BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

How was your toddler the first few weeks when you brought home the new baby?

Mason is pretty easy going and adjusts to change great. He's not a needy child and is happy as long as I'm in the same room as him, but I don't have to be on top of him.
I'm hoping he'll adjust easily. Just wondering from other's experience how it went with your 2 yr old? I'm not even sure he understands what's in store.
If you ask him what's in mommy's belly he answers "baby," but that's the response he was taught to say. Other than that... he doesn't get it.

Thanks

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

No advice since I am still PG but I just have to say I am having the same exact concerns and anxiety over this

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

I'm with you too .......5 weeks to go.

I'm a little nervous b/c Sean is super independent, unless he's in a 'mood' -

And lately he has this new thing w/ being very posessive and telling people "MY Mommy" .............

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

I have to say from day 1, my older DD was awesome with her sister. She was never really jealous, just curious, and we taught her from the beginning how to treat her sister. Now at 22 months and 9 months they're still awesome with each other.

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

My best advice is to NOT refer to the baby as the baby.. IMO, that'll send a message that the older sibling is no longer the baby and that the new kid in town has taken over (lol).. I would always refer to the new arrival as his little sister or by her name..

My son paid NO attention to my daughter when she arrived and I never pushed him either.. I let him warm up to her..

I remember him watching her in the car seat sleeping and then asking me when we were taking her back lol

I started to include him in anything I did with his sister.. feedings, diaper changes.. I had him show her his favorite toys (Just be careful that he doesn't try and smash the LO in the face with it lol).. I just tried to make sure that he knew that I loved him very much and that just because he had a new sibling, didn't mean that I would love him any less.

Dedicate even if it's 5 minutes out of your day to him and do something fun.. doesn't have to be complex.. even if it's reading him a story or just sitting and chatting..

Just keep an eye on your LO, once my son was aware that his sister was around, I had to try and not leave them alone together because 1) sometimes he would be extremely rough with her and hurt her by accident 2) he would go to touch her and then would suddenly slap her on the head, 3) he took her out of the swing twice 4) he threw a blanket on her face not realizing she can't remove it and 4) I found him waking her up in HER crib one morning lol

Don't want to scare you.. it was all harmless but they don't understand what the LO is exactly other than that it's a new little person in town that he is up against lol

GL!

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

Just keep an eye on your LO, once my son was aware that his sister was around, I had to try and not leave them alone together because 1) sometimes he would be extremely rough with her and hurt her by accident 2) he would go to touch her and then would suddenly slap her on the head, 3) he took her out of the swing twice 4) he threw a blanket on her face not realizing she can't remove it and 4) I found him waking her up in HER crib one morning lol

:



OMG this is my fear with Kiera..I can see her doing ALL these things to the new baby

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

DD was only 12 months old when we brought DS home so she was just barely a toddler, but she adjusted EXTREMELY well. I was so worried that there would be jealousy issues but she was fabulous and seemed to fall in love with her brother immediately. Still today, she's 22 months and he's 9 months and she loves helping out with him. DS on the other hand does get jealous of DD every once in a while. haha

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

My DD had a hard time, but to be fair, the whole year was a mess with my DH being sick and not being able to engage the way he had before and me being pregnant...

She has always been attached to my hip...and reacted really badly when I was away from her in the hospital with DS. I made the mistake of leaving them alone for a minute while I went to wash dishes and she pinched his cheeks and made him bleed (little jagged fingernails).

It took about 3 months for things to settle into a new normal and for her to accept the fact that DS wasn't going away. And while she has hit him, punched him and even attempted to kick him once or twice she will defend him and protect him around other kids.

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

I am really worried about this...DD will be 2 when next DC is born...but DD currently will not let me hold another baby/child without crying and making me put down the other child to pick her up...I am hoping this is a phase and will go away within the next 6 months.

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

I'm right there with you, Chels adores babies, but at the same time is very very attached to me to the point where I cannot take a shower even with DH home without her in the bathroom with me so I'm beyond nervous how she's going to react to someone taking my time away from her!!! She's very independant normally but when I'm around its all mommy all the time

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

DD was 18 months when DS was born. The first few weeks/couple of months she was fine. We gave her loads of attention, and all she wanted to do was hug and kiss him.

Around 3.5 months things changed and she started to become jealous and would act out towards the baby.

Now almost 8 months later, we have good days and bad days. She is VERY sneaky when it comes to bullying him. She will tell me she is going to kiss him, and she will, but then she will hit him (not hard). Now that he is becoming more mobile and trying to get into her things, it's getting harder to handle her aggressivness towards him.

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

Kaydyn turned 2 Jan 24th and I had Ainsley March 5th. Kaydyn was excited to meet Ainsley when I was in the hospital.

Once we got home she couldn't care less that she was there. She never seemed jealous, never really noticed that Ainsley was there. Occasionally if Ainsley was crying Kaydyn would tell me she was loud but that's about it. But Kaydyn has always been very independent and not at all clingy.

It wasn't until Ainsley started moving and getting into her toys that Kaydyn had a problem.

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

ds was 21mth...and was the best.. Didn't expect him to be so great....but never jealous, etc.
He didn't come to the hospital, so the first time they met we video taped it....he should her his blankey and gave her a kiss...so cute!

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

Ds was just 2 years and loved his brother. There were some issues from 6-12 weeks...I think due to jealousy


I started taking himwherever I went. He was good until his brother could move and take his toys.


The only bad part was I left #2 with dh so much that theybonded more than he did with me...until like 9-12 months

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

My older DS was only 11.5 months old when we brought home his brother & honestly I didn't know what to expect because he was such a "mommy's boy" He adjusted better then we expected. Of course we had to watch him around the baby because he did not understand gentle but he was always trying to help out. We did have a couple episodes where he threw a fit if I could not hold him while he was drinking his milk & I was feeding DS.

Now, my oldest is 19 months & the baby is 8.5 months & they are the best of friends. My oldest still doesn't understand "gentle" to the fullest but it all works out

Re: BTDT Moms... infant and toddler

DS is 2.5 and we just brought DS#2 home two weeks ago and I have to say that he has been AWESOME with him! He loves him so much and is so helpful! I was very worried but he really is such a great big brother! I'm so proud of him!