Positive things about bringing a new baby home to your toddler!
Why is everyone so negative about pregnancy, birth, babies, everything!! There are heaps of threads about the comments people start getting from the time they're pregnant. Ahhh!!!!!!!
At the moment what's bothering me is what everyone is saying DD will be like when the baby arrives. I most often get:
'Oh, DD will be jealous'
'She'll have her nose out of joint!'
'She won't use the toilet anymore, she'll go back to nappies to get attention'
'She'll hate having to share you'
'She won't be the center of attention for much longer'
'She's going to play up when the new baby comes'
And the list goes on...
Well thanks alot, do you think I don't worry about all these things already I already feel sad about her feeling left out or not having enough time for her.
So please share with me, what are the good things?? What did you love about those first few weeks when you introduced your new baby to your toddler?
My DD was a bit older than yours, but I'll tell you what I remember. For me bringing another baby home to Darcy was a joy. I will never ever forget the day he was born and she arrived and swooped up to the bed to have a look. She was sooo excited.
When she proudly told the CC girls that she was getting a brother and his name would be Nate (not that we were telling anyone anything or had even discussed it with her but she had picked the name some 15weeks earlier and had been with me - but not listening I thought - when we had discovered he was a boy).
When asked by people who were visitng and she'd beam and proudly say "that's my brother!"
When I'd discover a handful of her toys in his bed because she thought he'd need something to play with.
The way she'd hover over the pram protectively when we were out if someone approached him.
She didn't regress with her sleep or her toilet training and she had been a pretty crap sleeper. I never heard her say a bad word to him or be mean at all, she is the kindest gentlest little girl - until he started to antagonise her all those months later.
Without being told she knows to stand up for him at the park. My heart nearly burst the first time.
friggin hell some peeps are seriusly uncool. there are so many cool things- didint really affect mr 18 moths at all when miss 2 came home. now he is 3 and she is 19 months and they have a ball. Mr 3 was and is so affectionate to her.
so- don't push- just let her see the baby when she wants to maybe take her shoppping for little pressie for bubs and help her wrap it etc. and tell her no how much new bubs love her and knows what a good bid sister is gonna be.
thank the other peeps for being so negative- that'll show em.
i think the BEST thing about bringing a new baby home is watching the older siblings .. the pure Joy and excitement you see in their little faces.. they are the only ones that have no expectations on how this whole new baby business will go down they just love the baby for.. well being a baby!
My Ds's were the same age as your DD when we bought home the next bub iykwim and they were so proud to show off their new.."toy" lol
Sure some bits are hard, kids dont read the rule books but looking at the way they try and interact with bub or they way they simply look at them makes it all worth it!
Good luck... But i dont think you will need it!!!
I agree with mummyof4, the look on their faces when they see their little brother/sister for the first time is amazig!
When ds1 left to go to the movies with nanna this morning, ds2 was having his nap. As ds1 left I had to promise to give his little brother 200 cuddles and kisses from him the minute he wakes up so he doesn't miss him. It's moments like this that make up for the grumpy times! Focus on these and you'll be just fine!
Oh Heaven, there are plenty of wonderful things!!!! DS was 23 months old when DD was born- for the first 6-8 weeks to be honest he didnt even care she existed, no jealousy- she was just boring so he didnt bother!! He was great if iw as feeding her and all of that- and his favourite saying was, "time for baby go to sleep?????"
Then one day she got the hiccups.... Shane sat there and watched her and they smiled, and he kept saying "more" and she kept hiccuping.. and from that day- she was the best thing in the world- and every day he just loves her even more!!!!!
A few cute and adorable things.......
DS looking lovingly at DD saying "Awww baby!!"
When DD is crying if i am not close by he will run to her and say "its ok baby, its ok, mummy be here soon"
The second he hears her awake he shouts "Baby's awake!!!!!!" and runs to her door!!!! Best baby monitor on earth!!!
The way DD's face lights up when she see's her big brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hearing them giggle together when DS jumps in the cot with her, when he plays with her, when she see's him!!!!!
As others have said the excitement of newborn cuddles, the proudly showing off their brother at daycare and to family, all bring lots of joy into the house. There is always a lot of laughter. Our girls are 20 months apart and they were doing nudie runs around the house and giggling together. Ds is 18 months younger than dd2, she adores him she loves getting his dummy and makes sure he has his blankie and a toy. She was a bit rough to begin with but she is learning. Ds would only roll to see what his sisters are up to until today.
There are so many positives. Dd1 has regressed in tt but I was in hospital for a week then Ds was born and we moved house so she has a lot going on. There have been no sleep issues though, and i swapped to cloth nappies as two in nappies full time and one part time got too expensive.
Oh yeah, we got told by everyone that DS1 would be soooo jealous, he wouldn't know what had hit him, he was going to hate it blah blah blah. Some really awful stuff actually. Well, almost 11 months on, we have NEVER had an issue! I'm surprised at how smoothly it went, given the dramas we had with my pg and with DS2 being in hospital for a month after his birth, DS1 really got neglected by his mummy . But he is an awesome, loving big brother, and my boys have a wonderful time playing together. I'm sure they'll belt each other someday, but for now it's all good
The best thing is seeing the big one cuddle the newborn DS1 really loved being involved with bathing DS2. Even changing his nappy, dressing him etc. He loves to show him toys, or read books all together. Something that makes life easier for you, is that once the little one is old enough (which comes around faster than you think!) they are so happy to play on the floor, if their older sibling is there too! DS2 is so happy to roam around the lounge room without me, because his brother is there. It's awesome! LOL
We did all the present giving etc too, I think it really helps. Good luck, and enjoy
I have absolutely LOVED sharingthe experience of meeting our new baby with our daughter. It is so different to when it was just her.
From day one I thought it was magic. She was gentle, her eyes were wide with wonder. She thought this new baby was the best thing ever.
And as he's grown she has been his favuorite thing in the world. He just watches her, all the time, and laughs when she bangs him over the head (which makes discipline very difficult)
We were pretty open minded about the effect it might have on her, bad behaviour, regression etc. but none of those things were true. It took us a bit longer to be ready for things like getting rid of her dummies and night toilet training (we're still not there) because we needed to wait for a time that we were ready to put up with less sleep, more laundry etc, but she's been pretty cruisey.
Some things are a bit harder to come by...sleep, quiet time, but some things are much more abundant...precious moments, love.
Good luck
x
DS is a little younger but hes mostly good for her hes the same degree of naughtyness that he was before she came he just likes to take advantage of feeding time but he loves to hug her and kiss her he is a bit rough sometimes but i dont see that happening with ur DD DS is just plainrough all the time lol
Today, with DS2 @ 4 weeks old, DS1 introduced him to all his new friends at the park. And he told them & I that DS2 is his "best friend".
The way he runs to tell me whenever the baby is crying.
The way that when he met him for the first time, he brought one of his Chuggington trains to show his new baby.
The way it's "his" baby.
The way he tries to put the dummy in his little brother's mouth. Or rock his rocker. Or play the music. Or sing and dance for him.
Or the way he showers his brother in kisses & cuddles - DH & I feel quite left out!!!!!
The look Tiana had the very first time she saw Phoebe was amazing! She was completely silent and stared at her in total love. From then on Phoebe has been 'her' baby. She always goes to her first when I pick her up from kindy or if she has been out of the house.
She makes sure she has toys and her dummy and even remembers to keep all her babrie toys in her room cause she knows they would be bad for her.
The most priceless thing I remember though was going past Phoebe's room to Tiana talking to her while she was in her cot. I was ready to get cranky for Tiana waking her when she said 'I missed her mummy and just wanted to talk to her'. Although we discussed not to wake babies I just couldn't get mad.
Having two children is more fantastic than just one cause I get to watch them love each other as well!
Oh hun some people are so cruel, SIL said stupid things like "i hope this one is a PITA so you see what it's REALLY like" and "DD1 isn't going to know what hit her, it wont be all about her"
FWIW DD1 was 15mths when DD2 came along and the first time they met in hospital was THE MOST GORGEOUS moment of my life, there was no jealousy, no pushing, just 1 sister in total awe of this tiny baby in mummy's arms.
To this day i have been lucky DD1 rarely gets jealous, she LOVES helping with her little sister, she enjoys feeding her, helping change her nappy, loves having a bath with her and always gives her little sister toys.
She pushes her on the swings and even takes our new kitten to her for a pat.
When she was little DD1 loved watching me feed DD2, she would come up and pat her when she cried and push her in the baby swing. She would often lay on the floor beside her and just stare.
We bought a little present from DD1 to DD2 to give when she was born, we also got a tiny gift from DD2 to her big sister
Make sure someone has a camera the first moment they meet, the awe in their faces is gorgeous and perfect to frame and send to the PITA's people who commented horribly
I haven't read the entire thread but have to say bringing home a sibling for DS was by far the best gift I could have given him - there was no angst, no jealousy and no resentment - these 2 kids have just got along from day dot.
don't listen to negativity - just think about how much fun it's going to be with another baby to love and share
DD is 5 days short of 2 years older than DS. She was & still is like a little mummy. She wasn't jealous at all. We got her a baby doll with accessories as well so she could play mum when we were busy with DS.
We also got DS1 a present from the baby - it was waiting for him in the baby's cot, and DH got it out and said look what the baby got you. Then DH took DS1 to buy a toy for DS2 as "he doesn't have any toys" and not only did DS1 choose a toy, but also gave his "baby toys" to DS2.
Positive things about bringing a new baby home to your toddler!
I already feel sad about her feeling left out or not having enough time for her.
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