Becoming a big sister!
My second baby is due in a matter of weeks, and the excitement about our new baba’s arrival is definitely growing. Not only are me and daddy talking about it all the time, but all our friends, teachers and neighbours keep on asking if Isabelle is looking forward to becoming a big sister. If you asked her a few months ago, she would be very happy to answer your question, but as too many people ask her now, she seems to be kind of bored answering the same thing over and over again!
Her feeling towards big sisterhood doesn’t change though; she is very excited, and I believe she is going to be a great sister. She was the one who kept on asking me for a sibling. I honestly think that if she wasn’t that keen in the first place, I would have just never decided to do it all over again.
Motherhood was something completely new to me. If you knew Isabelle you could say I’d had it easy, as she is and always was an easy child, without any problems. But everything is not as it seems. Living in the UK without having any family around, was much more difficult than I expected. And it’s for that reason there will be almost a five year gap between Isabelle and her littler brother or sister.
Last year, after I ran the London marathon, I knew I was ready. Isabelle was due to start school full time from September, and that was the opportunity to become a family of four.
I cannot wait for Isabelle to see her brother/sister. I dream about how she comes with daddy to the hospital, and will be asking if she could hold the baby. I know I will be crying…I am crying now, just writing it…and really hope they will have a great relationship and will love each other very much.
Some of our friends have suggested getting a present for Isabelle, and saying it was from the baby. What do you think? Have you got any tips on how to introduce a new arrival to your existing child?
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My 6 year old was very excited about the arrival of his new brother and even chose his name! When the new addition arrives circumstances meant he was not allowed to visit at the hospital but we did the whole present to each child from one another. How ever he was still obviously quite anxious and had a few tantrums at bedtime etc. The best thing to help was our acknowledgement that babies are in fact very boring and eat, poop and cry all the time so aren’t much fun for a while!
Hi
Your story is like I have written it – only difference is that all this happened last yr. My son turned 5 just after my lil girl was born last year. It was his idea to have a sibling otherwise like you I thought one was enough. The reason was like you we have no family in the UK.
My son was over the moon when lil sister was born. He is a great big brother and they both adore each other.
I did buy a gift ( a lil book) and said it was from lil sister and he still treasures it. He also picked a lil soft toy for her which she plays with often.
He wrote such a beautiful story about Christmas and mentioned her, that he earned the special person award. and his teacher read it to me on parents night. Such a sweet bond.
All the best with the birth. I am sure Isabelle will enjoy her lil brother or sister.
Our second baby is due in June and although there will only be a 19month age gap between the two, i’ve been warned by quite a few parents about the jelousy for the older sibling and other than having a small present ready from the baby to the older sibling to try a couple of other things. Have your older child take people to see their new baby sibling and when you bring the baby home to greet your older child without the baby. Finally for those like myself with a small child and a baby (on the way) to put together a special box of toys that only come out when your feeding the baby so you can all enjoy the feeding experience. Hope some of this helps, i’m counting on some of it working for me!
Although Austin was only 2 when Tara arrived he was always wonderful with her because we always treated her as “his” baby, she wasn’t mine or daddy’s but his, that way he was never really jealous of her, and ge was allowed to help with anythubg he wanted to and shown how to be careful with her. I don’t know how well it’d work with an older child but it worked a treat for our age gap! We did also do presents from/to the baby but he was less fussed about that. He just wanted to be reassured that I still loved him and that the baby was no threat to that. The best thing I did though was not hold her when he arrived at the hospital so I could give him a big hug and let him get onto the bed with me and we held her together once he’d had a cuddle. Good luck!