How did you stop your 2 year old from hurting your newborn?

[elelfrance]

I'm just home from hospital a few days with new DS,and i have a crazy, enthusiastic just-gone-2 year old DD, who loves loves loves her little brother, wants to cuddle him all the time, wants to give him his bottle, give him toys etc etc.... but she doesn't know the meaning of the words gently, slowly or 'leave him alone'

now i'm in a fog of hormones & baby blues, and can't seem to think rationally about this, i'm convinced she's going to hurt him,despite having the best intentions in the world! so mnetters, be rational & logic for me - how did you manage to even go to the loo and leave them in the same room without there being a disaster ???

Sling (stretchy wrap so baby's head was supported and I had both hands free) and when she was in the bouncer I was in the room. Dd1 still gave her a finger to suck and shoved it in so far the baby was sick, I wasn't quick enough...

Playpens/travel cots are not safe places to put a baby away from a toddler when you nip out the room. The toddler could climb in or throw toys at the baby. I've learnt the hard way.

Don't leave them alone it's not safe you have no idea what the baby may get hold of from a toddler. Babies will instinctively put it in their mouth.

It's slings and baby bouncers in the bathroom IMO.

I remember 2yr old DD2 lifting newborn DD3 out of a Moses basket, carrying her across a tiled floor and waving at me in the door way as I put the bin out. Horrified doesn't even begin to cover it! From then on if I put DD3 down I straped her into the heavy duty baby swing knowing she'd be safe in there, until DD2 toppled whilst I was on the phone to the HV.
DD3 is miraculously fine! But honestly you have to be so careful.

*toppled it