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We are due with number 2 in a few weeks and want to know some tips that other mums have used to make the transition easier on the whole family?


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  • I didn’t post this question but enjoyed reading the answers.


  • I have just had baby no 4 a month ago and for me i found that everytime i was pregnant including the others in setting up babies room etc helped. Also when baby was born include your other child in baths etc. They need to bond too


  • Be kind to yourself I think is the biggest tip. It takes time to get into a routine again. As mentioned below, try and keep some special time with just you and your first bub as they can feel left out or jealous. Getting them to help with the baby really worked for us.


  • When number 2 was born – we made sure my eldest had something just for him – he started swimming lessons and just him and daddy or him and I would go so he got some special time, i made sure i got him to help with nappy changes, settling baby etc. and even just putting bub in bed with him for cuddles at bedtime so he didnt think she was getting special treatment.


  • When my second son was born I arranged for him to give my older son a gift. This got their relationship started on a positive foot. You need to ensure you include the older child in everything whether its just getting you a drink while you’re feeding or getting bugs a new nappy. Bugs will just have to fit in to all your activities. If you have to do kinder or school drop off you can’t be too precious about interfering with a sleeping routine or if its cold or raining. You’ll actually find that bubs will be more resilient for it!


  • Depends on the age of your first child. We have our first born a gift when our second was born, As did other family members!

    I made sure that when it was time to feed baby that the first born had something to do, that he has access to water and a snack(because as soon as you move that’s when they demand stuff!) I either made sure that the TV was on a kids Chanel or his favourite movie was on so when he finished playing with his toys there was something else for him to move onto.

    Make sure you include your first born, get them to help get the nappy and wipes for you and explain how much they are helping the new baby and how much the new baby will love them! Talk to your first born about all the things they will do together and what they will teach them.

    Read to them together, the sooner the first born adjusts from “me” to “we” the better! Having said that it’s important to off load Bub to your partner so you can spend some quality time with your first born. It’s very easy to get wrapped up in new baby and mummy must do everything together and be together every moment.

    Also make freezer meals before Bub comes and accept offers of help and offers of meals! Don’t be too proud to say no thanks or that you are fine. Request that if someone offers to make you something that it’s able to be frozen.

    Freeze all left overs as well!


  • 1 to 2 not so bad.
    2 to 3 though, this is tough.
    Mainly depends on your kids though. Ages and behaviour.


  • Try to get your child involved in the preparations of the arrival and care for the baby and have special time from both parents for the older child.
    I made a special and beautiful box with activities for when I was breastfeeding my newborn.
    It also helped to be organized. I made snacks and meals ready in the night so that during the day I could just grab something when it was needed, because at those moments you often have hands too short.


  • When a new baby arrives all the fuss and excitement is about the baby and the older children feel left out. We made a point of asking regular visitors including relatives to at least speak to the other children before fussing over the baby.
    We gave our older children a gift from the baby. We had heard of others doing this. A friend of mine gave the other children a small gift each, something for each of them to amuse themselves while I was feeding and caring for the baby in other ways


  • Every situation is always so different and the other sibling all react differently. We just made sure that we explained to our daughter that the baby wasn’t a big girl like her and needed our help with everything but it didn’t mean we loved it more. We also made sure that both my husband and I had special time with her…..whether it was just reading a book together or going for a walk. We also found that letting her have all the cuddles she wanted with the baby helped her bond.


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