https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:24:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preparing-young-toddler-for-a-new-sibling#post-2797017 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 09:01:45 +0000 DesertDreams88 2797017@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>bumping this.... my toddler is *almost* 2 and has about 60 words and I think there's going to be a lot of sibling jealousy..... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preparing-young-toddler-for-a-new-sibling#post-2789599 Fri, 01 Dec 2017 16:28:22 +0000 nwm 2789599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bees_knees: this is so helpful!! thank you so much :grin: it's still a few months off so i definitely want to start normalizing and prepping in advance as much as possible. even though he doesn't totally understand, his little brain is such a sponge right now that i think preparation is key. thank you again !! </p> <p>i was debating the potty training thing especially, and specifically how that dovetails with preschool, since he'll be starting preschool after a couple months of a new baby and right before i'm supposed to go back to work, and overall it is a LOT of transitions for a little guy! </p> <p>also i honestly want him in his crib as long as possible so i love hearing that's what you did. i seriously think bedtime is going to be a three hour thing if he realizes he can just get up and walk out of bed :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preparing-young-toddler-for-a-new-sibling#post-2789591 Fri, 01 Dec 2017 15:41:59 +0000 bees_knees 2789591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@maddyz: thanks, we’ll look into those! We have a couple others, and def the DT episode :wink: I nursed DS2 up until I was 24 weeks because I wanted there to be a healthy break between nursing babies. He was done anyways (my supply tanked!) which made it easy to wean, so I was lucky there!</p> <p>@Mrs. Champagne: thanks! I forgot about the “helpers” tip!</p> <p>@nwm: We tried to make time for just DS1 with no baby around...and I tried to never blame anything on the baby. So even if he's crying I won't say "DS2 needs me" but make a different excuse, so that DS1 wasnt ever resenting the new baby for anything. We also read lots of big brother books in the couple months before DS2 was born. And kept everything as normal as possible for awhile after DS2 was born. We actually left DS1 in his crib for a couple months after DS2 was here (I can't believe he let us keep him in his crib until he was 2.5! 😱) and didn't potty train until well after we'd all settled in. We did a lot of talking about what it was going to be like (mostly, how grandma would be staying with him while we were in the hospital...he'd go to dr appts with me so knew what the hospital was and mostly just thought I was going to get suckers, since he always got one after appts 😂😂) and how the baby would be little and cry a lot bla bla bla. I always tried to channel my inner Janet Lansbury and acknowledge his feelings and make time for him, even if it is just 2 min. So instead of saying "DS2 is eating right now", I'd say something like "You are upset bc you really want to play with me. I know it's hard to wait, but as soon as im done giving DS2 milk then I will sit on the floor and play”. And as @Mrs. Champagne said, even little things like asking DS1 to bring a pacifier or "being in charge" of the wipes or something was good for him. I also used a couple twists of language sothat instead of saying how lucky DS1 is to have a little brother, I always say "DS2 is so lucky to have you as a big brother" and "he just loves you so much" or "he only smiles like that at you" so DS1 knows he's still special too.</p> <p>Sorry, that was a novel :silly: you’ll find what works for your and your LO, but it’s good to have a couple tools in your belt to use! Janet Lansbury has several articles on welcoming a new sibling, and they were super helpful, too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preparing-young-toddler-for-a-new-sibling#post-2789582 Fri, 01 Dec 2017 14:59:13 +0000 nwm 2789582@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>my DS will be 2y4 months when new baby arrives, would also love to know what steps you took that you think worked for your DS1! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preparing-young-toddler-for-a-new-sibling#post-2789581 Fri, 01 Dec 2017 14:52:32 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2789581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My friend gave me the tip of asking them to help! Like asking him to retrieve diapers, soothers, etc. Keep him involved. </p> <p>Another friend had her kids 18 months apart and when she sat down to nurse she'd make a cozy spot beside her for her daughter and let her watch a show for a few minutes so it was her special time too.<br /> Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preparing-young-toddler-for-a-new-sibling#post-2789577 Fri, 01 Dec 2017 14:01:43 +0000 maddyz 2789577@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Now our favorite sibling book is Mail Harry to the Moon.</p> <p>And we really like Puffin Rock on netflix because it has a super sweet sibling relationship... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preparing-young-toddler-for-a-new-sibling#post-2789576 Fri, 01 Dec 2017 14:00:14 +0000 maddyz 2789576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS1 was 19 months when DS2 was born. I had a really had time finding things that were age appropriate.</p> <p>A few books I liked were<br /> My New Baby<br /> Snuggle the Baby<br /> Babies Everywhere</p> <p>We also watched the Daniel the Tigers about his baby sister.</p> <p>We did lots and lots of talking about it, I would make a point to talk about it when I was putting DS1 to bed.</p> <p>Also, the baby doll helped and I got a toddler sized baby carrier a few months after DS2 was born and it was helpful for him to play act.</p> <p>I nursed through most of my pregnancy so a lot of what we talked about was how mommies milk was going to be for the baby, but that he can always have lots of snuggles and rocking in "mamma chair". At 19 months they really are still babies themselves so it's hard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preparing-young-toddler-for-a-new-sibling#post-2789548 Fri, 01 Dec 2017 09:51:34 +0000 bees_knees 2789548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS1 was 2y3m when we welcomed DS2. He adjusted SUPER well, and I like to think part of that is because we took some steps to prepare him for how life would change after baby brother arrived. We are now expecting DS3 in 8ish weeks...I’ve been trying to think of ways to prep DS2 but he will only be 19 months when the new baby gets here. Any tips on how to help him adjust? We have the “big brother” books, the Daniel Tiger episodes, we talk about babies and look at pics of when he was a baby (he still is 😭) but I’m not sure if there are any other tricks I can use when he’s still so young? </p> <p>DS1 is a pro. He’s jacked to have another baby! </p>