Anyone had/have a 2.6 YO and a newborn? could do with some WORDS OF WISDOM lol

[pucca]

I am starting to worry a little about how things will be when new baby is born (28 weeks pg atm) and how my dd who will be 2.6 YO will react.

Has anyone been there?

Any words of wisdom?

Also how is the best way to deal with my dd meeting the baby for the 1st time? is it a good idea to bring her into hospital to see us both? or will this be too upsetting? i.e mummy not leaving with her.

Would really appreciate any advice or pointers you can give.

Tia

[Elibean]

Oooo, MotherInferior, that sounds amazing...would cat, but not sure how. Will try.

[expatinscotland]

thread's making me all broody again . . .

must go . . .

[CMac]

Forgot to mention that the doll thing has been useful too. DD loves changing dolly's nappy at the same time as DS has his changed etc etc. Mind you my friend had a baby on the same day as me and while my dd wants to join in with her dolly, her ds keeps bringing diggers to show his little brother!! Guess that's the difference between boys and girls!?!

[scienceteacher]

I'm sure we had that gap somewher along the line.

Our new babies have always instinctively known their station in life, and were very used to being put down whereever, having interupted feeds, etc.

I don't think you have to do anything special with the older child - they soon forget that they were the only one and get used to sharing and waiting very quickly. At 2-6, they can be a help for you, such as fetching nappies.

[fisil]

We did lots of the things suggested here. We bought ds1 a doll and for a few weeks before the doll joined in our routine - I actually found it useful trying to bath the doll at the same time as ds1! And of course that made us talk about it all the time.

DP brought ds1 into the hospital. I made sure that I was absolutely ready for them - I got dp to call me from the carpark so that I wasn't in the toilet/on the phone. I put a present in the crib with ds2. When ds1 came in the room he was so excited to see me he gave me a big cuddle and then spied the crib and got even more excited. He still talks about the Roly Mo wrapping paper and present over a year later. We chose the present very carefully - a doctors kit. It was an appropriate pressie to get in a hospital, it fitted in with all the role playing he was doing at the time - and it had lots of little bits to keep him occupied after ds2 became boring.

Ds1 fell in love straight away and has always really loved his brother, and told us so! However, we were lulled into a false sense of security because they got on very well until ds2 learnt to crawl!

[azroc]

Being involved is the key. Ds2 bonded with dd2 way before she was born - bump-hugging, talking to the baby and I had to sit with my t-shirt up so the baby could watch telly with him! Let your dd help and have her own jobs - my dd1 used to help when ds1 needed nappy-changing, "keeping the top end cheerful", something she has also done with ds2 and dd2.