Q&A: Any tips for introducing new baby to toddler?
Question by Suze – mummy to Dylan and Elina: Any hints for introducing new baby to toddler?
My second baby is due any day now. I already have a 2.5 year old son.
Does any person have any ideas on the best way of introducing my new baby to my toddler?
I’ve already bought my son a present ‘from the baby’ and we’ve talked about the baby’s arrival rather a lot, and looked at the baby’s clothes together etc. Something else I can do?
I’ve study that neither of the parents really should be holding the baby when the older child sees it. Is this seriously essential? Our son will have to get made use of to us holding to baby!
Very best answer:
Answer by ♥ Baby Doll ♥
Hope all goes effectively for you darl only 4 weeks left for me x
Add your own answer in the comments!
January 28th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Well I have 5 kids and when my husband bought the kids up to the hospital to pick me up, the baby was in the hospital crib and that went down well with my youngest who was 3 as he could have a cuddle with me first and then my husband got baby out and introduced them. Your son will get used to you holding baby what I found i used to do was encourage my son to go and get a nappy and help change bum etc. It will work out no matter what you do. There will be a bit of jealousy (maybe) but you will deal with it how you see best. Dont worry and enjoy your new baby and your son, make the most of it. Take care x
January 28th, 2011 at 12:41 pm
Sounds like you have done everything I have read about. Apparently for the very first time he meets the baby, they recommend that you or daddy aren’t holding the baby when he first come in and make it obvious that you are happy to see him! After this, then obviously he will have to get used to seeing you hold the baby. He might like to have a “cuddle” with his new brother/sister.
January 28th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
My son is 2.6 years old and expecting in 10 weeks time
i have been doing the same talking about the baby to him, saying he’ll be the big brother and can help mummy with his baby brother, im also getting him a present from the baby for him.
I also read that the parents should not be holding the new baby when the older child sees him for first time..maybe this is so he doesnt get jelous..you could make a big fuss about seeing him when he comes to visit and then say are you ready to meet your new baby brother/sister.
I dont think you’ll ever know how they’ll react to a new baby untill their here, at the mment my son is very excited calls him his “belly brother” and keeps talking about how hes going to help me but could be different when babys here
(sorry if not really answered question)
January 28th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
My son will be 13 months on the dot when he meets his little brother..
I have no idea how to handle this either..?
=/
January 28th, 2011 at 2:18 pm
I had my second baby 6 months ago and my eldest was 2 and a half.
We included him in clothes buying etc and also encouraged him to go in the baby’s room and see what it was like. We also read a book to him called “whats in your tummy mummy” a lot which really made him understand why mummy was fat!
The best thing to do is keep explaining things like “mummy will be going away for a few days and when she comes home the baby will come and live with us”.
When ds2 was born, ds1 was the first person in the delivery suite, we made all other relatives wait so they had that special time together, and I made sure I wasn’t holdin ds2, I just stretched my arms out to him and gave him a massive hug. Apparently it sends the message that even though this new baby is here, m&d will always still have time for you. He then joined me on the bed and had a cuddle of his brother.
We made a bug fuss about him being a big brother and having to look after ds2, and he loved it. He then got his pressie and ignored the baby for about the next 3 weeks!
Two things we noticed where he would play up and bedtime because ds2 was downstairs, so we started “fake” putting baby to bed together so he thought he was staying up later. the other thing is they may try it on and be naughty – we realised we were trying so hard not to let him feel left out that he was getting away with all sorts, as soon as we started disciplining him again he was as good as ever so i would say you need to keep the behaviour boudaries even though you dont feel like it.
Kids are resilient and as long as you give lots of cuddles and reasurrance, you can breeze through it. Now ds1 is my big special boy and ds2 is my little special boy and they are really nice with eachother!!!
So good luck with it all, go with the flow and go by how your eldest reacts
Good luck with the birth…