How you prepare your child for their first sibling depends a lot the age of your (soon-to-be) eldest child. But there are a few universal tactics that can help ease the transition.
Keep their routine the same
No matter their age, your child will not appreciate the baby interrupting their life. You and your spouse will expect all the changes, but you can’t expect a child to do the same. So keep the ups and downs to a minimum. Keep their schedule as consistent as possible. Anything that does need to change (room switching and the like) should be done well in advance so it is not associated with the new baby. And if they’re going to stay with relatives or friends when the new baby actually shows up, have them try that a few weeks in advance, so the stress of something different doesn’t come at the same time as the new baby.
Take their lead
They don’t need to be as excited as the new baby as you and the rest of the family. They might be happy about it, they might express fear, they might express both depending on the time of day. If they want to talk about the baby or help you prepare, involve them. But if they’re doing their own thing, don’t use baby prep as a way to get them excited. Make sure they know what you’re doing when you’re preparing for the baby, and if they’re interested, they’ll find you.
Get them used to babies
If you have a big family, or lots of friends with infants, this may not be an issue. But if your child generally spends their time with children their age or older than them, seek out some babies. Visit a friend with an infant and ask to hold the child, while your child is watching. Make sure the environment is safe and that your child isn’t being ignored while you look at the baby. Now can be a great time to ask questions of your child, or of the infant’s parent. Having multiple confirmations about how things will go after the baby comes from several different adults will help solidify positive ideas about the baby in your child’s head.
We wish you much luck with the new little one, and invite you to check out our TotalHomeCareBaby.com store to see what products and deals are available.