When to Send Baby Shower Invitations (And What to Put on Them)

Two questions come up more than any others when planning a baby shower: when do the invitations go out, and what exactly needs to be on them. Both have straightforward answers.

When to send baby shower invitations

Four to six weeks before the shower. That is the window that gives guests time to arrange childcare, buy a gift and plan travel, without being so far ahead that it drops out of mind.

Adjust it in three situations:

  • Guests travelling from out of state: six to eight weeks, so flights are still affordable.
  • Digital invitations only: three weeks is enough, since there is no post to allow for.
  • Near a holiday: add two weeks. December and the weeks around Thanksgiving fill up early.

When to hold the shower itself

Usually the third trimester, between weeks 28 and 34. Late enough that the pregnancy feels real and the registry is settled, early enough that the mum-to-be is still comfortable sitting through an afternoon and there is no risk of the baby arriving first.

For an adoption shower, hold it once the placement is confirmed. For a surrogacy, work to the same third-trimester window.

What goes on the invitation

Seven things, in roughly this order:

  1. Who it is for — the parent-to-be's name, or both names for a couples shower
  2. What it is — baby shower, sprinkle, sip and see
  3. Date and start time
  4. End time, which guests genuinely appreciate
  5. Venue name and full address
  6. Host name, so guests know who is asking
  7. RSVP contact and deadline

Then, at the bottom in smaller type, anything optional: registry details, a theme, or a request such as bringing a book instead of a card.

Wording the registry line

Registry information on a shower invitation is accepted, unlike on a wedding invitation. Keep it to one line:

  • Registry at [store name]
  • Registry details at [website]
  • In lieu of a card, please bring a book signed for baby's library

The RSVP deadline

Set it two weeks before the shower. That gives you time to order food, buy the right number of game sheets and chase the four people who never reply to anything.

Expect to chase. Roughly a third of any guest list needs a reminder, and a short text a week after the deadline is normal rather than rude.

How many people to invite

Fifteen to thirty is typical. Above thirty, games become difficult to run and the room gets loud. Below fifteen it becomes more of a lunch, which is a perfectly good thing to have.

Ask the mum-to-be for the guest list rather than building it yourself, even for a surprise shower. Someone will otherwise be left off, and it is the single mistake that causes real upset.

Digital or printed?

For a shower where most guests are close friends, digital is completely normal now and costs nothing. Printed invitations get put on a fridge and are more likely to be remembered, and they matter more when older relatives are on the list.

Doing both is common: post to family, message everyone else. Our baby shower invitation templates export as a print-ready PDF or a phone-sized JPG from the same file.

What size to print

5x7 inches is the standard and fits A7 envelopes. Two fit on one letter or A4 sheet, so you print and cut down the middle. Use 250 to 300 gsm cardstock, and see the printing guide for settings.

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