Preparing for baby number 2 (or 3, or 4…)

Helping your children to prepare for the arrival of another baby can be tricky. The concept is fairly abstract for them, until the baby actually arrives, especially if they are still quite young. They may be anxious about it, without quite knowing why, or have expectations of being able to play with the baby which will leave them disappointed when their newborn sibling finally arrives.

One way to address these issues and help your little one understand what’s going on, is to look at books together about the subject. I would recommend a mix of fiction and factual books. Fiction is a very helpful way of thinking through different scenarios for your child, they may involve a jealous sibling or a loving one and you can then explore those feelings together.

Factual books give plenty of scope for talking about what is happening to your body and what will happen when the new baby arrives.

I spent a lovely afternoon in the library, browsing books and have borrowed some lovely ones from new mums too. Here’s a round up of the best that I found:

Factual Books

The factual books that I found seemed to have taken their photos from stock image libraries, which means that they are generally photos of real families in real situations, which is great for discussion but doesn’t always make for a dynamic image.

Hello Baby (Window on the World)

I found this one in the library and liked it straight away because it’s full of images of babies from around the world. Looking at the photos together, you can discuss how babies around the world do the same things (eat, sleep, wash, play) but in very different ways. This could be a more non-threatening way of talking about babies without specifically addressing your own new addition.

A New Baby Arrives by Nicola Barber

Practical books using stock photos of babies and families are great for real world discussions about a new arrival – some children will find it easier to talk about real images and real families

Fiction

New Baby series, illustrated by Rachel Fuller (published by Child’s Play)

There are 4 board books in this series: ‘Waiting For Baby’, ‘My New Baby’, `Look At Me’ and ‘You and Me’. They explore what it’s like to be waiting for a sibling and then to have one around. The drawings are colour and not gender specific, making it easier to talk about them in the context of your own family. There are some words with the pictures but they are really just a starting point for a bigger discussion. These books would be great for toddlers and pre-school children.

Babies Don’t Bite by David Bedford and Tor Freeman

Hegley horse is excited that his mum is pregnant but all the other farm animal’s mums are too and they’re not keen. This book challenges some of the fears about becoming an older sibling and focusses on the joy of a new baby.

The Baby ( but I’ve Have Liked a Hamster) by India Knight and Jessica Meserve

Tom’s another one who’s not keen on his little sister – his parents adore her and think she smells delicious. Tom’s burps are frowned on but the baby’s burps are celebrated – it just doesn’t seem fair! You can just see Tom craving his parent’s attention in the wonderful illustrations. But slowly and surely, Tom comes round to her and finally realises that things are quite so bad – even though he still secretly sometimes calls her Poopoohead!

There’s a House Inside My Mummy by Giles Andrae and Vanessa Cabban

What is happening inside mummy’s tummy? the concept of a baby growing in there is pretty abstract. Without going into too much detail, this book – written in verse – will help start discussions about just what’s going on in there.

The New Small Person by Lauren Child

 

Elmore isn’t too sure about the new small person in his life, he doesn’t like the same TV programs and licks all his jelly beans – even the orange ones! It isn’t until Elmore has a nightmare that the benefits of having a younger brother become clear. This is a lovely book, illustrated in classic Lauren Child style, is great for underlining the two way relationship between siblings.