When and how shall I tell my child I’m pregnant?
If you’re only a couple of months into your pregnancy, you may not want to
say anything. Seven months may as well be 100 years to a child! That’s not to say
they won’t notice changes in your body. So it’s probably best to tell them when
you’re really starting to show. Say you have a new baby growing inside you. Let
them pat your tummy gently and get them to say ‘hello’ to their new brother or sister.
How to help your child prepare
Make the most of the time your child and you currently have, because things are
going to be very different in a few months! You also need to start preparing them
for when they won’t be able to have all your attention. Make sure your child gets
used to being with grandparents, relatives and friends – all the people who will
be helping you once the baby arrives.
The trick is to keep things simple but make your child feel special about becoming
a big brother or sister. They’ll find it hard to understand what a new baby is all
about, so show them what they were like as a baby. Go through photos and videos,
talk about when they were born and then tell them that this is what the new baby
will be like. You could also take them to an antenatal appointment; their face will
probably be an absolute picture when they hear the baby’s heart!