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Sibling
Preparation
Preparing your child for the birth of a sibling can be both fun and
challenging. Please encourage your child to ask questions and use
their questions as a guide for giving information. Pregnancy should
be discussed in simple words that make sense to the child. For
example, preschoolers have trouble
understanding the concept of time. It is helpful to explain when the
baby will arrive in terms of the seasons, such as "the baby will
arrive when it is hot and you will be swimming outside."
If
your child asks questions which are difficult to answer, take a
breath, and tell them they have asked “wonderful questions” and you
will get back to them. As we all know, children often leave adults
speechless due to the directness of their questions. It is important
to answer and validate their questions with simple, straightforward
answers. If you feel stuck, you can always use paper and crayons to
explain your thoughts.
There are many activities you can use
to prepare your child for your new family addition:
1.
Sit down together as a family and look at baby pictures of your child.
2.
Visit family and friends with infants.
3.
Ask
the child to help with baby names.
4.
Take
your child to your OB/GYN’s office to hear the baby’s heartbeat.
5.
Ask
your child to help with preparation for the sibling's birth i.e.
Picking out toys and appropriate clothes.
 When
you are closer to birth, explain the hospitalization and plans so
your child will know what to expect. We do encourage siblings to
visit after birth at The Family Birthing Center as long as they are
not ill.
Another option is to get a stuffed
animal, or doll, prior to your birth and give it to your child when
he/she visits as a gift from the new sibling. Your child can
participate in feeding and other childcare skills with their new
doll or stuffed animal and mirror your interactions with their new
brother or sister. |
