How to help 16mo adjust to new sibling

[shhhhSleeping]

I'm a few weeks away from having dc2 and have spent a lot of time worrying about how dh and I will cope and getting the house ready but not much time thinking about dc1.

He'll be 16mo so a little young to understand that there's a baby in mummy's tummy although I do tell him and I've tried to read a couple of books to him about the house in mummys tummy etc but they didn't have any noises or monsters so he wasn't interested! I'd heard I should get him a present from the baby which I'll do but I'm sceptical as to whether he'll comprehend the link.

Anything I can do to help him adjust before/during/after?

[golfmonkey]

We have a 16 mo gap. I read a book about house in mummy's tummy every night from about 34 weeks and also got dd1 a toy baby and pram and started role playing like changing nappies. I used an actual nappy! She went to bed one night and then woke up with her grandparents at home and then me, DH and dd2 arrived home about lunchtime. She was fine with it! Now dd2 wants to play with her toys its getting a bit more challenging....