| If you're pregnant with your second child, | | | | training, or changing her sleeping |
| it's time to be thinking about how to prepare | | | | arrangements during this time. If you can't |
| your first child to deal with "not being an | | | | get these things accomplished before the baby |
| only child" anymore. This can be a difficult | | | | comes, plan to put it off a few months. |
| transition for any child, and most, | | | | |
| regardless of age, have some adjustments to | | | | · Familiarize her with babies in general, |
| make. Here are some suggestions to help your | | | | particularly the amount of care they require. |
| child be prepared. | | | | Talk to her about when she was a baby, and |
| | | | all the things that she did. Then when the |
| · Talk about how special it is to be a big | | | | new baby comes, she will have something to |
| brother or sister. Discuss the baby in terms | | | | relate to. |
| of how important the older sibling will be in | | | | |
| its life. This is your child's chance to be | | | | · Let her assist you with any baby |
| the big kid, which is usually a very | | | | preparations that she would like to help |
| appealing idea. | | | | with, but don't force her. She might think |
| | | | its fun to pick out nursery items, for |
| · If you've been thinking about putting | | | | example. |
| your child into a preschool program, now is | | | | |
| the time. Don't wait until after the baby | | | | · Prepare her for the time you'll be |
| comes, or she might feel like you're trying | | | | spending in the hospital, and explain what |
| to get rid of her. She should have time to | | | | the situation will be like. If you can make |
| make friends and get adjusted before the baby | | | | it special for her, so much the better. When |
| comes, and then she will enjoy the chance to | | | | my daughter was born, we had arranged for my |
| get away. | | | | four year old son's favorite aunt and uncle |
| | | | to come and stay with him at our house while |
| · Get her used to being away from you. If | | | | I was in the hospital. He was looking so |
| your child spends most of her waking hours in | | | | forward to their visit; he hardly noticed I |
| your care, it's time to start having someone | | | | was away. |
| else take over some of this time for you. | | | | |
| Maybe start using a sitter a little more, or | | | | No matter how well you prepare your child, |
| sending her to play at a friend's. This way, | | | | there is bound to be some difficulty in |
| when the baby starts to demand your | | | | adjusting to the new baby. My son thought his |
| attention, she will be accustomed to having | | | | little sister was cool, but he didn't much |
| other caretakers. | | | | care for the fact that I was her Mommy, too. |
| | | | It takes a little time, but things work out |
| · Don't plan any major changes for her | | | | well in the end. And, anything you can do to |
| right after the baby is born. The adjustment | | | | prepare them ahead of time will only make the |
| to the baby is plenty, so don't try potty | | | | transition easier. |