Amira Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 So I just got invited to a sip 'n' see. Since I've never heard of that before, I googled it and now know what it is, but I'm curious how widespread that term is. For the uninitiated (as I am), it seems to be a post-birth event where you go to the new baby's house to eat and see the baby. Maybe even like a baby shower? And I guess it doesn't have to be a party for a baby- apparently it could be for a visiting relative or something like that. So, have you been to one? Are they common in your area? Do I have the description right? Do you do something like that, but call it something else? For the record, I recently moved to central Virginia and the person who is organizing the event is from Texas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrin Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I never heard of it until I moved to the south. I haven't heard of it since leaving the south. (BTW, "south" refers to Georgia and Mississippi in my case.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Never heard of that term, nor of any similar event. We do have get-togethers (with no particular special name) when out of town family members are around, I suppose, but not for new babies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 So, while you're still fat and exhausted from giving birth and getting around two and a half hours of sleep at night and have swollen, leaky boobs, you're supposed to invite a bunch of nicely-dressed people over to your house so that you can feed them and they can smear germs all over your newborn whilst admiring your coffee-stained pajamas? Um... no. We don't do that here. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I'm a northern transplant to central VA as of about 3 years ago, and I've never heard the term. I will admit to not having many friends here to invite me to things. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 So, while you're still fat and exhausted from giving birth and getting around two and a half hours of sleep at night and have swollen, leaky boobs, you're supposed to invite a bunch of nicely-dressed people over to your house so that you can feed them and they can smear germs all over your newborn whilst admiring your coffee-stained pajamas? Um... no. We don't do that here. :blink: Well, yeah, I pretty much had that reaction too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skirch Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Never heard of it until I moved to Mississippi. We had one for a friend last year when she adopted a baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I'm from the South and live in the South and I've never heard of such a thing. I agree that it would be the absolute last thing I'd want to host right after having a baby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 So, while you're still fat and exhausted from giving birth and getting around two and a half hours of sleep at night and have swollen, leaky boobs, you're supposed to invite a bunch of nicely-dressed people over to your house so that you can feed them and they can smear germs all over your newborn whilst admiring your coffee-stained pajamas? Um... no. We don't do that here. :blink: This is *exactly* what my initial reaction was. It honestly sounds a bit like a nightmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I'd never heard the term until this Christmas. I am 30 weeks pregnant and my cousins asked me if I wanted her to host a shower. I told her I had been indecisive about the idea of having one since this is our second baby. She asked if I would rather have a sip and see. Had to ask her what it was. When she told me I said a shower sounded better :). Dd is about to turn 8 so it's been a long time since I've had a baby to care for but I'm pretty sure I won't be feeling like sipping with nor seeing a bunch of people in my house very soon after giving birth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrin Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 The sip-n-sees I've heard of have all been hosted by family members or their church so mom doesn't have to get her house ready, and it gives her a chance to "get out". But, yeah, I've never gone to one because I don't like the idea at ALL of the germs and such around a newborn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 The sip-n-sees I've heard of have all been hosted by family members or their church so mom doesn't have to get her house ready, and it gives her a chance to "get out". But, yeah, I've never gone to one because I don't like the idea at ALL of the germs and such around a newborn. She didn't mention location so I probably incorrectly assumed it would be at my house. At someone else's house would be better I guess but it still doesn't sound appealing to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 So, while you're still fat and exhausted from giving birth and getting around two and a half hours of sleep at night and have swollen, leaky boobs, you're supposed to invite a bunch of nicely-dressed people over to your house so that you can feed them and they can smear germs all over your newborn whilst admiring your coffee-stained pajamas? Um... no. We don't do that here. :blink: Yeah that was about how I felt about it too. And I had an easy recovery from DD's birth and am very much not a germaphobe, even with babies, but it still sounded pretty awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 If I had to host a bunch of people at my house just after having a baby, I'm pretty sure that would lead to quite a few hormonal crying jags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 The ONLY kind of baby shower I have ever been to is one after the birth of the baby. I was honestly surprised when I first heard of someone going to a baby shower before the baby was even born. So I guess I've been to many "sip and sees", but they were just called "baby showers". :laugh: Germs build immunity ... :p ETA: The showers were not at the new mother's house. A close friend or family member usually hosted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I'm a weird introvert raised in the south. When my babies were born, it drove me CRAZY that people stopped by nearly every day to see the baby. They didn't stay long, and most brought a meal or a small gift- so they felt they had a 'reason' to stop. It was part of the culture to make sure you 'saw the baby' as soon as possible after she came home. When our third daughter was born, we were getting ready to move out of state and someone suggested a sip and see. Ohmygosh. It was an introvert's dream. Everyone saw the baby- in a bassinet, nobody held her- and we spent time chatting and such, then they went on their way. Honestly, it felt kind of like a visitation before a funeral the way people dropped in, said the same things, and then hugged me and left. But I was SO glad to get it all over with in one afternoon. At that time in Atlanta, baby showers for a third baby were NOT considered socially acceptable, but a sip and see was. And back then, I guess we didn't know to keep kids away from germs. Then again we also let our babies have blankets in their cribs and used things like a walker to 'help them learn to walk'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Yep, my friend had one of these in Mississippi when her baby was about six weeks old. It was a miracle birth of sorts, so lots and lots of people wanted to come see the baby. Another friend had one here in VA after her shower had to be canceled because of the derecho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arghmatey Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Yes. I don't do registries or showers. I'm ungrateful like that. ;-) A sip and see can be hosted by the mother on her terms (months after the birth, after Mommy is up to making herself presentable again) without making it about gifts. I also enjoy providing for others as a hostess. My set wouldn't dare drop by uninvited, so the only way they get to see / hold my baby is if / when I, an unapologetic hogger of my babies, decide to host this sort of event. The real reason, however, I prefer sip and sees, is that I'm a roaring drunk, and I'll be damned if I can't drink alcohol at my own party. Showers are too delicate for this trashy southerner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 So, while you're still fat and exhausted from giving birth and getting around two and a half hours of sleep at night and have swollen, leaky boobs, you're supposed to invite a bunch of nicely-dressed people over to your house so that you can feed them and they can smear germs all over your newborn whilst admiring your coffee-stained pajamas? Um... no. We don't do that here. :blink: The real reason, however, I prefer sip and sees, is that I'm a roaring drunk, and I'll be damned if I can't drink alcohol at my own party. Showers are too delicate for this trashy southerner! Two very different scenarios- but both crack me up. I pretty much agree with Mergath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 ok, call me weird, but I love the idea! I love showing off my baby...proud of my hard work I guess, lol. And we do homebirths, so I have to clean the house to have it presentable for the midwife and whomever is at the birth anyway. So with Dad home for a week to help out it is still pretty clean a week later. I'm thinking I won't be able to get away with another baby shower if I have another child, so I would totally do this. I don't like the germs of strangers, but people I know, that I know are well, and that wash and use hand sanitizer, sure. They are going to be stopping by anyway, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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