How To Prepare Your Firstborn for a New Sibling
Are you jubilant about welcoming a second baby into this world but also anxious about how your older child will cope with this new addition to the family? It is an understandable concern, but you shouldn't panic. There are plenty of ways to prep your firstborn and foster a loving, supportive relationship.
Here is an extensive guide on how mums can prepare their older children for the arrival of a new baby in the house.
1. Tell Bub Before Breaking the News to Everyone Else
Reveal the news of your pregnancy to your child before telling your friends and extended family members in a straightforward way. Doing so will ensure bub hears the good news from you first and not from a distant aunt. Keep it simple and frame it in a positive light. For example, you can say, "you will get to meet your baby brother or sister soon" or "soon you will get to play with the baby growing inside mum's tummy." After breaking the news, patiently answer any questions bub might have.
2. Encourage Prosocial Behaviour Like Sharing
From your attention to toys — sharing them will become the new norm for your older child once the baby arrives. So, start cultivating this behaviour well ahead of time through positive reinforcement. Encourage bub to share snacks with their play dates, play games that require sharing, and so on. Basically, anything that helps bub acclimate to the sibling life, which involves a great deal of sharing and caring.
3. Use Different Types of Media To Demystify the Concept of Sibling
Children, especially the ones on the younger side, can be a bit clueless when it comes to understanding the significance of becoming a sibling. Just telling your kid that you are about to become a big brother or sister will not suffice. You will need to use some visual aid to make the concept much clearer. And fortunately for you, there are many options out there for you to use. from colourful children's books to funny, educational animated movies — you can choose any type of media that bub prefers to generate excitement about becoming a new sibling.
4. Assign Bub Tasks Related to the Baby
Give your firstborn baby-related responsibilities. Let your little one assist you while painting the nursery, accompany you while shopping for baby bath oil and other newborn essentials, or even help you pick out new baby names. You can avoid bub feeling neglected throughout the pregnancy by assigning specific tasks. Furthermore, doing so will also mentally prepare your child for the various responsibilities that come with becoming an older sibling.
5. Spend One on One Time To Reinforce Your Bond
It can be a struggle for the older child to accept that they are no longer the centre of attention. This realisation can then manifest as them experiencing fits of jealousy. To nip this in the bud, try spending more quality time with your firstborn. Go for a picnic, play games, take bub with you while you go for your weekend pregnancy massage, and so on.
You can also try co-bathing with your toddler and have a fun play session splashing around in the tub. It will enrich your bond and make bub's bathtime more fun and development-boosting. To make it more nourishing, add a few drops of our baby bath oil and some Himalayan salt soak to the bath water. The baby bath oil will help soothe your tot's skin, whereas the healing soak will help melt away the aches and pains of your pregnant body.
6. Set the Correct Expectation
It is essential to convey some of the negatives of having a newborn in the house, along with the positives. Inform bub that the baby will not be an immediate playmate or that in the beginning, the baby will cry a lot and will be completely dependent on mum, etc. If you paint a realistic picture for your kid about the upcoming days, it will help bub adjust better.
7. Don’t Disrupt the Established Routine Too Much
Children need routines to thrive. It reduces their stress levels and helps them feel safe and secure. So, even though it's hard with a new baby on the way, try to stick to your kid's usual routines as much as possible. From mealtime to bedtime — if everything remains roughly the same as before, your child will feel more at ease with this new development.
8. Try Verbal Praises and Gifts To Make Bub Feel Special Throughout the Pregnancy
Heap on the verbal praises to make you first feel less insecure about the new baby news. Through hugs, kisses and affectionate words, you can express that your love for bub will remain just the same as before. A little treat here and there will also help. Buy your kid a toy or a colouring book while shopping for baby essentials. Or ask your close family members to get presents for your oldest instead of new baby gifts for the baby shower.
Conclusion
The arrival of a new baby is always a momentous event, no matter if it's the first or second. But the two biggest differences between the first and the second pregnancy is "mum guilt" and "single child to older sibling transition." To make this transition go as smoothly as possible, follow our above advice. And for the guilt, our recommended antidotes are loads of positive self-affirmation and plenty of self-care. Browse our luxurious pregnancy and postpartum products handcrafted for your self-care.
– The Hermosa Co.
