HOW DID YOU PREPARE YOUR TODDLER FOR NEW ARIVAL?

[Bexie]

As the question asks really. My little girl is 20 months old and I'm really not sure how much she understands that we're having a baby. I talk to her about there being a baby in mummy's belly, I've also brought her a doll that we feed together and cuddle (she's not really that interested though).

Has anyone got any suggestions on how I can prepare her for the new arrival into our family?

 

[avaandnevesmum]

Hi there, i have a little girl who was a month off two when i gave birth. I basically did the same as you, told her about baby in mummies tummy which she obviously did understand because when i ask her now she points at neve and says 'ne ne was in mummy's tummy!' Also got her dolly and changed nappy. I hav a doppler so she would hear neves heartbeat and she saw the scans. She loves her sister and probably the most important thing is not to make a big fuss about making her 'cuddle and kiss her sister' alot of our family kept saying things like that but we didnt encourage it as we wanted it to be very normal that neve was now a member of the family, they have their whole lives to cuddle and kiss eachother, i didnt want to force it. Hope everything goes well for u, enjoy! X

 

[maybebaby]

My LO will be 20 months when the baby is born. We talk about babies all the time, also every time I see a small baby I point it out and say 'just like in mummy's tummy'. If we ask him where the baby is he lifts up my top & pats my tummy but I'm not sure how much he actually understands.

I think the good think about the small age gap is that after a week or so they won't remember a time without the baby so although you'll get a bit of jealousy it won't be too bad.

One thing I am doing is making sure I don't come every time he wants to show me something - or at least tell him to wait a few minutes. I feel a bit mean but he's learning he's not the only important one.