How did your toddler handle a newborn?

Our daughter is going to be 2 year’s old in December, we are having our 2nd child in February, and we are also moving in spring to a bigger house and closer to family, to have help with our children so I can get a 1st shift job to help support our children along with my hubby who works 2nd shift. So he would be with the children in the morning until he drops them off at family’s house around 1 pm until I’m done with work at I’m guessing 3 pm is when the first shifter usually get done with work, then I will go pick our children up afterward. How did your 1st child handle a newborn being in the house and not having your full attention like they did when they were your only child? And are we also moving how did they handle the move? I worry about our daughter, getting stressed out with the big changes that are going to happen in our lives, and I want to make everything as easy as I possibly can for her. I’m gonna try to include her as much as possible with our newborn, but I’m sure she will still get upset our full attention won’t be always towards her. And moving to a new house & going to her aunt’s or grandma’s every day until I get done with work, when she’s so use to being in our current home and it only being her father & I taking care of her.

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My first son just turned 7… he was acting alil distant when I had my second son …but within a week he was fine…my second son was exactly 12 months 1 week old when I gave birth to my third son… At first he was afraid of him and would cry if we put him near him or if he cried…after about 2 weeks he was completely fine with having a new baby! We also moved shortly after my third son was born…it took alot of adjusting for my oldest in reguards to his behavior…yelling & acting out…but he’s fine now…been in our new place for about 7months now :)… I think boys just react differently to babies …lil girls I heard are amazing helpers w babies!! Goodluck!!!:blue_heart:

Mine are 13 months apart and my oldest loved her baby sister since the min she saw her she would give her kisses :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

My kids were 19 months apart and did not have a problem. I had him helping me, asking him to get a diaper or the bottle. You just include them on everything and you shouldn’t have a problem. Good luck💖

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They just get used to it! I have 4 & only went back to work last yr & the youngest still has a hard time. But they adjust. Keep things as normal as possible & love her the same as u always have💖 good luck

My kids are 10 months apart, I had my daughter and then twins. She was 10 months old when I brought the twins home and she loved to help feed and change the babies. No problems at all.

I have a 5 year old a 21 month old and a 3 month old. My middle child gets along with the baby incredibly. Wants to feed her change her bathe her everything. She will be fine♡

We moved across country when my daughter was just barely two and I don’t think she even noticed. All her stuff came with us so I think that’s all she needed…same bed/bedding, toys, etc. (Cant help with the baby part…my kids are 13 years apart)

My 1st is 2 years and 3 weeks apart from our second. It was love at first sight and no one was allowed to touch her baby. IF someone did hold her baby sister she would try to take the baby from them after a while and tell them bye. Over a year later she is the BEST big sister ever, always helpingin every way she can without anyone having to ask. She can get a little clingy and needs extra attention at times but for the most part it was an amazingly easy transition.

You can talk with your oldest and let her be apart of the baby you are carrying now and talk about how much fun it will be to have another baby in thier life I let mine feel my tummy is when it was moving. ,listen to his heart beat just make sure your not .shutting her out because you are pregnant. Let her be a part of the pregnancy. And after the baby arrives let her still hold it love on it and make her apart of his care let her watch you bathe it dress it feed it and you’ll be surprised how much help she will be on watching it and making sure it will be ok.

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Get her a baby doll to take care of. Make it important

I feel like a lot of parents dont put boundaries on toddlers lately. I think u have standard boundaries you will do just fine.

Remembering that the oldest needs to be included in picking cloths out for baby, help bathing, help feed by reading books while u bf. Giving something to do so the older one knows excatly what they should be doing when u cant involve them.

If ur child doesnt nap u need to establish quiet time for 1 hr with a timer. Toys and books but no leaving there bedroom or area where there bed is.

You need an hour with baby sometimes. So teaching boundaries and what the child should be doing when ur busy is good.

Even if they need to choose a quiet activity and u teach the oldest to choose what can u do while baby naps? What is a quiet activity you will choose.

I was so scared my daughter was gonna be horrible she was such a mommas girl that my husband couldn’t do much as even touch my hand without her crying because he did but I took her to my last ultrasound and let her see her brother on the screen and she got to touch my belly and after he was born I let her help me with everything to make her feel special she never was to jealous of him she quickly bonded with him she would rush to him when he would cry n she would try to comfort him while telling me mommy Jax mommy Jax then when I recovered and went back to work I told her that so n so was gonna need her help with bubby n she did amazing she was 2 when he was born

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Get your daughter a new baby doll with a blanket and bottle but dont give it to her until the day you are taking the new baby home
Then give your daughter her new baby to take home too and include her and her new baby into your timing
When you feed your baby she feeds her baby
On and on

I was a single mother. My oldest (girl) was 7 when my second (boy) was born. She was used to being an only child. She would pinch him or in other ways aggravate him when he was an infant and once he started walking she would knock him over or punch him in the arm. Because of her age she got a trip behind the woodshed when I caught her and the problem resolved itself. I don’t have experience with kids close in age mine are 20 and 27 now and they’re thick as thieves so something I did must have worked and my oldest has a 2 year old daughter

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My second was born 18 days after my first turned 2 and I had no issues. The oldest loved having a baby around.

My son was 1.5 when I had my daughter. He didn’t care at all . Even when she got big enough to move around he always knocked her down . They’re 4 and 6 now and actually love each other now lol

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She should do fine, it will take some time for her to get use to the changes but she will just keep reassuring her.

dont think u have a problem your daughter be like a little mummy to your new baby she will be fine

:wave::wave::wave:
My son turned 2, just 2 weeks before his Brother was born.
He wasn’t amused. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:
He wasn’t jealous.
He was just interested in his own 2 year old stuff.
Fast forward my oldest will be 4 and baby will be 2.
Big Brother likes to include his little brother in things… kinda​:rofl::yellow_heart:

My 2 year old LOVED her baby sister!!! She was so protective and helpful!!! We even moved when my youngest was 3 weeks old.

Give her a small box and teach her to pack her favorite toys. When you arrive in new home have her unpack her treasures. Will help releive anxiety.

My 2 year old ignored his brother for the first week. Then we started referring to the babe as “Rivers little brother” then he became obsessed. Two years later and they are the best of friends.

My oldest son greeted his new baby brother (he was two )with pulling his ears but they became really good buddies after that.

my first had just turned 2,also having baby was first night away from me, his daddy brought him to meet his sister and they left before we was discharged later,so later i get home and my sister told me he came home beeming with pride and claimed shes beautiful my sister…best news ever he was besotted from first look…i ts a good gap because they understand more then we think…xx goodluck and congratulations

My daughter is older but special needs. We also had some big changes in school and home all at once and school was really worried she wouldn’t handle it well. She handled it like a champ though. Big sister extrodinaire! Expect some regression, but she’ll probably be just fine. Kids are way more resilient than we give them credit for.

You know if you make her part if it, you wont see a different, i let my little girl renea help when i bought her sister home, we kinda told her she was my helper, she love it, i let her put hand lotion on and the baby powder, i know they dont do that any more, im a grandma now. I really miss my babies.

Make her part of helping with the baby. Tell her how much the baby loves her and she is such a great big sister. That way she can also “help” family when they have the children. Everything else she will adapt.

I would make sure your 2 year old is comfortable with Aunt and Grandma before starting your job. That your new place is comfortable and she is settled in okay and everything is put away. Let her be part of how her bedroom will be as it will be ‘her safe zone’. She should be part of the pregnancy as feeling the kicks, hearing heartbeat, etc. Include in the baby’s room what goes where, where clothes are, diapers and all. Tell her you will need her help with her sibling. I was 4 when my sister was born and I adored her!!

My daughter will be three in January, and I just had my son almost two months ago. I was afraid of jealousy but she’s far from it. I include her in everything. She helps me make his bottles, she grabs him diapers, she even helps bathe him. She’s like a little mommy and is so protective over him. The bond she’s created with him in this short amount of time is amazing. :heart_eyes: Just make sure to include her with everything. Even the small things. And make a big deal out of it when she does help you and let her know she’s doing a great job.

Talk about the baby & the move a lot. Ask your librarian for book suggestions that help ease kids in transition to big sister & big move. Include the little one as much as possible.

Get her a “big sister” shirt & presents “from the baby” once it’s born. Teach her how to help you change, feed, bathe & play with the baby. Have her bring diapers, wipes, bottles, burp cloths, wash baby’s hands & feet or arms & legs, rock a cradle, show a picture book, nap together, sing to baby, tell baby numbers, letters & colors, introduce her toys to the new little one. Have her “give a tour” of the new house to baby when you come home from the hospital.

Plan her new room and the baby’s room together. Where will y’all put her bed, dresser, where will her closet be? Can she pick what color it will be or what decor to put on her walls and surfaces? Or new window coverings and carpet? Maybe get a toy vacuum she can only use in the new place.

Let her make some limited choices in the baby’s room if there are any: hang the mirror here or here? Take her shopping for any stuff & give her a choice between two items: this night light or that one? This mobile or that one? This lamp or that one? These crib sheets or those?

Show her pictures or take her to visit the new home if possible. Talk about things that will be nicer: a new refrigerator, a pretty tree in the yard, a bigger/newer/cooler basement, attic, storage space, garage, bathroom, wallpaper, light fixture, porch, balcony—anything you can think of.

See if you can explore new places in the neighborhood like the park, library, grocery store, kid-friendly restaurants—any other places you are likely to go. Explore them online if you can’t go in person. If you can, go to a library kids program in your new spot now & have her meet some of the people who will interact with her there.

Maybe hide surprises in your new house for her to find. Decide in advance which stuffed toys or music or noise or prayers or stories she will have at bedtime in her new room to make that part predictable. Let her help you pack up & label some of her stuff

If people will be bringing gifts for the baby, ask them to bring something for the big sis too, or have some small wrapped items for her if they don’t. One present per event, even if baby gets 10 things at once is OK.

Be sure to build in one on one time with your older daughter with you, dad, grandparents, friends, etc.

Can you join a mom’s group before you move to support you & your children? Can you do something with them before you move?

My first 2 were exactly this age apart. 2 years, 2 months. My son “helped” me with my daughter and loved her. The first thing he said to her in the hospital was him asking her to play with his hot wheels with him. He was so excited to have a playmate. He wasn’t jealous at all. We had our own special time.

She will take her cues from you. If you make it a positive experience, she will have a great experience. Let her help with a lot of things. What color her room is, where her bed goes, doing things for the baby, & make sure Aunt & Grandma always have something “special” just for her. Either a trip out for lunch, a small dollar tree toy, an activity, a fun snack.

Light & fun! Laugh, giggle, ooo & aahh! Make a big deal of seeing new family, having a new house, getting a new sibling! She will enjoy the new surroundings as long as you do!