Thread: Explaining pregnancy to a toddler.

B didn't really get it until our gender scan and now he really understands seeing the bump. just keep telling him over and over again, he will start to figure it out. try showing him pictures of you when you were pregnant with him. it's still really early for him to understand seeing as you don't look pregnant. i know i have to be carfeul telling B that his sister is kicking me...he will try to kick her back.

Originally Posted by ladylovebug

i know i have to be carfeul telling B that his sister is kicking me...he will try to kick her back.

okay, so that shouldn't be funny, but at least he's defending his mama! we have a few maternity pictures of me around the house and he points to my belly and says baby, so hopefully once i start showing he'll understand?

i don't think they really get it at that age TBH, I would just do my best to shield your stomach from his energetic 'love and affection'! - that's what i have to do with owen who's affection always comes with a healthy dose of pain and the grace of a rhino. My kids have always been inadvertantly jumped on or squashed by their older sibling while in my belly, but they are pretty protected in there within reason!

I would seperate the two.
He shouldnt hit you anywhere pregnant or not, and that should be the message- no hitting mommy/daddy etc. You should be firm about it in any case. If needed put him in a short time-out (1-2 min with you next to him).
Second thing is the excitment of the baby. I remember my oldest being very much into babies at that age, particularly when i was preg with his bro. However it is well too early to discuss it with him as he has no concept what so ever about what it means for you to have something in your belly, esp. when its so far away still- He has no way to grasp that time period let alone patiance. i would recommend waiting at least till the belly is far out and is more "real" for him, even then he will prob have to wait a long long while till his sibling comes.
good luck!

I don't think he will really get it for a long time,it is a bit too hard to grasp for a little mind who lives in the here and now. I would just be like Katie and shield your tummy if he is in a rough and tumble mood,expect the unexpected. But maybe also start trying to learn to be gentle, gentle now before baby is here.My boys have always been boys boys so they can be boisterious,but I taught them in a roundabout fun way.

We've tried explaining to Paisley that there are babies in my belly and to kiss the babies but she doesn't get it. She's way to young. Now when you tell her to kiss my button she does that, LOL!! Close enough I guess!! :)

I have to agree with Anne on this one. Explain to him that he must not hit or kick mummy or daddy because it isn't nice. He is so young, and 9 months to a child is such a long time, I would wait a good few months before you tell him or he may get frustrated at the amount of time that the baby is taking to arrive. Matthew was 2 years and 3 months when Billy arrived and Billy was 2 year and 5 months when Addison arrived and neither of them had a clue what was happening.

Thanks girls. We're working on hitting/kicking, this time it was him just being silly. I think I'm going to give him time but still talk about it with him. We got him a big brother book to read.