https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 11:03:32 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790612 Thu, 07 Dec 2017 10:27:28 +0000 snowjewelz 2790612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had my 2nd 12/20 so right around Christmas too. Didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790539 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 22:38:01 +0000 Truth Bombs 2790539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PawPrints: my son was born 6 days before thanksgiving, 4 days later my husband was incredibly ill and quarantined in a hotel, we had to fly my dad down unexpectedly to help, then 4 day weekend/thanksgiving. Oh, and Thanksgiving Day was my older one’s 3rd birthday!! About as abnormal as it gets. Our 3 year old totally just rolled with the punches! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790517 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 20:47:35 +0000 Littlebit7 2790517@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PawPrints: yep! I'll try walling @eko </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790514 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 20:44:10 +0000 PawPrints 2790514@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Littlebit7: Yes join! Especially since you and I both have 2.5-year-old DDs and are due with a new baby within 3 days of each other :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790506 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 20:29:22 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2790506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Littlebit7: I think @eko: is the admin still.. join us! :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790505 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 20:17:11 +0000 Littlebit7 2790505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PawPrints: no I kept meaning to join and then it dropped off my radar and then dec 2017 group here on HB sorta died!! I wonder if I can be added now?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790504 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 20:12:23 +0000 PawPrints 2790504@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Littlebit7: Whoa wait, are you in the December 2017 Facebook group? Sorry I have a hard time remembering who has which username!</p> <p>@2littlepumpkins: @Foodnerd81: @gingerbebe: Good advice. I hadn't thought about the family of four time, we will definitely want to set aside some of that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790503 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 20:05:21 +0000 Littlebit7 2790503@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm following along here! My LO is 2.5 and I'm due on dec 23rd. Best of luck to you! It's a stressful time having baby arrive at any part of the year but everything seems multiplied around the holidays. We don't live close to any family whatsoever (7+ hour drive) so whomever comes to visit will likely stay for multiple days. My parents will likely come up either when I'm in labor, or just before Christmas to watch and wait for baby. And entertain my toddler. Who knows about my inlaws. I reach my point with them after about 48 hours.<br /> @Foodnerd81: you make a good point; I've been thinking about family of four time a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790502 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 19:39:15 +0000 Foodnerd81 2790502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had my second a week before Christmas, got home from hospital on a Monday and MIl arrived on Tuesday. In some ways it was really great because the older one got so much extra attention and activity. People were mindful to really pay attention to her and not just fawn over the new baby. They took her out to do fun things every day. </p> <p>However- my warning is to watch out that you don’t miss out on the nice bonding as a family of four. Everyone was so focused on helping by taking the toddler out that it ended up being me home alone with the new baby all morning and then everyone crowded around all afternoon, with no quiet new family foursome time. In my postpartum haze I really resented missing out on that. She turns two in a week and I’m still kind of sad about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790490 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 19:01:32 +0000 gingerbebe 2790490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One the baby is here, it will probably go back and forth between IM A BABY and IM A BIG GIRL. Our son was a little manic like that too. But we kept stressing how we had to do things a certain way or he had to be careful 'BECAUSE BABY IS VVVEEEERRRRY SMALLLL.' We kept reiterating how small baby was and how big DS1 was and obviously it was a size difference he could relate to, so he would start going along with it better. Eventually, he would start saying things like "baby can't do this because he's TOO SMALL, right mommy?" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790489 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 19:01:00 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2790489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Get your visitors to pay attention to your older child if possible! Grandma time with our older one helped a lot when we had #2. And remember it's temporary and normal. My two year old has suddenly decided to resist naps for the first time since I don't remember when. And now he can get out of the crib. So that's fun.</p> <p>The only thing I'm worried about with the holiday is that my kids will be so bummed if we miss Xmas bc we are in the hospital. 😬 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790486 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 18:58:07 +0000 PawPrints 2790486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: Thanks! I think I'm worrying about it since DD has spent the last two days in a brand-new major boundary-pushing time which came out of nowhere and is totally out of her normal character. Last night coming home from daycare she wanted to be buckled into the infant seat (which we've already installed) instead of her own, yelled I'M A BABY NOT A BIG GIRL a lot, then spent the entire drive home yelling I DON'T LIKE MY CAR SEAT. So, just picturing this ramping up - we've been very spoiled to have a pretty sweet cooperative 2-year-old so feeling a little unprepared. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790481 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 18:54:00 +0000 gingerbebe 2790481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really don't think you have to worry about it. Like, even if the baby was coming at a point in time where there wasn't a holiday, you'd still probably have family and visitors and different caretakers while you're giving birth, etc. And if this was a holiday WITHOUT a baby, there would still be family and school closures and what not. Like, I don't think it being Christmas will really be a big deal.</p> <p>I would just try to keep her sleep/naps as consistent as possible so she gets enough rest and time to decompress from the stimulation, and that at least one parent is always close by to offer a lot of reassuring love and touch.</p> <p>We are always traveling for the holidays in different time zones with new people and surroundings and as long as we stay nearby and keep the nap/bedtime routine solid, our kids are always good to go. When DS2 was born (DS1 was 20 months), same thing - grandparents and family members were in an out for weeks and things were all off, but we just kept his nap and bedtime routine consistent so he could rest. </p> <p>Congratulations and enjoy the holidays with your sweet family! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-for-introducing-second-child-at-christmas#post-2790477 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 18:47:52 +0000 PawPrints 2790477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our second baby is due the day after Christmas. DD is 2.5. Everything I read about how to prepare a toddler for a sibling says to keep their routine as consistent as possible. Well, having the baby at Christmas makes that pretty difficult. Daycare will be closed 12/25, 12/26, and 1/1/18, and MIL/FIL will be staying with us to help care for her and also to spend Christmas, and SIL+fiancee will also be with us for a good chunk of that, and there's the general chaos of all the presents and festivities and candy. So as far from regular routine as you can get, basically.</p> <p>Ideas on how to smooth this out at all? She's incredibly excited for baby brother to arrive, but I know we're going to get some boundary testing and regressing and all that. </p>