Children's Books About Accepting a New Baby

Welcoming a new baby is an exciting time, but your older child may not see it that way. It can be confusing and overwhelming when mom has to go to the hospital and frustrating when all the attention is focused on the new baby. Reading books about bringing a new baby into the family can help your older child know what to expect and how to be a good big brother or sister.

  1. Books for Toddlers

    • If you have a 1- or 2-year-old at home, board books with lots of pictures and simple text will help your older child adjust to the idea of a new baby. In the ̶0;My New Baby̶1; series of four books, author Rachel Fuller helps toddlers know what to expect before and after the new baby is born. ̶0;Waiting for Baby,̶1; ̶0;My New Baby,̶1; ̶0;You and Me̶1; and ̶0;Look at Me!̶1; cover pregnancy, bringing the new baby home and adjusting to life as a big sibling.

    Books for Preschoolers

    • Many book characters that are familiar to preschoolers have books about welcoming a new baby. ̶0;The Berenstain Bears̵7; New Baby̶1; covers hand-me-downs, sharing and why growing up is a good thing. The popular Little Critter series includes ̶0;The New Baby,̶1; in which Little Critter has to learn what a new baby can and cannot do, and how to be a good big brother. ̶0;I̵7;m a Big Brother,̶1; and ̶0;I̵7;m a Big Sister̶1; by Joanna Cole focus on the role of the older child in the family.

    Books for Children

    • ̶0;What to Expect When the New Baby Comes Home̶1; is by Heidi Murkoff, author of the popular ̶0;What to Expect When You̵7;re Expecting̶1; pregnancy book. Like the other books in the series, it is presented in a question and answer format, with detailed answers that include illustrations. The age range suggested is 4 to 8, but the long paragraphs and detailed explanations make it more appropriate for kindergarten and up. ̶0;A New Baby Is Coming: A Guide for a Big Brother or Sister̶1; by Emily Menendez-Aponte covers pregnancy, arrival home with the new baby and what the new baby can and cannot do.

    Special Situations

    • Not every pregnancy or birth goes as planned, but there are books to explain special situations to kids. ̶0;No New Baby: A Book For Siblings Who Have a Brother or Sister Die Before Birth̶1; by Marilyn Gryte and ̶0;Something Happened: A Book for Children and Parents Who Have Experienced Pregnancy Loss̶1; by Cathy Blanford can help children when their mother has a miscarriage or stillbirth. ̶0;The Story of Katie Rose: A Preemie̵7;s Journey̶1; by Harold and Phyllis Davis tells the story of a premature baby and why she can̵7;t come home from the hospital right away. For families who are adopting a new baby, ̶0;The Year of the Baby̶1; by Andrea Cheng and ̶0;Maggie Can̵7;t Wait̶1; by Frieda Wishinsky will help older siblings know what to expect.

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