Mom Advice

Sibling Adjusting to a Newborn Print E-mail

Question

Victoria,
I have a soon to be four year old and I'm going through a tough time with her dealing with her new 9 week old brother. How do I help her make her transition better -- in terms of balancing our new relationship and her relationship with him?
— Jessica, New Rochelle, New York

Answer

Dr. Ari Brown, an award winning, Harvard trained pediatrician, mom and co-author of Baby 411 : Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby’s First Year (Windsor Peak Press, 2006) graciously answers this question -

It's never easy adjusting to having a newborn in the house. Your older child is used to having the limelight and now he has to share it. The best thing to do is to hand the baby over to family or friends who want to help out, and you take a few minutes to spend some quality time with your older child.

Take him to the park or someplace he likes going with you. Being pro-active about giving him attention will reduce the number of outbursts and poor behavior from him which is really just a cry for attention. It usually takes about 6-8 weeks for the older child to adjust.

About Dr. Ari Brown:

draribrown.jpg Ari Brown, M.D., FAAP, is an award winning pediatrician and child health advocate. Before entering the world of medicine, Dr. Brown completed a bachelor’s degree in child development. She completed her general pediatric residency and fellowship in developmental pediatrics at Harvard Medical School/Boston Children's Hospital. Dr. Brown is Board Certified and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She works full-time in private practice at Capital Pediatric Group in Austin, TX. Dr. Brown’s passion to educate families about children’s health led her to co-author the books, Baby 411 : Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby’s First Year (Windsor Peak Press, 2006) and Toddler 411 (Windsor Peak, 2006). Her practical and reassuring style resonates with today’s parents. She is an official spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, and regularly on the Rachael Ray Show and Surviving Motherhood. She also serves on the advisory board for Parents Magazine.

If you have a question, you would like to see answered here, send an email and a leading mom expert in the appropriate field will respond to it in the Ask Savvy Mommy section. Remember to include your first name, city and state.

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