Telling DS (age 5) that I'm pregnant

[Skybooks]

Tonight I am in the fortunate position to be telling my son that he will be a big brother. We have unknowingly to him lost 2 inbetween these 2 pregnancies, so he will be 6 when baby arrives.

As he is a little older I'm looking for advice on how you told siblings and new arrival was in the cards?

I just told her I was pregnant and she was going to be a big sister. Why over complicate it?

Older Gdcs were 3 and 4 when dd found she was expecting their 3rd. How much they understood at that age I don’t know, but they were shown first scan pics and told that a tiny new baby sister was growing in mummy’s tummy, just as they had.
They seemed to accept it quite naturally, and would enjoy kissing the bump, as it grew.

Just keep it simple. Something like "I have some exciting news. I have a baby growing in my tummy so you are going to become a big brother".

There's some good books to explain things to kids. I used one that I think was called "There's a House in Mummy's Tummy" (or something similar to that). It was pretty good. I think the book says it's a baby boy so I just changed what I read to girl as that was appropriate for us.

Fab thanks all, not trying to over complicate it just trying to do what's best at his level.

@Skybooks I finally - after multiple miscarriages - got pregnant with twins when my eldest was 5 (6 when born) and when we told him we were 'we have some v exciting news to tell you' and told him and then (despite being desperate for a sibling since he was 3!) he burst into tears and said he didn't want them and to take them back!! 😱 I was heartbroken, but tried not to show it and comforted him that it would all be amazing and that he would be an amazing big brother... and then I realised that I needed to make him laugh... so I said 'you know mummy is going to be HUGE? You'll have to roll me down the street!' And basically took the piss out of myself for a bit, to make him laugh and it def helped... then we were talking a bit more about it and as he was a 5 yr old wee boy, toilet humour helped too, so we joked about how much poo there would be with all the nappies etc... just silly stuff and within 20mins he was utterly delighted about it all! I guess that's my v long winded way of saying don't panic if he's initially not that into the idea, and humour can help! I should add that he is now a wonderful big brother! Good luck x

@twinguilt thank you, exactly what I needed to hear

Just showed him a clear 20 week scan photo and he knew it was a baby so we told him it was in mommy's tummy and would be his baby brother or sister.

No problem @Skybooks - I think telling an 'only child' is a little more complicated when they are that wee bit older - if they're 2/3 or maybe even 4 they accept it as what happens, but once they are a bit older it's more of a 'thing' sometimes! X

He's old enough to remember so make it fun for him?

A treasure hunt around the house and the final place is a little present and a picture of a sonogram? 'DS, you're being promoted to a big brother! I can't wait to meet you and play with you! Lots of love your baby brother/sister!'

Then lots of excitement that he's going to be a big brother. I would put less emphasis on the baby and more on his 'promotion'. Kids are proper little narcissists - they love to be the centre of attention. If you make it all about the baby he may feel pushed out.

If he's not the kind of kid for a full/game/surprise I would literally show the pic and say you're going to be a big brother.

Congratulations, OP, what fantastic news!

Great news for you, congratulations! I just told mine mummy was having a baby and they'd soon be a big brother/sister. No need to over complicate it.

I've no other kids but my neighbours 5 year old asked why my tummy was round and their mom just told them that I was growing a baby in my tummy 🤣🤣 they accepted that, asked when it would be finished growing and told me they hoped it was a boy.