Everyone who attends your shower deserves a note as do those who couldn’t attend but sent a gift. For those who chipped in on gifts, decide whether you want to craft individual cards or write one appreciative thank you to all parties involved. These notes should be highly personalized and thankful, both for the presence of the recipient and the gift they’ve so thoughtfully picked out. Don’t just thank them for the gift itself but for the thought behind it and the ways you’ll use it. Every note should include these three elements:

• A general thank you for attending the shower and/or sending a gift
• A unique reaction to the gift and how you'll use it, with special attention to unique touches (such as the guest choosing your favorite brand, color, size or shape)
• A closing thank you that expresses your appreciation

In addition to a thoughtful note, remind guests of the occasion by including a cute maternity or baby photo. Even better, choose a set of photos, and design your card around that theme. Recipients will love to see your little one's smiling face and know you're putting their gift to good use. Two or three photos could help transform a simple thank-you note into a lifetime keepsake.

Ideally, send thank you cards within 2 weeks following the event. Since the shower’s best moments and special gifts will still be fresh in your memory, this gives you a solid timeframe to work on the cards before you welcome your baby. To simplify the process, break it down into sections:

• Take maternity photos, buy personalized cards and stock up on stamps before the shower. This gets the tough stuff out of the way, so you can spend time crafting personalized notes without worrying about the logistics.
• During the shower, keep a log of presents received, so you can remember who gave you what. This way, you’re not scrambling to figure that out when note-writing. If someone unveils your presents in a unique way or brings something special, write this down, too.
• Set a schedule. If you had a huge shower with 50 attendees, note-writing takes time. Set a goal of how many notes you’ll write each day, and stick to it. When finished, mail all of them at the same time.