Preparing a brother or sister for the arrival of a baby

For little brothers and sisters, it is almost magical. There is a baby in Mommy's tummy! That is such a special thing that it is actually almost impossible to imagine. And then they have to wait 9 months on top of that! How long is 9 months, really? That is tomorrow already, isn't it? “It seems like a thousand hours, it shouldn't take any longer,” Monique Smit sang very aptly on her children's CD. And as much as they are looking forward to the baby arriving soon, they might not like it at all once he is here. Some children want absolutely nothing to do with it as soon as the baby is there. Especially if you are going to breastfeed, brothers and sisters have to 'give up' quite a lot of time to the youngest member of the family.

Buy a playmat

The Snoozzz play mat for your baby is extra large, measuring 150 x 100 cm. The baby play mat features crinkling flaps, teething rings, and a detachable baby mirror. This stimulates your child's sensory development. The play mat is wonderfully soft and suitable for use from birth. It is also large enough for playing together.

View the Playmat here

How do you prepare your child(ren) for this big change?

We would like to give you some practical tips on how to prepare a brother or sister for a baby.Vertel Tell your child(ren) as soon as possible that a baby is on the way. That gives him plenty of time to get used to the idea. Moreover, you will be talking about it with others, and it is not fun if your child doesn't know what is going on. And because your belly is growing and you might be tired more often, your child will definitely realize that something is happening. With very young children, it is better to wait a little longer, because otherwise 9 months feels like a very long time.
Don't put off big changes until the baby arrives. So, move your child(ren) to another room now if you want to free up the nursery. If you wait until the baby is already here before doing this, your child might feel like they have to make room for the baby and that you value the baby more than them. Don't tell your child(ren) that they have to do this because the baby is coming, but because they are big enough to move to another room. Perhaps they could even pick out a new duvet cover themselves? That also gives them time to get used to their new room, so you don't end up with a newborn and a child who doesn't want to sleep in their new room. Set up the bassinet or crib for the baby for a little while longer. weg.zijn to help them get used to the new room, without ending up with a newborn baby and a child who doesn't want to sleep in their new room. Put the baby's cradle or crib away for a while.
Tell your child(ren) as soon as possible that a baby is on the way. This gives them plenty of time to get used to the idea. Moreover, you will be talking about it with others, and it is not fun if your child doesn't know what is going on. And because your belly is growing and you might be tired more often, your child will surely realize that something is happening. With very young children, it is better to wait a little longer, because otherwise nine months feels like a very long time.
Always speak positively about the baby. So don't say anything along the lines of, 'You can't do that anymore when the baby is here, because then he won't think you're sweet.'
Start getting your child(ren) used to the fact that Dad might soon be putting them to bed more often or making their sandwiches. If that is largely your task now, it will otherwise be a big change for them later on. Especially during the first week after the birth, you probably won't always be able to do that.
Involve your child(ren) as much as possible in the arrival of the baby.Cuddle together on the baby seat, make the crib pick them up, take them to the midwife, look for new clothes together, a nursing pillow or take out the nursery decorations and talk about 'our' baby, because soon he will be a little bit his too.
Explain a lot to your child(ren) about the baby. Answer all their questions, borrow books from the library about children getting a brother or sister, and take your child(ren) along on a maternity visit to let them experience what is actually going to happen. Also tell them that babies still sleep a lot and can't join in playing right away. Look back at your child(ren)'s baby photos together so they know that they were once a baby themselves.
Buy a small gift for your child on behalf of the baby that he will receive when the baby is born. Your child will probably like the baby a lot more immediately. Also, ask your visitors if they would like to bring something small for your oldest child(ren).
Make sure you don't only talk about the baby. For your child(ren), it is not the most important thing, and there are plenty of other fun things to keep them occupied.

Preparing a sibling for the arrival of the baby can certainly pay off, but of course, you never know exactly how he or she will react. You know your child best, so you know best which of the above tips your child will appreciate most.Have fun and good luck!