If you're planning to host a baby shower, get the lowdown on everything from choosing a venue to food, games and gifts

For a glowing mum-to-be it's the new hen night, the big date before the due date. A baby shower is the perfect chance to get together with your closest friends and family, show off your bump, indulge yourself and gear up for the biggest change in your life - the arrival of baby.

7 steps to the perfect baby shower

1. The Planner. Pregnancy is a period of intense activity for first-time mums. A mum-to-be is up early, checking to-do lists and can be seen charging around nursery departments debating the merits of breast pumps, Bugaboos and McLarens with her poor partner dragging behind. For this reason, baby showers are best organised by a close friend or sister. It's one less job on a mum-to-be's bursting to-do list.

2. The Date. By 36 weeks a woman is considered full term and it's not unusual for a baby to arrive any time during the two weeks before and after the due date. In the full bloom of pregnancy with a big bump to show off, the eighth month is a great time to see everyone. This is also the time many mums-to-be are splashing out on their layette.

3. The Gifts. Traditionally guests bring a little gift to the shower. The idea is to get gifts before your baby is born so you know what you still need to buy. All these gifts can leave mums-to-be feeling overwhelmed, but remember that having a baby is an expensive time and you will need all the practical help you can get. Rather than being inundated with posh baby-gros and cuddly toys, focus the baby shower on practicalities and ask all guests to bring useful gifts.

It's not very British, but it's a good idea to make a list of all the stuff you need. The party host could email it to the guests who would like to bring a gift. Alternatively your guests could make up your hospital bag so you're ready to go for your big day. Stuck for ideas? All good nursery stores will advise on suitable gifts for a new mother.

4. The Venue. Traditionally you throw a baby shower at the mum-to-be's home, but these days with small spaces and large numbers, baby showers are often thrown at alternative venues.

For a glamourous shower, splash out at The Grove. They offer a baby shower package which combines a special Stork tea, served in one of grand drawing rooms and then the party are whisked off to the spa for a treatment - with baby-sitting on offer for any attending mothers. The package includes a complimentary postnatal treatment for the mum-to-be with baby-sitting.
The Grove 01923 807807.

Follow in the footsteps of celebrity mums Mariella Frostrup, Claudia Winkleman and Lisa B. For those who love to shop, you can now have a bespoke baby shower at the Mamas & Papas flagship store in Regent Street, London. Mamas & Papas offers a baby list service, which like a wedding list, is where parents-to-be choose their dream gift list. So while the party is in full swing, guests can relax while gifts are wrapped!
Mamas & Papas To arrange a bespoke baby shower call 01484 438 476

5. The Decorations. "Fill baby bottles with jelly babies", says party planner Beverly Pearce of TK Weddings. "Not only do they look really pretty, but after the party the bottles can be washed, sterilised and are ready for the mother to use." Peg baby clothes and nappies along a string across the room. These can be taken down at the end of the party ready for the mum-to-be. Make a nappy cake. This artful cake is made up of newborn nappies, with a bottle in the centre. The cake can be iced with little extras - booties, a dummy, a baby hat and weaning spoons. Again all the pieces of the 'cake' can be used by the mother.

6. The Games. Break the ice and get the party started with one of Beverly Pearce's baby theme games.

Baby food tasting. This is just as horrible as it sounds. Buy four different jars of baby food. Cover the label and ask each guest to taste and guess the flavour.

The dirty nappy game. Buy a pack of napkins, safety pins and packets of chocolate buttons. Fold the napkins into nappy shapes with a chocolate inside. On arrival give each guest a napkin nappy. Guests are asked to hold on to the napkin throughout the party. At the end of the party everyone has to open their napkin. The one who'd held it the longest, would have melted the chocolate so had the dirtiest nappy. The dirtiest nappy wins.

Guess games. Write baby related items on to pieces of paper and put in a pot. Each guest takes it in turn to pick a piece of paper and then has to create the item using play-dough. Other guests shout out when they know the answer.

Baby prediction. This game has a practical element. Each guest has to guess the sex, date, time and weight at birth and pays a pound or more to enter. Then after the baby is born the host can open a baby savings account with the proceeds.

Baby bingo. Opening the presents can be embarrassing. To take the spotlight away from the mum-to-be, Beverley recommends making the gift giving into a game of baby shower bingo. Before the party, make up bingo cards with pictures of baby related items, such as nappies, dummies, bottles and teddies. As guests arrive, stick a picture to their gift. Distribute the bingo cards just before you start opening the gifts. Then when the mum-to-be opens the presents, the focus is off her as guests check their card to see if they have the matching picture.

7. Food. The tea party theme is the most popular for a baby shower. Bring sandwiches, mini cakes, biscuits, fresh fruit. You can make a baby punch (non-alcoholic) and non-baby punch for guests. Alternatively make a large dish and freeze the leftovers - leaving the mum-to-be a future meal.

A baby shower doesn't have to be an expensive affair. Keep all presents to less than £10. Alternatively, bring home made presents - cook the mum-to-be something for the freezer or make her a baby-sitting voucher promising her a future night out. If you've got kids of your own, bring a bag of gear for her to borrow. The most important thing is to give your friend a good send-off to motherhood!