Have You Attended a Sprinkle?
This weekend I’ll be attending my first official Sprinkle. Our eldest daughter is hosting it for our youngest daughter and will just be for family as the concerns related to the pandemic linger.
What’s a Sprinkle? It’s like a baby shower, but lighter because it’s for a mother who is giving birth to a second, third, or even fourth child.
It’s believed that the idea of traditional baby showers actually began centuries ago, with the Native American tradition of offering gifts and blessings to women on the moon prior to their journey into motherhood. I was fortunate to have a friend who gifted me with her Navajo tradition of the Blessingway for each of my three birth experiences. It’s a beautiful and sacred way to encircle the mother in love and prayer as she is transformed on each journey into Motherhood.
The ancient Greeks and Egyptians gave gifts to their deities, in honor of the mother-to-be.
Baby showers, as we know them, really became popular in the 1940s and 1950s, but the Sprinkle is still relatively new. The idea is that parents don’t need to be showered with all of the things first-time parents need to welcome their little ones. This makes the Sprinkle more about love and support for the growing family, rather than elaborate gift-giving. Gifts may be clothes or practical items since they likely have the big gear that was needed the first time around. Many expectant parents know the gender of their baby ahead of time and so the gifts can be personalized or more specific.
If you haven’t shopped for a newborn recently, you’d be amazed at the advances. There are breathable crib sheets and bumpers are not used anymore for safety reasons. Window blinds don’t have hanging cords and sound machines become nightlights and time-to-wake clocks controlled right from your phone. Infant tubs cradle the baby on a non-slip surface that also tells you the temperature of the water. There are so many cool innovations.
Typically with a Sprinkle, it’s a family affair, with both men and women in attendance, and of course, the sibling that is about to become a big sister or brother.
Our daughter who gave birth to her baby girl eight months ago, at the height of the pandemic was given a book-themed drive up baby shower! Guests arrived during a two-hour window, drove up, gave books to increase baby’s library, and were given a goodie bag of treats to take home.
I think it’s lovely to celebrate each new member of the family in a unique and special way.
It’s good to honor traditions and also change with the times. Remember to always stay enchanted!