How do you make your DC1 feel as special as your newborn? Share with Fairy Non Bio for chance to win £300 voucher NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

Fairy Non Bio is sponsoring the Mumsnet Talk App, and in light of this, they’d like you to talk about your experience of making your DC1 feel special after you bring your newborn home.

Bringing a new baby into the world is always special but, when it’s your second bundle-of-joy, it’s possible that your DC1 will feel left out. Fairy Non Bio would like to hear about the ways that you’ve ensured your child continues to feel special following the arrival of their little brother or sister. Maybe you set aside a weekly block of one-on-one time with them? Perhaps you let them have some responsibility when looking after the baby, so they can feel like they’re involved? If there’s anything you do to make sure your DC1 knows they’re just as special to you as your newborn, share with Fairy Non Bio below.

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All who post on the thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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Spending one to one time

We made sure the baby gave my son a gift and close family also gave my son little gifts and cards. I also explained to my son that babies need a lot of feeding and holding and that when he was a baby I did that for him too. I made sure that I read stories and cuddles my son whilst feeding the baby.

spend lots of time before baby comes with them, and make sure they know whats going to happen

I feel very fortunate in that it's never been a problem for us, my older lad absolutely adores our youngest. We do make a big effort to ensure we never ignore him whilst doing the necessary for youngest and set aside time for just him so he still gets our full attention and playtime.

I made sure DC1 had plenty of involvement with the new baby helping out with bathing dressing reading stories, we also gave DC1 a present from the new baby, and of course lots of cuddles

I only have one child but I believe the older child receiving a gift from the new born can help. I would advise getting the older child helping in the daily routine, praising and having special times just for the older child might help stem any jealousy.

Buying them a little gift when they were born and including them in everything

My newborn bought his big brother a Lego pirate set when he was born which seemed to do the trick.

With DD1, when DS2 arrived, we gave her a gift from DS2 for being a big sister. Also we bought a bag of gifts which we wrapped, and when people came to see DS2 with gifts, we would sneak them a gift to give DD1 so she wasn't jealous of all the attention and gifts DS2 was receiving.

Make them feel involved with the new baby. Try not to make them feel left out.

Try and involve them as much as you can, let them help choose new things for the newborn and try and make time for them on their own.

I get my 4 year old to help me with her baby sister and feel involved.

We got DD1 a present from the new baby, but we also got her to pick a gift for her brother, so that exchanged gifts when they first met. She loved him from the start anyway.

We make sure that we spend dedicated, quality time with our son. That way he feels like all of our focus is just on him, and not his little sisters.

We felt that by making her more involved in things like changing nappies, bath time etc she will not feel left out and he will not think as there is a new baby she is forgotten. Also making time every day just doing the things she really likes to do like painting or playing board games without the baby.

My great niece was there at the birth of her baby brother so she could feel a part of it although she did tell everyone that Mummy bought her a new baby brother from Tesco. She adores her little brother so never feels second best.

We took our lg to the gender scan and to announce the gender she was given a pink teddy which was 'from the baby', all throughout my pregnancy we involved her in buying things and getting everything ready so she knew that she was just as important as the new baby. We bought her a doll so she could pretend that was her baby

More responsibility and special parent child time to spend together when not tending to the newborns needs.

I only have 1 child so no experience of this with my own children. But with my grandchildren I made a real fuss over the 3 year old before giving the newborn baby any attention at all. I spent some time with her playing and cuddling and then talking about the baby and almost asking her to introduce her little sister so she could do it proudly!

I think that by getting them involved with their new sibling, telling them how proud you are that they are such a wonderful big brother or sister to the new baby and just never forgetting to tell them that you love them should be enough to stop jealousy or the feeling of being left out

My older DS was only 14 months at the time DS2 was born. I did not really have a choice - the older one still got all the attention and the younger just the essentials!!! (food, sleep, and not a lot more!)

We make sure they feel involved with the normal routine (bath time, feeds, bed time etc) as well as making sure we still do fun things with them as before, like cinema with daddy or the park with mummy while the other one stays at home with the baby.

Letting them look after and care for the newborn. The responsibility is just what they need.

I only have one of my own children but my four nephews and two nieces live with me, i got them involved in helping out care for new baby, the eldest helped changed nappies and loves feeding his little brothers and sisters. i also took extra time o out to talk them about how they feel and brought them little treats

We had a lovely present with us in the hospital that was from the baby to our older child which i think helps them to feel special and just tried to not talk about the baby 24/7 and make sure we spoke to him about other things as well and still had time for his normal bedtime routine with story etc so he didnt feel a big change