How can I help prepare my 18 month old for a new baby?

[hejaco]

Lukas is 18 months exactly and I'm 29 weeks pregnant with another boy due in May. I don't want the new baby to be a complete shock to him, yet I'm unsure of how to prepare Lukas for his arrival!

I want to buy a book or two about new babies/being a big brother... can anyone recommend any?

Other than that, what I can do to get him used to the idea? He isn't talking yet, so it's difficult to gauge how much he understands..

DD is 22 months old and we just got a fab book - There's a House Inside my Mummy www.amazon.co.uk/Theres-House-Inside-Orchard-Picturebooks/dp/1841210684

DD seemed to like this one more than others I picked up on the shelf, I think because the mummy in the book has a very obvious belly, so she immediately pointed to it and said 'baby!'. It would probably be good for you as it's about a little boy who has a baby brother.

To be honest though I don't know how much she understands - she knows there's a baby in my tummy, but I don't know if she realises a real-life baby will be coming to stay for good! We got her a baby doll for christmas and she likes playing with that, I'm hoping that will prepare her as well. I also try to point out babies when we are out and tell her that we'll be having one of them soon.

What about getting him a doll and doing some role play? I meant to do this with my boys but never got round to it! There's 2 years between each of my 3 boys and I didn't have any trouble with them over their baby brothers. I didn't really do anyting to prepare them, although they had to come to all the antenataal appointments, which might have helped.

There are 21 months between mine. We started reading DD1 books a couple of months beforehand, and I didn't think it was going in - but boy, it really was, don't underestimate how much they understand! What also surprised me is that she used the books (and still does) to help cope with/understand (and enjoy) the change after the birth, so would definitely recommend getting a couple.

We had
this one although its a bit annoying as they 'disappear' off to hospital, a baby arrives, and then is bottle fed - when I planned a home birth and was/am breastfeeding (but minor details that only annoy me, DD1 doesn't care!)

this one

this one

and this one

I wouldn't worry too much about preparing him though, especially at 18 months, as they have very little concept of time. Its more important to have plans in place for looking after him for the birth, and getting lots of support afterwards so you can keep his routine the same (ish) and give him lots of attention (presents for him from the baby, instruct visitors to say hello to him first, when taking photos, of him first then baby etc etc).

Good luck!

Loopy- Love the eye poking.. Thats exactly what my DD does to me

Im currently 29 weeks and my DD has just turned 19mths. I have involved her in all my antenatal appointments and scans so far. She loves coming to the midwifes to hear the baby go "boom boom boom"- Its heartbeat!
DD is an excellent talker so I know that she understands alot. However as Lukewarm says they do soak up everything!

Ive bought a couple of books about new babies and her fav so far is the Topsy and Tim one.

Come and Join us on the Due May antenatal thread. We are a friendly bunch and theres lots of us with toddlers too. In fact there are 4 of us that all know each other from the July 08 thread when we had our now toddlers!

We all know how trying it can be being pregnant with an active toddler to run around after, so happily moan together

Books are good, we had 'My New Baby' which is a board book just with pictures - it works well as you and DC can decide how to interpret them without words imposed. One of the best things we did with DD1 though was visiting families with small babies and also I invited us round to visit anybody and everybody with siblings, just to get her used to the idea that it's normal for families to have more than one child.