Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, states the following:
1- Offering presents is a commendable act if there is no unlawful reason for it. It is reported, on the authority of Al-Bayhaqi, through a sound chain of narrators, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Exchange presents, so that love prevails among you’.
This also applies when Muslims exchange presents with non-Muslims, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted a present from Al-Muqawqis, head of Copts during the life-time of the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and he also presented gifts to some non-Muslims.
Thus, it is good to accept presents, even if they are simple. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘If a trotter or an arm were to be given to me as a gift, I would not hesitate in accepting them.’ (Reported in Al-Bukhari) Also., it is reported in Al-Bukhari that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would accept gifts and praise people for exchanging them.
Therefore, there is nothing wrong in presenting some gifts to a new-born baby, as long as there are no wrong implications in it.
Allah Almighty says: ‘Allah forbiddeth you not those who warred not against you on account of religion and drove you not out from your homes, that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo ! Allah loveth the just dealers. Allah forbiddeth you only those who warred against you on account of religion and have driven you out from your homes and helped to drive you out, that ye make friends of them. Whosoever maketh friends of them (All) such are wrong doers.’ (Al-Mumtahanah: 8-9)
2- Concerning the ‘Baby Shower’, there is nothing wrong in the custom as it is no more than just offering presents to the new-born baby, and therefore there is no violation of the Islamic Shri`ah.
3- With regard to the phrase ‘kind of gathering’ which is mentioned in the question, we can say that there is nothing wrong to make a gathering where the baby’s birth or impending birth is celebrated provided that the activities do not contradict the teachings of Islam in relation to food, drink and dress.
4- Also, there is no problem or harm in obtaining presents for the baby before his/her birth.