Having a New Baby

I found having someone stay at my home with my then 2 yr old daughter worked out very well. My Mom stayed with her, which was a big treat and then she got to come to the hospital to meet her new sister. After I brought her new little sister home, I found giving her little jobs helped ease the transition of having to share her Mom. Things like handing me a diaper while I changed the new baby or picking a book we could read together while I breastfed her new sister seemed to help us a lot. Good luck!

My son was 17 months old when my daughter was born and like you I told him the same things like there was a baby in my tummy. when I went into labor my mom took him to my parents place while I was in the hospital because my boyfriend slept in the room with me. He loved spending time with his grammy and grampa and they brought him to the hospital every day to see the baby and he got to hold his sister and meet her and help change diapers so it wasn't as shocking for him when we brought her home. I don't think he realized what a baby was until he actually saw she was another person, and we all tried to spend time with him to so he didn't feel like he was being left out.

I left my two older kids with my brother in law when I had my baby...I kind of wish now that I didn't and let the two older ones be part of the experience. My husband stayed with me for a few hours after the delivery (the baby was born at quarter to 6 in the evening)and then picked up the other two. The next morning they all came back and stayed until after dinner. But they were 6 and 9 at the time and didn't need as much supervision as a 2 year old...

You could make it easier for him by including him in things involving the baby...like picking out a small gift for the baby, helping to put the crib together, having special time with just the two of you or getting a small gift for him for being a great big brother...Just some thoughts.

Congratulations and have fun with the newest addition to your family!

Hi S.,

I would have the little guy help set up the the babys room..It made my daughter and son feel like they were part of whole thing and the fun they had while we set up the room...I would find someone to come to your house this way he can be ready and waiting for the new baby...It will make him feel like the big brother taking care of things while waitint the new arriveal to get home...We also had the other 2 help us with the feeding and bathing of the baby..You will love the look on his face knowing that he apart of everything and not feeling left out...

S. :)

well my son turned 2 about a month before #2 was born for me. We had friends stay at our house with him and he visited me each day in the hospital(c-section and I had to stay for 3 days). I had never been seperated from him for do long before, 4-5 hours a time at the most. I think it was harder for me then it was for him. Everything is still great, he loves his baby brother to peices, but the first couple of weeks are tough no matter what you do. I hope this helps, and please feel free to contact me if you have any question.

Hi S.!
I had a similar situation in that when my second child was born my first was just 2. Though we planned to have the first stay with my inlaws at their house, it came down to where we were when I went into labor. I ended up going into labor at work, 45 minutes away from my husbands work and the hospital. My oldest was at daycare, where I worked. My best friend brought me to the hospital, my husband ran out and picked up my oldest son and brought him to my sister-in-law's because she lived closer to the hospital. My mother-in-law then picked him up and brought him to her house where he spent the night and was very excited to visit me and his baby brother in the hospital the next morning. My husband walked into the delivery room just as I was beginning to push. I am big on planning as well, but sometimes the best laid plans go astray. Trust that your son will adjust and chose someone that you trust to his care. He and you will be fine!

Oh boy, (or girl!)I just went through this. My daughter was 29 months old when we brought her baby sister home. It was extremely difficult for all of us, but six months later I can say we are all adjusted just fine!
My 2 1/2 year old was able to tell me that she wanted to be home. Like, relatives, friends would want to come and take her for a few hours, and she didn't want that. She wanted to be home with me. My mom stayed with her during the two days and one night at our house, the second night my husband had to sleep at home with her, because she was so upset. I had never slept away from her before this. During that time she was very angry at me, but loved the baby. She couldn't stand that the baby took so much of her time with me. Like I said though, everything is fine now. I would just keep things as usual for your son as you can. Best wishes to you and your family!

Hi S. My son was 2 1/2 when my second one arrived. My water broke at 3 AM so I had my neighbor/friend come to the house and sleep and give my son breakfast and then arranged for my in laws to join him after my neighbor left. when I was settled in the hospital with our new baby my husband went home to see our son. from that point he took care of our son. I think our son liked people coming to the house. he had his own bed to sleep in and his own toys! Good luck!

Does the grandparents live around you where you could take your son when you have the baby. If they are familiar with a grandparent it can sometimes be a fun time for them if you tell him in advance that he will be going to visit with Grandma and tell him often before the baby is born. Or if you have another person that your son is very familiar with as long as he is with someone that he knows well he will be ok. Kids are very resiliant. I have 3 of my own and that was the best way I got around it when I had to leave them with someone. And its good to have him visit the baby in the hospital before bringing the baby home so he can get acquainted first, let him be your helper for baths with the baby and stuff like that. they like it if they feel they are needed and not feeling pushed aside.

Hope this helps a bit. Good Luck!!
B.

Our son was 20 months old when we welcomed our daughter. I, too, had the same concerns about such a big change and not being at home. At that time, I was lucky enought that my sister was able tocome and stay at our house and she did a lot of things with our son to help prepare him for his new sister coming home. NO matter what, they are going to react, but I figured I would try to disrupt his life as little as possible.

All my children were close together and each child was prepared for the new arrival the same way. Prior to the birth I told my child(ren) about the soon to be coming baby. I also bought a little doll about the size of a new born and my children and I would "practice taking care of baby" I let my children accompany me to the doctors so they could hear little brother or sisters heartbeat and to see the ultra sound. When I went into the hospital I told my children they needed to help dad pick out the clothes for baby to come home in and see me and the new born at the hospital after the baby was born. And arrangements were made with other family members that my children got to hold hug thier new sibling first even at 2 my oldest son was so proud to know that he got to hold his brother "first"
Now I am a nana and helped my grandaughter prepare for her cousins arrival and we are doing it again for her new baby brother or sister. Now she lays on her mommys lap saying I you big sister I hope you a girl. I made sure my children were kept involved so they didn't feel left out and I had them stay at our house and everyone came to pick mommy and the new sibling up from the hospital. And when I got home I had mini helpers.

My two boys are 14 months apart. My son did great with the new baby. I had my mother stay with him at my house and he came to visit us at the hospital. I think because he was so young at the time he was fine with it and didn't really know any better. Good luck... they'll be great friends.

I just a had baby in December and my daughter had just turned 2 in November. I bought a book about new baby right when I found out I was pregnant. It was a good one too. We read it once a week and then right before I was due we sat down with the book and told her that it was time for all the things in the book to really happen. We made it so exciting for her. Her grandma stayed at our house with her. I bought some special foods and snacks for her to have whie I was in the hospital, and they came to visit me every day after her nap. She ate diner with me in the hospital every night. We just did little special things for her and right away taught her how to give her brother his binky, and how to burp him (with help of course) and involved her in everything. She gets blankets, hold bottles and everything. She knows she is my helper and that I couldnt do it without her. My son is now 7 weeks old and everything is going great!!

Hi S.,

I think it would be less stressful for Nicholas to remainin his own home if possible.
Rather than viewing it as 'Mommy is sending me away to get a new baby,' You can perhaps let him know that you need him to be the big boy and hold down the fort and get everything settled for HIS new baby.
Hope this helps and Good Luck!:)

When the people we love are enough for us, we want to be enough for them. If they want somebody else, we understandably feel pushed out and jealous. Your task, then, is to accept the fact that your 2-year-old is going to have those painful feelings. Of course, you can reduce them by doing all those inviting him to bring his baby out and change it or feed it. But the most important thing is to concentrate on getting him into the best possible emotional shape to cope. SO staying at home and waiting for the big day when his brother or sister comes home......Make it all about him being the big brother and that you will need his help........ So my answer is let him stay at home...I think it will be easier

Couple of things you can do to get him ready is get him a baby maybe elmo Diego or something like that and have him play with it and change the diaper, him staying at home or someone else is house will be fine have hin bring his baby with him even in a car seat so that he feels involed

Hi there,

My son was 2 1/2 when we brought home #2 and it was a good transition. Here's some of the stuff that helped.

We showed him lots of pictures of himself as a baby in the months leading up to the birth. We showed him other babies and told him we'd have one come live with us. Other friends have siblings and used them as an example.

When the birth happened, my mom stayed over the night I went into labor and was there when the boy woke up. He spends a lot of time with her, so that was fine. The next night my husband was home with him while I was in the hospital. (mom stayed with me) If you're like a lot of women, you'll want to get OUT of the hospital ASAP with your 2nd. I had my daughter on Sunday morning and left on Monday by noon.

The nice thing about bringing a baby home to a 2 year old is that after a couple of months they won't remember what life was like before baby.

Good luck and congratulations.

congratulations on baby #2! i've been thru this 4 times and i found keeping the kids home and having someone stay with them to work the best. it gives them some stability during this crazy time. they even helped get the house "ready" for the baby and had a gift that they picked out or made for the baby, they also enjoyed that when the baby came home the baby had a gift for each of them. good luck!

I think what will make your son feel most involved rather then pushed aside would be for him to be at home and helping get the house ready for thew new baby i just had my third last april and we stayed in the hospital for a week and my older two kids loved getting the house ready and enjoyed being made a part of it all rather then feeling like they were in the way its a good way to get your oldest ready for the transition ! and congrats on the little one