when/how to tell DS about new baby?

[Anonymous]

My son is 28 months and I'm about 20 weeks along w/ baby 2. Any advice on how/when to tell DS about the baby. Book suggestions, etc., are very welcome!

[Anonymous]

Hmm... I would tell him sometime in your third trimester.

[Anonymous]

Much later.. Do you know a family with a little baby? Might be nice to spend some time with them. Look it is Larlo's new brother. So small! Does not know how to walk. Does not have any teeth etc. Then gradually as you start preparing for the baby, shopping or prepping the room. let it come up. He may notice your belly too. I don't think at that ae there needs to be a big announcement.

[Anonymous]

I became pregnant with my second when my first was about 30 months and told him after my 8 week scan. Just said there is a baby in mommy’s belly and inserted into conversation from there. No big deal.

[Anonymous]

I told my 5 and 4 year old when I was 20 weeks because we did a photo shoot and I wanted them to know what was going on.

They didn’t care, haha. They also didn’t mention it for 20 weeks and they didn’t even ask about my belly. However I am NOT one of those “your baby is in here, kiss my belly!” moms. We basically ignored the whole thing until I went to the hospital. All then remember is the sleepover with their friends while I was away. Baby is 9 weeks now and everything is fine.

[Anonymous]

I have a 32 month old and he’s over the top excited. So don’t think they can’t understand or that boys aren’t interested. We told him and his older sister at 20 weeks. At first he didn’t believe me and thought I was joking when I said there was a baby (dd totally understood). But he likes to talk about where it’s going to sleep, where its car seat will go and all the things he’s going to show it. He’s moving out of the nursery soon into his big boy room and talks a lot about it. We did read a few books (but all mine were how you’re going to be a big sister since I already had those! Ha). There’s a few babies at daycare that he loves, but DS is really a rough, wild little boy.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't mean much until 3rd trimester in my opinion..once they can see your belly getting larger or feel baby kicks or talk to your stomach, it isn't really meaningful or interesting. They don't totally get it at that age. My oldest was 4 when the middle was born and she knew and we talked a lot starting second trimester. We told both when I was pregnant with DD3, but middle didn't get excited until it felt real.

[Anonymous]

We told our son when I was noticeably pregnant and had some physical limitations. I love the book “What makes a Baby?” He wanted to read it daily.

[Anonymous]

Mine was much younger, but when I got into the third trimester, I got some books and that seemed to be good. Daniel Tiger’s book includes mom and dad going to the hospital and Daniel staying with someone else, so that was a good one. There are also ones by Joanna Cole and Fran M (maybe Manushkin?) that we still are reading over and over 10 months after baby arrived.

[Anonymous]

Third trimester as he'll start to notice your big belly. Read books to get him excited about being a big brother!

Daniel Tiger season 5 is all about being a big brother and great for talking it up and preparing a but for their not being the center of the attention all the time anymore.

[Anonymous]

I told them at 12 weeks so we could talk about it in front of them, but we didn’t really prepare until around 28 weeks or so, when we started explaining what would happen and what would be different/same.

I love Joanna Cole’s book - it actually focuses on having an infant in the house, while so much else is about sharing, etc that doesn’t come up for a long long time.

[Anonymous]

Oh man, I thought this said DH. And I was impressed you could hold that news for 20 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Whenever you want, I suppose. Then perhaps take him to pick out a gift for him to give his new sibling nearer your due date. We also put their artwork for baby up in frames in the nursery.