Preparing toddler for new baby.

[pinkspottywellies]

I have a couple of books explaining about the pregnancy and dd (2.2) knows that her new baby brother is in my tummy and that I'll go to hospital and when she comes (with some flowers ) he'll be there. However this is where all the books seem to stop.

Are there any books about having a new baby in the sense that it comes to live with you and stays forever and will change things?

I've started to talk about it with her - she knows he'll come to toddlers and play with our toys and sleep in mine and dh's bedroom (she's a bit concerned about that bit! She says he can share her cot!) but thought a book would be useful.

Is anyone else talking about this angle of it with thier toddler? Any tips?

There's a Maisy style book called Za za's baby brother

It shows the impact on life after mummy zebra comes home from the hospital and ends with 'and then it was time for za za's bedtime story' after the baby goes to bed.

Ds at 2.5, just after dd was born, got obsessed with this book and we had to keep renewing at the library.

DH also bought 'Mummy laid an egg' which we didn't read in the end as I thought DS was too young for the technicalities!

Sure others will recommend 'There's a house inside my mummy'. Haven't read it myself but it sounds like the sort of thing.

Wish you luck! I'm 10 weeks myself so assuming all is well with the pregnancy am starting to think how to explain same thing to DS now 4.7 and DD 2.2! Think the 'Mummy laid an egg' one might now be appropriate for DS so glad we still have it

[swamp stalker alert] As long as the new baby remembers to bring a present for your DD, all should be fine.

Thanks! Yep he already has a present for dd. Does one pack that in the hospital bag or just make sure someone brings it before she comes?

Thanks for the link 2cities. Our library doesn't have any of the books from that page! Might have to splash out.

Little Princess Book - I want a sister is a favourite here. Also just talking about the new baby, what you will all do together etc.

We got a fab book off Amazon called My New Baby, which is pictures and no words so you can adapt to the child. There are pics of breastfeeding. My son loves it, because it has a little boy in it he thinks is him!

www.amazon.co.uk/My-New-Baby-All-Day/dp/0859539741/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=123 1623553&sr=8-1

Stick it in your bag - 'someone' might forget it.

DS2 (2.6) doesn't quite believe there is a baby inside me. DS1 (almost 5) can't wait to meet his new little brother.

I love Mummy laid an egg but it is a bit grown up and graphic for a little one.

there's an usborne one The New Baby that includes a nice picture of mummy breastfeeding, baby being bathed, out for a walk with baby etc

there's a house inside my mummy is fab but mostly deals with pregnancy (though reference to showing baby new toys)

the other one we had is the topsy and tim new baby one where their friend Tony becomes a big brother - this one includes baby crying a lot, needing changed, again breastfeeding etc.

I'm sure you'll dd will love her new brother. Good luck!

yes - the one laumiere linked to, definitely
shows things such as baby crying and sibling looking worried! plus dad cooking dinner
very warm and cosy but realistic
ends with baby asleep and mum and dad reading to sibling

You're not going to need the prezzie in your hospital bag my dear, you'll only be in for an hour! She wont have chance to visit .

That 'i'm a big brother' book we have is all about sibling life post birth. I haven't bothered with it much as DS likes the rhyming book more but I'm sure there must be a big sis equivolent. Will look out who wrote it. x

Was looking for exactly this the other day for a friend who has just had second baby. Waterstones have several but none really grabbed me. Then yesterday I saw 'Ever So Ever So' by Kes Gray in the library. I liked it as it is basically all about the new baby getting all the fuss and the toddler getting more and more fed up, but of course it all ends well.

Pink, when I was expecting dd2, ds2 bonded with her by "cuddling her", talking to her, lifting my top so the baby could watch television with him
Any little things like his help, although he did all these spontaneously.
We used to have a book by Laurence Anholt - Aren't you lucky, I think - which my mum bought for dd1 when ds1 was born.
Quite a nice book I suppose but it annoyed me because it sort of assumed there would be problems when that needn't be the case. More of a fix-it book than a pre-emptive one I think.

Oh, and things like letting dd be heavily involved. Emphasise that the baby will love her to do certain things, and that she will be very special to him, and that she is important in helping to look after him - let her glow with it.

Dd1 used to enjoy "keeping the top end cheerful" when I changed ds1's nappies.

Pink, when I was expecting dd2, ds2 bonded with her by "cuddling her", talking to her, lifting my top so the baby could watch television with him
Any little things like his help, although he did all these spontaneously.
We used to have a book by Laurence Anholt - Aren't you lucky, I think - which my mum bought for dd1 when ds1 was born.
Quite a nice book I suppose but it annoyed me because it sort of assumed there would be problems when that needn't be the case. More of a fix-it book than a pre-emptive one I think.

Oh, and things like letting dd be heavily involved. Emphasise that the baby will love her to do certain things, and that she will be very special to him, and that she is important in helping to look after him - let her glow with it.

Dd1 used to enjoy "keeping the top end cheerful" when I changed ds1's nappies.

Thanks everyone! Some good ideas

Spotty, I might stay in longer this time - depends what the company's like

I second the my new baby board book - great as you can leave it for the little one to look through themselves. My DS (2.9) loves to read it to his toys....