SURPRISE DRIVE-THRU BABY SHOWER!
FAMILY DETERMINED NEW MUM-TO-BE WOULDN’T MISS OUT DURING LOCKDOWN:
WHEN you imagine a typical baby shower you think pastel colours, afternoon teas, cakes, balloons and lots of women coming together to celebrate the cutest of occasions.
For mums-to-be during the coronavirus lockdown this hasn’t exactly been possible, but one mother, from Pencoed, wanted to make sure her daughter was able to celebrate becoming a mum again in a truly special – even if a little bit different – way.
To make sure she had an “as close to perfect as possible” day, while maintaining a social distance from friends and family, she organised a drivethrough baby shower at her home for her daughter – and it was pretty epic.
Samantha Warnock, 46, has spent the past few weeks planning the secret celebration for her daughter, Sasha McLennon, 26. Yesterday the event finally managed to take place.
With the help of Sasha’s closest family and friends, and also with the good weather on the family’s side, Samantha was able to make it a day to remember for Sasha, who she said hasn’t had the easiest of pregnancies throughout lockdown.
Speaking ahead of the event, Samantha said: “With all that’s going on with Covid she hasn’t had the best of pregnancies.
“We have a drivethrough baby shower planned for her. She will be 30 weeks on Sunday so I thought it would be a good time to do it. I just wanted to do something for her.”
It was estimated 14 to 15 cars would be waiting for Sasha at the bottom of the street when she arrived at her mother’s house.
They would be hidden on her arrival so she didn’t know they were there until, one by one, they drove up to the house to give Sasha a special message.
Her mum said it’s likely they would bring gifts, take selfies or just pop by to say hello.
Samantha even had to tell her they were going to dress nice and have some pictures to mark Sasha’s 30-week pregnancy milestone – just to make sure she glammed up a bit for the occasion.
“She thinks she is coming up for some lunch with me,” added Samantha.
“I suggested having some lunch so she can come and take a few pictures to mark the occasion, and she said ‘I would love that’.
“I had to say that, otherwise she would have turned up in her comfies.”
Sasha already has a little girl, who is five, and is now looking forward to welcoming a new baby with her current partner in September.
But Samantha said the pregnancy has had its challenges – Sasha has had to do a lot of things alone when it comes to hospital appointments due to lockdown.
Like any mum, Samantha wanted to make sure she could still have something special to celebrate the baby’s future arrival and help to raise spirits a bit now that restrictions are starting to ease.
Samantha said: “She has had to go to all the scans on her own, which she has found really hard. It’s such a stressful time.
“We have all got a bit down over it.
“She hasn’t seen everyone for a long time. She has come here obviously, since we had our little bubbles, but she has only come here twice, so she’s going to be shocked and will be overwhelmed.”
By the time the baby is due, in September, the family hope restrictions will be lifted a bit more so the lead up to the birth, and labour experience, is more normal.
But, for now, Samantha just wants to make sure Sasha enjoys the baby shower as much as possible under the current climate. Of course, she couldn’t have done it all without the help of Sasha’s nearest and dearest.
“She has lovely friends,” added Samantha. “One of her friends bought the balloon arch – they have all rallied around.
“She will be overjoyed. She will love me for it after the shock.
“She will treasure the memories and she will remember all who were there for her.
“One of the presents will be a scrap book so we can put together a scrap book of the pregnancy.
“She will have the memories to look back on.”