When a new baby is brought home and there are one or more siblings in the house, problems can arise. It is usually easier if the brothers or sisters are older. Then they can get involved in helping with the new arrival. However, if a little child has been the center of attention for some time and suddenly is in second place. trouble can be ahead. Sometimes a little child can get so angry that he or she will try to hurt the baby. One thing I did when my second child was born was to have the baby send one or two gifts to his sister. That way she looked forward to seeing her new little brother and she was always very protective of him. We did put a latch up high on the baby's door to be sure his sister didn't go into the room and try to kiss or hug him. A latch also helps keep a dog or cat out of the room. Animals can also become jealous of a new arrival and I have seen babies with scratches from cats.
When there is a new baby in the house, it is important that parents spend extra time with siblings. Taking them for ice cream, a fun walk or some other treat can make a real difference.
If a new baby is a preemie or has some kind of problem, an extensive time in the nursery may be involved. Siblings can get very lonely if all the parents' attention is focused on the baby. This can cause some long-lasting problems, so parents need to be sure the siblings receive lots of attention. Grandparents, other relatives, can often be of great help.
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