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10 Tips For Handling Your Newborn Along With Toddler

When you are pregnant for the second time and your first one is still a toddler, most mothers spent the nine months agonizing over how to juggle them both. It is a reasonable fear. After all, the toddler is used to reigning supreme in the house. He is used to riding on dad’s shoulders, used to his mom pampering him on her lap. Suddenly he finds his mother getting unnaturally big. Soon there is a little thing rolled in blankets she brings home and his life is never the same.

The tips for handling a newborn and toddler is to lower the expectation levels and find inexhaustible patience within yourself. It may be hard, but not impossible. Do not be shy in asking for help and accept it without hesitation when somebody offers it. Be creative and do not forget to armour yourself with humour. And remember that being a mom to two infants is not an easy task, unless you are tolerant and patient.

This article is dedicated to all the second time mothers out there who need a few parenting tips for handling a toddler and a newborn.

BENEFITS OF BABY OIL MASSAGE

10 Tips For Handling Your Newborn Along With Toddler

Preparations: Before your newborn joins the family, remember to prepare your toddler for receiving a new member. Prepare your toddler beforehand by showing him pictures of his baby days. This will be helpful in handling your newborn and your toddler.

First sight: Plan the first visit of your toddler to the new born. He will be feeling left out of things, so make sure to have your arms free to hold him and look at the baby together. This is how you should be handling a newborn and toddler.

Involve the toddler: This may come as a surprise, but a toddler can get involved in many activities of baby care. This will make your toddler feel that he is responsible for the baby's care. This is a trick for handling a newborn and toddler.

The feeling of neglect: With everybody in the family enamoured with the new baby, the toddler may feel neglected. Make sure that you play with him even when you care for the baby. This is a tip for handling a newborn and toddler.

Power naps: Do not forget your own exhausted body at this time. When the baby takes a nap, take one yourself, but remember to put the toddler with some toys and their favourite food in the same room with a closed door.

Playtime: Allow the toddler to play with the baby, but on your watch. Both the siblings are curious about each other and this is a perfect way to make them bond. It is one among the tricks for handling a newborn and toddler.

Nursing: The toddler is going to be infinitely curious when you start to nurse the baby. Parenting tips for toddler and baby care includes not hiding this from him. Allow him to sit close and play with him while the baby feeds.

The messy house: You may be a stickler for tidiness, but give yourself a break while juggling a newborn and toddler. Handling a newborn and toddler includes turning a blind eye to a little mess.

Accept help: A parenting tip for handling your toddler and baby is to ask and accept help from friends and family. Do not consider it beneath yourself that your neighbour just cooked for your family.

Safety issue: Remember that the toddler, though older than the baby, is not any wiser. While the toddler tries to play with the baby, he may unintentionally hurt it. Parenting tips for toddler and baby care includes safety of both.

Story first published: Friday, February 14, 2014, 15:04 [IST]
Read more about: toddlers parenting tips