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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Did you bring your first child to hospital to meet their sibling?

5 replies

Syra · 15/01/2020 11:10

Hi, I’m due my second child in 2 months and my daughter will be 2 years and 4 months old. I’m trying to plan for a worst case scenario where I could be in hospital for up to 5 days. If I need to be induced that could extend my stay. Also I had a lot of issues with breastfeeding my daughter and I am determined to stay in the hospital this time and get more help with that if I need it.

My question is whether to bring my daughter to the hospital to meet her new sibling or to wait till I get home? I’m worried the environment and having to leave me there and go home could upset her too much.

I’m looking for some stories on personal experience to help me make a decision. Did you bring your toddler to the hospital? Did it just stress them out? Should I just wait till I get home even if it’s about 5 days?

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dementedpixie · 15/01/2020 11:37

Yes, toddler dd was brought to see me when I had dd. She was just under 3 when he was born

dementedpixie · 15/01/2020 11:37

When I had DS that should say

itshotterthanthesun · 15/01/2020 20:29

Yes, our second DC was in the NICU for 8 days and I was sleeping on the ward, so a mix of wanting to see my 2 year old as I missed them and wanting them meeting their sibling. It was all fine and the staff were brilliant about it.

Yesivenamechanged11 · 16/01/2020 20:06

Similar situation to hotterthanthesunas DS was in NICU. Even if that hadn't been the case I was planning to bring in DD (3) to meet her sibling anyway, she understood about the baby coming and I had explained that I had to go to the hospital for the baby to come out. I also packed a small gift from "the baby" with a little card to "big sister" and that seems to have helped a lot, no jealousy whatsoever so far.
Postnatal ward staff were fine, all I'd say is keep visits short as they will get bored very quickly. DD did kick off at DH quite a bit when leaving but he figured it was better her knowing where I was and could come back the following day.
Good luck.

Clarabellawilliamson · 17/01/2020 18:42

No, but I was home by tea time! My mum stayed with us around the due date and we went off to the hospital at about 6am, he was born at 7.30 and we were home by about 5. I think we would have had her visit if it looked like I was going to stay (I had a week in with DD1). Everything was remarkably smooth with DS so you never know....
We read lots of books with her to help prepare her, she liked zha zhas baby brother

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