New Baby
Here’s what Dr. Ann Corwin, The Parenting Doctor, has to say about a new baby:
Everyone is so excited especially your older child that the new baby is coming. Your older child touches your tummy and says baby. They see the room being made ready for the baby.
If your older child is younger than 5 years, they have no idea that the baby is going to stay FOREVER and that time and attention will be taken away from them in order to take care of their new sibling.
This fact in and of itself is extremely scary to children. Because in their young brains they think that if this baby is not going anywhere and just showed up so fast, then maybe they will disappear just as fast. That is why lots of kids will make sure that do anything and everything to be noticed when a new baby arrives, so that there is no way they will be replaced by the new baby and disappear quickly themselves.
Two easy ways to prepare yourself and your older child for this confusing and scary time is to:
#1 Go to Target or Wal-Mart with your older child before the baby comes and let them buy socks for THEIR new baby. Then have them practice every morning picking socks and putting on a baby dolls feet, just as you will have them do when the new baby comes.
Calling the new baby THEIRS gives them ownership and everyone knows when you ‘own’ something you always treat it much better. Plus, it helps the older child believe that they are irreplaceable, because otherwise who will put the socks on the baby.
#2 Moms, before the baby comes, stop what you doing abruptly 3 to 4 times each day (it hopes to do this different places too, like the mall, grocery store parking lot) and announce you need to feed the baby. Then grab your own baby doll and your child can have theirs too. While you sit and feed have your older child do the same thing specifically each time. For example, read the same ‘feeding time’ story and they only get you to read it to them when you are feeding the baby.
Enjoy this wonderful time of introducing a new family member, but also remember your other children are scared about this fascinating change in their family.
Parents that ask the most questions about raising their children are the most courageous.
Offering advice to friends and family about what worked for you as a parent is excellent. Just remember to give the advice ONLY when asked and don’t take offense if other parents don’t take it!
If you get unsolicited advice from well-meaning […]
After watching the ‘town hall’ final segment of this voyeuristic entertainment T. V. show I thought I would join in with other professional parent educators.
Look what I found out…
ZERO to THREE, The National Association for the Education of Young Children and The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry plus many more organizations […]
Written on July 1, 2008 – 6:46 pm
Posted in Dr. Ann's Place for Parents
G.I.F.T. or Giving Intimate Family Time is the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended practice of immediate skin-to-skin contact between mother and newborn.
Here is how it’s done: A quick check is done to be sure the baby is thriving outside the mother’s womb. Then immediately the baby goes right on the mother’s chest and abdomen, skin-to-skin and both are wrapped together with warm […]
Written on June 17, 2008 – 9:33 am
Posted in Dr. Ann's Place for Parents, First Year
Hello Dr. Ann!
I have a 2 1/2 year old named Justin, and 4 month-old named Tanner. I was at my in- law’s house over the weekend and Justin said, “Mommy what is wrong with baby Tanner” I looked outside and almost had a heart attack; my father in law was dangling my 4 month old […]
Story from BBC NEWS 2008/05/24
Even very premature babies benefit from skin to skin contact with their parents, research suggests.
A Canadian study found that cuddling babies born as early as 28 weeks reduced the stress of painful medical procedures which many must undergo. Writing in the journal BMC Pediatrics, the McGill University team said it might […]
The needs of an infant, in terms of sleep, are all dictated by their nutritional needs.
Meaning they need to wake up to eat. Every 2 to 3 hours, babies need to wake up because their tummies are small. They need to fill their tummies up, and then in 2 or 3 hours, they’ll wake up […]
Written on November 28, 2007 – 7:06 pm
Posted in Dr. Ann's Place for Parents, First Year, Sleeping
Hi Dr. Ann,
I have a 7-month-old son who wakes up during the night to drink a bottle. I have tried many ways to get him to sleep through the night, but nothing seems to work. Can you help?
– Lupe
Dr. Ann Corwin, The Parenting Doctor Advice
Dear Lupe
The needs of an infant, in terms of sleep, are […]
Written on November 28, 2007 – 7:05 pm
Posted in Dr. Ann's Place for Parents, First Year
Hi Dr. Ann,
I am a nanny of an 8-month -old boy. He likes to study people and observe. I take him to the park and he just sits and watches, I think he has fun and learns that way. Is he really learning? How exactly do babies learn?
– Jessie, Los Angeles, CA
Hi Jessie,
Many researchers say […]
Written on November 26, 2007 – 10:15 pm
Posted in Dr. Ann's Place for Parents, Preschool, Sibling Rivalry
First of all, some refreshers- Andrew turned 4 in August, Suzanne is 21 months and I am due in aprox 8 weeks, but just last week put on bed rest for preterm labor.
Andrew is having a very difficult time with “not being big enough, fast enough” He has become very competitive and is very hard […]
Written on November 26, 2007 – 10:14 pm
Hi Annie,
We’re on the countdown… 35 days to be exact! I’m worried a bit about Charlie’s reaction to the baby. He talks about it, points to my belly, tells others who’s in there, but I really don’t think he has a clue. He just turned 3 this week. When I hold our neighbor’s baby, Charlie […]
