Every parent will know that finding out that there’s going to be a new addition to your family is one of the most exciting moments in the world.

All of a sudden, your mind is flooded with images of the blissful family life you will all share together. Sitting around the dinner table, celebrating birthdays, going on trips to the beach and watching your little ones running across the seafront hand-in-hand.

But however idyllic these futuristic images may be, there are always a few worries that a parent will have after finding out this news:

How is my other child going to react? Will they be jealous? Will they feel left out?

We would never mean to take away from your excitement of having a new baby, but nevertheless, it’s important to prepare your other child several months in advance to ensure that they feel ready for this huge change in the family dynamic.

So, before we delve into some ways you can do this, let’s further explore why doing this type of preparation before the arrival of your new child is so important.

Why is it important to prepare your child for the arrival of your baby?

Having a new child join the family dynamic will be as impactful on the first child as it will be on the parents. Therefore, it’s good to be aware of why there’s a need to properly prepare for this event and understand how it will affect your existing little one.

There’s a good chance that at first, your child might feel jealous and left out that all the attention is on the new baby. After all, they will be aware that up until now, they had the lion's share of all the attention!

Overall, it’s key for you to do everything you can to prepare your child for the huge change that is going to occur, and to balance your time between them and your new baby. You want to ensure that no matter what, your little one feels informed, valued and involved in this new way of life. Because ultimately, life will never be quite the same again! And it might take a bit of adjusting for everyone to get used to this.

Now that we’ve outlined why it’s important to prepare your child, let’s look at some practical ways in which you can do this!

How can you prepare your child for the arrival of your baby?

Involve them in shopping for baby clothes.

You may be surprised to find that shopping for your baby’s clothes with your toddler will elevate the experience altogether. Take them around the shops and let them pick out the clothes they like. It will be a fun bonding experience and will allow them to feel involved.

Involve them in helping to get the house and baby’s room ready.

Again, another positive way to involve your little one in the preparations for the baby’s arrival is to seek their help in getting the bedroom ready. Ask them what colour they think would be nice for the walls. Take them shopping with you when you are looking at baby furniture and toys. They will thoroughly enjoy the experience and will feel like their input really matters.

Take them to a sibling preparation class.

Sibling preparation classes can be very useful in helping a child understand how life will change once their new brother or sister arrives. Many hospitals offer these.

Take them to the hospital to see where the baby will be born before the birth.

Some parents choose to take their child to the hospital before the baby is born, so they can see where their little sister or brother is going to first come into the world. This is a great way to get your child really excited about the birth of their new sibling.

Help them see how fun and important it will be to be a big sister or brother.

Talking to your child regularly about the arrival of their new baby brother or sister is important in helping prepare them. Whenever you talk to them about it, make sure to use a positive tone and cheerful language. Tell them how key their role will be as a big brother or sister to their new family member, and how much of an impact they will have. This will allow them to feel important and valued in the dynamic and thoroughly look forward to the event.

So, we’ve understood what you can do to prepare your child for your baby’s arrival. But what about when the baby is actually home?

What about once the baby is home?

Once your brand-new bundle of joy comes through the door for the first time, it’s natural to feel apprehensive. After all, this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for! However, there are ways in which you can ensure your child reacts positively.

Encourage your child to help and play with your newborn. One of the best ways to get your child to feel happy about your new arrival is to encourage them to play. However, if you feel like your child is resisting, don’t over-force them. This will come naturally with time anyway.

Give them tasks to make them feel like a big sister or brother. Children love feeling responsible and like their contribution matters. Therefore, if they are showing interest, give them tasks to help elevate this feeling. For example, picking out the baby’s clothes or bath toys.

Show them how to hold and move the baby. At first, your child won’t understand how to hold and move the baby. So this is a good time to show them the correct and safe way to do so. Also, make sure to convey never to do these things unless an adult is present.

Reserve time to spend alone with them. A huge point to remember is that although it can be overwhelming having a new baby to look after, there’s a chance your child will feel left out. Try to reserve time just for them, whether this simply means taking time to read them a story, going for a walk or playing a game.

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