As many of you know we've got another boy on the
way. He's due on the 24th of June and having two under two in the house is
going to be a challenge.
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| Source: tambako |
The arrival of a new Royal Baby is just around
the corner; the bookies are taking bets, the parking restrictions are up in
Paddington and it’s now time for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to play the
waiting game until the latest member of the royal family makes his, or her,
first appearance to the world.
The result will mean that Kate and William will
be faced with two children under the age of two years – a predicament that many
families face – and one that isn’t the easiest of scenarios.
The Baby
Show, the UK’s leading pregnancy and parenting event, returning to
the NEC in Birmingham in May (15th – 17th) have
asked some of their experts for their best pieces of advice to the royal couple
as they begin their lives as a family of four.
It's a great piece so i thought it was
worth sharing it with you so if like me you're having two in the
family soon then please do take a read and share with your friends and
family should they be going through the same joy;
Keep introductions short
Jo Tantum, baby sleep expert and
author of Baby Secrets says: “Both parents will
be getting very excited about the new royal baby, but also anxious about how
their new little one will impact on their family, especially on 21 month old
toddler, Prince George. The new arrival can be unsettling for him and at
21 months he will be inquisitive and very curious about the noises and
movements the new baby will make. Most toddlers find all the attention is
on baby and not them, so this in itself can cause regression and tantrums.
“My advice would be to keep introductions to the
new baby short and sweet. Give lots of praise to big brother and ask him
to be gentle. Then distract him with something else, otherwise you might
find yourself being negative all the time as he tries to poke the new baby’s
eyes and face when being inquisitive which is totally normal.
“When you have visitors ask them to speak to
George first rather than go straight over to the baby.”
Prepare your little one
Sarah Beeson MBE, baby expert
and author of The New
Arrival and Happy Baby, Happy Family says:
“Before the new baby arrives, read stories with your older child about having a
new brother or sister. Once the baby is born, let your toddler express
their feelings without reproach or excessive enthusiasm. Be calm and
positive.”
Breastfeeding
Geraldine Miskin, breastfeeding
expert says: “Usually breastfeeding is much
easier the second time round as your body has been through it all before, so
not only will you feel more comfortable handling your teeny bundle but you’ll
also have more milk which is usually available sooner than with your first.
“Your toddler may become bored if you have to
sit down to breastfeed often, so it is helpful to create activities around
breastfeeding that only happen at or during feeding times, for example, book,
bed and baby time where you get your toddler into your bed with a book and his
bottle and while you snuggle up, breastfeed baby and read a book at the same
time.
“Remember that breastfeeding second time needs
to be efficient. Unless you have a very patient toddler, you’ll probably
only have 30 minutes per feed during the day. Use breast massage or compression
to keep your milk flowing and baby swallowing throughout the feed. The
more your baby swallows, the shorter your feeds will be.
“You may find that you need to introduce
expressing and bottle-feeding earlier with your second baby than you did with
your first child. You may even decide to introduce formula to keep up
with both of them. This is just the nature of being a mum of two.”
Create one-to-one time with the older sibling
Jo Tantum says: “It’s important to make an effort to still have
one-to-one time with the older sibling without the baby. So, when the new
baby is having a nap, dedicate play time to George; that way he won’t feel the
need to start attention seeking behaviour which can turn into a temper
tantrum.”
Feeding routine
Zainab Jagot Ahmed, weaning expert
and author of Easy Indian
SuperMeals for Babies, Toddlers and the Family says: “Get organised – cooking meals in advance and
freezing them prior to birth will help ease the pressure of cooking meals in
the first few weeks after baby is born. For Prince George this is very
important as he is only 21 months old and still very much in the weaning
stages. At this age he will require three balanced meals and two healthy
snacks per day to achieve his required calorie intake.
“Try to maintain your toddler’s feeding
routine. There have been major changes in the family dynamic, so trying
to keep some familiarity in your toddler’s routine will be comforting.
“Your toddler may regress slightly and insist
that mummy feed him after seeing his new sibling being fed by mummy – even if
he was happily feeding himself before. Be prepared to cope with extra
demands, and try to ease your toddler’s feelings of insecurity by offering one-on-one
time with him as often as possible. You can also cook his favourite meals
and give him lots of hugs and kisses as often as you can.”
Include your toddler as much as possible
Geraldine Miskin says: “The more secure your toddler feels, the less
rivalry you can expect as your toddler won’t see the new baby as a
threat. Giving your first child a sense of responsibility and ownership
of his little brother or sister will quickly get him on board and creates the
opportunity for you to make a fuss over him every time he helps.
“For example, ask him to fetch a nappy, wipes,
find a dummy, find a soft toy for baby, sing baby a song or stroke baby’s
feet. All these things will make him feel important and a valued member
of the team. He’ll get bored eventually and leave you in peace to
breastfeed your new-born.”
Sarah Beeson says: “Let your little one find their own role as an older
sibling. Resist the urge to put pressure on them to love the baby or help
out too much. Give your toddler opportunities to get involved but don’t
worry if they don’t always want to.”
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Sarah Beeson says: “Having two babies at different development stages
is exhausting. It’s probably triple the work so preparation is key.
Your physical and mental health is going to be stretched so it’s time to be
honest and practical about the support you’re going to need, not just to meet
your children’s needs but your own as well. Getting additional help
either from friends or family or paying for a mother’s help or cleaner can take
the pressure off and make a lot of sense.
“However, be firm with visitors.
Family might be desperate to visit the new heir but parents need to be firm
with visitors. Give them a time slot that suits you, and good friends
will bring a cake with them.”
Sleep
Jo Tantum says: “When it comes to sleep, and with all of George’s daily life,
it’s best to try to keep to his same routine as this will also provide security
in his changing world.
“The main issue is whether George will go into a
toddler bed so the new baby can have their cot. This is a big decision
and would need to have been done before baby arrives.”
Don’t forget Dad
Sarah Beeson says: “Some couples experience relationship problems when
children are young because the demands are so high. You know how up and
down you can feel with a new baby, and there may be time when you feel guilty
that your attention is so divided between your children, leaving very little
time for yourself and your partner. Make sure you talk to each other, be
kind and work as a team.”
New research from The Baby
Show (www.thebabyshow.co.uk) asked parents of more than one
child what advice they would give to Kate and William. And the most
popular response? To
relax and enjoy it – and not to put too much pressure on yourself – says 57% of
parents. Sarah
Beeson adds: “The good news is you’ve done this before and
can feel confident in your own abilities to be a positive parent and enjoy your
new baby. You’ve got plenty of recent experience and most of the
resources and equipment needed for caring for a new-born, and you aren’t
looking back through nappy-free rose tinted spectacles! Remember, the
new-born stage really flies by so make the most of those precious early days.”
The Baby Show with Made for Mums, the
UK’s leading pregnancy and parenting event, will be returning to Birmingham NEC
from 15th-17th May 2015.
With fun for all the family, this is a great
event for young families to attend with back to back children’s entertainment
as well as a crèche and soft play area all included. The Show, now in its
13th year, will be showcasing the very best baby and infant
essentials alongside innovative and exciting, not-on the high street brands
with amazing discounts exclusively for visitors.
The advanced ticket price is £12.95 on the
Friday, £13.95 for either the Saturday or Sunday while on-the-door tickets cost
£20. For more information visit www.thebabyshow.co.uk.
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