How to Prepare Your Toddler for a New Baby

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Welcome to Carrots! I'1000 so glad you're back. You can sign up for my email newsletter here to stay in bear on, or look me upward on Facebook or Instagram!

I woke upwardly this morning sick equally a dog, so I thought I'd share a piddling something from the archives. Our 16-month-old is just now at the phase that these tips are applicable (she loves looking at pictures of babies in utero and hearing nearly her baby sister) and if I could add together ane more than thing it would be to go your toddler a baby doll and engage them in lots of imaginative play: irresolute the infant'southward diaper, feeding the infant, putting the baby to sleep, etc. Our toddler Lucy is just loving her infant doll these days and I think it will be a cracking toy to enjoy and pretend with one time Baby Gwen arrives and I'yard nursing, etc. -Haley

When we became pregnant with our 2nd child, we were nervous nigh how our two-twelvemonth-old son would react to having a new sibling. Our firstborn is a bit of a handful and is very intent on having everyone's attention at all times. Nosotros were worried that having to share our attending with a new baby would cause him to resent his little sister. We were and then wrong! He has been a spectacular big brother from day one. He calls her his "little sweetie pie," delights in making her smile and express mirth, and is very concerned when she is upset. He is constantly telling united states of america how much he loves her and has never been annihilation but kind and gentle with her. Seeing their piddling friendship abound has truly been 1 of the most beautiful experiences of my life. Every child is unlike and volition react differently to the realities of a new baby, but hither's a few things we've learned virtually preparing toddlers for the arrival of a new sibling:

1. Talk it up. Don't permit your toddler exist surprised when you waltz home with a new sibling. Beginning talking about the new baby with your child at least as soon as yous tell family and friends about your pregnancy. Your toddler will demand several months to procedure this data about the upcoming changes.

2.Larn together. Read books well-nigh pregnancy and newborns and expect at pictures of babies in utero to assist your toddler visualize and understand what's happening inside mama's tummy. One very helpful thing I discovered during my last pregnancy was watching short videos about fetal evolution with my son using a pregnancy app on my phone. He was fascinated and wanted to run across videos showing the evolution of his babe sis several times a day.

3.Imagine together. Assist your toddler start imagining what his/her new sibling volition be like and how life will alter. Ask, "Wlid colour eyes do you think the new baby volition accept? What color hair? Exercise you remember they'll have brown eyes similar yous?"

4.Watch your words. Your toddler is very tuned in to your mental attitude and conversation about your infant. When you talk about your pregnancy and upcoming nativity, be sure to emphasize how exciting, wonderful, and blessed information technology is to be receiving this gift of new life. If you lot focus on the inevitable difficulties, inconvenience, and stress of a new baby, your mental attitude won't be lost on your toddler.

5. Give your toddler a role. OK, so nosotros tin all imagine how much "help" a toddler will exist during the early on weeks of your new baby'southward life. However, it'south crucial to aid your kid see that rather than getting dethroned as the baby of the family unit, they are taking on a new, big, and very important function every bit a older sibling. If your child is dinosaur-obsessed, remind him that the new baby won't know anything nigh dinosaurs and volition need big blood brother  to teach all he knows. If your child is a burgeoning ballerina, tell her how much fun information technology volition be to teach her steps to the new baby. Explain what sort of things mama and daddy will need help with (fetching toys or diapers for babe), how the toddler will need to await out for the new baby, how special it will exist to be a big brother or sister, and how the new baby will desire to try to practise everything their brother or sister does.

6.Tell them what to look. Plain, infant won't be able to play legos with big blood brother or sister from 24-hour interval one. But if your toddler is expecting a playmate right off the bat, you're setting him/her up for disappointment. Be sure to emphasize that when baby is built-in, "baby won't know how to talk like you lot practice. They won't even know how to sit up! They will have to watch y'all and practice before they can walk and play with you…etc." And it might be a good idea to mention that sometimes new babies cry, and that big brother or sis will have to exist very patient and try to help the babe feel better.

7.Tell stories nigh your toddler. When you're explaining about your upcoming nativity, be sure to tell your toddler about the night he/she was built-in. Explain how excited you were to meet your baby. How precious and beautiful he/she looked at the first moment you held your new babe. My son loved hearing about how he didn't like his beginning bathroom. He would enquire me whether his baby sister was going to hate her first bath, likewise. Most toddlers are entranced by their ain birth story. Telling them about their birth will remind them that their story is only equally special as the new one unfolding.

8.Requite them something to await forwards to. We tried to build anticipation for the birth of our new baby past explaining to our toddler how he would become to have a slumber political party at grandma's business firm and sentinel a Pixar movie he'd been wanting to encounter. He was so excited about the prospect of the sleepover and movie watching that he would say to my tummy, "It's time to come up out, Lucy! I want to go to my special trip to Ooma'south business firm!"

ix.Give presents from the new baby. When your toddler arrives on the scene (exist it hospital, birth eye, etc.), have a souvenir for him to open "from the baby." Our newborn "gave" our toddler some toy trucks and a special "large brother" t-shirt. To this twenty-four hour period he'll say, "Lucy gave me this truck! Wasn't that sweet of her?"

10. Requite a fiddling extra dearest. Be sure to spend a little actress time snuggling and encouraging your toddler. A big change is coming and a fiddling extra love tin can't hurt! Remind your child how much they are loved by mama and daddy…and how much the new infant will beloved them, besides!

Did your older children accept an easy transition to life with a new baby or a hard one? What helped ease your child into the big changes of sharing the spotlight with a younger sibling?

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Source: https://www.carrotsformichaelmas.com/2013/02/26/10-ways-to-prepare-your-toddler-for-a-new-baby-2/

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