Toddler loving her newborn sister a little TOO much HELP!

[phynna]

Hi all!

Well Elly absolutely adores Leila, but will NOT STOP hugging and kissing and disturbing her, constantly!!! All day long, from when she gets up at 6 in the morning, till fighting her bedtime because she doesn't want to leave her. Leila is not getting to rest because Elly won't leave her alone! And the constant having to try and fend her off is already driving me insane, how to reason with a 2 1/2 year old in this situation? And we're only on our 3rd day in...

[Beatrix]

I'm pretty sure the novelty will wear of very soon. It's still early days. I would say give it a week.

Have you got a play pen or something you can put bubs in to save her from her sister?

Other wise distractions and craft maybe for older sister? Or walk to park?

[HotI]

i had to create safe places where i could leave DS and DD couldn't get to him. there were 2 rooms that dd (at that time) couldn't open the doors, our bedroom and the bathroom, and i would 'hide' ds in there if i couldn't be right there. At the same time, we were encouraging 'gentle hands', and talking about how ds liked when dd held his hand or rubbed his foot. Also by creating times when dd could hold ds, she got bored with it (for a little while).

good luck.

[foreva*your*mummy]

I do remember saying this exact thing to my mum with all our boys lol. The novelty does definatly wear off but I think you should make some safe places like HotI said.

[Rivlas]

Congratulations of the arrival of your DD.

Does she have a doll that looks like a baby, not one of those hard ones from head to toe.

We found having a soft baby was helpful, nappy change was done at the same time, as was dressing and yes, even feeding at times.

What you are experiencing is normal and as the others have said the novelty wears off. Also have time out as I'm sure you all will benefit with some down time

Another way is to get her to 'help' by getting things for the baby like nappies, clothes etc.

[Novella]

As rivals said having her own baby might help

Special time when she is able to touch/hold baby

We had to set up the portacot as a safe place to put DD2 in when we needed to go to the toilet etc and she was awake. When she was asleep I popped her in the bassinet and wheeled it into our room and shut the baby gate so DD1 couldn't disturb her. DD1 loved to help get nappies, wipes and her favourite was helping pick out clothes for the baby

It's hard but the novelty wears off and by about eight weeks dd1 was less interested in her little sister. Luckily this time round the bigger age gap has made it slightly easier.

[phynna]

Thanks everyone Short of the play pen (very small house) I'll try it all. Big Dora doll was her favourite to swaddle and shush but now there's a real baby Dora's been sacked! Might see if we can head to a toy store and get her own baby. I've been using the car capsule for her portable "bed" as a bassinette or portacot is just too big to wheel around our pokey house, and our safety gate is useless, Elly had that one figured out about a week after she was walking! My new wrap sling (like a hug-a-bub) arrived today so that should help some too, fingers crossed!

[PumpkinZulu]

You can get play pens that are quite small Just enough room for bubs in a bouncer and blankets or whatever. That's what I'm planning on doing, isolating DD2 from DD1.

[Taurean]

We've got two baby gates that DD1 hasn't figured out yet. One is from Bunnings and the other from Toys R Us. Both you have to lift the gate to open it, something a toddler couldn't possibly do.

We have a gate across the kitchen and one on DD2's room. When she was little, I'd put her bassinet in one of those rooms if she needed time out and was asleep or I'd put the swing or rocker in a safe zone, lol. Our bedroom has double doors which we put a plastic kiddies lock looped across the two door handles when required. You can get great covers for round door knobs too.

Our play pen is about 1 x 1m so not big at all. We haven't actually used it yet but it would be a good option if you've got enough room.

The suggestions for her own baby are great too.

Good luck! Hopefully the novelty will wear off soon, especially when she realises how much newborns cry! Lol

[HotI]

safety gates don't work for DD either, she can open them or just scale them we were planning on putting high slide locks on doors, but she now leaves DS alone when he is in our room. It is my backup plan if i do have to close off a room though.