The “nesting instinct” is a powerful drive that compels expectant parents to prepare for their new arrival. This can range from deep cleaning and organizing the entire home to meticulously arranging a baby’s clothes. The desire to have everything perfect before the baby arrives can feel overwhelming.
Parenthood brings a lot of questions, but this guide will provide answers, covering what nesting is, how to host a nesting party, and expert tips for navigating this exciting stage of pregnancy. Whether you’re preparing in a ranch-style home in Dallas, a mid-rise apartment in Houston, or a trendy townhouse in Austin, this guide will make getting ready for your little one easier.
“A nesting party is the perfect excuse for a pre-baby bash! Think cozy vibes, not crazy clubbing. I envision a relaxed gathering at home, perhaps a Sunday brunch with mimosas (mocktails for the mama-to-be, of course!), where friends and family can shower the expecting parents with love and practical gifts while enjoying delicious food and playing fun baby-themed games. It’s all about creating a warm, supportive atmosphere filled with anticipation for the little one’s arrival.” –Nirjary, CEO of KIS (cubed) Events.
What is a nesting party?
A nesting party is a gathering of friends and family who come together to help expectant parents prepare their home for the baby’s arrival. It’s a chance to focus on practical tasks, like setting up the nursery, organizing baby gear, and even prepping freezer meals. Instead of gifts, guests contribute their time and energy, creating a supportive and collaborative environment.
Lauren Wolk-Goldfaden, founder of Mini Bloom, shares, “A nesting party is a wonderful opportunity to blend celebration with preparation, creating a nurturing space for both the parents and their new arrival. At Mini Bloom, we love the idea of incorporating a theme that mirrors the care and attention we put into our products. For instance, you could organize ‘stations’ — like a diaper station, a bedtime story nook, and a baby skincare corner featuring gentle products. This not only makes the gathering fun and engaging but also ensures that parents leave with practical, lovingly prepared corners of their home.”
Can I have a baby shower and a nesting party?
Absolutely! While they both celebrate the upcoming arrival of a little one, they serve different purposes and offer unique benefits. A baby shower (or a smaller “sprinkle”) is traditionally a larger gathering where friends and family shower the expectant parents with gifts for the baby — think adorable outfits, essential gear, and all sorts of helpful baby products. It’s a wonderful way to build excitement and help the parents stock up on everything they’ll need.
“While baby showers often result in heaps of gifts for the baby, nesting parties are an opportunity to give practical gifts to the expectant mother. Newborn clothes and blankets are often redundant and therefore unnecessary, so consider giving a practical gift to the mother that will lighten her load, like an Uber Eats gift card, a cleaning service visit, or even a coupon for your babysitting services.” – Stephanie Seferian with Mama Minimalist
A nesting party, on the other hand, is a more intimate affair. It’s typically a smaller group of close friends and family who come together to offer practical support by helping the parents prepare their home for the baby. Instead of gifts, the focus is on hands-on assistance, whether it’s setting up the nursery, organizing baby clothes, prepping freezer meals, or even just doing a deep clean of the house.
A nesting party is a fantastic way to tackle the often overwhelming to-do list that comes with preparing for a new baby, and it creates a strong sense of community and support for the parents-to-be. So, while a baby shower focuses on gifts and celebration, a nesting party centers on practical help and home preparation. Having both allows parents to experience the joy of being showered with love and the peace of mind that comes from having a well-prepared home.
How to throw a nesting party?
Hosting a successful nesting party, whether for yourself or someone else, requires thoughtful planning. First, consider the expectant parent’s due date and energy levels to determine the best date and time. Next, compile your guest list, prioritizing close friends and family, and don’t forget to invite that one handy friend or family member who excels at assembling furniture or tackling DIY projects.
With your guest list in hand, create a comprehensive to-do list. We’ve even provided a free printable PDF checklist to help you get started, covering everything from cleaning and organizing to setting up the nursery and preparing meals. Categorize these tasks by difficulty and estimated time. Jennifer Youngberg with Our Blog Life suggests, “Start with a semi-structured timeline in mind, which will help keep to the agenda while merging the fun aspects of a traditional baby shower. For example, kick off with refreshments and a few games like ‘speed folding’ challenges for a prize, before breaking into groups to accomplish listed tasks.”
To maintain organization and stay on schedule, consider using online tools like shared spreadsheets or project management apps. If space is limited, think about scheduling guests in shifts to ensure everyone has a chance to contribute without overcrowding. Blair Mohr with The Organized Mommy Co. recommends hiring a professional organizer to manage and delegate as an integral step in making sure the time is well spent and everything is set up with systems in mind. A professional organizer might help designate a system for switching out baby clothing as sizes change, setting up toy storage and rotation, as well as setting up an efficient diaper, nursing, and postpartum cart.
“I recommend aiming to host your nesting party in the third trimester between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. You want it close to your due date but not too close since we are never exactly sure when the baby will make their arrival — they could arrive early or late. By choosing between this timeframe, it ensures the most important tasks will be set up and organized before the baby arrives, which helps reduce stress and overwhelm in those final weeks.” – Team Baby Chick
Providing supplies
Prepare a list of essential cleaning supplies, organizing tools, and other necessary items for the nesting party. To streamline the process and ensure you have everything you need, consider suggesting that guests bring specific supplies, if possible.
Nesting party food and drinks
Plan a simple and easy-to-eat menu for your nesting party, considering any dietary restrictions or preferences among your guests. Plenty of snacks and drinks are essential for keeping everyone’s energy levels up. Keep decorations simple and minimal to avoid creating extra work for the parents-to-be. Staci Salazar with Our Family Lifestyle shares, “Keep the mood upbeat with tasty snacks, a playlist of feel-good tunes, and plenty of breaks so you can spend quality time with friends and family as you celebrate.”
Creating a relaxed and fun atmosphere
Create a fun and supportive atmosphere for your nesting party. Keep decorations simple and festive, perhaps with pastel balloons or a bouquet. While games might be fun for other baby showers, a nesting party focuses on practical help.
The real joy comes from everyone working together, sharing stories, and celebrating the upcoming arrival. The goal is a relaxed and enjoyable environment where everyone can contribute and the parents-to-be feel supported. Ellie’s Party Supply suggests, “Prepping for a baby doesn’t have to be all work. Set the scene with friends with a boho balloon arch by the nursery door and a mylar stork balloon to make it feel extra special.”
The big day
As guests arrive, offer a warm welcome and briefly explain the plan for the day. Assign tasks based on individual skills and preferences, ensuring everyone feels comfortable and can contribute effectively. Encourage teamwork and open communication throughout the party, fostering a positive and collaborative atmosphere. Take regular breaks to enjoy the food and drinks, allowing everyone to relax and recharge. As tasks are completed, ensure they meet the parents’ expectations and celebrate each accomplishment together.
Loyla Louvis, a certified professional parenting strategist with Mothers in Training, suggests, “Make it a ‘reset day’ for the parents-to-be. While friends and family help prep the home and organize the nursery, set up a ‘relaxation zone’ with soothing snacks, sparkling water, calming music, and a few games for stress relief. Include soft textures, fresh flowers, and a lavender diffuser to indulge all the senses. This balance of productivity and self-care ensures everyone leaves feeling connected, prepared, and refreshed for the big day.”
Fun games for your nesting party
Elizabeth and Vera, co-founders of Wildwood Birth Collective, suggest a fun and productive nesting party game called “Baby Olympics.” Divide guests into teams and set up stations with different baby-related tasks. These could include folding and organizing baby clothes, assembling a simple baby item like a diaper changing station or baby swing, etc. Time each task — each team must complete a task before moving to the next station. The first team to finish all the tasks wins! Consider small prizes like self-care items or homemade treats for the winning team.
This game is a great way to get guests involved and excited about the upcoming arrival, while also helping the parents-to-be prepare. Remember to adjust the difficulty and number of stations based on the number of guests.
Chad Barnsdale, founder of UnfinishedMan, shares a great story and some ideas for a unique nesting party. “I helped organize a nesting party for my best friend before his twins arrived. Instead of the typical ‘let’s just build furniture’ approach, we turned it into what we called a ‘Dad-chelor Party’ — like a bachelor party, but focused on preparing for fatherhood. We had everyone bring their favorite freezer-friendly recipe to cook together (ended up with a month’s worth of meals!), set up a ‘baby gear assembly race’ (hilarious watching grown men compete to put together strollers), and wrapped up with everyone sharing their best parenting advice over craft beers.”
Art Eddy, a podcaster with The Art of Fatherhood, shares this fun and memorable game. “If someone is looking to host a nesting party and looking for a fun game to play, I would invite all the parents at the party to share one truth and one lie about when they became parents for the first time. The “parents-to-be” have to decide which statement is real and which statement is false. It can be a fun game that educates the new parents on what to expect.”
Nesting checklist [downloadable resource]
Nursery
Prepare the nursery: Assemble the crib and changing table. Wash crib sheets and blankets. Stock up on diapers (get a variety of sizes, babies grow quickly!) and wipes.
Decor and ambiance for your nesting party
Set up the nursery: Install blackout curtains or shades. If you’ll be room-sharing, consider a slumber pod. Install and test the baby monitor and sound machine.
Home organization and cleaning
Give the house a top-to-bottom cleaning, paying special attention to decluttering and organizing the spaces the baby will use. Wash and sterilize bottles and pacifiers. Kelly Dever with Your Right-Hand Mom recommends creating task cards outlining specific projects, complete with instructions and assigned team members. Set up a central command center where all task cards are prominently displayed, and organize any necessary supplies into clearly labeled bins to keep things streamlined.
Laundry
To prepare for the baby’s arrival, tackle the laundry by washing and organizing all the clothes. Sort everything by size, age, and season to make it easy to find what you need. A helpful tip is to add size dividers to your baby registry to keep the closet organized from the start. Emily Conley with Minimalish Mama adds, “As someone who had a baby recently myself, I know just how quickly the laundry and everyday cleaning tasks pile up when you’re pregnant and not feeling great. Be willing to pitch in to help with anything the expectant mom needs, not just the baby-related tasks.”
Meal preparation and stocking up
Prepare and freeze some postpartum meals, and stock up on pantry staples and healthy snacks. Nikki with Lovely Lucid Life recommends creating a meal train using www.mealtrain.com. On the day of the party, have the meal train already set up and gather everyone’s emails so they can be forwarded directly to them. This allows everyone to sign up for a date to bring the family dinner, taking away the stress of cooking for the first month after the baby is born.
Similarly, Hilary Mandzik, a licensed psychologist and parenting specialist with Raised Resilient, also highly recommends having a meal train sign-up available for guests, suggesting, “Plan to start the meal train a few weeks after the baby’s due date since we often don’t know when the baby will arrive — and later is never a bad thing because most support drops off after the first few weeks!
The transition to parenthood is intense (logistically, physically, and emotionally!), and a nesting party allows us to create a village for these new parents to help ease that transition.” This is a key element of mom and baby essentials, but we suggest considering starting the meal train even before the baby arrives, with the first meals scheduled for those initial, overwhelming days. This way, the new parents have support from day one, and it also allows guests who can’t attend the nesting party to still contribute meaningfully.”
Postpartum supplies and care
Gather all the postpartum essentials: pads, ice packs, witch hazel wash, and comfortable underwear. Set up diaper-changing caddies in every room the baby will use. Create a designated breastfeeding station or cart with your pump and accessories. Line up your postpartum support system, including family and doulas.
Mindful Mommy Doula Services suggests incorporating grounding activities like a guided meditation, a blessing circle, or journaling affirmations for birth and postpartum. “Keep the gathering flowing with ease, allowing time for laughter, connection, and mindful movement. Close with a moment of gratitude, setting intentions for a peaceful and supported transition into motherhood.”
Mom and baby essentials
Prepare for the hospital: Pack bags for yourself and the baby. Remember to include at least two changes of comfortable loungewear for yourself. Install the car seat and stroller. If you plan to formula feed, be sure to pack bottles and formula. Rest as much as possible.
Let’s get nesting
Hosting a nesting party is more than just a fun get-together; it’s a powerful way to support expectant parents as they embark on this incredible new chapter. It takes a village to raise a child, and that same village is essential for preparing for one.
By bringing together loved ones to lend a helping hand, you’re not only preparing a home for a new arrival but also building a strong foundation of community and care. The gift of practical assistance, combined with the shared joy and excitement, makes a nesting party a truly invaluable experience for everyone involved.
Dana Hirt, a certified parent coach, recommends, “As a parent coach, I am parent-centric in my approach, so my advice is to start by talking with the expectant parents about what they need and share with them ideas they may not have considered. It can be helpful to create a menu of ‘to-dos’ that might not be so obvious: a self-care kit for the postpartum mom; creating a bottle washing station in the kitchen; organizing a pick-up/drop-off laundry service; arranging for a cleaning service; pre-paying a dog walker; creating a visiting schedule; organizing a meal drop-off.
Most importantly, no matter how good the nesting party is, it is often impossible to predict how new parents may feel and what they might not anticipate. Having a check-in person designated to text each day saying, ‘I am headed to the grocery store/drug store, what can I drop off?’ is invaluable. Don’t wait to be called and invited to help.”So, embrace the nesting spirit, gather your support system, and create a welcoming and prepared space for the little one on the way.
“Delegating the tasks you are struggling to get done first is important. The not-so-fun stuff! That way, if it doesn’t all get done at the party, all you have left is the things that make you happy to do such as hanging up all the little clothes or adding decor to the nursery. Take advantage of the help so you aren’t stressed and can welcome a baby into a peaceful space.”- Savanna Brooke lifestyle blogger
