Getting Your Toddler Ready for a New Baby

New babies are precious and bring such joy to a home; for most people. For your toddler, not so much.

Although toddlers will be curious about this new baby everyone has been talking about so much, and might even be excited that they will soon have a baby sister or brother, you can be guaranteed there will be some rough sailing for a little bit while they adjust to the major change.

Remember that this baby is not something your older child necessarily asked for… it will rock the foundations of what your child is used to in your family, and that’s totally okay. She will get used to it fast, and she might be really happy. But she will also get jealous and feel a little threatened by the attention your new baby will be getting.

Knowing this ahead of time and figuring out ways to deal with it when it arises is your best strategy. Here are my tips for preparing your toddler for that new bundle of joy.

1. No major transitions right before the baby is born

Sometimes these are unavoidable, of course, like if you suddenly have to move out of your house, for instance, but if you CAN avoid any major moves and also avoid things like potty training or moving your child from a crib to a bed, you will be saving yourself and your child a lot of distress.

Many parents will feel pressured to move their child to a toddler bed before the baby comes because they don’t think they should have two kids in cribs. I’m here to tell you it is totally fine to keep your toddler in a crib until after your baby is born. I had three kids close together and I always had two cribs going at the same time. If you move your child into a bed, even a few months before your due date, he may take to it and be doing well, but chances are that will unravel after the baby is born and he will start getting out of bed to get attention.

2. Be firm about sleep expectations

You want to make sure your toddler is sleeping well before the new baby comes along, or you will be exhausted and at your wit’s end, which is not the best frame of mind for sleep training. Be clear and consistent with your child about bedtimes and what time it’s okay for them to get up in the morning. You need to continue to set these boundaries when the baby comes along even if you feel guilty and think your older child should be given some leeway and be allowed to stay up later. Stick to your regular schedule and it will actually help your toddler feel MORE secure and stable than if you are constantly giving in.

3. Spend extra one-on-one time with your toddler before the baby is born, and make sure to really focus on him and not spend a lot of time talking about the baby every time you go to the park or to playgroup. Make sure he feels that you have lots of love for him and that you’re excited to spend time with him as well. Continue to make special time for your toddler after the baby is born as well, and you will find this helps a lot with the jealousy.

Bringing a new baby home can be the most wonderful time in a parent’s life. By preparing your older child, you can ensure that it’s a wonderful and exciting time for her as well, and this will help foster a beautiful start to your children’s lives together as siblings.

Also, if you’re looking for a complete, step-by-step guide that will help you get your baby or toddler sleeping straight through the night, you can check out The Sleep Sense Program.

Learn more here.

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Certified Sleep Sense Consultant Tip

Recently, Stephanie Carslake one of our Certified Sleep Sense Consultants was featured on Good Day Sacramento to share some sleep tips. Click the video below to see what she had to say:

To contact Stephanie for individualized help, she can be reached via the information below:

Stephanie N. Carslake
Sleep Tight, Good Night (LLC)
www.sleeptightgoodnight.com
facebook.com/sleeptightgoodnight
stephanie.carslake@sleeptightgoodnight.com
619.200.2544

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