Introducing Augustine to his baby sister was something Matthew and I were both excited and nervous about. While we knew he would be an amazing big brother, we were also a little worried about how the adjustment would go. It’s incredibly common for the older child to become a little sad and even resentful at the prospect of a new sibling. There were a few things we did though that I think helped ease the transition a little bit. People are so surprised when they see how loving Augustine is with Corinna, and while I know it’s partly his personality, I do think we did a few things right in regards to their introduction. I also received some tips from other moms that I think aided in the transitional period. Hopefully, this post is helpful for any of you about to bring a new baby home to an older sibling!

How We Introduced Augustine to His Baby Sister

1. We talked about it for months- Just like with Augustine’s transition to a big boy bed, we started hyping up the baby for months prior. I feel like that helped Augustine understand what was happening sooner and it didn’t feel like such a shock when she arrived.
2. We highlighted his new role– We focused on Augustine’s role with the new baby instead of our own. So instead of saying “We’re going to have a new baby,” we would say, “You’re going to be a big brother.” We talked about all the cool things that come along with being a big brother, like being able to teach baby things, taking care of her, being Mommy’s helper, etc. We also talked about the differences between babies and big kids, and the advantages of being a big kid. For example, a baby can’t eat yummy things yet but a big kid can. A big kid can also run and play at the park, whereas the baby can’t yet. We also told Augustine, and still do, how one day he and baby sister will be best friends and do so many fun and special things together. Augustine is most excited to play trucks with her {he shows her his favorites every day}, go on red wagon rides and run around at the park together. Oh and he can’t wait to introduce her to his favorite food: “sants” aka croissants!
3. We read lots of stories- I really think that reading stories about what it would be like when we brought home the baby was incredibly helpful. While we could tell Augustine what it would be like, I think it became easier to understand when he could read about it and see how it affected the families in the books. There were several books we enjoyed, like this one and this one. I also thought this book was fun when my belly was growing. Some other books that were recommended were this one and this one. Augustine requested to read one of his big brother books almost every night!
4. We “introduced” the baby to the three of us in the birthing center- This was something a reader told me and I LOVED the idea. Oftentimes it can be overwhelming for an older sibling to come in and see Mom and Dad with the new baby and sometimes this can lead to them feeling left out. An alternative idea would be to greet the older sibling in the room without the baby and have someone {like a grandparent} come in and “present” the baby to the three of you. I love this idea because I feel like it includes the older sibling and makes them feel like they’re not being replaced by the new baby.
5. We had gifts for them to exchange- This is a fun one! Have gifts for the new siblings to exchange. We had Augustine pick out a little stuffed animal for Corinna and then he got a present from her. I wanted to get them the cuddle + kind dolls because I love how they donate 10 meals for every doll sold. It’s a great company! Augustine gave Corinna Violet the Fawn, and Corinna gave Augustine Elliott the Fawn. I love that they have matching sibling dolls! I can’t wait for Corinna to be old enough so that they can play together with them!

I hope these tips were helpful for any of you about to bring a new baby home! I would LOVE to hear if any of you moms have advice about this topic. Was there something you did that you found helpful in the introduction of an older sibling to the baby? Please let me know in the comments below!

xox