When I was pregnant with my third child, I heard some ideas on how to introduce a new baby to an older child or children. Even though it went more or less okay when introducing my second child to my first, I decided to try some of the things I had heard. My oldest was in kindergarten, and the second born was three. Of course I had already been telling my first two children about the new baby, and they had talked to her ‘through’ my bellybutton. Their father and I set things up for after the birth.
The day came that my baby girl was born, and then it was time for her older siblings to meet her. I followed the advice I had heard, and made sure to put the baby in the bassinet before the children arrived. This way, they wouldn’t feel left out. I spent time with them, and introduced the baby to them after I made sure to spend time focusing just on them.
The day soon came to go home. I was more than ready! The oldest, my first daughter, was in school at the time. My second child, my son, was sent to a neighbor’s house for the morning. My newborn daughter and I arrived home, and I saw that she had fallen asleep in her car safety seat. I was happy it was one of those ones that detached from the base in the car. I was able to let her continue to sleep in the seat, undisturbed. My son came home with his dad, and I wanted to make sure he knew he wasn’t forgotten because of the baby. I left her in her car seat on the floor, and held him on my lap. We talked and hugged for a while, and then he got down and started to walk around. So far, he hadn’t seen the baby in her seat on the floor.
After a few minutes, he noticed her. Despite being only three years old, he got a look on his face that reminded me of a much older person. He said (in a “well, imagine that” kind of voice), “hey look mom, it’s a newborn”. I somehow held my laughter, but thinking about it ever since has always made me laugh, even almost 12 years later!
I came to the realization that although I had explained to him that I was pregnant and had a baby inside, and had shown him the baby while in the hospital, I had never told him that the baby was going to be joining us after she was born!
My first born came home a little later, and I greeted her with a hug and kiss. I then showed her the baby, and made sure to tell her that our new addition was there to stay!
SE
your a great Mom. Your baby is beautiful. You also did a great thing by letting the others know how important they are to you. My daughter did the same thing, but at the hospital. The older three wanted to take the baby home that day, so their Mom could get some rest. It was sooo funny, the oldest wanted the baby home, that same day. He’s almost 14 years old and has a heart of gold. All four do. I enjoyed your story very much