Our daughter was eight-years-old when our twins were born, and we knew it was going to be a big transition for her and our family. After all, she was an only child and had all of our attention for eight years! We wanted to make sure she still felt special and an important part of our family. We did a few things to try to help ease the transition. Before we went to the hospital to deliver, we gave her a special big sister bracelet. After the boys came home, we let her be a part of the daily routine as much as she wanted to. She even got up a few times in the middle of the night for feedings! She didn’t want to miss a thing with her new baby brothers! That year, even though it was an absolute blur, I volunteered in the school library once a month and continued being her Girl Scout Leader. I’ll be honest, it was incredibly hard, but I wanted her to feel seen and loved and know she was still an important part of our family.
There are so many ways to help siblings prepare for a new baby. I thought why not ask my clients what they did that worked? Here are a few of their suggestions:
Read Special Books
Several of you mentioned You’re Getting a Baby Brother by Sheila Sweeny Higginson. She of course has the companion book if you’re having a girl. There are plenty of other books too such as What’s in Your Tummy Mummy? and I’m a Big Sister! Books are definitely an easy way to bond with your other children and help explain what to expect on a level they can understand.
Let Them Help Prepare Your Home
I loved this idea from online photographer friend and mom of four, Mallory: “We talked about giving the new baby some of the toddler’s old baby things (changing table, high chair, etc. nothing sentimental, and I let them prepare spaces with those things.” She also mentioned that she got out the “bouncy seat and bassinet a couple months early to help teach the toddler not to get in them and that they were just for baby.”
Create Special Rituals
One of my favorite ideas was to create special routines or rituals. One of my clients told me she painted her toenails the same color as her daughter. Such a simple and easy thing, but it made a huge difference! She said her daughter “found comfort in having something that matched mommy while she was away at the hospital.”
Thank you for being here and checking out my website and blog!
Mary Wiet Photography specializes in maternity, newborn, and family photography for Cincinnati, Ohio and Northern Kentucky. I provide a full service experience for my clients that includes complimentary access to my Client Closet full of flattering dresses for mom, option to add professional makeup, and film inspired photos. I have over seven years of experience photographing babies, kids, and families.
If you are interested in booking Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky newborn photos, I’d love to connect here.
