that aren't familiar, a Sip and See is a small party or "open house" where your friends and family can come over to meet (or "see") your new baby while sipping on a few refreshments. And after experiencing both, I can say without a doubt that I loved the Sip and See so much more.
Growing a baby in your body is hard work and can be super stressful. Besides all the societal pressures put on pregnant women, from worrying about our careers to gaining weight "the right way," it also means that our whole lives are about to drastically change. Traditional baby showers, while thrown with the best intentions possible, can be super stressful for a lot of moms-to-be.
As someone who does not like to be in the spotlight, being seated in a chair in front of a hoard of people and opening up gifts is extremely uncomfortable. I felt like my every action and facial gesture was on display and if I didn't react appropriately, I would risk hurting someone's feelings. Of course, this may have just been in my head, but still, it wasn't ideal. I also felt bad for everyone who had to sit there and watch me open gifts. As someone who's been a guest at her fair share of baby showers, I know that's never fun. The "ohhs" and "ahhs" after every unwrapped box are exhausting (and boring) for the guests and the mom-to-be.
My Sip and See, however, felt perfect. Presents were unwrapped and on a table for everyone to see, clearly marked with who gave them, and guests walked around and socialised with one another and actually got to see my new baby. He was finally here, and I loved being able to celebrate him with him. Most importantly, I spent the entire afternoon actually talking with my guests instead of sitting in a special chair away from the conversation.
As a pregnant woman who was suffering from anxiety and fear over delivering a tiny human, I really needed that. Sure, I couldn't sip the mimosas, but my friends could, and I enjoyed hanging out with them — really hanging out with them. We were all so relaxed, and that was what I truly needed during that wild time.
