Moms with toddlers

jjgal · July 2012

Have you told your toddler yet about the baby? I have just started showing, but I don't think DD will notice anything til I'm huge. And even then I'm not sure what she'll understand. How did you talk to them about it? Any cute ideas or books to read to toddlers?

Angelcake · July 2012

I have told both our kids but I think it is hard for them to understand something they can't see. My DS will be 3 in September and I am constantly reminding him there is a baby in my belly... because he is so rough and tumble, but he just doesn't seem to get it. We are going in for a private ultrasound tomorrow evening to find out the sex and are bringing the kids so maybe once they see the baby, they will have a better understanding.

MissNikki007 · July 2012

I have told her about it, but she is still too young to understand. I don't think she'll fully get it until I bring a baby home and completely turn her little world upside down. lol

pghctwife · July 2012

I don't think my son will understand till the baby arrives! But he is just a little guy still

Once we get a little closer we will probably get a baby doll, and whatnot. And working on 'gentle' has been an ongoing process!

sbevmc09 · July 2012

We've mentioned it a couple times. I'm sure he doesn't understand though. He likes to look at the "pictures" (from the U/S) of "baby".

I just figure we'll talk about it periodically and he'll be coming with me to my appointments so there will be opportunity for it then and when we hear the HB and such. Of course he'll be nearly 3 by the time baby actually arrives so by then he might understand the concept a little better too.

Magenta728 · July 2012

DD is only 13 months, so I don't know when she'll even understand. This book was recommended to me. They have it for both boys and girls.

Kie310 · July 2012

Yup. He knows about baby. We told him right after we told our families. He knows the baby is in mommy's belly. He even tells me there is a baby in his belly most days.

He asks about the baby almost every day. When I eat he says, "Mommy feeding the baby?" It's really funny.

I'm looking forward to being able to feel baby on the outside, I can't wait to see how he reacts. Right now he hugs or rubs my belly and says hi to baby. Too funny.

We don't have books or anything about it. We just sat him down and told him that around Christmas a baby was coming & the baby is is my belly. We said it over and over for days until he seemed to understand.

ellaNu630 · July 2012

Pgh-CTBride:
I don't think my son will understand till the baby arrives! But he is just a little guy still Once we get a little closer we will probably get a baby doll, and whatnot. And working on 'gentle' has been an ongoing process!

I could have written this word for word.

I have pointed to my belly and said baby a few times, but he just gets a confused look and then jambs his finger in my belly button and starts to laugh uncontrollably.

meganiobe · July 2012

DD is 3, and very wild when we play. We told her right away because I didn't want to to jump on my belly to much. She is very excited about being a big sister and now that we have told everyone she talks to people about it all the time. She is old enough to understand though.

MangomamaFL · July 2012

My one year old was present at my last U/S my older children showed her the picture on the screen. I doubt she will fully understand until my little one is born. I often talk about the little baby growing inside of me with my children. My one year likes looking at pictures of babies in books.

My favorite book is Angel in the Waters, by Regina Doman. It is a story about a baby talking to his guardian angel while in the womb. The pictures show different stages of the baby growing inside his mom.

nicoletteb1985 · July 2012

I talk about his baby brother all the time. I don't think he realizes it, but I think in the long run it will click and he will be able to identify his brother.

pghctwife · July 2012

ellaNu630:
Pgh-CTBride:
I don't think my son will understand till the baby arrives! But he is just a little guy still Once we get a little closer we will probably get a baby doll, and whatnot. And working on 'gentle' has been an ongoing process!
I could have written this word for word.
I have pointed to my belly and said baby a few times, but he just gets a confused look and then jambs his finger in my belly button and starts to laugh uncontrollably.

The question made me laugh a little just because we are dealing with such basic issues with DS right now (lots of shrieking lately stemming from a lack of ability to communicate but a desire to) and he is just so so far from this!

Karschingham · July 2012

My daughter is constantly pulling up my shirt to kiss my belly and she says BABY!! She loves it...I don't think that she gets that a baby is actually going to be in our home, but it's cute to watch

jessicabalthis · July 2012

I told her the day we found out she's super excited about her baby sister. I've been showing her youtube videos of ultrasounds and reading to her about what the baby is up to every week, so she feels like she has a part in it.. she's almost 4 though so she understands a little more. I think it's what you're comfortable with, either way is fine

bearkatjen · July 2012

I started talking about it as soon we had our dating u/s. I explained there's a baby in my tummy, and we showed DS the u/s pic, and talked to him about being a big brother and having a baby brother or sister. In the beginning, DS kept asking to see the baby, and I would explain the baby was really small and had to get a lot bigger before he could see the baby, but the concept wasn't really sticking. I have this book, It's So Amazing by Robie Harris, that has a two page spread of the baby in utero and shows the actual size at various weeks. I showed that to DS, pointed to the size the baby was, showed him the u/s picture again, and showed him the picture of the 40 week baby and explained that the baby had to grow a long time and when it reached that size the baby would be born and he would get to see and hold the baby, and he seemed to understand at that point. He wants to buy the baby "baby toys", and gets excited about picking supplies up for the baby in general. He has informed me babies cry a lot.

littlemaybaby · July 2012

Definite minority here, but no we haven't told him. Between his concept of time (which is non-existent) an my loss history, we have agreed that there is no point to telling him now. Once I start to show significantly or once we start turning our guest room into the room for #2 is when we will probably start to talk about it.

st.augbride · July 2012

I'm waiting until I'm bigger, the due date is closer and ds is older! He knows the word baby and loves seeing babies, but I think it's just way too abstract for an 18 month old. At some point we'll get a baby doll to practice and help him get used to mommy and daddy carrying around a baby. I actually think he'll adjust just fine though cause he is fascinated by babies and isn't very jealous.

KingRay09 · July 2012

We told DD pretty much right away. Not sure she fully understands but she points to my belly and says baby and then laughs.

IsaiahGirl · July 2012

DD is 3, and we told her the day we told our parents. We didn't really do anything cute - it was more to warn her about jumping on mommy's tummy and how I wouldn't be able to pick her up anymore.

She does get it somewhat - she's seen 2 babies at the in-home daycare she goes to, and she loves them. She's also grown VERY attached to her baby doll and takes it everywhere. She'll also put food on my tummy "for the baby" and tickle my tummy, saying she's tickling the baby. I love it when she does stuff like that.

There are books out there, and my MIL got me one. I can't remember what it is, but I just did an Amazon search for "new baby books for siblings" and there are a bunch of possibilities - there's a Berenstein Bears one!

landosmommy · July 2012

Unfortunately my toddler doesn't understand at ALL about me being pregnant or him getting a little brother or sister. :P In a way I'm glad he doesn't know, but then again it would be fun to see his reaction. So I'm curious to see how he acts once LO is here.

karen_loy · July 2012

Yes, I'm not sure he totally understands the concept but he pats and kisses my belly and says "baby"; also qhen he sees a baby in tv, book or whatever he says "little baby" and then sometimes points to my belly

Brit242 · July 2012

DD1 is 16 months old. We have a Big sister book that I read to her. She also knows that there is a baby in mommy's tummy and will piont to my tummy anytime she hears the word baby. She gives my tummy hugs and kisses and has recently started laying my phone on my tummy so she can talk to the baby on the phone. It's really cute. She doesn't talk yet, so I'm not sure how much she actually understands about it at the moment, but she seems to know that something is going on in there lol.

betheppert · July 2012

We told our DS and he doesn't really get it, but we keep saying things to him. We tell him he is going to be a big brother, and that mommy has a baby in her belly. He occasionally comes and touches my belly and kisses it but it is always with prompting by me or my husband.

jdm7 · July 2012

DD just turned 1. I tell her about the baby all the time, she may not 100% understand what I'm saying. But I keep saying "Mommy has a baby in her belly." And she'll point to my belly every so often. With her being so young, I'd rather start telling her now all the time about it so she can start to understand what is going on.

JennV514 · July 2012

My baby has no idea what I'm talking about, but we have a few books we'll read in a couple of months.

eSynergy · July 2012

DS says "baby in there" and points to my belly...sometimes he'll hug/kiss it. The other day he kept saying "open" (ie. open your belly and bring out the baby).

I'm not sure he'll really understand until the baby is here!

lcrun · July 2012

Our son will be 3 in a few weeks and we have told him. He loves to wear his big brother shirt and when he saw my u/s pictures from my NT scan, he said "shhh, baby is sleeping!" Once in a while when I am sitting down he will come up to me, pull my shirt up, say "baby in mommy's belly!" and kiss my belly. That being said, I still think it's a pretty abstract concept for him and I don't think he gets the fact that there will be a real baby coming to live with us soon. I think he understands as much as a 3 year old probably would though.

We've been clearing out the guest room to get it ready for the nursery and we will tell him what we are doing and why. We've also been going through some of his old baby toys, bottles and other newborn items we have saved in the basement and tell him that they are going to be used by his new brother or sister. So, to answer your question, I guess we just try to involve him in what we are doing regarding preparing for the baby.

We also bought him two books that he likes to read. The first is "My New Baby" by Rachel Fuller and the other is "I'm a Big Brother" by Joanna Cole- I know there is a big sister version of this book too.

Good luck! I know these kiddos probably won't really understand what's going on until the baby is out and comes home but it's so cute to see them get excited about a new baby, regardless of how much they comprehend

Want a personalized experience?

Moms with toddlers

Re: Moms with toddlers

Choose Another Board

Search Boards