When Should We Start to Prepare Older Siblings for the New Baby?

By : Admin

How and when you start to prepare older siblings for a new baby depends on a variety of factors, including the age an number of the older siblings, as well as their maturity level. In general, however, you want to give your older children enough time to adjust to the idea that they are going to have a new little brother or a new little sister.

One important thing about preparing older siblings for the new baby is to make sure that you are speaking with your older child in terms that she can understand. If your older child is in preschool, for example, it is likely that she doesn't quite get the concept of "nine months from now." However, you might use temporal landmarks, such as "just after Christmas" or "Once you're done with preschool" to help her grasp.

You should also actively encourage your older child to be interested in his younger sibling, even before the new baby is born. You might spend some time with him going through his baby book. You might read some books about childbirth with your older child. You might ask your older child to help you think of a name for the baby, or to pack your birthing bag. If you have friends or relatives with infants, you might take your older child to visit them, to get a good idea of what his new little sibling will be like. Some hospitals or birthing centers also may offer new big sister/new big brother classes that could be helpful, as well.

You should also listen to your child when telling her about the new baby. Answer her questions plainly and simply as possible. If she asks where babies come from, for example, just tell her: "they come from a place inside of mommy's belly, called the uterus."

As you get closer to giving birth, you will want to try to keep your older child's routine as regular as possible. At the same time, you will want to include your older child however you can in the activities that have to do with the new baby so that he feels included.

Each pregnancy, expectant mother, and unborn child is different. Your pregnancy may not progress the same as the information found here. The information here is based on the average pregnancy. It's not meant to be a replacement for any advice your may receive from your doctor. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, we advise you to contact your doctor.