"Not the baby"

[TanyaS]

Is sibling rivalry rearing its ugly head for anyone else? DD is 22 months and is coming up to me to be held or snuggled and she says "not the baby" while waving her hand. One night when she was up in the middle of the night she said "take the baby off you". I wasn't even nursing, but the baby is always on me in her eyes, nursing or not. I'm new at the young toddler aspect of this. Last time my ds was 1.5 years older than her and it was a challenge discipline-wise, but he was much better at sharing his frustrations in words. She talks very well, but has a difficult time conveying her feelings, so everything comes out with frustration.

How is everyone else handling this? What's working at your house to make it better?

[puddleduck]

My ds1 (26 months) is telling me to "put the baby back in the bouncy chair" and "put leo down mummy". My SIL pointed out that it was great that ds1 could verbalise his feelings, which i thought was a good way of looking at it. It may sound a bit like he doesn't like ds2 but i think its just the toddler way of speaking - they tell you outright what they want.

I try and explain if i can't put the baby down and try and get ds1 to help me with him (rubbing his back to help him burp or read him a story) and if i can put him down or hand him over i do, i make sure i spend planty of time with ds2 when ds1 is asleep. I guess its a pretty hard time for ds1 and i try and make sure he has plenty of time from me and dh.

good luck

vikki

[PancakeGoddess]

Mine doesn't tell me to put him down, and he really does seem to adore him, but he will randomly smack him (!) out of nowhere.

[carliec76]

Cadan was like that for the first few days but after I was ready to get back to routine we had special mommy time and we would cuddle and read. Now he is addicted to his baby sister and constantly loving on her. Just remember to make time for number 1 to get rid of any resentment.