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My quick answer when it comes to a baby sprinkle is NO, don’t have one.
If you as the mom already had a baby shower, I do not think you should typically have a sprinkle.
Let’s dive into a few different scenarios.
Second Child
If you had a son first and then like 2 years later have a baby girl, you do not need a sprinkle to get girl stuff. You can purchase your own baby items. If someone tried to throw me a sprinkle I would have declined it.
When you have children, they are to be celebrated, but at a certain point, it is your responsibility to purchase the necessary items.
Your friends can of course gift you baby items. People often do when they come to meet the baby. Having a second child in a traditional family does not warrant a sprinkle.
A Huge Age Gap
If you have a crazy large age gap, like 15 years or something maybe then you could have a sprinkle because you likely have no previously used baby supplies. Again, though it is up to you to afford your children. I still think it is pretty unnecessary to have a sprinkle in this situation.
Loss of a First Child
I have no experience with the loss of a child. I cannot speak for mothers and fathers in this situation.
If a family loses their first child for any reason and then gets pregnant with another child I completely understand if they want to have a sprinkle, an entire baby shower or feel uncomfortable doing either. I think in a situation like this you let the parents take the lead with what they are comfortable with.
If they lost their first child, they may have a difficult time reusing certain items, like a crib. They may have had the baby blankets and clothing made into a memory quilt or something like that.
They may have completely cleaned out the nursery and donated all items.
In this situation, the parents take the lead, and everyone is there to support in whatever form they can.
Second Marriage
If this is your second marriage maybe one parent already has a child, but for the other parent this is their first child.
In that situation, it could be reasonable to have a sprinkle. For them, this is the first time around and their family and friends may want to celebrate.
If each parent comes into the marriage with a child, they have each been through the baby shower before and should consider skipping the sprinkle.
Your Friends Are Pushing It
Maybe your friends or co-workers feel like they need to do something for you. They want to celebrate this happy occasion.
If you are getting pushed towards a sprinkle or truly want to have one, I recommend keeping it a bit more minimal. You should have a small guest list and baby registry.
With your second child, you should be more experienced on what to get and what to skip.
Ways to Skip the Sprinkle
If you are on the fence about letting someone throw you a sprinkle I would respectfully decline. Don’t do something that you are uncomfortable with.
You can get by without a sprinkle. Purchase clothing second-hand and be open to hand-me-downs if someone offers. Stay practical with your purchases. You can also maximize birthdays and holidays. Be clear with people on gifts. Ask grandma and grandpa for diapers and wipes, tell them that is what you really need, not more toys.
As you can probably tell in most cases I am not here for the sprinkle. I think it is beautiful to celebrate babies, but we don’t need the constant pressure of more parties to attend and gifts to purchase.
Skip the sprinkle!
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