Connecting with your older child postpartum

Having a baby is a joyous experience, but the older child might not feel that way when the baby arrives, which is natural.With the first child comes all the focus, attention, and care a mother can give. Bringing home another baby can be a tricky situation for the parent and the older child. There is usually a concern about balancing your life, household, and care for the children. An awareness of possible changes and the emotions of your older child will help you connect with them postpartum.

Here are few tips to help you connect with the older child.

1. Special Time

The first child was used to being the center of attention for a while, so bringing another child home can be difficult for the first child, especially the sharing of attention and gifts. No matter how hard it is as a parent, you have to intentionally set out time to engage in activities with the older child. In doing this, don't make any child feel neglected.

2. Encouraging Older and Younger Sibling Bond

A way of fostering love in a family is to encourage bonding and connections, and it works for siblings no matter how young they are. It is necessary to motivate the older child to interact with the new siblings. It is possible through engagement with toys and music. You will be spending a lot of time feeding and caring for the new baby, so another way to bond is by engaging the older sibling in these tasks. The child won't feed or clean accurately but will be happy to partake in an activity that involves the parent and the new sibling.

3. Careful Statements

It can be easy for a new parent to get tired or frustrated with the daily tasks and take it out on people around, especially the older child. Constantly blaming the older child for most things like waking the baby, hiding a toy, or nagging you will make the older child distance him or herself and feel alone. When frustrated, carefully and gently explain the situation to the older child and use encouraging statements like "we will go to the park after breakfast" rather than "we can't go to the pack because the baby needs to eat." Also, comment positively about the older child's actions, especially when the child is trying to be helpful.

4. Get Assistance

No man is an island, and caring for children is not a simple task that should be done alone; it might result in a mental breakdown and physical exertion. A mother can encourage the father to participate in the children's care and reach out to the extended family when feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes, paying a nanny or babysitter can help reduce the daily stress. No matter where the help is coming from, the people involved should be trustworthy.

Having an additional child is a time to make changes and at the same time strengthen your family bond. Do not leave anyone behind.