Did you bring your 2 year old to meet their new sibling?

[cep1976]

Yes, my daughter was 26 months when my son was born. My parents brought her to the hospital to meet the new baby. I think she was confused and had a hard time seeing me in the hospital bed and didn't really understand that I couldn't easily get up (I'd had a c-section), but she was fascinated by the baby and the pictures and video we have of her checking him out are adorable.

[AmyRI]

DS was a little under 2 (20 months), but we did have him come to the hospital for 15 or 20 minutes. He had pretty much zero interest in the baby and wanted to push all the buttons on the bed.

It did make me feel better to see him, though, and it was a little easier to get pictures and toddler wrangle with more adults around than just me and DH.

[snowflurry]

At the time DD was born, the bird flu was hyped so the hospital would not allow visitors under the age of 18.

They met at home. It was no big deal. I don't regret them not meeting in the hospital. Neither one would remember it anyway.

[lattelady5]

My oldest was about 2.5 and we brought her. Our hospital is very small thouh, pivate new mom wing and private rooms. I had ds in the evening and she came the next day. She stayed almost all day, took a nap with me and on the floor, shared my food, watched tv, held her brother, etc. Honestly I look back on those days with such fondness. We also did not have other visitors.

[Deleted]

I did. I sort of missed her.

We had Grandma bring her the next afternoon so it wasn't any stress on our end.
She held the baby, loved my bed. I also felt really well so we walked to the fish tank in the kid's ward, cafeteria coffee shop etc.

She sort of had the time of her life actually.

She ended up staying almost 2 hours. Grandma decided she wanted to run some errands. H went and got us lunch and we had it together.

[cinco]

Yes. I looked forward to seeing them and they were great with the baby. No issues.

[jenn248]

Yes. She was very excited about meeting the baby, and I think it was good for her to see us there, vice waiting for two days for us to get home from the hospital. Someone once told me it's better for someone else (other than the mom) to be holding the baby if you bring your other child to the hospital, so we had my sister hold DD2 when DD1 came in, and everything went smoothly. Of course, DD1 ended up being more excited about the hospital bracelet (the nurses made her one to match mine and DD2's) and the free graham crackers in the family lounge than her new sister

[soozy87]

Yes, we had my parents (who were watching him) bring him. It went really well and I am really glad we did it.

[Brie]

No. C was 27 months when P was born, and it was flu season so no visitors under 16 were allowed so I didn't have a choice.

In hindsight I'm glad. Meeting at home was special and I felt better by then.

[iheartbanjos]

No, but DD1 had just been released from the children's hospital for salmonella in her blood 5 days before DD2 was born and I had severe pre-E with DD2 and got a mag drip, so I wasn't in the mother-baby unit.

It was an exciting couple of weeks, to say the least! I was still able to only spend about 48 hours in the hospital start to finish, so she met her at 1 day old. We waited about a week before she could hold her.

[meltoine]

DS2 was here when DS3 was born. We didn't plan it that way but it was really sweet to see then together.

[luckyno7]

Yup! Mine were 23 months apart. After the baby was born we called our parents. Once they got there with big brother my H went out and got him. He was the first to meet his sister.

[ilikedonuts]

Yes. Siblings were allowed but no other children. I missed DD1 a lot (first time I was ever away from her for more then a few hours). Plus DH and I were bored and she was entertaining. Lol

ETA: she was the first to meet her sister. My parents stayed in the waiting room.

[closertofine]

Dd was 18 months. They ended up having to wait longer than expected, so she was tired, hungry, and cranky. It wasn't the picture perfect moment I had hoped for, and I wish we had just waited till we got home.

[GotWine]

Yes. DD was 2 yrs 8 months at the time. I had a scheduled C/S. She came before my procedure and snuggled with me before they took me back. She was standing at the window with all of the grandparents when they brought ds into the nursery to be cleaned up and weighed and stuff. We were team green so they all found out at that moment it was a boy when the nurse held ds up for them all to see. I was there for 3 days so she came every day to hold her brother and visit. My mom brought her and they would leave when dd got bored.

[countthestars]

Yes. DD is 2y3m and she came to the hospital about 10 hours after DS was born. H went home to get her from my mom. And they all came together. It was important to us to see her while I was in the hospital because she was going through a separation anxiety phase and I didn't want her to be worried about where I was.

[carolinagirl831]

Yes! I had a c section and was in the hospital too long for her not to see us. My c section was at 7 am. My in laws brought her at noon. I was feeling great and couldn't wait to introduce them. She was I loved that moment.She brought the baby a happy birthday balloon.

[imojoebunny]

Yes, we had dd come meet ds at the hospital. We had a couple of gifts we gave here there. She stayed maybe an hour tops. She stayed with my parents for 2 days after I got home, so it was good she got to meet him, and see I was ok, since she had to go to the hospital with me for a time, until my parents could get there to pick her up, and the last time she saw me, I was in labor and delivery trying to keep it together, until someone came who could take her.

[lostlenore]

Yes. DS1 was 21 mos when DS2 was born. He came into the room & kept saying "baby." I had a new toy for him & he sat in the bed with me. All of sudden, he seemed crazy huge, compared to the new tiny baby! I'm glad he came because I missed him like crazy when I was in the hospital.

[Deleted]

I totally would because I'd want a cute picture of all of us in my hospital bed.

Eta: I was 2y9m when my brother was born and I remember meeting him at the hospital.

[barefootcontessa]

My kids were younger but yes. We always take a family picture at the hospital.

[dcrunnergirl52]

Yes. DD and DS1 were 2y9m when DS2 was born. They came to meet him, and it was really special...for about the first 5 minutes. And then they were way more interested in the crane outside the window, the snacks on my food tray, etc. than the baby. But, those first 5 minutes were really cute.

[tulips]

X was 14.5 months and H brought him up both night I was at the hospital. I'm glad we did.

He wasn't really interested in her the first night. He liked looking around my room at all the stuff. The second night H brought dinner and he sat on my bed and ate with me and looked at her a bit and touched her.

[penguingrrl]

Yes, we brought our then 22 month old to meet her sister. We also made sure that bringing the baby home included siblings each time. I felt like making the baby happen with older siblings instead of to older siblings helped them feel less out of control with the situation and helped avoid sibling rivalry. I can't say it was perfect, but we never had jealousy or adjustment issues when the kids were little, so I think it did help.

[spk926]

We definitely will.

It's going to be weird for her for me to just be away for a few nights so I think it will be good for her to come see me and know where I am. She knows that when the baby has grown big enough the doctor will help take him out of mommy's tummy. We talk about the hospital so she sort of gets it. For her 3 year checkup they had her wear a tiny gown and I explained how mommy might be wearing one like that after brother is born.

Also, my mom will be watching her and she's going to come see the baby so why not have DD come with at that point?

[swimmette]

Yes, he was 19 months.  I was post RCS and he stayed for maybe an hour or so each time he came (maybe 3 or so times the 36 hours I was in the hospital). It was fine and when he was clearly getting bored my ILs took him back home.

[undecidedowl]

Yes, my parents brought him the day after I had the baby. He got to pick lunch and they brought it to us. We gave him a big brother gift of stuff to keep him occupied while he visited us. We didn't have anyone else to watch him, so he had to come if my parents wanted to visit. Plus, I was happy to see him. My mom brought him again the next day and he watched a movie while I visited with my mom. He didn't really care about the baby, but he missed me so he was happy to come.

[pescalita]

Yup, A was 21 mos and I had an RCS. He came the day of birth (maybe 5 hrs after?) and every one of the four we were there. We changed him in the newborn bassinet once.

[booboo173]

Well I won't be in this situation until the end of the month but yes. I actually want DS to be the first one to come, no other visitors before him. I also want to see him as well since this will be my longest time away from him. I am worried he may not want to leave but he is usually good in Drs so I think he'll just want to sit in the bed with me

[pinotgrig]

G will be 2 when this one is born and we plan on bringing him. Someone here did this and I can't remember who it was but I thought it was great - have baby in nursery when older child comes in. Spend a few minutes with them, let them get used to hospital bed and room. Have nurse bring in baby to meet for a a bit; do intros. When done, have baby taken back to nursery and spend more time with older kid.

I like that this makes the older kid feel special and important and I think by having the baby brought in/out while older kid is there makes them feel less like baby is infringing on "their" territory. They'll get enough of that when the baby comes home.