hI EVERYONE!

My DD is 23 months old & we are expecting baby #2 in a week.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how we can help DD adjust to new bub? Or even some tips about what to be aware of when bringing bub home from hospital??

thanks
mermaid
Me: 37
DH: 39

DD born May 2005

Hi Mermaid, no hands on experience here but we have #2 arriving just after DD turns 2. So far my "plan" (whether it has any affect ) will be to setup bubs room a couple weeks before bubs is due and then keep pointing out everything for "Baby X". I'm hoping that by getting her used to everything like "X's" baby bath, "X's" nappies, "X's" clothes etc. when "X" is actually born and comes home some things will be familiar and she will understand what everything is for and not everything will be "new".

Our DD is a really good helper at the moment, which I'm hoping she keeps up, and I will be getting her to help out with everything she can like can you get "X's" nappy to help change him/her, helping with the bath etc, so she doesn't just get left out when I'm doing things with the new baby. (Man I feel silly calling bubs X . We'll know which sex it is by then so I can call "X" by his/her name ).

I'll be watching your thread though to get some more "sensible" ideas .

DD was a little bit older she was 2 and a half when i Had DS but we basically started reading books about baby in mummys tummy and got her a baby doll explaining along the way that Mummy has a baby in her tummy and its going to come soon and this is what happens in very short simple ways. She was involved setting up DS's room and buying clothes for DS everything.

Hi, My son is 4 and im due in July, we have been reading books from library on babies and brothers etc so he understands he is gonna be a big brother. He has been involved in helping get babies room ready, he even sorted out some of his babt toys for the new bub! And i am buying him a couple of presents to give him when bub born too so he doesnt feel left out.
The main thing is to make sure you keep them involved and dotn make it all about the new baby. Remind them they are still just as loved and important and make it a positive change in thier lives.

We had our DS2 when DS1 was just over 2yo. I also read him books and had the cot and everything ready well in advance. Also, we didn't push the baby on DS1 at all. He wasn't really interested...except when we weren't in the room (we'd watch from a distance and he was quite fascinated and very gentle with him.) The other thing I learnt to do was not refer to the baby when I had to leave DS1, ie. if we were playing and DS2 needed attention...I would say "I would be back in 5 minutes" as opposed to "I am going to feed the baby now". If I asked DS1 to be quiet because he would wake the baby, he would just become louder! So I just tried to rephrase things to avoid mentioning DS2.

DS2 was a really bad sleeper and crier for the first 9 or 10 weeks, so DS1 felt quite neglected and would cry for attention at every nappy change etc. I ignored it until I needed to do what I needed and during a quiet moment, I kept explaining to DS1 how much I still loved him and that sometimes I needed to do such and such, but I always love to play with him etc.

I also liked to point out all the 'big boy' things DS1 could do that DS2 couldn't which worked a treat.

For yourself, just be prepared with the emotional wreck you may become with trying to deal with the guilt of trying to split your time etc. I found it really, really hard because DS1 always looked so sad...like he'd been replaced. However, now everything is great...only took 12 weeks!!!

Congratulations and good luck...sorry for rambling!!