How to prepare

MrsSteelerTeacherLady

I'm really lost on how to prepare J (14 months) for the new baby.  I don't really talk about it or have any books about it but it's hard to hold his attention if it's something that he's not interested in.  What are you doing for your LOs/have you done that seemed to lessen the shock? 

 He is at a sitter, but is the youngest one out of the group.   

jerseymom98

I did do anything to prepare ds1, my two are 15 months apart. i did as my belly grow keep saying baby and would touch it; but he wasn't old enough to really understand. I did even ask my preditrician and said he was young enough i didn't have to worry.   My oldest is now 21 months and youngest 6 months

kagl04

hocus:

I did nothing honestly. I knew my daughter wouldn't really understand what I said (she wasn't particularly verbal at that point).

This! I did buy her a baby doll though. We worked on the word baby too and also being gentle. Now she's loving brother, we've had no issues at all, she loves her baby doll (feeds it when I feed DS) and she's very gentle with him. DD is the same age as your DS.

Rolamarie

I got all the baby gear out ahead of time (like the bouncy seat, playgym, infant car seat) so she would get used to it being around and let her put her dolls in it.

We also practiced "nice" and "gentle" with the cat and her dolls. I think that's about all she would have understood anyway.

etude de la vie

I had a baby doll and she could kiss baby but not on the face, touch baby foot/leg but not face (she wanted to poke baby eyes). I would put baby doll in the swing and DD would learn not to "push" the swing, throw her toys in the swing. I did the same with the carseat and PnP/bassinet. 

I helped and when we brought home DS she really didn't know he was the real baby not just the doll. 16 months apart 

moonfaerie

Mine are 14 months apart, and I didn't do anything special. She knew DH and I talked about the baby in my tummy, but that was about it. She actually transitioned really well. We never had any real problems with jealousy. At first she was jealous when her grandmothers held the baby, but she couldn't care less if DH or I held the baby. Good luck!

meredith anastasia

hocus:

I did nothing honestly. I knew my daughter wouldn't really understand what I said (she wasn't particularly verbal at that point).

same, and he hasn't shown much jealousy at all.

MrsSteelerTeacherLady

Thank you all- I keep getting this OMG you're terrible looks when people ask me what I've done for J, but seriously- what can you do?  I will try getting the stuff out right after Christmas and continue to work on gentle with the dogs.