How to Prevent Your First Born from Being Jealous of the New Baby
Recently, we had our second child. From the start of the pregnancy, my husband and I vowed that we would include our first born in the process. In addition, we wanted her to feel valued when the baby was born. Thus, we followed these tips to prevent our daughter from being jealous of the new baby.
Inclusion
Including your first born is a top priority. We let our daughter come to see the ultra sound of the baby. During the pregnancy, we let her know that she had an important job as a big sister. When the baby came, we made sure she came to the hospital.
Special Time
My husband has been doing a great job of taking my daughter out to ride her bike. When I'm not nursing, I make sure to play with my daughter and read her stories at night before she goes to bed. After I have recovered from postpartum aliments, I plan on taking her to the park or a special treat all by myself.
Mommy's Helper
I regularly ask my daughter to get me a diaper or water. She helps me with the laundry. I appreciate the extra hands but also know that she likes to be mommy's little helper. Again, it allows her to be involved.
Ask for Help
Sometimes, I feel like I am being stretched too thin. My husband is at work and I've been home with the kids all day. In these instances, I call upon family. Her grandparents may come over to give my daughter the "one-on-one" time I simply cannot give.
Communicate
While some toddlers may be too young to understand, kids older than three can be given some clear expectations. I make sure to tell my daughter that I'm feeding the baby and then I can make her snack. I want to be there for my daughter. I also want to make sure she knows the world doesn't revolve around her.
Fun Family Time
I think it's important for everyone to spend some family time together. Right now, we are limited to watching the baby get a bath or do tummy time. However, this can be a great time for everyone to sit around and talk. We might listen to music or take a walk. It's not the most exciting but it's nice.
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Published by Melissa Matters - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Melissa is a Stay at Home Mom with a BA in writing, CA teaching credential and a Masters in Education. She has taught many levels of education and loves writing. Also, dear to her heart are her faith, fam... View profile
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4 Comments
Post a CommentGreat advice:0)
Congratulations on your newborn son, Melissa. Also, congratulations on doing such a wonderful job trying to include/involve your 3.75 year old daughter in her newborn brother's life. Your daughter is used to getting a lot of attention and what a joy she is to have around and be around. Fortunately, your daughter is healthy, happy and thanks to you, living a full life with her wonderful family. Best wishes to you all.
kjm
These tips will definitely make the transition smoother.
Even though I'm not a parent myself, these sound like really good suggestions and I am sure that your hard work with including your daughter will pay off. I'm the last born in my family. My parents told me that when I was born my middle brother was jealous of me. He told them to send me back to where I came from! As that wasn't an option, he learned to live with me!
Sophie