Welcoming Your Second Baby

• Being a baby is, to a child, the key to getting a parent’s attention, and regression seems to be a way to compete on the baby’s own terms.

All you can do is your best. Time is on your side. Patience, a good sense of humor, and plenty of love will see you through. It’s important to realize that kids are very adaptable. Chances are your older child is not going to suffer or carry scars from this experience, especially if you make the effort to include him or her in every phase of your adjustment to a new kind of family life.

Rather than trying to make your first child grow up faster, it will probably do better for everyone if you just lower your expectations and let your toddler be “babyish” too. Rather than trying to prepare your child for the baby or explain the birthing process, try to spend extra time enjoying your older child.