Okay-so you’ve done this before- you’ve gone through an entire pregnancy and actually given birth to a baby–and the first time around it was pretty uneventful… With my daughter- I didn’t appreciate my blissful big belly days– I stopped working at about my fourth month ( I was VERY fortunate, I can’t even imagine what it must be like to have to go to work everyday and fit into clothing other than those ginormous sweat pants and jersey shirts that I lounged in everyday for nine months straight–the last thing on my mind was looking sexy or even slightly presentable, although now they have such funky affordable preggers clothing, if I got pregnant now I’d go on a little shopping spree- (my first stop of course would be Target !) But back to what I was initially saying, with my daughter all I did was worry about what my next meal was going to be, really, I’m being totally serious.
But when I got pregnant with my son, I had a three year old as well, and it was certainly a lot different. I think one of the toughest parts of my pregnancy- aside from those crazy and excruciating leg cramps in the middle of the night and having to sleep on my side- was helping acclimate my daughter to the fact that she was going to sort of lose her “top” spot with the arrival of her baby brother (I found out what the sex was as soon as I could and of course blabbed it to her- I am horrible at keeping secrets). In other words I needed some major help with Sibling Preparation- Helping to welcome your new bundle of joy
For some Sibling Preparation- Helping to welcome your new bundle of joy to help you and your kiddo with baby Number two’s arrival keep reading…
Here are a few Gadgets to help Big Brothers and Sisters welcome their new baby sibling into the family!
Robeez, the original soft-soled shoes and booties for infants and toddlers! Robeez make the perfect addition to any tiny wardrobe and won’t break the bank (under $40!). They are also great gifts for parents-to-be, new parents, and your little loved ones! Not only are Robeez footwear adorable, available in a variety of styles like espadrilles, rainboots and moccasins, they flex and bend with every step, promoting good balance and unrestricted growth and feature elasticized ankles to ensure a perfectly snug fit. Since 1994 Robeez has offered its signature, pediatric-endorsed products in sizes 0-24 months. In addition, Robeez has also partnered with Disney Baby to offer the Disney Baby Collection by Robeez, offering the essential health benefits that the brand has continuously offered with a variety of imaginative designs featuring everybody’s favorite Disney characters including Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.
How will they help older bro/sis: Big Siblings can be part of the process of putting these shoes on their baby sibling and watching and even videotaping their very first steps!
Why kids will go gaga: My nephew LOVES the fact that his little bro gets to wear Robeez, with SKULLS!
Stokke ‘Flexi Bath(R)’ Foldable Baby Bathtub: A clever foldaway design makes it easy to store and transport this lightweight bathtub that’s perfect for baby to use from birth through his or her fourth birthday.
How this helps older bro/sis: Big sibling can learn that babies need to be cared for and cleaned just like them and Baby will be comfortable and loving life, in the tub!
White Hot Super Safety Bath Ducky. Determining the safe water temperature for a child’s bath can be frightening for parents, but with Munchkin’s Safety Bath Ducky bath time will be worry free. These collectable duck characters have the special White Hot® disc at the bottom that alerts parents when the water is too hot to handle, then lets them know when it’s just right to bathe. Babies love the huggable size, and since it’s watertight, it won’t sink or mildew.
How this helps older bro/sis: Big sibling will realize a new addition isn’t an alien to the family and that they probably are interested in toys like baby too, because with this ducky kids of all ages will enjoy!! Now big bro/sis can have fun playing with baby’s toys and know they’re not that different from the new kid on the block!
Why kids go gaga: Again, kids old and young will love playing with these duckies!
Dangly Buddy – When traveling, simply hook this friendly-faced buddy on the carrier bar of the car seat and sit back as your child giggles for hours watching the neck retract and vibrate as the arms see-saw back and forth and the body vibrates. With these buddies (available in a giraffe and frog characters), children can learn cause and effect while on the go with mom. Great for children of all ages.
How this helps older bro/sis: Big sibling will see that babies enjoy fun, squishy toys too and will find enjoyment in their new sibling’s curiosity and will love giggling along with baby!
Why kids go gaga: Baby will be transfixed by bright colors and bright body. Who doesn’t love stuffed animals?! Honorable mention: this trio of whimsical creatures-a buzzing bee shaker drum, a sly fox tambourine and a bright clacker with flexible wings-is designed to spark your little one’s musical inclinations and big sis/ big bro can help their baby siblings learn ow to make music!
Ultimately navigating that often bumpy road of getting your kid used to the fact that they will now have a little sib in the house and that the changes this new little person will bring will be both positive and yes, a bit negative-is just one of the MANY adventures us parents get to take! Let me know how it goes!
We just always talked about the new baby during the whole pregnancy. Including them after the baby is born is a big one. They can learn to be the big helper.
The built-in helper role is as important as we make it, isn’t it? If we can get them into taking care early it still seems to center on them. Thanks for reliving this for us!
We did the same, we spoke a lot about the baby and how her siblings can help when she was born. Now that my daughter is expecting we are doing the same thing with the older kids. This is such a great post!
I was so fortunate that both of my older kids always welcomed their siblings when they were born. I involved them in all aspects of the pregnancy and birth, so I think that helped.
I have 5 kids and I guess I prepared them all appropriately, since they all got along right from the start! These are great tips!
We had the person who was watching our daughter take her to Build a Bear and make a stuffed animal while I was in labor. It was the best thing we did!
Bringing home a new baby is a big adjustment for everyone. It’s good to get kids prepared for the idea of a new sibling.
My daughter was very excited when she found out about her baby sister. Now she helps in bathing her, putting on her shoes, and of course, playing with her.
Love this! We just welcomed #8 on april 1st most of our kids are used to welcoming new additions but our youngest (or second yougest now!)! She’s doing really well though and a baby doll helped with that!
This is great. When we were pregnant with my son we talked with my daughter a lot about her new baby brother coming. She was only 17 months when he was born so it still was a bit of a surprise when this baby showed up and stuck around but she was a champ. And we really did our best to make sure we gave her cuddles and attention away from her brother.