Seeking Some Help About Siblings

I was in the exact situation! I pumped my 2 year old up by telling how wonderful it is to be a big sissy and how much fun we would have when the baby got here. I got her a nice baby doll and we would pretend it was the new baby so I could show her how to be gentle with it. After a while of doing that she was so excited about having a new sissy that when I told her they were going to share a room she was so happy! I told her how fun it is too share her room and how much of a big good girl she was. Now my oldest is 3 and my baby is 8 months and they both adore each other. Good luck!

Well I just had my second daughter on October 13 and I have a 4 year old daughter. Im letting my newborn sleep in my room in her bassinet until she gets a month or two. But if you choose to let the baby sleep in there make sure you have a monitor

I have a 4 year old adn 2 year old and they share a room. I have to get my 2 year odl asleep first , then the 4 year ol dgoes in. My 2 year old still wakes up at night and my 4 year old never wakes up....i wouldn't worry about the 2 year old waking up, I just would attend to the baby quickly in the middle of the night...Your 2 year old is going to love having the baby in her room. Just make a big deal about her being a big sister and helper. My 2 kids are so close and it's great.
I would kep the baby in your room in a bassinet for the first couple of months though. Educate your daughter how samll babies are an dhow to becareful with them. It will be fine! Good luck!

What the last two suggested are very good. I would also ask your little girl if she wants to help you take care of the new baby. Basically tell her that it would be her baby too. She would have to understand that she could not do anything with the baby unless you were with her of course. That way it gives her a little responsibility which she will love. Plus it won't take away from her 'mommy time' either. It will be a wonderful experience you can share together.
Maybe after the baby is born and you wipe the baby down with whatever you will use, you can guide her hand and do it together. When you feed the new baby, you can teach her to stroke the baby's head or arm. She will feel just as needed and loved as the new baby and feel that she is a part of everything. Sometimes older children can feel as if they are left out with the new baby. The trick is to involve her. I have a step daughter that had 3 children in 4 years. The older ones always felt left out and caused problems because she didn't involve them in helping with the baby.

My little girl is 5 and when I had to take care of her younger children who are younger than my daugther, I taught her to help me with them and there was never any jealousy which was great.

Good luck with the new baby and congratulations!!!

E.

That's a tough one...Alot of negatives to this situation but I understand ur limited space. The baby will more than likely wake ur 2 yr old when he or she wakes up during the night for feedings which she will eventually sleep through and the 2 yr old will probably feel a little anxiety from her space being "invaded" so you'll have to approach this one with caution. Warm her up to the idea first..by like having the baby's bed in there a few months before the birth and maybe add a baby doll in it to make it seem more fun. Help her feel like she can play a big role by being in the room to look over her sibling. And try not to totally change her room into the "baby's" room. Let her know shes SHARING her room with her sibling not giving it to him/her. Hope this helps.

Hello J. this is S.. Well i think that it would be okay. how long do you plan to have this living arrangement? do you worry about you and your husband not having enough, yall time? That would mean that 4 people if you are married are going to be in the same room. You still need your own space for your self and new baby. Plus there is hubbie to think about you know girl.My sister had her almost two year old in the room with them but they have a nice size house. then she said that the new baby ( now 6 months) would wake the oldest when she was crying are upset. then she had to deal with getting both of them back to sleep. I don't know what kind of space your dealing with but let me know im good about finding areas. I live with my mom until next year i have two boys and 3 neices and my soon to be husband living in a 4 bredroom ( do you feel my pain)? But my solution is to move out. But now 2 of my nieces want to come along for the ride. I hope it works out what ever you decide. write me back and let me know okay? S.

All three of my kids share a room for the time being. We're changing it in March though so the boys have one room and my daughter has her own room. My two oldest have shared a room since my daughter was born so they didn't know the difference. I shouldn't be rough on you. Just set it up before hand and make a big fuss about the baby sleeeping in your daughters room....how cool is that? just talk it up is my suggestion.

Hi.
I have two children nineteen months apart (1 yr and 2 1/2 yrs). When my son was born, I did the same thing you are planning to do. He stayed with me for about a month and then I switched him to his room which shares with his older sister. I was concerned with the same issues but I found out that things went better than I thought it would. Here is what happened for me. Hope it gives you some ideas.
1. Samantha has always liked playing with her baby doll. When Nathan was born, she fell in love with him. (He was her own living baby doll). She loves helping me with him. Makes her feel important. I always involve her to "help" me. Did not have any kind of rivalry.
2. When I switched rooms for Nathan, I asked her to "help" me look after him at night because mommy and daddy could not stay in the same room with them. She loved that.
3. As far as the crying issue, the older one just got used to it and it doesn't even bother her anymore. There are times when neither of them are sleepy and when I put them in their room they play (one in the crib and other in a toddler bed) until one or both fell asleep.
I don't think the room thing for you will be bad as you think (Hopefully). Just always involve your older child in what you are doing with the younger one. I am doing that and because of that, there is no rivalry and they are great together. Hope this helps.

J.,
I also agree that it wouldnt hurt if they share a room....I have a 3yr old and 17 months 1boy and 1 girl, and they share the same room........once my 3 year old is sleep she is dead to the world.....that's the same with my baby once he's sleep he dosent hear any sounds....we do have the space, i just put them together so they can have one another.......Not to worry about waking each other up, if they do its likly they';ll fall back to sleep,at least mine did...........good luck

ask your 2 yr old to help with the transition, meaning give her lil jobs to do to make her feel a part of it and not just some baby invading her space, let her help make decisions by being a super big sister.
M