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.

If you avidly check out Mumsnet's talk boards, you should download the app for yourself. It's free, and allows you to be part of the conversation wherever you are!

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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We talked to my son ever since we found out I was pregnant. I gave birth 8 weeks and 3 days ago at home while my 5-year-old son slept in his bedroom next to our bedroom. In the morning my husband went to my 5-year-old and woke him by asking if he'd like to see his new baby brother. He was so excited, he ran straight in to see him. He has been as enthusiastic throughout as we praise him for being such an amazing big brother. He has to be the one to fetch the nappies and changing mat for "his" baby and he loves when we tell him how he's making his baby brother smile. Our baby "bought" our older son a gift and family and friends brought gifts and cards for our older son so he didn't feel left out. My husband also started taking him to Kung Foo lessons three times a week and really enjoys the bonding time. So far, my older son hasn't seemed jealous and we're hoping to keep him feeling as special as he is.

Each time ive had a child i have given the older siblings a pressie from our newborn, when my youngest was born my older children were 14 and 15 so they wanted to help out and i think that made them feel a part of it too

Still have just the one but when I younger brother was born, there was a good age gap so it wasn't an issue

Lots of hugs.

Mine are very close in age- DD is 18 months older than DS1, with DS2 20 months after that. I found really that they were too young for jealousy. When DS1 was born, DD adored being the big sister and loved helping by bringing nappies etc and when DS2 arrived, he was such an undemanding baby that I probably gave as much if not more attention to the other two anyway. If anything, DD was too grown up too early as a result of having to be the big sister. When DD was 14months and DS1 was well on the way, I bumped into someone who'd been on the same maternity ward and she kept referring to her DD as a baby. This annoyed me as I kept thinking "She's 14months- she's not a baby!" Now, looking back I realise she very much still was but I never saw it as I'd already ended her babyhood and was preparing for the next one.

I only have one child but my plan would be to involve my first child in all aspects of the newborn's life - so when it's play time for example would give my first child the responsibility of choosing which toy to play with, or helping when it's time for a nappy change and also setting aside time without the newborn just me and my first born so they know they are just as special and loved

We got DD a few presents to keep them happy .

By spending time alone with DC1 doingg special activities, away from baby so they have some quality time with mum

I only have one child at the moment

Only have the one child!! But we would always make her feel special regardless of any new additions :)

When our second child was born I made sure that either myself or my husband was always available for my eldest. We took it in turns so that we each spent quality time with him. And we made a special fuss once our newborn was fast asleep in her cot for the night - we called it his special time and we made a fuss over him, read him books or watched cartoons together

Only got one DC at the moment, so I'm reading all these tips for future use (hopefully!)

Involve first child as much as possible and make more fuss or a least as much fuss of number one. Make older child feel important and included from the start.

Make sure your eldest gets a little present from the baby when it is born as a thank you for being their big brother or sister. It helps ease over any jealousy from the start!

We were quite fortunate, in that our child were quite close together in terms of age.
And both boys.
This meant that the edlest did not seem to feel that he was being superseeded, but rather that he was getting a new playmate!
We were very lucky in this respect.

involve them as much as possible, lots of praise and encouragement. :)

I made sure DC1 had lots of cuddles and time so that he didn't feel left out, we let him help and take part so that he felt like he was a Big Brother.

We talked to my mum and I tried to prepare for his emotional turmoil of sharing mummy. I took a special gift wrapped in golden paper in my hospital bag with me. When he came to see me after giving birth, I gave him a big hug and kiss as I knew this would be a memorable day for him and needed to be special, I then gave him the gift from his new brother. He was over the moon. We still have the occasional tantrum but I feel without this preparation it would have been a different story.

I think it's important to make some time for the older child, one to one when someone else looks after the baby or it's asleep! Also encourage the older child to be a good helper and fetch things!

we had a book which we read together which explained how the baby would look and how he is growing to love his big brother, how much they would love each other and how they would never been lonely when growing up. I had a gift for big brother in my hospital bag (brio thomas) which he loves. I keep him involved as much as I can, and we have special time together when I can get a sitter for my baby.

buying a present from the newbie to the sibling. Include the sibling in the new routine, and make sure that the older child always gets 121 time

Our new baby brought his big sister a gift of her own baby doll with a bath so she could be just like mummy, I also asked friends and relatives that if they were buying a gift for our new arrival would they mind including a little something for our DD also like a £1 book, toy or sweet and she helped open everything.
She likes helping and pushing the pram.

Have a 2 year old and a 10 week old at home at the moment. We did lots of preparation with my eldest, talking about having a new baby, looking at pictures, talking about what sounds babies make etc. Little one was born around the time that DS1 was getting interested in birthdays so we had a birthday cake for the baby with candles on the day he came home from hospital. DS1 was particularly pleased to learn that babies can't eat cake so maybe he could have the baby's slice too...!

Sadly, I resorted to bribery. Lots of sticker books and Lego.

Have time for date night