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New Mummy Blog: Introducing My Toddler To My New Baby

Our mummy blogger has welcomed her second child - and nervous about how her firstborn will react

After nine rollercoaster months filled with equal measures of excitement and guilt, our second child has finally arrived.

Introducing Henry [Copyright/Yahoo]
Introducing Henry [Copyright/Yahoo]



While we couldn’t wait to meet him, we spent long hours throughout my pregnancy worrying and working to alleviate the potential jealousy of our first child. We were desperate not to rock her little world too much by the arrival of her sibling but all the while knew our efforts were likely to be in vain.

After all, it seemed improbable we’d be able to install another child into the family, stripping her of her Only Child status in the process, without her noticing.

I read the self-help books, with ominous titles like Coping With Two striking fear in my heart.

I canvassed the opinions and wisdom of those who had successfully gone before us. After all, our precious little mite was not the first to have her world turned upside down with the unasked-for title of Big Sister.

I agonised over the right bribes: the gifts for Honor ‘from’ the new baby. Would the soft and fluffy dog make her love the new arrival more or less than the Fisher Price doctor’s kit?

And now, the time was upon us to put it all to the test. Alongside the same feelings I’d had bringing Honor home from the hospital in 2013 – pride, happiness, excitement, exhaustion, nerves  – there was a  whole new level of trepidation. How would Honor react?

Honor has taken to being a sister like a duck to water [Yahoo/Copyright]
Honor has taken to being a sister like a duck to water [Yahoo/Copyright]



Brilliantly, as it turned out. I feel a bit foolish for all the time I spent agonising over whether she’d get upset seeing the baby in her old moses basket or car seat, or if she’d have a green-eyed meltdown at the sight of me holding or feeding the baby.

I felt guilty throughout my pregnancy that whatever we did to try to prepare her, it would mostly fall on deaf ears. She was too young to understand that Mummy’s bump would turn into a real live baby one day soon.

But it turns out our little toddler was taking in far more than we gave her credit for.

From the moment she set eyes on her new baby brother and almost leapt out of her high chair with delight, proclaiming “Baby!” in the process, she seemed to be expecting him. And she has loved him. She strokes his head, she rocks his moses, she covers him with a blanket, she comforts him, she kisses him.

She is far more enamoured by him than by any fluffy dog or doctor’s kit we could (and did) buy.

Of course, sometimes she gets fed up when Henry just wants to feed for hours.

And of course sometimes she has to be reminded to be gentle, when she grips his tiny had a little too firmly, or when she gets carried away with her rocking and shushing. But so far, all we’re seeing with everything she does for Henry is lots of love in her little heart.

Honor is completely obsessed with her baby bro [Copyright/Yahoo]
Honor is completely obsessed with her baby bro [Copyright/Yahoo]


I needn’t have worried about her feeling replaced or forgotten as Henry takes over many things that used to be hers. Like switching from her cot to her big girl bed.

She’s taken to her role of big sister with relish, shedding her old cot without a backward glance, save an announcement that it was the baby’s now.

If anything, it seems like Henry’s arrival has caused Honor to step up a gear. She’s suddenly even more fun, even more vocal, even more loving, than before.

I’m sure she’ll have her moments. I’m sure they both will. My sister and I argued like cat and dog throughout our childhood, so I’m expecting my comeuppance.

But for now, we’re mightily relieved. Our hands are full enough with the new baby, without the terrible twos coming early.

[New Mummy Blog: Feeling Guilty About Having A Second Baby]

[New Mum Diary: Will I Ever Be Ready For Baby Number Three?]