Best book to prepare a 2 year old for a new baby sibling?

[Hubblebubbletripletrouble]

Has anyone bought any good books which help prepare 2 year olds for a new baby in the family? Or have any other strategies that they have found useful?

Thanks!

For a 2yr old I bought a little dolly that looked very baby like and happened to be slightly smaller than usual. We then mimed a lot of looking after baby eg sshh baby sleeping now and feeding and 'make nice' to baby... made for some good photo opportunities at the minimum!

Also I saw advice on MN when you meet your children after birth - whether in hospital or coming home -you should greet them with empty arms togive them a hug. Even if they are with people they love and know they will still miss mummy. So someone else can hold baby for introductions to take place a moment later. This is probably the single best piece of practical advice I received

For books, ANYTHING but Zaza's Baby Brother, which features lots of family telling Zaza the zebra that they don't have time for cuddles because the new baby's here. Dh hastily changed it while reading it first time round and then we recycled it.

The present from the baby worked wonders for us. Ds1 v impressed that the baby knew he wanted an engine shed 😉

We really like ‘there’s a house inside my mummy’ although I have to change the words for a baby sister and skip the last lines as there will not be any more!

My DS1 adored "Knock knock open the door" by Michaela Morgan.

There's a bit at the end saying "hello little baby, sweet as can be" so when the baby was born, DS1 started calling him "sweetie"

It's a good book for preparing for the noise, cuteness, smell etc.

We went with pirate Pete is a new big brother (or princess polly a new big sister is the other one I think) he mostly liked it for the button that made the sound of a baby laughing though!

I second princess Polly/pirate Pete. Also topsy and Tim have a new baby book.

Absolutely @teawamutu!! Zaza's Baby Brother is bloody awful..."here, let's take all your guilty fears about having a second child and put them in an innocent-looking picture book for your first-born"!

My DD is 20 months and we're expecting her baby brother any day now. We quite like "I love you baby" by Emma Dodd.

We also bought a baby doll, pram, clothes and cot. It went against everything I like in toys but actually DD likes playing with "her baby", and DH and I give it lots of cuddles!

@Skylucy glad it wasn't just us!

For older kids, How To Be A Baby by The Big Sister is really funny.

My ds got spots baby sister and loved it at around that age

DD liked “there’s a house in mummy’s tummy” - which is really nice but be warned about the last line. It is “there’s no one in her tummy now... until she makes another!” and so she keeps asking when there will be another (DS is only 6 months old...)

We were given I’m A Big Sister for DD. She is five but it was a bit young for her. I’m afraid I don’t know if there’s a ‘big brother’ version.

There’s a House Inside My Mummy is particularly good for explaining pregnancy to small children.

My absolute favourite, although possibly a touch old for a 2yo, is Lauren Child’s The New Small Person.

And a gift from the baby is definitely a great idea.

I mean “a house inside my mummy” sorry brain not in gear!

I'm a big sister is a great one, my dd loved it (still does). Although we thought we had prepared her well she still got very upset when baby ds arrived (she was 2.5 and very attached to me). A few days of lots of tears and she got over it. Good luck!

We also had there's a house inside my mummy, i always omitted the line "daddy says be patient, because his [little brother's] door is rather tight"... I hated that line, probably a bit hormonal and grumpy on my part!

We liked topsy and Tim and the new baby. There is a nice bit to talk about that Tony feels a little jealous and he has to wait for a bit and that topsy and Tim give the baby their old clothes (just like the new sibling has their old baby clothes /cot etc) and that it's Tony who makes the baby laugh (sorry for spoilers! )
We also liked a house inside mummy

Oh, The New Small Person is adorable.

'You're all my favourites' is beautiful.

Seconding PPs advice not to greet the toddler with a baby in your arms... try "searching" for a new baby together even.

Another tip I got was not to say "no, we can't do X now, I'm feeding the baby" etc but rather "Diggers? Great idea! We'll do it in a minute/ later."

Sometimes playing up the 'big boy/ big girl' thing appeals but at other times, all they want is to be a baby again, so be ready to assure them that they are very grown up but also still a baby!

Yes baby getting their big sibling a present. We did that and this particular soft toy never leaves my eldest's side.

I tried to put baby down so I could give toddler hug when she came in, but it backfired in a lovely way, she didn't want a hug from me, she wanted to hold the baby first!

Every time bar feeding my eldest asked for a hold I let her and they have an amazing bond I can see already after 9 months.