Preparing Toddler For New Sibling Baby

You already have kids and are planning for one more. It is a matter of extreme joy for the family as a whole. But have you thought about your children? How would they take it? What will be their feelings when they see that the newborn is getting all the care and attention from the mother? It was their prerogative before. Won’t they feel let down and offended? Will they compete with the new baby for care and attention? And God forbid, Will the ever think of hurting the newborn? Let’s look into this very sensitive matter.

Understand Feelings of toddlers

Children love the idea of a new baby coming to their house and keep on asking cute questions regarding the whereabouts of the new one. But once the new one come to the house they start feeling neglected and even deserted. They start thinking that the baby is a special being and does not belong to them. They even develop the wrong notion that the new baby has replaced them.

Therefore, it’s extremely necessary for the parents to follow certain steps so that the children in the family are able to adjust to the new situation.

• When you become pregnant, share this joy with your children. Take them to their favorite eating-place and tell them that you have done so because you have something very special to announce. You then tell them that they are going to get a new brother or sister and they also should be very excited about it. In this way, the children will also feel important and will even develop a sense of responsibility for the baby who is yet to arrive in the world.

• Accompany your children when you go to the doctor. Let them see that the doctor is examining you. Let them see that our stomach has grown in size and has a special gift inside. Make them hear the baby’s heartbeat. This way, they would develop a natural relationship with the unborn baby. Explain these things to the doctor in case he is not sensitive to these issues (it is very rare though). Also, ask for a second ultrasound so that the children are able to strengthen their bond with the baby on seeing it again.

• Then take the kids to an eatery and celebrate with them the fact that the baby is in good physical shape and is progressing well. Praise your children that they did an extremely good job by behaving well at the doctor’s clinic. Hug them and tell them that they and the baby are a matter of pride for you.

• Make the kids a part of the celebrations. Make them participate in decorating the baby’s room or shower. Take their help in making invitation cards, blowing balloons, sticking the decorations to the walls etc. Make it a point that the kids choose a gift to welcome the baby. It should be their very special gift that they make or purchase on their own.