I Have Two Children and a Third on the Way.

I would just tell them you have a baby in your tummy, and keep telling them all the time. Make sure they are a part of everything. When you start feeling the baby move let them feel too. Talk about baby all the time so they won't seem so surprised. I know some people who have even packed gifts for the older siblings in their hospital bag. Once the new baby was born they said he/she brought the gifts for the older brothers. My children are 7, 6, 14 months, and 3 1/2 months. We never had a problem introducing new babies into the family. Oh, you might also have shirts made that say something like I'm the Big Brother, and I'm the Biggest brother. They can wear them to visit you in the hospital. Good luck. I'm sure it will be fine. :)

when i had mine ages 5 3 2 and 1 tomorrow :) i just told them straight up they'll have someone new that loves them very much and that they can help with and play with. my kids were always excited about siblings and they still want me to have more lol. it is a lot easier to tell them when they are little. and it is good they'll be close in age it truly does make them closer in life.

A.,

I would wait to talk to them about it, unless you are having a tough time with morning sickness, or something that requires reassurance for them. A pregnancy takes so long in little kid time, that they will get sick of waiting, or not understand why the baby can't come out.

Once you start to show, tell them that there's a baby in Mommy's belly, just like they were at one time, and show them a book about being a big brother, all that stuff. My little guy is 2 1/2, and doesn't really get it. He kisses my belly, or rubs it when I ask him if he wants to say hi to the baby, but that's it. His whole little world is going to come crashing down in May when I bring the little one home, and he finally understands what Mommy and Daddy have been trying to tell him!

Your four year old will probably understand the idea, and you may want to talk to him. He'll hear you talking to each other and relatives and such about the baby, and will feel like he's being left out if no one talks to him and explains the situation. I would worry about your younger one for awhile though. Maybe as time gets closer, his language skills and maturity level will have advanced to where he gets it.

Good luck!

Congratulations on your third! You will be pleasantly suprised at the difference in adjusting from 2 to 3 children. My husband and i felt it was easier to go from 2-3 than 1-2 children. You are already probably learning ways to make it work for your family, so fortunately, you probably won't second guess yourself in parenting this time around. My two little boys just adore their sister and do very well with her here. Sometimes, my 4 year old even asks if we can have another baby! I'm thinking, what? I already have 3 children 4 and under! Good luck, and feel free to message me if you wanna chat.

hi A., congratulations! i also have an almost 4 year old and an 18 month old, with our third due in early july. i told my son pretty much right away, i was just too excited, plus i knew that once other people knew, he would overhear something and i wanted him to find out from us. we had some scares in the beginning, and i did find myself thinking "oh my God, what if God forbid something goes wrong, how can I possibly explain that to him??" which is probably a reason that most people wait to tell them. but anyway, though 9 months is forever to a toddler, he is very excited and talks about it all the time, kisses my belly, its all good, he actually makes me feel a lot better sometimes, its a fairly stressful pregnancy for me. obviously i cant tell you how to cope with three little ones, i cant imagine how we will do it, i just know that i felt the same way about one, and even more so about 2, and everything worked out, so it will again. you are old hat at this, it will be fine :) loud, but fine. besides, we're not sleeping anyway, right?? haha.... i have friends who told me that going from 2 to 3 was a lot easier than going from 1 to 2, that the 3rd just kind of fits in. i hope its true, we will see. either way, we are blessed. best of luck, D.

I would just tell them that they are going to have a baby brother or sister in x month. then when the baby starts kicking let them feel it. Thats what I did any way. Hope you find what works for you.

~L.~