Preparing Your Older Child for New Baby

When you are expecting your first child, every parent is filled with excitement and hope. However, when you are welcoming a new baby with an older child, the excitement can be even greater. Thinking of everything you need to do to prepare can be also a bit overwhelming, so in order to take some weight off your shoulders, we compiled a helpful guide for you.

Here a several things you should keep in mind when preparing your older child for the new addition:

• Talk to your older child about the new baby’s arrival. Let him or her know that he or she will have a new sibling soon, and what this means. If you already have a baby, take your older child with you when buying supplies for the new baby (such as diapers and formula). Let him or her know that this is the baby’s room, and that he or she will be sharing it with a new brother or sister. Make sure your older child understands that he or she can help take care of the new baby when they arrive.
• Have the new baby’s room ready. You should have a crib, changing table and dresser set up before the baby arrives. Make sure it is stocked with all of the necessary supplies, such as blankets and sheets.
• Talk to your older child about what will happen when the new baby comes home from the hospital. Explain that he or she will need some time to get used to having a new brother or sister in their lives (just like you did).
• Talk to your older child about what it means to have a brother or sister. You can explain that having another child in the family means that there will be more love and support for everyone, but it also means that there will be more work and responsibility.
• Talk to your older child about how he or she will feel when the new baby comes home from the hospital. You can encourage your child to express his or her feelings, but let him or her know that you will always listen and love them no matter what they think or say.
• If your child has a difficult time understanding that he or she will have to share you with the new baby, talk to him or her about what it is like when he or she plays with friends. Help your child understand that children need their parents just as much as parents need their children.
• Help your child to think about the good things that will happen when the new baby comes home from the hospital. You can talk about how exciting it will be for him or her to have a new brother or sister who needs lots of love and attention.
• Talk to your child about what it will mean to have a new baby in the family. You can use pictures of babies and young children to show him or her what a newborn looks like. Then talk about how you and your spouse feel about having another child.
• Tell your child that he or she is important, too, and that both parents love him or her very much.

And remember, it’s important that your child feel secure in his or her place in the family.  If you want to reassure your child that he or she will still be loved and needed after the baby arrives, be sure to talk about it often. It’s perfectly normal for your child to feel jealous of the new baby. Even though you might think everything is fine, it’s important to talk about how he or she feels.  Ask your child what he or she thinks about having a new brother or sister and how he or she will feel when the baby comes home from the hospital.

It's natural to take some time for everyone to get used to sharing their love and attention with this new addition to the family, but it will get easier. All the joys that come with the new baby will surely make up for the obstacles along the way!

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