What’s a Nesting Party? Here’s Everything Parents-to-Be Need to Know About This Trending Celebration

Everyone knows about baby showers, but have you heard of the (arguably superior) new nesting party trend? This type of intimate gathering involves rallying a village (i.e., all your close friends and family) to help you prep for the baby’s arrival, from nursery decorating to hospital bag packing. It’s also a great choice for folks who prefer to avoid the pressure of opening presents in front of a crowd and, when done properly, results in a tidy home that’s ready to receive a new addition to the family.

Curious about throwing one yourself? Read on, friend.

A nesting party is a low-key social event—typically a small gathering—that is meant to celebrate parents-to-be and help them prepare to welcome a new baby into their home. As many people know, nesting is a term used to refer to a pregnant woman’s instinctual drive to get her home in order before, you know, the shit hits the fan. (Hopefully not literally, but my daughter managed to get it on surfaces I didn’t expect when she was an infant. Just saying.) Nesting parties lean into this desire, resulting in a gathering that helps ease some of this preparatory work, giving the future parents a few less things to worry about as the baby’s due date approaches.

Baby showers typically revolve around party games, gift giving and perhaps some mocktails and alcoholic beverages for the non-pregnant attendees. I’m not saying nesting parties are a downer by comparison, but the most important distinction is that the ‘celebration’ is really more of a team effort that revolves around, well, getting things done. Guests can (and maybe should) still enjoy cake, (zero-proof) wine and good music at a nesting party—and gifts are also welcome—but an effective one will help check off some boxes on the to-do list of an anxious mom-to-be. 

You can also make it a slightly longer affair by combining the two concepts. Think: work hard, play hard. However you plan the affair, the gist of it is that your closest pals will help you achieve some of the tasks (i.e., sorting hand-me-down clothing, assembling baby furniture and prepping meals) that you haven’t gotten around to yet and are unlikely to have time for once the baby arrives.

Nesting parties are decidedly trending on social media, which suggests that parenting influencers are well aware of the fact that it really does take a village…and that moms and parents-to-be feel that need for support even before the baby is born. One mom’s TikTok nesting party video went viral when she favored a more practical celebration instead of a traditional baby shower. Needless to say,  there are many other parents-to-be who quickly caught on to the concept and shared their parties on social media.

Still, it’s worth noting that you don’t have to arrange a formal nesting party to get some help before the bundle of joy arrives. Parents-to-be should always feel free to lean on close friends and relatives for assistance with the various projects they need to complete. (My kids are nine and seven years old, but I’m considering turning my birthday into a nesting party because my house has been a dee-saster since my oldest was born.)

Every family has different needs, so the best nesting parties are those that the parents-to-be coordinate and supervise, delegating tasks as they see fit. Draft a checklist and gather the troops. And if your mind is as disorganized as your home at the moment, check out these nesting party ideas for some inspiration.