Preparing for a sibling!

[Mummy to be x]

Hi ladies

I already have a little girl who is 3, and a baby boy on the way who is due in December. I'm quite worried about how she will behave once baby has arrived as when my niece was born she got very, very jealous, totally normal though, I know.

I've tried getting her involved in everything so far, choosing clothes for baby, organising babies room, letting her feel babies kicks, she sings to my tummy when I ask her too

But if OH is feeling baby wriggle around in their she will stomp off, for example this morning OH was feeling my stomach and my DD stomped off in to her bedroom and sat on her bed it's quite upsetting to see her like that, I don't want her feeling left out in any way what so ever.

I guess I'm just looking for some advice on how to prepare an only child for another little person coming into their world.

Any advice or experiences would be hugely appreciated right now.

Thanks ladies

 

[NotNic]

I think you are doing all the right things. Maybe she just needs reassurance that she won't be pushed out when baby is here. Talk about your future plans - what you will do together when the baby is here etc. My son is younger so we've prepared him for having a baby here. We read books about babies and siblings and we talk about what he is going to do with baby when it's here. We don't make him kiss or touch my bump though as sometimes he says 'No baby'. Try to do one on one time, just you and her and then jut Daddy and her, so she can see its not always everyone together - sometimes mummy's left out, sometimes daddy. Sharing attention is something she might have problems with, so good to try to prepare her for that now.

 

[Beee]

Will be stalking this thread as I have similar concerns about my 2 year old. I have tried to involve her in deciding what we choose for the new baby, buying a gift from her to the baby etc etc. Her reactions to talking about the baby vary so much.
I might look into one of the books you mentioned notnic, can you recommend any particular ones? Xx

 

[misscyn]

I have the same concerns. My daughter is extremely possessive of me. However she will be almost 5 when baby arrives so I think she may be old enough to understand.
A friend of mine told me that when her baby was born, she told her 2 year old son that the baby had come with a gift for him. When he came to visit her in the hospital for the first time, she had a nice gift all wrapped up for him (something she knew he really wanted) and she told him that the baby came out with that gift for him. My friend seems to think this really helped her son accept her little sister from the start. Plus I think it's really cute

 

[Mummy to be x]

I have the same concerns. My daughter is extremely possessive of me. However she will be almost 5 when baby arrives so I think she may be old enough to understand.
A friend of mine told me that when her baby was born, she told her 2 year old son that the baby had come with a gift for him. When he came to visit her in the hospital for the first time, she had a nice gift all wrapped up for him (something she knew he really wanted) and she told him that the baby came out with that gift for him. My friend seems to think this really helped her son accept her little sister from the start. Plus I think it's really cute

This sounds like a really good idea, I'd never thought of Anything like that before

 

[apple_20]

I have a two year old and I worry about how he react.

I talk to him about baby sister being in mummy's tummy sometimes he's interested I. Touching bump sometimes not. Earlier I told him to tell baby sister it's time to come out and he started grabbing at my bump saying out oops.

We have a present all wrapped so he gets it from his sister.

Your daughter is that bit older so should hopefully be able to have more conversations with you. Have you got baby pics and bump pics of her so you can talk about how excited you were to meet her and how daddy used to feel her kick etc?

 

[Rickles]

My Mummy's Tummy is A House is a great book - our daughter refused to read it at first but now we read it every night... She seems to get there is a baby - not sure it's making her fall in love with it - but she knows it's coming xx

 

[superfrizbee]

We've got a nice book called I'm a new big sister - or something like that. My DD loves helping and I tell her she's my best helper, like they do in the book, and ask if she's going to help with the baby. She has also 'bought" her brother a present and has one from him, plus a toy baby doll from us with clothes, nappies and a pram so she can "play baby" too. She seems ok with everything at the moment but who knows how it'll turn out when baby actually appears!

 

[Mummy to be x]

Yes I have all my bump pics and scan pics from my daughter so I will show her them too, great idea.

I will go and look for a book as well and see if I can find one that relates to our situation.

Where did you ladies get your books from?

 

[NotNic]

Will be stalking this thread as I have similar concerns about my 2 year old. I have tried to involve her in deciding what we choose for the new baby, buying a gift from her to the baby etc etc. Her reactions to talking about the baby vary so much.
I might look into one of the books you mentioned notnic, can you recommend any particular ones? Xx

This is his favourite one. It's great for starting conversations: https://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/web...ium=basefeed&gclid=COrw3KGFtMECFfLJtAodAFgA4Q

We've also got him a present from the baby and a big brother card. It's also helpful that he had friends with baby siblings, so he knows he is getting one like his friends. He also tells people he is getting a Baby Jake ( like on the TV)

 

[Gingerspice]

Our DD has chosen the name. We have a present from baby to give her all wrapped and ready for her.
We've tried involving her as much as possible - actually she told everyone before we told her!! but then it was her who prayed to have a sibling and she's 4 so she's maybe slightly more comprehensive as to what's going on. I'm yet to win her round to visiting me in hospital though. She had a rough time in hospital so she is petrified to go into hospital and has told me she will wait until we're home. I'm hoping she will come in though

 

[superfrizbee]

Yes I have all my bump pics and scan pics from my daughter so I will show her them too, great idea.

I will go and look for a book as well and see if I can find one that relates to our situation.

Where did you ladies get your books from?

I got a few baby books off Amazon - Theres a house inside my mummy, the new baby and I'm a new big sister (that I mentioned).

Like pp I've also got her a big sister card and some new puzzles, books and stickers for when baby arrives (all wrapped like presents). The plan is for her to have some new stuff to occupy her while I bf, but also so she feels the occasion is about her too - theyre her special big sister presents.

 

[NotNic]

The house inside my Mummy was the one I posted the link for. Looks like its a popular pick with a few toddlers here.

 

[Mummy to be x]

Thank you ladies I'm going to order the house inside my mummy book! Sounds fab and I'm sure my DD will love it, she loves story's x