What did you tell your toddler

I'm likely going to have my C-section Oct 27th and my two year old will be home with my mom and dad. My parents wanted to know what they should tell her. I felt like "hospital" or any focus on "babies being born" would go over her head and confuse her. She still doesn't really get either one. So, what did you tell your toddler (especially a 2 year old) while you were gone at the hospital?

Thanks,
Lanie

 

Hmmm...well my DD was three when the twins were born so it's a little different...she understood more.

I'm sure your daughter knows there are babies in Mommy's tummy right? Maybe you could just tell her that the doctor is going to help get the babies out of Mommy's tummy and then they will come live with you all.?? I think the most important thing to emphasize is that, yes, Mommy will be gone for a little while, but she WILL come home. Let her know she can come see you and the babies, etc. She may understand more than you realize.

Hope your C-section goes well!

 

My son is two as well. We just told him Momma was going to have the babies. You child has a lifetime to "get" the fact that you had babies. They figure it out real quick!

Reyna

 

We told our DD who had just turned 2 that mommy was in the hospital to help her brothers grow (I was in antepartum for 2 weeks prior to having them). She would repeat it to me everytime she saw me. And for the most part that was her chant until they came home and then it was love at first sight.

 

DD was 2 1/2 when the twins were born. I did use hospital because we drove by it every day. I think it was something like "Mommy is going to the hospital because they help people there, and they are going to help Mommy get our babies so we can bring them home" or something along those lines. She still talks about that whne we drive by some days...

 

We told my 3 year old that mommy was going to the Dr and she was going to become a big sister..

 

My DD was 2 1/2 when our twins were born. When I was around 6 months pg and everything was going well, I started talking to her A LOT about us having babies, the hospital, ect. We borrowed a ton of books from the library about being a big sister, having a baby, blah, blah, blah. I was supposed to have a scheduled c-section, but went into labor during the night so we left the house while our oldest was asleep. Honestly, she did great with the whole thing! I had always told her I had to go to the hospital so the doctor could take the babies out of my tummy and I would be gone for a few days. She stayed with my parents for 4 days and came to see me twice a day (we only live 5 minutes from the hospital). She was so excited about the visits, loved the hospital and she was crazy about the twins! I definitely suggest looking for some books that talk about it in words they can understand. Sure they don't understand the impact new babies are going to have on them, but you can still talk about some of it so they aren't so scared when you are gone. It also helped that my parents kept her very busy. Her cousins were around a lot to see the babies and to play with her which she loved!

 

My son was 2 1/2 exactly when our babies were born. We started talking to him several months prior to the birth about babies. He even went to see them on an ultrasound one time. This helped him understand that they were in my belly. He also got to meet my dr. that way, so he knew when it was time that "Dr. Moore" was going to take the babies out of my belly. We used the proper terminology--hospital, doctors, nurses, etc. At two, he didn't know to be scared of these words. I think it helped him know what to expect.

The best thing we did was to enroll him in the sibling class they have at our hospital. This was wonderful. Definitely check into this! It makes them feel very special. Books about becoming a big brother/sister are great, too. Shower them with attention at the hospital, though. That's the main thing.

 

I told them mommy was going to the hospital to have sister Katie. They understood because I took them to a few appt's with me, and they had been to the hospital with me for some blood work. Also, my mom called our cell phones each night while we where in the hospital and I talked to them and wished them a good night.

 

I just told Emma that mommy needed to go to the hospital so the doctors could help the brothers come out of my tummy and that she could see them when they were out. She didn't really get it because she was 21 months. She did get it after they were home.