How I prepared my oldest for the arrival of our new baby. I found the key to our success was to start as early as possible. I started some of these steps as it became age appropriate, knowing we wanted two under two.
- Encouraging independent play
- Teaching words and context
- Promoting helpful behavior
- Refreshing toys to keep her playing
- Link “giving behavior” with new sibling
- Newborn prep
- Consistent 1-on-1 time
- Encourage independence
- Read together
1: I made a very strong effort to encourage independent play multiple times a day, everyday. Especially days and times my husband and I were both home.
2: I would ask her “where is mama’s baby?” so she could at least hear the word “baby” in reference to something other than her. I stopped referring to her as a baby and would correct others in front of her. I would say big girl or toddler. So she would differentiate that she is bigger than the baby.
3: I would get her involved in diaper changing, because she would already tell me when she was dirty. So, now I would say, “can you bring me the diaper, wipes etc.?”
4: I removed all the baby toys and packed them away. I did not bring them back out until the baby was a few weeks old.
5: I had a small “quiet” toy that the baby could give Mary when they met.
6: I brought out the baby clothes and other newborn items from the closet early, making room for the baby in our life when I was 7-8 months along. This gave our oldest time to adjust to all the new things before the baby arrived. This includes moving the care seat over if the oldest is still in the middle of the car.
7: Have time for special 1 on 1 time with the oldest with each parent. I focused on things we could continue after the new baby arrives.
8: Encourage independence in whatever way you can. Whether it’s asking the oldest to put on their own shoes, get their own jacket, pick out their own clothes, or get their water, it saves you a little bit of time and energy. To make it easier, put their bottles/cups on the counter and whatever other pre-prep you need.
9: reading reading reading. We love reading and this is something you can do postpartum. It is also something that can help calm the child down. We can create a game out of finding specific books. We also use going to the library as a day trip. That gets the kids out and can keep the readings fresh.
Oops That Just Happened...Garden Edition!