Do your older children lose out when you have a newborn?

Pregnancy always requires a fair amount of practical concerns, and that's definitely true if you already have children. Lots of parents worry how well they will be able to care for their older child(ren) once their new baby arrives. Do big brothers and sisters necessarily lose out when they get a new sibling?

Newborns obviously need a lot of attention, and often at the most inconvenient moments for older children. Some of the things that may annoy and sadden older kids when a new baby sibling arrives are:

Mom has trouble holding the child's hand outside because she is pushing a stroller.
The child's bedtime story is interrupted by a crying newborn.
Parents have to attend to a newborn right when the child needed help with homework or wanted to show something.
Everyone else keeps commenting how cute the baby is, and the older child can feel like he or she is not getting any attention anymore.

Having a new baby sibling could be especially hard and confusing for a firstborn who was an only child for quite a while. But sharing your mom's love and attention with another baby can be quite hard for almost any kid, no matter what their age and even whether they already have other brothers and sisters. In the long run, they are usually happy to get a sibling to play and fight with, and there's no long-term damage!

Still, there are some things that can make the transition a bit easier for older children. Here are some things you could try:

Get a good quality baby carrier, so that you can have your baby close to you and even breastfeed, while still having your hands free. This makes a huge difference for your older kid or kids this way, you'll be able to read to them, help toddlers with the potty, and even play soccer together!
Get books that have characters with new baby siblings. If you have younger siblings yourself, your about how you felt when they were born. Include your older child in the new baby's life.
Avoid saying stuff like, be quiet, the baby will wake up! and instead ask her to bring a diaper, or hand you a blanket.
Do quiet stuff together when the baby is sleeping, and do your best to make your older child feel like a wonderful big brother or sister. The better the bond your child has with his baby sibling, the less jealousy he will feel.

Also see: How to prepare a child for a new sibling.