Should Dad-to-be Attend the Baby Shower?

In recent years, a trend of coed baby showers has emerged, where Dad-to-be attends and participates in all activities alongside the expectant mom. Should the expecting dad attend the baby shower, or should it be a ladies-only affair? Two moms and a popular culture expert discuss the pros and cons.

"I'm pregnant with my first child, and some friends are throwing me a shower that will be coed, and my family is throwing a coed one as well," says Melanie Vitovsky from Cypress, Texas. "I've been to several baby showers in the past year that were coed. They had barbeque and beer for the guys, and most of the women hung out inside."

The games were great, and not just ones that were fun for the ladies, Vitovsky says. "I've seen some games recently that I'd never seen before," she says. It's a new era and some things are changing.

She says her husband went with her to a coed baby shower last year and had a really good time. "He was hanging out with the guys, having a few beers and even enjoyed one of the games immensely," Vitovsky says.

Vitovsky doesn't think having men present at a shower keeps attendees from sharing their personal stories. "The talk still turns to parenting, and even birth," she says. "Only now we get to hear some of Dad's side as well. Grandfathers, uncles ... they have pretty funny stories."

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