For The Entrepreneurial Mom-To-Be

Pregnancy Diary Vol. I: Baby on the Way!

By Ellen Seidman

It's hard to believe that I'm already 14 weeks pregnant! Now that I'm officially in my second trimester and my energy has boomeranged back, I no longer feel the urge to crawl beneath my desk every afternoon to nap. And I can stay up past 8:00 p.m! 

By some stroke of luck, I've managed to escape morning sickness. Sure, I had a couple of queasy moments, but I sipped lemonade and downed potato chips -- my friend Wendy's remedy -- and it worked. 

Is there really a baby growing in my belly? This all feels so surreal. I think I haven't fully absorbed this baby thing because I've been distracted by our new house. (Yikes! -- am I qualified to be a parent if I'm referring to my unborn child as "this baby thing"?) We found out we were new homeowners on THE SAME DAY we discovered I was pregnant. The realtor called in the afternoon to say that the bid we had put in on a house in the 'burbs was accepted, and then that night I took a pregnancy test. Dave was away on business, and I was doing it just for kicks. I'd only been off the Pill for a couple of months and somehow, we figured it would take at least six months to conceive. That's been the story for most of my friends. 


Read more: Pregnancy Diary Vol. I: Baby on the Way! http://www.yourbabytoday.com/thebabycoordinator/features/pdiary1/index.html#ixzz33jRxbc4l

Bringing Baby Home To Meet Older Siblings? Try These Top Tips For a Successful Introduction

Bringing a new baby home is always a cause for great happiness but your older child may not be as welcoming and overjoyed.  Here are a few tips and advice for easing sibling anxiety when meeting the newest member of the family.

Gift Giving

Have the siblings bring a gift each to give to the baby at the hospital.  It could be as simple as artwork made by big brother or sister, a special toy or a book for the new baby.  This will give big brother or sister a special part to play in the new baby's arrival home.  And the experience will make becoming a big brother or big sister an exciting and happy one.

Introducing The Baby Bump

With the first hint of your baby bump start talking about the "bump" as the new baby.  Identify the "bump" as where the new baby is living and include big brother or sister in planning the nursery and shopping for baby clothes for when baby comes out the bump and comes home.

Special Time

Make it a priority to set aside some time every day to focus on your older children.  Perhaps, go to the park with baby asleep in stroller while you hang out with the older siblings or have a special story time when you read a few quiet stories or do some arts and crafts together.  Reinforcing to older siblings that they are still special to you will help their acceptance of the new baby.

Group Hugs

Every new parent will hug and kiss their new baby which often creates jealousy in older siblings. How about special group hugs where baby and siblings are hugging mom and dad. Hug them and tell them how proud you are of them for being such a great older brother or sister. Affection its always a cure all.

Look At Old Photos

Have a family moment and site with your kids and look through their baby photo album from when they were born. Kids love to see pictures of themselves and hear their birth stories. It will help them understand the process or being born and coming home to mom and dad.

Roselle, Your Children's Lifestyles Stylist


This article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.