A New Baby

Welcoming a new baby into the home is always a joyous occasion, but moms also find it necessary to put more effort into making their elder children warm up to their new sibling. Having a new baby also means less time to divide between your older children, as your little bundle of joy will need a lot of attention and care. But motherhood remains beautiful and momentous. It makes you far stronger than you never would have thought. As your body expands, so will your capacity to love. And when your new baby is born, everything, including doing those added work, will come smoothly and easily with your older kid with you. You will adapt, survive, and thrive.

Here are some things to keep in mind to make the initial period of adjustment easier for you:

• Create a support system – Make sure that you have friends, family, or a sitter who can help you look after your older child when needed.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself – Give yourself the chance to adapt to having two children. Don’t expect to be the perfect mother to both of them immediately. Take your time, and you will eventually cope and be the best mother to your kids as you could.
• Schedule time just for yourself – Make sure that you get some time off for a couple of hours every week. Indulge in revitalizing activities such as a massage. If you opt to stay at home, you can read a book and enjoy the time alone.                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Your older child would need some special care too. Here are some things you can do to make the transition easier for him or her:

• Bring a gift for your child from the hospital from the new baby.
• Allow your child to hold the baby under your supervision.
• Read aloud to your child while you feed your baby. The rhythmical tone of your voice will calm the baby and your older one will have some quality time with you too.
• Put the baby in a stroller and take a walk with your older child, visiting a place you have always frequented even before the new baby was born.                                                                                                                                                

A sibling is one of the best gifts you can give your children. It helps them look beyond themselves and grow into empathic and loving individuals. Even with initial transition difficulties, your kids will eventually learn to accept, love, and care for their new sibling.