Introducing Baby
Adjusting to Mothering Two
At first, the biggest adjustment is letting go of
the lead role in caring for your first child. This
can be a great opportunity for your child to
form a new level bond with your spouse or a
grandparent. Since physical rest is necessary for
at least two weeks and up to 6 weeks post-partum, the best thing to do is create a hands-on
play space for your first child. Everything in the
room should be ‘on-limits’ so that there is no
need to get up to retrieve a curious or adventurous toddler.
In order to make nursing easier, keep an entertaining basket of quiet toys handy. By rotating
the contents weekly they’ll continue to delight
and engage your child. After nursing becomes
routine with the new baby, invite the older
sibling onto the couch and read stories together.
When this becomes a habit, your first child will
look forward to the activity each day.
14
Babywearing
Wearing a baby in a sling in the early days is
a necessity when