Zoe Martin founded Bella Mama to empower women to have their best pregnancy. She provides expert advice on what food to eat and how to care for yourself at every step of the journey to motherhood. We chatted with her about her mission but also the best gifts to give a new mom and her favorite baby shower details. 

Tell us more about you and you Bella Mama

I’m a Certified Health Coach and mom of 2 beautiful, high-energy toddlers. In my past life, I was a Government Adviser at the United Nations but I launched Bella Mama after my first pregnancy because it was so hard to find an evidence-based resource that spoke to the modern mother. I have a passion for pregnancy health & wellness, and I love seeing women step into motherhood feeling strong and confident.

Give us the deets on your baby shower  

I had a Jack & Jill baby shower for my son. We had about 60+ friends come over for a casual afternoon of food and drinks. It was really special for my husband to include his friends in the celebration too. My girl friends who hosted my shower, gifted me a mani + pedi before the shower so that was a fun surprise.

For my daughter, I had an intimate dinner with 20 of my girlfriends for my “baby sprinkle”. My girlfriends had set a gorgeous long table, candles, and ordered in all my pregnancy cravings from Eataly. I’ll never forget how wonderful it felt to celebrate my baby girl. I was so touched that my friends threw me  a “sprinkle” for my second baby.

 

Any advice on pregnancy food safety at parties?

When you’re pregnant, it’s best to avoid food that’s been left out for more than 2 hours. This increases the chance there might be bacteria on the food that could make both mom and baby sick. It’s best to keep anything in the fridge and lay it out just before the guests arrive.

As the mom to be, I would avoid cold cut sandwiches, and salads including fruit salads, unless you know they were made fresh and served less than 2 hours ago. 

We know you work with many expecting moms -- according to them, what’s the best shower gift to receive?  

I personally love to gift something for the mom-to-be. A gift card to maternity bras and/or lounge wear is a nice touch to let mom know you’re thinking of her too in this time. I’m all about taking care of mom as she takes care of baby ;)

 

Do you like to be involved with planning your baby showers?

I think it’s nice to give the mom a heads up on what to expect - the guest list, the theme, and dress code, are always good to know. But there is something nice about being surprised at the same time. At both my showers, I’ve always been the most pleasantly surprised by the decor. I love all the little details that go into a beautiful shower. 

How far in advance should baby shower invitations be sent out?

I think at least 3 weeks is good. I’m a big fan of evites!  

 Baby shower games -- cheesy, or sentimental and fun?

I prefer sentimental and fun over cheesy. There are some fun games where you have games on guessing mama’s due date, baby’s weight, hair color etc.

Another great alternative to games is writing a note for baby and/or a little note of advice or love for mom-to-be.

Any last pieces of advice for those out there in the midst of planning a shower?

Don’t forget to enjoy :) From my personal experience planning and hosting, it’s sometimes easy to forget to enjoy the party ourselves. When the big day arrives, find a moment - or a few - to soak in all your hard work!