How/When to tell Toddler about new baby coming

My DS is just about 2.5 yo and I am 12 weeks pregnant with my second DC. Any tips or good ways to break the news to him that he will be a big brother? I would like to wait longer but he picks up on a lot of things and will be coming with me to some appointments coming up and don't want him to be confused. Also we plan on telling the family next week at Thanksgiving. I just want to do the right thing and have no idea how he will react...if at all. Any personal tips/experiences would be appreciated!

Re: How/When to tell Toddler about new baby coming

We told DD when I was about 7 weeks pregnant (we were telling family). She was slightly older than 2.5, by a couple of months. We just told her very matter of factly and she was fine.

Re: How/When to tell Toddler about new baby coming

We told her around 12 weeks. I don't even remember how exactly, just that she was going to be a big sister and that mommy has a baby in her belly. As time progressed, we added a few new baby/big sister books into the rotation, got her more accessories to use with her baby doll, and have just tried to talk up her new role as a big helper.

ETA: she was about 20 months when we told her. She's almost 26 months now. She seems to get it, but I'll let you know in a few weeks, lol.

Message edited 11/16/2014 8:48:57 AM.

How/When to tell Toddler about new baby coming

We waited to tell DD until we were ready to announce to everyone bc she's a big blabbermouth! We started simple by telling her she was going to be a big sister which meant we were going to have a new baby. I waited a while before we talked about the baby being in my belly since 9 months is a long time for a 2 year old. After summer ended she got interested in the seasons and that has helped a lot. She understands that it's fall until all the leaves come off the trees and then once we get snow and it's winter the baby will come out. We try not to make a huge deal out of it most of the time but now that we're a month away and I've been getting things out and ready we talk about it a little more.

Re: How/When to tell Toddler about new baby coming

DS is almost 22 months and we told him basically as soon as we found out. He knows the extra bedroom is where the baby is going to sleep and that I have the baby growing in my belly. He's still young enough that he doesn't tell other people. We plan on putting him in an "I'm going to be a big brother" shirt for Thanksgiving and that's how we plan on telling our extended family. I'll be 13w then. Our immediate families already know.

How/When to tell Toddler about new baby coming

DS is 2.5 and we told him after I went for my first appt at 8 weeks. He actually came with us. He had no clue what was going on during the sonogram (didn't expect him to!)
I just tell him mommy has a baby in her belly. I ask him all the time what we should name the baby, he don't have an answer yet, maybe he's still thinking of a good name!
But we pretty much told him from the beginning. I doubt he really gets it though.

Re: How/When to tell Toddler about new baby coming

So we told him yesterday that he was going to be a big brother( as he had to come to my 12 week appointment today with me). We got a quick eyebrow raise and no further reaction He hasn't mentioned it since. Thanks for the advice. I guess dealing with the actual arrival will be a much bigger bal game