This is how much the average baby shower costs and it’s pretty steep

Baby showers are increasing in popularity in Ireland, according to a new study. Parents-to-be are splashing out on the special event and it's costing them quite a lot of money.

Aptaclub.ie surveyed over 1800 parents in Ireland and found that 64 percent have had a baby shower while expecting and 73 percent have attended a baby shower for an expectant friend.

With over 60,000 babies born in Ireland annually, Aptaclub’s research suggests that over 40,000 baby showers will take place in 2020. 93 percent of those surveyed who have had a baby shower did so to celebrate the pregnancy with their friends and family in a formal fashion, while the remaining 7 percent of those surveyed revealed that the baby shower was used as an opportunity to get gifts or ask for advice.

Wicklow was revealed as the premier baby shower county with over 76 percent of people surveyed there having had a baby shower, compared to 63 percent in Dublin and 60 percent in Cork. Baby showers are least popular in Tipperary with only 53 percent of parents surveyed there having had a baby shower.  

The modern baby shower, which made its way to Ireland from the US, is a celebration of the mum-to-be and her baby, usually held in the final trimester, with the expectant mum “showered” with gifts, advice and love ahead of the impending birth. Now as common with Irish parents as American, 60 percent of all people surveyed believe that spending up to a whopping €500 on the event is an appropriate budget.  

Over half (53 percent) of baby showers in Ireland are organised by a family member and only one in five of those surveyed (23 percent) believe that men should be invited to join in a baby shower, suggesting that these celebrations are a female-only affair in Ireland. 

Alice Keogh, Brand Manager at Aptaclub.ie said: “Our research is the first time the lid has been lifted on baby showers in Ireland and shows just how popular a trend the celebration has become in recent years with mums-to-be. It’s fantastic to see that birth-related celebrations are rising, signalling that Irish women are really keen to make their pregnancies as memorable as possible.

“One of the most interesting revelations of the survey is that people right across the country see a baby shower as an opportunity for parents or mums-to-be to spend quality time with loved-ones, rather than associating the occasion solely with gift-giving."

“We surveyed over 1800 people to get a detailed sense of the popularity of baby showers right across the country and although the results reveal major differences province to province, it’s clear that the baby shower boom is here to stay.

“We’re really excited to launch the results today and give parents the inspiration to go ahead and plan and share their baby showers with pride – it’s certainly not a celebration reserved for Americans and celebrities.

To view Aptaclub’s interactive Baby Shower Map for baby shower information and inspiration, visit aptaclub.ie.