Dadchelor Parties: Yay or Nay?

A reason to get wasted with the mates or a celebration of the upcoming new chapter?

Beer diaper cakes, poker and pampers, dad jokes… Never heard of a Dadchelor before? Let me fill you in on the latest rage that has taken dads and dedicated Pinterest pages by storm…

The Dadchelor (aka “The Man-Shower” aka “Daddymoon” aka “Baby Stag”) is essentially every papa-to-be’s answer to a baby shower. It’s a time to celebrate a father’s upcoming promotion to becoming a dad – but in full blown bachelor party style. Baby showers are no longer only reserved for just mums as dads are catching on.

You won’t find delicate finger sandwiches or tea here – we’re talking keggers, nachos, BBQ and pizza, cigars and whisky, out of town trips and more beer. From small scale gatherings to a dad’s weekend away, there’s a growing trend for “Huggies and Chuggies” and “She’s Pregnant… I’m Drinking for Two” themed parties. Typically, no gifts are exchanged, except for six packs and diapers. Games like, “Drink with Elmo” (every time dancing Elmo’s hands go up, you take a shot…) and blindfold speed diaper changing are played. Dadchelors are usually set a month before the expected due date as it’ll be guaranteed dog house time for pops if he’s on a bar crawl while the missus is in labour.

My first reaction to finding out about these man showers? I’m sorry, who’s carrying the baby for 9 months? Who’s waking up at all hours to pee? Who has heart burn after every meal? Who’s throwing up way past morning? (Pregnancy nausea does not discriminate on the time of day!) And who will eventually birth a watermelon-sized baby and struggle through nursing the baby at all hours? Um, mamas, that’s who!

After my mini rant, I began to scroll through the hundreds of postings on Dadchelor Parties on Pinterest and articles about said parties on Google. I took a step back and thought about it a bit more. It takes two to decide to start a family. It takes two to make a baby. And it definitely takes two to raise the baby to be a kind, loving, responsible, funny, wise, empathetic and driven global citizen (at least that’s our hope…!). After all, as my hubby always says, team work makes the dream work, amiright mamas? So if it takes two… should there not be two celebrations for both parties involved?

We may be the ones going through the physical changes but dads are certainly going through adjustments as well. If papas want to hang out with their friends for one last throw down (before all the throw up… ha!) they should go for it. As mamas, we appreciate the support, advice and love we receive from baby showers to mark the new chapter that’s approaching. Papas should be able to experience that too. The method may be different, but the intention behind it is just the same.

Do dad’s or mums for that matter, need a baby shower? Not necessarily… But should they have one if they choose to? Sure, why not! The transition from being responsible for yourself to now being responsible for a baby for the rest of your life is, after all, worth celebrating.

Enjoy your Dadchelors, papas!