Bump Diaries :: Month 6 {Preparing for “Big Sister” Status}

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bump diaries

Welcome to Bump Diaries – a new series on Columbia SC Moms Blog! One of our contributors is expecting, and here she will share her journey – the good AND the ugly – with all of you. It is sort of like an homage to the original mommy blog where we provide a peek into the life of a {pregnant} mom.

Month 6! Whoop Whoop! This month has been pretty good in comparison to the previous. My nausea has all but subsided and I am starting to feel a little bit more like myself. I feel like I have finally started to enjoy some of this pregnancy, especially getting a small jump start on the baby’s wardrobe. Thanks to my playgroup’s swap page and a really fantastic sale at Belk, Baby Boy is going to be well dressed when he arrives in May. Who knew Baby Boy clothes could be cute too?!

Newborn or Old Man?
Newborn or Little Old Man?

Baby Boy has been SUPER ACTIVE in month six. Holy moly this little dude is going to be the next David Beckham. I do not remember my daughter being such a kicker this early on. His favorite times to kick are 5:30 a.m. and 10-11 p.m., the later being the perfect time for Daddy to talk to him/rub my belly.

Symptoms this Month

  • Insatiable Thirst — Bring on the water!
  • Hangry — If I don’t eat, baby gets ANGRY
  • Slight Boost of Energy — I am still waiting to see if I get that huge push that came around last pregnancy, but I do feel a little more motivated
  • Potty Breaks — Many, many potty breaks

Last month I lamented on how I felt I was somewhat failing by second child by not being as aware of this pregnancy as I was with my first. I think this month I have realized that while no two pregnancies are the same, there are many things to be excited about this time as well. For one, preparing my daughter for “BSS” — Big Sister Status. One of my concerns was that Nora was too young to fully understand the concept of a new baby. I don’t think I fully grasp it either. I want her to be excited about being a big sister and know how special her relationship with baby brother will be.

Preparing Big Sis for the New Arrival

To help us talk to her about the upcoming arrival I turned to books. She loves them, I love them, and it is a great way to get the conversation going in fun and engaging ways. Here are some of the titles we have been reading lately. Nora is 3 so most of these titles are toddler aged.

5 CHILDRENS BOOKS TO HELP YOUR CHILD WELCOME A NEW BABY

Best Ever Big Sister by Karen Katz

Katz’s lift and look books have always been a favorite in our home. The pictures are bright and the story is interactive. I actually picked this one up and gave it to my husband (along with a positive pregnancy test) the night I found out we were expecting.

best big sister

How to Be a Baby…By Me, the Big Sister by Sally Lloyd Jones

This hilarious book is told by the perspective of a know-it-all Big Sister who gives it straight, “When you’re a baby you don’t read books. You eat them. You don’t know how old you are, or even if you’re a boy or a girl. And you have to keep a special plug in your mouth to stop your scream from coming out.”

How to Be a Baby…By Me, the Big Sister

The New Baby by Mercer Mayer

In this Little Critter picture book, our funny young hero has to get used to a new baby sister. What a problem. The baby doesn’t pay attention when Little Critter reads to her. She cries when he makes silly faces. And she can’t understand the jokes he tells. It’s seems like an impossible task, but Little Critter finally figures out what you CAN do with a new baby — and becomes a very good brother.little critter

The Berenstain Bears’ New Baby by Stan & Jan Berenstain

This classic tale focuses on how Brother Bear (called Small Bear in the book) helps Papa Bear prepare for the new baby’s arrival. One thing I love about the book is it explains how Brother Bear becomes too big for his current bed and gives it to the new baby. My daughter will soon be transitioning from her much beloved crib to a Big Girl Bed and this story is helping us talk to her about the upcoming move.

bearsYou Were the First by Patricia MacLaughlin

Grab a box of tissues for this one, y’all. “You were the first…. You were the first to sleep in the basket with the yellow ribbon wound round. You were the first to cry. You were the first to smile.” The baby grows a little with every page turn in this book of firsts – lifting his head, and then crawling, walking, and running – bringing readers to the powerful line in the text: “You were the first to teach us how to be parents.”

you were the first

What books or tools do you recommend for helping prepare older siblings for baby’s arrival?

Reading to child photo credit: 藍川芥 aikawake / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

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