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Family Introductions
Getting Siblings Ready for a New Baby
By Katherine Bontrager
(Element Books, 1998) explains the changes headed your child's way. Another idea is to have the child help decorate the newborn's room, letting everyone share in the excitement of the upcoming event.
"But if you plan to use your older child's crib for the new baby, get him or her into the new bed long before the baby comes," DeBroff says. "Remove the crib from the room for a while so when you return it for your new baby, your older child won't think of it as his or her crib. Buy new beding and bumpers for your baby so your child doesn't feel like she's turning over her entire bed to a newcomer."
Both DeBroff and Braun are adamant about the importance of sticking to the child's routine in the weeks prior and, if possible, in the weeks following the baby's arrival. "School, activities, bedtime routines – all that needs to be the same, as that will contribute to the child's feeling comfortable and safe," Braun says. "Same old Mommy and Daddy, same old house rules, same old routines, new baby."
"Make major changes such as toilet training or giving up a pacifier or bottle at least a few months before you expect to give birth, and expect backsliding once the baby comes," adds DeBroff.
In the meantime, introduce your little one to a friend's or relative's baby before the birth so she can grow accustomed to having her own baby sibling around. In addition, DeBroff advises that parents begin arranging time for the child to spend alone with grandparents and caregivers so it won't be a shock when they tend to his or her needs while you care for the new baby.
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