ok guys, brace yourself for how sweet these moments are. i am so thankful my friend sarah ask me to capture these sweet memories for them at the hospital. ms. parker has a big brother named gibson that is absolutely and genuinely in love with his new sister. being a witness to their introduction was amazing.
when i was pregnant with jane i read and researched the best way to introduce jane to annie. i didn't want annie to feel replaced or have any cross attitude toward her new sister. i combined many different articles and came up with a plan. said plan worked beautifully in my situation and i knew i had to share with sarah. i have only captured moments at the hospital for first borns so being able to be apart of a new baby and sibling introductions was a win win.
i know this plan may not work for everyone or you may think my ways are crazy but here was my plan and i will continue to use this plan as suggestions for clients, family and friends who are going though similar situations.
start by lining up a sitter for the toddler(s). once you are in labor the focus should be on the baby and successfully bringing the baby into this world safe and healthy. our hospital allows for an hour or more of skin to skin time and my husband i used this time to bond, feed and observe our little blessing. once we moved to postpartum we called the sitter ( in-laws ) and ask them to bring our toddler (s) to the hospital. i made sure the baby was swaddled and snug in her bassinet and i sat on the bed alone while my husband went to get big sister from the waiting room . i read that the toddlers first reaction isn't going to be excitement to see the baby but anxiousness to see their mommy. i think it's important for no one else to be in the room when new family introductions are made. there is already so much going on that extra people and distractions aren't necessary and could take away from such a beautiful moment.
this was so true in my case and in sarah's. when gibson walked in the room he instantly looked at his mom and ask how she was with sincere concern. then he remembered parker was there. he crawled up on the bed to look at his new baby sister. gibson was in awe. in the sweetest voice he said, " she's beaituful " ... " good job mommy". once he starred her down and kissed her he ask if he could hold her and this is when it became all about the baby. he watched her and observed everything about this new little person.
it was so amazing and emotional to watch. gibson, so young and innocent, truly appreciated his mom, dad, and new baby sister. he brought her a toy and talked to her like she could understand.
i think it's important for the "big" to feel a sense of ownership over their new sibling. i remember telling annie jane was hers and to this day ( two years later ) annie calls jane HER baby sister. she protects her and let's her know she is her big sister and best friend.
i left this session with so much affirmation that i am on the right path of doing what God wants for my life. my heart was so full i thought it could burst. i may not always have the chance to capture new moments like this but i believe the everyday moments we live are just as important.
welcome to this world ms. parker. you are so loved.
