How to tell 2y/o they will be a big brother

[Mumof2boys2325]

Hi all basically as the title says! I’m 24 weeks pregnant with my second ds and my first ds just turned two in April! Hes got a bit of a speech delay and regardless of that he’s very smart he understands a lot especially instructions and can point to body parts and all that kind of stuff he’s very smart in that sense! My main concern is I don’t think he’s ever going to understand me when I tell him about baby brother. He takes a nap in my bed every morning and that’s when I make the time to talk to him just before naptime and tell him that baby brother is in mummy’s tummy and then I say baby (name) is in mummy’s tummy while pointing to my tummy and I have been doing this for quite a number of weeks but I just don’t think he grasps it yet. I’m asking for advice because I don’t want the new baby to come and my ds be completely blindsided so is there anything else I can do or say to help prepare my 2y/o? Any advice welcome please 😊 I mention his speech delay as I feel as though if he could talk back it would be easier and I would know if he understands what I’m saying by him repeating it back to me

My eldest was 2 when my second was born. And like your little one he was talking yet. I mean a few words like daddy and food and thank you but that’s all. As tour tummy gets bigger it will be easier for him to grasp it. But for my one it wasn’t until baby was home. Even though we did the nursery and kept saying this is baby’s room when they come home. Just keep talking to him about it.

Thankyou for this! It’s so stressful because I want him to understand and not be blindsided. I think it’s made worse as a few weeks ago I babysat my friends ds for the night who is 6 months old and my ds completely acted up the next morning and did not like this baby being in the house 😅I suppose it is different when it’s your own two children though! I will definitely keep doing what I’m doing for now ☺️

There are some kids’ books explaining this - might be a good start? I remember one called There’s a House inside my Tummy

Oh thankyou tbh I never even thought of this and he does love being read to so that’s a bonus!

Tbh he probably won’t fully understand but every little helps! Are there any other families you know who’ve had a baby recently, especially if they have one your DS’s age too - you can say it’ll be like that and he will be a big brother like his friend?

I would tell him you’re having a baby, so he will have a new sister, but don’t expect him to take it in. As your bump grows answer any questions he has about it (within reason) but I wouldn’t expect him to take much of an interest at that age. Give him loads of reassurance when baby is born- I was his age when my sister was born, and slapped her in the face the second I met her at hospital lol.

I wasn’t much of a fan on my sister when she was born either 🤣yeah definitely will give loads of reassurance and baby brother will have a present for him when born too so hopefully he warms up to him 😅

None that have had one recently but yes a few friends with children all within weeks of my first son being born so they’re all 6 weeks apart which is great, so that will definitely help!

I told my not quite 2 year old that I was expecting by explaining that there was a baby coming to live at our house. Any questions I answered simply. ‘Yes, Mummy has a big tummy because the baby’s in there. The baby is coming to live at our house.’ That way he knew our living situation would change but didn’t have to imagine a human being inside his mummy. I can’t quite believe either of them were in there now to be honest! Once baby arrived he was way more interested in a drink and a biscuit than his little brother.

I’ve just had my second baby, and my first was 2 in April.
it definitely got a lot easier as my bump got bigger, we would point to my tummy and say there’s a baby. She’d kiss my tummy and “be gentle”
anytime she said baby, like if she saw one in a book or on a nappy packet we’d use that to ask who was in mummy’s tummy. I was pretty useless and immobile in third trimester but we would say mummy’s back is sore, rather than create any association of not being able to do as much because of the baby.

we also had already chosen a name and new the sex, so that definitely helped. Bought a comforter, and said it was the baby’s.

i Wouldn’t worry too much. We’re only on day one but have had “baby go away” and her wanting to give kisses and cuddles and sharing her blanket!

I have the same age gap between my eldest and my now 3 month old and eldest also wasn’t speaking much at the time I was pregnant. I read a book called ‘the second baby book’ by Sarah Ockwell Smith and she was of the opinion that there is not that much you can do to emotionally prepare such a young child as their thought processes aren’t developed enough yet. We still talked about there being a baby in mummy’s tummy and read a lot of children’s books about children becoming big brothers/sisters- there are quite a few available. Interestingly he wasn’t that interested in them before baby was born, but wanted to read them repeatedly once baby was home. We think it was because they only made sense to him then

@KatRee @babybabytime @Homebird8 Thank-you all for your replies I really appreciate it and some good advice in here too I definitely feel a lot less anxious now. I suppose it’s one of them things where baby needs to be here for him to fully grasp it but I will definitely do as much as I can while pregnant to prepare him. I’ve bought a few books recommended also I wouldn’t have thought of that before posting on here so thankyou ladies😊 won’t be long before the madness of 2 under 3 begins in September lol😅