When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

I'm sure it's been asked before but I haven't seen anything recently about this. At what point in your second pregnancy did you tell your first child about the new baby?

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

About a month before. There was only a 22 month age gap & he was very verbal. Since he was too young to distinguish between someone pregnant & someone who was heavy, I didn't want to have any embarrassing situations.

Also waiting for gets tiring & I didn't want to hype up the baby too much to have him wait 7 or 8 months.

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

DD#1 was only 11 mos. when I found out I was pregnant, and I told her that day at lunchtime. She clapped! In reality, she obviously had NO clue what was going on and that's why I didn't mind discussing the pregnancy around her. I don't think she really got it until her sister was on the scene anyhow.

Now, back in December my girls were 3.5 and 19 mos. and I found out I was pregnant for the 3rd time. I did not tell them and when I ended up miscarrying @10 weeks (although found out at 8wks) I was glad I didn't. If and when I get pregnant again, I will not tell them until after the 1st trimester is over at the very earliest.

Message edited 7/20/2009 4:11:38 PM.

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

Well DS is almost 2 (got pg at 17 months) and he loved to jump on my belly. So I had to say to him mommy's belly is delicate so he can't jump on it. I started to really show him other peoples babies to make him notice smaller children. Once DH could feel the baby move I let DS feel too. We took a sibling class this weekend. I got him a big brother book at 26 weeks pg.

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

Ryan knew immediately but obviously doesn't get it. He was about 11 months when I learned I was PG and he immediately would give my belly "kisses for the baby".

Now, he still doesn't "get it" I'm sure, but he knows something is up. He'll lift my shirt and bring toys over to my belly, or try to stick his paci in my belly button. He'll lift my shirt and say, "hi baby". He's just 16 months today - I'm sure he'll be shocked when a human being emerges, but he has been told

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

DD was 3 when I found out I was pregnant & she had been asking us constantly for a baby sibling. We told her when I was 11 weeks. We took her to the first sonogram. We had already heard the heartbeat a couple of days before so I was confident in telling her. She loved the sono & sat on the chair right next to the tech

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

Noah is 2 and he kinda "gets" it...

We brought him to a sonogram and showed him , and we have a at home heartbeat monitor he has listened to and when I ask him where the babies are he points to my belly ( and tries to look in my belly button..lol) and tries to "listen" to my belly.

When I see babies out and about we try to say and where are mommies babies and let him get the concept idea that they will come OUT...But its so so. He is still young.

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

DD & DS are 22 months apart. We told DD a baby was in mommy's belly when I really started showing. She'd kiss my belly and lift up my shirt & say baby. At the end she'd lift up my shirt & say the baby's name.

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

DS is 22.5 months. I started mentioning it to him when you could see I had a small belly at around 12 wks. I was going to wait longer but, first, he is a very rambunctious kid and I had to explain to him that there is a baby in mommy's belly so he wouldn't accidentally kick or pounce on me. Now he comes up to my belly and touches it gently and says "baby in the belly...baby in the belly." He likes to tell people he is going to be a big brother. The other reason I told him earlier than I planned is b/c other people kept asking him and talking to him about it "are you excited you are going to have a baby brother or sister?" etc. etc.

I'm not sure he 100% understands the concept of it but he does randomly bring it up and even has shared that he thinks it is a baby "sister." who knows if he is right - that would be freaky!

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

My girls are 20 months apart. We told our first daughter about the pregnancy after our first "official" doctor's appointment. I didn't feel right announcing it to her or having her touch my belly until I saw the heartbeat.
She understood right away and we would mention to her that she would be a Big Sister and she was always happy to kiss and touch my growing belly.

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

We actually told DS right away, but I don't think he fully "gets" it yet and he definitely doesn't understand how long it's going to take for this baby to show up.

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

Come to think about it- we never actually *told* Maddie. I mean, she was only 8 months old when I got pg with Eliza.

I think she figured it out though.....

Re: When did you tell 1st child about 2nd?

Thanks for responses. My DD is almost 3 and I think she would get it. I only recently started showing at 18 wks so I've been able to get away with not telling her. I wanted to tell her earlier but DH was against it. He wanted to wait till sono, which is tomorrow. I've heard from friends the drawback of telling early is you get a lot of "is the baby here yet?" type questions. But, she also saw me pretty sick for a while and would tell strangers "Mommy throws up" so I kind of wish she had a better explanation than I gave her at the time.

Anyone who has info on that sibling class ... I'd love to find out more info. Thanks!