New Sibling Preparation Timeline
What to do when, in the months before a new baby arrives — including the two things that are best done months early rather than at the last minute.
The two changes best made three to four months before a new baby arrives are a bedroom move and any nursery start, because a change made in the last fortnight is attributed by the older child to the baby.
New Sibling Preparation Timeline
Frequently asked
When should we tell an older child about a new baby?
Later than most parents expect for toddlers, who cannot hold a five-month wait, and earlier for school-age children, who will hear it from someone else. The practical trigger for young children is when the pregnancy becomes visible or when other people start talking about it in front of them.
Is regression after a new baby normal?
Yes, and it is one of the most consistently reported patterns in the early-years literature — sleep, toileting and speech commonly go backwards for a period. It resolves faster where it is met with attention than where it is met with consequences.
Does a present from the baby help?
It is harmless and it is not what makes the difference. Protected one-to-one time with a parent is what older siblings themselves point to, and it is the thing most easily lost in a newborn household.
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