How to prepare older siblings for the arrival of the baby

Well, you have already bought the baby’s products including a baby stroller for preparing your new baby. However, have you prepared the other babies for the upcoming change? Bringing a new baby home can cause friction between the newborn and the other siblings. It is highly recommended for you to prepare the older sibling for the arrival of the baby. If you have more than two children, the challenge may not be as hard. This is because you will have already done it before.

Preparing the baby

When it comes to preparing for the baby, you need to start early. It is also important for both parents to prepare the children.

1. Preparing them during pregnancy

Pregnancy cannot be hidden; at some point the children will begin to notice the difference in you. You need to talk to the baby concerning the arrival of the baby. It is important to note that the baby may not understand the time period of the pregnancy. That means it will be difficult for you to explain to them in terms of months. You may opt to use seasons- that is you tell them the baby will arrive at a certain weather season like summer or winter. You must be prepared to answer all the questions they might have in regards to the pregnancy. Do not be alarmed when they ask you where babies come from. You need to apply caution when you are answering this question though. The more you talk to the children the more excited they will become. You may consider going with the baby to your check up- this is if they are okay with it. It is important to explain the changes that are going to occur when the baby arrives. It is very easy for you to be consumed with the arrival of the new baby to the extent you forget the other child. You need to keep the routines regular for the child. This is to say if the baby is approaching any big milestone, you may opt to make the changes way before the due date. If that is not possible, you may push the changes until the baby comes home.

2. Bringing the new born home

Once the baby has arrived, you may allow the other children to come see the baby at the hospital. It is said that it will increase children’s intimacy with the new baby. It is important for you to help the children adjust to the presence of the baby in the home. To achieve this, you need to involve the children on the daily activities that involve the newborn. Depending on the age of the baby, you may allow the children to help in one way or the other in taking care of the baby. You should not at any point in time allow the other children to see you breastfeed the baby. They may begin to feel left out and so you should entertain them with toys.

Choosing the perfect baby shower gift

Baby shower may be a small party, but it is one that holds the greatest memories. There are quite a few things that you need to do to have a successful shower. Before anything else, you need to know the type of gift that you need to give to the mother to be. There are quite a few ideas that you can borrow inspiration from. To end up with the perfect gift, there are quite a few factors that you need to consider.

Things to consider

1. Most of the parents do have a gift registry that you can use. Whether or not there is a gift registry, there are essential gifts that you should consider buying. They may include;

• Strollers; this will be the perfect gift for baby products. This is because as much as the mother is anticipating for the baby, they may forget to buy one or they may not have enough finances for that. If you choose to buy a stroller, you should know that there are quite a few designs out there. There is the standard size stroller that has been designed with a padded seat. They also have the reclining feature. 
• The lightweight stroller; this stroller is light and very easy to fold. Especially, Mountain Buggy Nano Stroller is one of the most outstanding products about lightweight stroller with the remarkable features. It is perfect for the parents who lead an active lifestyle. When it comes to choosing the best lightweight strollers, you need to check the guidelines stipulated  
• Double or the triple stroller 
• Play yard
• Baby monitor
• Baby swing
• Bouncy seat
• Baby carrier or the sling
• Baby receiving blankets 

2. You need to consider the parents preference and style when you are buying the gift. The new mom will appreciate the gesture of putting her likes into consideration. The lifestyle of the parents is also an aspect of consideration- do they love the outdoors or are they sentimental parents.
3. You should consider making the gift yourself. This will definitely prevent repetition. Moreover, your gift will be unique and classy. If you are talented in making clothes, then you should consider making clothes for the unborn baby. One thing that will stand out though, is a handmade blanket.
4. Giving a gift basket is also a unique idea. The basket should include essential items that the new mom will use.
5. A group gift; to avoid repetition you may choose to give the parents a combined gift. You come together as a group and contribute money to buy the gift.
6. First and foremost, you will need to consider the theme of the baby shower. This will guide you in selecting the perfect gift.
7. You will need to also determine if you are buying the gift for the unborn baby or the expectant mom. You can buy gifts for both the mom and the baby. This will definitely cheer the mom up.
8. The sex of the baby is of utmost importance. If the sex is not known then you need to consider buying a unisex gift.

Tips

• You need to put the baby’s safety into consideration when buying the gift. There are quite a few items you can buy including; a safety gate which is perfect if the house has stairs.
• You need to include gifts for nursing and feeding; remember that the baby will be feeding every couple of hours and so you need to make the feeding time fun and comfortable for both the mom and the baby. You may choose to buy a feeding pillow. These items place the baby in a perfect feeding position without straining the mother. You can choose to buy the breast pump that is if the mother is breastfeeding. 

• Choose the basic items; most people tend to give extravagant items forgetting the ones the baby will be using on a daily basis. You should consider buying bottles, pacifiers, diapers, diaper bags and onesies- this are items the baby needs in plenty. 
• If you are buying baby clothes you need to consider the weather season. The size of the clothes is also of great importance. Remember that the new born baby grows rapidly, so it may not be a good idea to buy clothing they will outgrow in three months. 

Effective Discipline Makes for Better Parenting

As a parent, you are torn in multiple directions each day – work, home, volunteering, etc. – and so you want to make effective use of your time when you are disciplining your children so that they learn from it and move on. This can definitely save you time by avoiding reprimands or suitable punishments for your child as well as maintain positive, open line of communications with them.

The key to disciplining your child is all in how you vocalize your message. How you say it and what you say are two important key issues. You have to ensure that what you say to your children is positively communicated instructively rather than derogatorily. Showing respect and confidence in their abilities will require less disciplining from you.

1.  Present a calm front by using a neutral tone. Raising your voice automatically puts children on the defensive and has them questioning your motives.

2.  Stick to your guns. If you impose a one hour time limit for television or play time before bed or some other chore, stick to it. After a few times, the child will automatically do your bidding because they know they cannot weasel their way around your edict.

3.  Reinforce positive behaviors. When your child is doing something good like cleaning up after themselves or sharing their treats with their siblings, immediately acknowledge their good behavior. Children love to please parents and as such will strive to do other positive things for that praise from you.

4. Be specific in your commands. If you tell your child that they will not get treats if he or she does not clean their room, you must be specific in how to clean the room. Younger children must have the commands broken up into specific tasks like "pick up all the Legos and put them in the Lego bucket." Just saying to clean your room can appear like a monumental task.

5. Present positive choices. If there are several things you need your child to accomplish like brushing his teeth and putting on pajamas before bedtime, present these options as a choice so that your child will feel in control of the situation.

As a busy parent who needs things done yesterday, it can be tough to slow down to a child's pace. However, you must do so in order to maintain harmony in the household as well as to effectively discipline your children.