You know what a lot of people do about two years after they have a baby? They have another one.
Is this — or was this — your plan? Making siblings is powerful stuff.
Before Scarlett was born, I took a little class helping toddlers prepare for a new sibling. The instructor shared a book list with us. I thought I’d share it with you.
I’m not saying that buying a new book for your child will solve all the challenges you’re about to face juggling two kids, but I do believe it was helpful to set Julian’s expectations about what the baby would be able to do. (NOTHING!) The Joanna Cole book is the one we read the most.
Books to read with your first child:
I’m a Big Sister
What to Expect When the New Baby Comes Home (What to Expect Kids) by Heidi Murkoff and Laura Rader
We Have a Baby by Cathryn Falwell
My New Baby (New Baby Series) by Annie Kubler
The New Baby at Your House by Joanna Cole and Margaret Miller
The Berenstain Bears and Baby Makes Five (First Time Books(R)) by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Mr. Rogers New Baby (First Experiences) by Fred Rogers
Books to read for the parents:
From One Child to Two by Judy Dunn
Welcoming Your Second Baby by Vicky Lansky
And Baby Makes Four : Welcoming a Second Child into the Family by Hilary Wagner
My husband read I’m a Big Brother to our 1 1/2 year old at bedtime for a couple of months before our baby was born, and it was a hug help!
We got the “I’m a Big Sister Book” and my daughter really enjoyed it. We read it a lot. It is very simple and the illustrations are great.
I found your site because you commented on the 13 reasons I breastfeed post. I’m so glad you visited because I really like your site, especially the About Us page! These are good book suggestions. I also like Hello, Baby by Lizzy Rockwell.
I like the “I’m a Big Brother” and “My new baby” books. We actually borrowed and started with the sister version and it was quite good too.
The new baby series is notable because it doesn’t have words so you can make up a relevant story and it shows the baby nursing (a frequent if not constant occurrence) and daddy making dinner.
“I’m a Big Brother” was also a huge help in our house!!
I totally needed this post last month! After TONS of amazon research, we ordered two. We have a baby and my new baby are absolutely the best for my 20 month old. They show breastfeeding, daddy taking care of baby and baby wearing. They both hint at bed sharing as well. Both Baby on the Way and What Baby Needs by Dr. Sears are great but too complicated for her right now. We just checked those out from the library. When we decide to have another, they will be bought FOR SURE. She brings us her new baby books to read all the time and I think they have helped her understand a little more what’s going on. She now pats my belly and says baby.
I read and baby make four when I was newly a parent to #2. I found it helpful. The thing I most remember is the advice, ‘the only thing harder than taking 2 kids somewhere is keeping two kids at home all day’!
In addition to many on your list, we also liked “Waiting for Baby” and “The Night You Were Born” by Wendy McCormick for our 3yo son while I was pregnant with his sister. To address some of his more technical questions about the actual growing and birthing of the baby, we liked “How You Were Born” by Joanna Cole.
For the older sibling, I highly recommend “My New Baby” by Rachel Fuller. There are three other books in that series, too, and we loved them all except for the You and Me book. These books are really picture books with some word prompts and you really fill in the blanks. Opens up conversation with the little ones! My son was only 16 months when my daughter was born so this was perfect for him, though it really works for up to 3 or 4 I’d say. My son still asks for this one 🙂 Of note: the book pictures breastfeeding and the kids could be either gender.
We used I’m a Big Brother by Joanna Cole, which was nice except for the bottle feeding, but whatever. The other one I loved was the Little Critter The New Baby by Mercer Mayer. The Little Critter book is about how babies can’t really play with babies, and they don’t really do much.