STM+, what to do with other child(ren)?

BabySeaTurtles · December 2015

This is a two part question. First, how exactly did you introduce your first (or any older) child to LO? I have searched some ways and the most popular seems to be in the hospital when baby is out of the room, have DS cuddle in the bed and then have baby brought in. And there is usually a present from baby to older child involved. DS will be 3.5 when DD is born.
Second question is for after LO is home. What were some of your most successful ways to occupy older sibling(s) while taking care of baby?

SU1989 · December 2015

I'm a FTM so I can't give much advice. But for something to do to entertain your LO...When my brother was born my dad got a huge piece of cardboard and traced my body and I was able to color and decorate it with a bunch of stuff. It entertained me for a long time. Haha.

camusoh2011 · December 2015

With our first son my stepdaughter was brought up after he was born and came right in to visit and hold her little brother. When our second son was born, our oldest son happened to be in the room (my brother wouldn't answer his phone it was 4 am and we didn't have other options) so he just came over to the bed after things were cleaned up to meet his brother. My stepdaughter was again brought up later that day to meet him. When we got home we made a point to try and give DS lots of attention whenever we could. We didn't do anything special to entertain him. He had toys and we probably watched a few too many movies at times.

ETA: This time my parents are coming to get the boys when we have our c-section or if they start coming sooner. I'm hoping they will hang out at our house until the twins actually arrive so that the boys can visit early on, but if not that will be okay too. They'll just come in when they can to meet their new brother and sister. DH is going to be on big kid duty when we get home and they will probably luck into going to work with him a few times here and there which they love because DH's clients always dote on them and give them way too much candy when they visit.

g8trkim · December 2015

Try not to overthink the perfect scenario for introducing the baby. My mom brought my son to the hospital. We had talked about the baby for months. He really wasn't too phased by her but he was a little suspicious of seeing me in the hospital hooked up to all sorts of wires. I think a present is totally unnecessary.

As far as occupying your other child, I let him hang out with me while I took care of the baby, nursed, etc. Sometimes he wanted to do his own things and play with his toys. Sometimes he wanted to cuddle up on me. It just depends on their mood at the time.

Just feel it out and trust your gut. There will be moments that are calm and moments that are totally chaotic. It's normal.

MississippiCatfish · December 2015

My boys (3.5 and 1.5) will come to the hospital with grandma and grandpa, who are taking care of them, to meet the baby. I don't plan on having baby out of the room when they arrive. I don't plan on a gift, but they are both SUPER in to puppies right now, so if I found a cute stuffed puppy this month I might buy it for them from the baby. Sometimes I think it's a silly idea, but I do remember the toy that I received when my little sister was born, so I think it can be meaningful.

As far as activities, I think it's different for every kid, but what keeps my son occupied the longest lately is play-do and puzzles. Sometimes watercolor paints, Legos, or eating a snack.

ETA: we introduced ds1 and ds2 the same way. Ds1 was 21 months.

dtaded13 · December 2015

As far as introductions go, my mom will bring her to the hospital and we will spend some time as a new family of 4, hopefully before any other visitors come.

As far as entertainment goes, I'm going to be making her a "big sister kit" with a sticker book, snack, maybe a dvd, and a disposable camera so she can take her own pictures of this special time.

Ktjennks · December 2015

I have not had to do this yet. However, my good friend brought her 4 year old to meet the newborn at the hospital. She felt it would be good for them to all go home as a family so that he felt involved and that the new addition wasn't just coming in and taking over. She also bought him a small little something telling him it was a gift from his new baby brother. When I have a 2nd child I will be doing something very similar to this.

ohbaby714 · December 2015

I don't know if we will even have DD come up to the hospital to meet her sister. Hopefully we will only be there for 24 hours after her birth and DD will only be about 19 months old so she really doesn't understand anyway. I think she will do better with it if we have them first meet in a place where she is comfortable.

I'm starting to really worry about entertaining DD while having a newborn. She is such a busy little girl and has to be doing something 24/7 but thankfully she does also play very well by herself. Hopefully she will adjust well.

flockofmoosen3 · January 2016

My hospital doesnt allow children under 12 to the maternity ward during flu season, so DD will not be meeting us at the hospital at all. We will get her a new baby doll that is a gift from her new brother. She gets excited about babies now, so i hope that she is just as excited to meet her brother. I expect that excitement to wear off when she realized that he will be occupying most of my attention.

kimbii09 · January 2016

For my oldest daughter our hospital offered a big sibling program and my oldest got to take a tour of the hospital with other kids and she even got a big sister bracelet. They watched movies and the guide played games with them and I think it helped with her transition. Now we are in a new place and they don't offer that so I'm not sure how its going to affect my youngest daughter. I'm hoping for a smooth transition

BabySeaTurtles · January 2016

kimbii09 said:
For my oldest daughter our hospital offered a big sibling program and my oldest got to take a tour of the hospital with other kids and she even got a big sister bracelet. They watched movies and the guide played games with them and I think it helped with her transition. Now we are in a new place and they don't offer that so I'm not sure how its going to affect my youngest daughter. I'm hoping for a smooth transition

That actually reminds me that my hospital offers a new sibling class!! I totally forgot about it! I'm going to talk to DH about taking DS around the end of January. Thank you!!

camusoh2011 · January 2016

DH has me all peeved these days. He keeps talking about how if the weather is bad or this or that then he won't even bother calling any of the people who have offered to come over and be with our boys so that DH can be with me when we deliver. He did this last time where he just started freaking out that something was going to happen and he was going to miss the birth. I know that at the end of the day he's going to do whatever he can to be there, but I hate that he is such a negative nancy about things that stress him. He says if it had to happen he'd be okay that he missed it, but I'm having my first c-section, I'm terrified for it, this is our last pregnancy, and it's twins! He has to be in the OR with me.

STM+, what to do with other child(ren)?

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