When to set up new baby "gear" with toddler in house?

I'm due with baby #2 in 9 weeks and have an almost 2 year old at home. She came 3+ weeks early and we had nothing prepared (procrastinators) so I want to have things a bit more settled this time. DH and I have to rearrange our bedroom for the new baby and get the swing etc out of storage.

Do I risk setting up the baby's bed and other gear early and have DD get used to it being around (and risk her thinking it's all for her baby dolls?) or set it up as close to the end as possible, and risk DD being confused by all the quick changes?

My BIGGEST concern about having another DC is making a smooth transition for DD. I know she won't remember any of this time but I really don't want to confuse her/rock her world tooooo much all at once.

TIA!

Re: When to set up new baby "gear" with toddler in house?

I am a fan of doing things ahead of time so you can help them understand better what's happening. My son was 22 months when my second son was born. We talked a lot to him in the months prior to the birth about what was going to happen. We moved him into a new room about a month before the baby was born, because the beby was going to go into his room. We explained it all to him, and got all of that done a head of time, so he could take time to process it all and get used to all those changes before the baby came. Like you, I wanted the transition to be as smooth and gradual as possible for him. So we felt it was best to do whatever we possibly could ahead of time rather than turn his whole world around all at once. We're 3.5 months in now, and he has adapted far better than we could have ever imagined. He loves his baby brother unconditionally, has never once shown any discontentment with all the changes or jealousy or anger towards his brother. HTH!

Re: When to set up new baby "gear" with toddler in house?

Posted by wingsofsong

I am a fan of doing things ahead of time so you can help them understand better what's happening. My son was 22 months when my second son was born. We talked a lot to him in the months prior to the birth about what was going to happen. We moved him into a new room about a month before the baby was born, because the beby was going to go into his room. We explained it all to him, and got all of that done a head of time, so he could take time to process it all and get used to all those changes before the baby came. Like you, I wanted the transition to be as smooth and gradual as possible for him. So we felt it was best to do whatever we possibly could ahead of time rather than turn his whole world around all at once. We're 3.5 months in now, and he has adapted far better than we could have ever imagined. He loves his baby brother unconditionally, has never once shown any discontentment with all the changes or jealousy or anger towards his brother. HTH!

Re: When to set up new baby "gear" with toddler in house?

My DD1 was almost 18 months when DD2 came home. She did great with the transition.

I started setting up the baby's room when I was about 7 months and then started putting things around the house (swing, bouncey chair, etc) when I was 8 months. I don't know if it made any different to DD1 or if it helped with the transition but again, everything went pretty smooth bringing DD2 home.

Good luck!