Your pregnancy journey is filled with plenty of planning — from your birth plan to the stroller you'd like to use. But it can also include another type of planning: party planning. 

Many expectant parents have a baby shower in their honor. While this is traditionally an event thrown for the mom-to-be, it is increasingly common to host a coed baby shower — one that honors and celebrates both parents-to-be instead of just one. As one What to Expect mom who's planning to have a coed baby shower put it, "It's my partner's baby, too."

Sometimes referred to as a "Jack and Jill" shower, a coed baby shower invites the entire family to welcome the newest addition. "Gone are the days of gendered tasks and activities," says Syrie Roman, owner of Social Maven, an event and wedding planning company in Buffalo, New York. "Today's expectant parents enjoy being active participants in everything leading up to the arrival of their baby, as they understand that both parents play an equally significant role in the raising of their child."

Coed baby shower themes

If you're in the process of planning a coed celebration, here are some fun ideas to inspire a custom baby shower theme. 

Superheroes

If the parents-to-be don't already feel superhuman from creating a baby-to-be, they soon will when they're able to get so much done while running on zero sleep!

"The decor for this theme can be vibrant primary colors and mock superhero logos," Roman suggests. "You can go as far as encouraging the guests to come dressed as their favorite superhero or a superhero from their imagination."

Woodland 

You don't have to host your coed baby shower outdoors to create an enchanted environment that feels woodland-like. Just stock up on rustic decor like twine, burlap and natural greenery. 

"Incorporate woodland creatures like foxes, owls, rabbits and deer into the decor. Set up a cozy seating area with blankets and pillows," Roman advises. "This theme would be ideal for parents hoping to decorate the baby's nursery in the same theme, as you could reuse much of the decor."

Sports  

If the couple are die-hard supporters of a certain team, consider making the baby shower center around their fandom. "This infuses their competitive spirit, so guests can participate in games, winning gift ideas and favors," says Jacqueline Vizcaino, owner of Tinted Events Design and Planning. "Imagine a Wimbledon or U.S. Open-themed shower, and the table is long and decorated like the court, or the cake replicates the stadium with fans in the stands."

Circus 

A light-hearted circus or carnival theme is so sweet and easy to pull off. Simply use a vibrant color palette and amplify it with balloons, Vizcaino suggests. Tap a friend (or a professional) to show off their juggling skills, and use an animal-themed backdrop for photos.

Music 

If the couple is big into music, use a favorite genre, band or artist as the theme for their coed baby shower. "Music can inspire fun entertainment and jam sessions, or carry over into a karaoke night," Vizcaino says. "Guests could be inspired to write lullabies or showcase the food in album-inspired trays."

Travel

For a couple of travel enthusiasts, consider a coed baby shower with a passport theme that highlights the places they love to visit. "Whether it's in the ambiance, decor or the menu selections, the beauty of this theme is it has permission to take the guest on a journey and not stay in one place," Vizcaino says. For example, you could feature an Italian-inspired charcuterie buffet and pâtisserie-inspired dessert table as a nod to France.

Books

The parents-to-be will soon be reading a lot of story books to the baby, so a "once upon a time" theme is quite fitting. Whether it's traditional fairy tales like Cinderella and Robin Hood or classic baby books such as Goodnight Moon and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, featuring a variety of tales can make a baby shower more gender-neutral, notes Keith Willard, owner of Keith Willard Events.

Coed baby shower invitations

Wording is very important when you're creating coed baby shower invitations, as you want your guests to know that the invite is intended for all of your loved ones. 

"Overall, using inclusive language and addressing both parents-to-be can help ensure that all guests feel welcome and included in a coed baby shower," Vizcaino says. She suggests using language such as:

  • Shower the Parents-to-Be

  • Join Us for a Couples' Shower in Honor of Baby (Last Name)

  • All Are Invited to Honor Baby (Last Name)

Common baby shower etiquette dictates sending out invitations is six to eight weeks before the event date. That gives guests enough time not only to respond, but also to make any necessary travel arrangements. 

Coed baby shower games

One of the most exciting parts of a baby shower are the games, as they can break the ice and get guests interacting. Here, planners share some of their most beloved baby shower games for coed parties. 

Who will they look like 

This fun guessing game involves deciding who the baby will look like. Of course, it's entirely non-scientific, but that makes it even more fun. 

"Print one photo of each of the parents, adhere them to a magnetic sheet, cut them into different pieces (eyes, nose, lips, hairline, etc.) and place them on a magnetic board, like a puzzle," Roman says. "The results always get lots of laughs." 

Diaper derby

This game isn't only fun, but it's also educational since it involves the guests competing with each other to see who can change a diaper the fastest. A baby doll can work well as a stand-in — and get the expecting parents up to speed on some of the dirty work they'll be doing very soon. 

Baby bingo

This classic game of bingo has a baby twist to it. "Purchase or make a bingo card template, and customize it with baby terms like diaper, pacifier, rattle and bassinet," Roman says. "Have the guests mark off the words as they are mentioned through the shower, in conversation or otherwise." The first person to get a line or a full card wins. 

"This game encourages people to mingle and talk to each other," Roman adds.

What's your vote

It doesn’t have to be near Election Day to play this fun coed baby shower game, which serves as a way to remind guests of the due date (so they can stop asking the mom-to-be!). Have attendees predict the birth date of the baby by writing on a physical calendar or entering their guesses via an online survey. If you do the latter, "the guests can be notified of the birth along with a photo and congratulations to the [closest] guess," Vizcaino says.

Of course, no game is complete without a fun prize. For a coed baby shower, consider handing out gift cards, self-care items, sweet treats or even to-go thermoses to the lucky winners.