How to Introduce the New Baby to Your Toddler

Bringing home a new baby can be a stressful event, more so if you already have a toddler at home! You never know exactly how a firstborn is going to react to the arrival of a new little person in the house, but you can ease the transition a little with some proven tips.

First of all, don't let the baby be a big surprise. This is a sure-fire way to cause jealousy! Even if you don't think your toddler understands, talk to him about the baby and when he touches your pregnant stomach, tell him that there is a baby inside. If you have the sex and a name, you can start referring to the baby by name now. This will help your child associate the actual infant with the bump in Mommy's belly.

It can help to let your toddler feel the baby kick and have him talk to the baby before it is born. All these little things can help him understand the place of the baby once it arrives.

When you first introduce the baby to your firstborn, it is a good idea to have someone else hold the baby. Your toddler will feel abandoned after having been separated from you for several days and will want to be hugged. Having the baby occupying your arms can cause major resentment right off the bat. So, hand the newborn to Dad or Grandma and go greet your little one with a big hug and a kiss. Then pick him up and take him over to see the new baby.

Many parents have found that having the baby bring a gift for the older brother or sister can be an excellent way to break the barriers. Tuck a doll or toy car under the baby's blanket and have the newborn "present" the gift to his older sibling. Tell your toddler that the baby loves him and brought him something special.

One common mistake that many parents make is to not let their toddler near the baby. He is naturally curious and wants to know why everyone is fussing over this tiny new person. Let him play with the baby's feet and touch his hands, he can't do much damage to these body parts. Watch for fingers that poke into eyes and mouth, though.

When you see your toddler doing something like trying to feed the baby a cracker, don't shout at him. Instead, move the baby away and say something like, "The baby doesn't like crackers, she wants milk." This is completely acceptable to a toddler and he won't get freaked out by you screaming, "NO! Don't touch the baby!" He will learn that the new sibling has his or her preferences as well.

Make sure you give your older child attention. It can be easy to get caught up in the care of a newborn, but your toddler needs cuddles and affection, too. You might find that he reverts to laying in your arms and sucking on his bottle again and this is just fine, it only means he needs a bit of extra TLC right now to help him feel that the baby isn't taking over everything.

Having two children is enough of a challenge without dealing with major jealousy problems. Avoid giving your toddler a reason to resent the newcomer and you will have fewer difficulties between the two.