5 Tips for Bringing a New Sibling Home

First off, congratulations! You are already thinking about the transitional period that often comes with bringing a new baby home. This means you are ahead of the game! Preparing for this transition while pregnant can be greatly beneficial when your new baby is born, and your older kids are introduced. Today we are going to leave you with 5 tips for bringing a new sibling home.

Tip #1 Talk about new baby while you are pregnant

Many parents believe that while they are pregnant, they should use that time as the last chance to focus entirely on their older kids before the baby is born. While we agree that it is important and special to give your older kids some final quality time with the current family dynamics before their little sibling is born, it’s also extremely beneficial to start a conversation about their new sibling early, giving them plenty of time to adjust. Children are smart and receptive, and they often know more than we give them credit for. Including older siblings in talks around the new baby, such as names, how to care for a newborn, and how having a new baby will be an adjustment for everyone, can greatly help ease the shock that a new baby sibling can bring.

#2 Sibling talks

We love this one! Communicating how great of a big sibling they will be can be huge! Being an older brother or sister is a big responsibility, and often your older children will be proud of this role. During your pregnancy, saying things like “Wow, your little brother/sister will be so lucky to have a big brother/sister like you!” can help them start to see the pride in their new role. Giving your older kid (s) some big sibling fun tasks can be fun and helpful.

#3 Consider adding some big sibling toys to your registry

One thing that can be hard about this transition is that big siblings can see all this new stuff their unborn baby brother/sister is getting and feel left out. Why are they getting all these new “toys” and not me? Adding a couple of really fun ( small) presents to your baby registry for older siblings that will come around the same time as the majority of your baby items can make this part exciting and fun for them!

#4 Consider a present from baby

We love this idea! We’ve seen this help multiple times with the initial transition when a new baby is brought home. It helps to show older children that this new baby is acknowledging them. Be sure to emphasize that their new baby picked out this present just for them. Another great gift can be a new baby cake! Having someone make a cake with older siblings can be so exciting. After all, what kid doesn’t love cake.

#5 When baby arrives arrange out of house outtings

This is not only helpful for the adjustment of your kids but helpful for the adjustment period for you as well. Transitioning from one kid to two is big. Postpartum often doesn’t look the same the second time around because a bigger kid in the house still needs caring for. Having someone trusted who can take your older kid(s) out for an hour or two to do something fun while you stay home and rest a couple of times a week during your first six weeks postpartum can be beneficial to everyone! You will get some much-needed rest, and your older kids will get energy out while doing something fun.

Try to remember…

Bringing home your new baby is a big transition for everyone! Like most big transitions, they can take time. There will be beautiful moments and hard moments. Above are 5 helpful tips for bringing a new sibling home, but they don’t always work for everyone. Remember to breathe, and ask for additional help when needed. It truly does take a village!

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