new arrival
A new baby will always cause a certain amount of upheaval in a family, but the experience is a very positive one and only requires a carefully managed period of adjustment. Part of that adjustment is ensuring that the firstborn child – and soon-to-be older sibling - is eased into the new arrangement.
Move over baby!
time for sharing that joy – particularly with your young child, so how do you go about ensuring that you make them feel included in this new, wonderful time? Well, first of all, it’s obvious that
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younger toddlers won’t have a clue that you’re pregnant or that there’s a baby growing inside you, so they won’t need much of an explanation early on. It’s really only towards the end that you'll need to explain that there’ll soon be a new baby in the house. Older toddlers and pre-school children though can become more involved in your
12MODERNMUM
o, you’ve found out the great news… …you’re expecting your second child! Congratulations! Pregnancy, as you know, is a time of joy – and a
pregnancy at an early stage. Make sure that it is you or you and your partner/ husband who tells your child about the pregnancy rather than letting them hear about it in conversation. Make it clear from the outset that this is a
happy event for the whole family. Tell your child how lucky the baby is to have them as a big sister or brother and about all the wonderful things they’ll be able to do together. Emphasise that it’s not just your baby, but their brother or sister. Also tell them how big a help they’ll be to you helping baby to walk and talk etc.
Explain what’s happening Kids are always more aware of changes than many parents tend to think. If, for example,
you’re suffering badly from morning sickness and throwing up a lot, then it’s a good idea to explain to your child why you’re being sick in case they’re worrying that you’re actually very sick! You could, of course, force yourself to put
on a great act…but, if your morning sickness is really bad, you’ll probably not be able to do that and so an explanation may be the only way out. Similarly, if you’re tired, grouchy and
more impatient than usual, it can be a good idea to explain why to your child in case they think that they’ve done something wrong. Keep it simple though, with explanations such as ‘baby needs a lot of energy to grow and that’s why mummy is so tired’.
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