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I'm a Big Sister Now

Helping Your Toddler Adjust to the New Baby

By Jessica Williams

When I went to the hospital to have my second child, I remember thinking about what the first meeting between my toddler and my new baby would be like. For a brief moment, a terrifying vision of Chris screaming, "What is that thing?!" filled my mind. But when the moment finally came, I saw the spark of true brotherhood right before my eyes. Chris smiled at his new brother and said, "He's small." Of course, my husband and I prepared our toddler for the arrival of our new family member by taking him to a sibling preparation class, giving him baby dolls to play with, taking him to see friends who had babies, etc. But in the weeks that followed little Justin's arrival, we learned that the time we spent helping our toddler adjust was more important than any preparation class. Here are some ways to help your toddler adjust to your new little one.

You cannot predict how your toddler will act he first time he sees the newborn. You can, however, try to make the first meeting easier. First, if you haven't seen your child since you gave birth, be sure you do before introducing baby. Show your toddler how much your belly has shrunk and tell him how much you missed him. After you have spent time with him, tell him he is going to meet his sibling. Try to use the baby's name, rather than always saying "the baby." This will help your toddler understand that the newborn is a person.

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