Giving birth is a busy time. Going back to school is also insanely busy. Giving birth when your older child is going back to school is a double crazy time! Between getting everything ready for your new arrival and making sure your previous arrival has all the right tools for a successful school year, it’s easy to find yourself completely overwhelmed and frazzled! We have a few tips to make it a little easier to prepare for back to school and baby!
Tips For Giving Birth While Your Older Child is Heading Back to School
- Plan ahead. Premature birth aside, most women have a general idea of when they’re going to be giving birth. You also have a general idea of when your child will be heading back to school. Don’t wait until the week before both events to start getting ready! Start back to school shopping earlier than usual. While you may not have an exact school supply list, you do know the basics that your child will need!
- Explain the situation to your older child. To you, back to school may not seem like such a big deal if it’s the third, fourth or fifth time! To your child, though, every year is a completely different experience and brings about its own round of new back to school nerves. Don’t just assume your older child will go with the flow without some sort of explanation about what is going to happen. Let her know that you want to be there for her first day, but that nature pretty much decides when the new baby is going to arrive, so that may not be possible.
- Enlist help. Don’t try to do everything on your own. Ask your spouse, partner, family member or friend to help you out with the preparations for both events. If you’re on your own, consider hiring a trusted babysitter to give you a little extra help. Even a local responsible teenager can lend a hand while you supervise.
- Spend a little extra alone time with your older children. Even though your older child is likely excited about a new baby sibling, he may be feeling a little hurt that you aren’t as focused on his big day as you have been in the past. If your older child is starting kindergarten, it can really pull you in two directions! Take some extra “alone” time with your older child and talk about the upcoming school year before giving birth.
- Involve your older child in choices. If your older child feels more involved in choices relating to both back to school and the arrival of a new sibling, he may not feel as slighted. For back to school, let him pick out his backpack and notebooks. For the arrival of the baby, let him pick out something special, such as the outfit that baby comes home in! If you’re worried, he’ll pick something truly horrific, lay out a few possible choices.
- Give the school a head’s up. The birth of a new baby changes the dynamics of the household in a major way. That can trickle over into your older child’s school work and emotions. Make sure the school knows that you are giving birth right around the same time school starts and that it may take a little time for things at home to settle down.
The good news is, plenty of women give birth around back to school time. With a little extra patience and planning, it doesn’t have to be a time of major stress. Do you have any tips to stay organized and sane during back to school?
I have never been in this position before so I wouldnt know how to deal with it. It was hard enough trying to get one person back to school let alone trying to do that while pregnant!
These are all good tips. I don’t have any to share because I haven’t been in this position before, but I would have never thought to alert the school about the new birth. That’s a good point to make.
Sticking to the normal routine/schedule is one thing that helped my older kids when my youngest was born. While adding a new family member was a big change we kept everything else the same. Pretty soon the new baby was just part of it all :)
These are great tips! I had to deal with this situation 3 times and staying organized was the ONLY thing that got me through and helped me maintain my sanity along the way.
What great advice! To me what the most important key is to have a talk to the older child and explain to them what is going on. I think involving them when you planning will keep them aware and they will know what to do in advance before the baby comes.
I never thought about how the late summer months would make it harder to have an older kid. These are great tips to make that time easier on every one. I think having the game plan and a back up will make it all go much smoother.
These are all great tips – the one things about moms is we always bounce back pretty quickly! I had a baby viz c-sect when my son entered Kinder and all the moms are always so super helpful! Everyone gets it!
I think enlisting help is the most important thing you can do. Taking on back to school and a newborn requires planning and organization. I would definitely need someone to fill out all those paperwork the school sends home lol
What a busy time it will be. To me organization is the key to keeping it all together no matter what season of life you are in. Travel plans, home projects, life events, to just everyday cleaning and grocery shopping. Make a list. Make a plan. Good luck.
This certainly would be a time to try to be organized as hard as it may be. Going back to school can be stressful and involve so much. Likewise having a new baby is stressful and involves so much. Pairing to two together, phew you do need a detailed action plan but its doable! Great tips.
it must be so difficult to be organized after giving birth and having a child go back to school! As there are so many things to think of and organize! Then, really one is now thinking of three! Some days I find it is difficult JUST looking after me!
I had a few days between the kids starting school and my youngest being born. And that was hard. I could not imagine right at starting time.
Great advice! Thanks for sharing!
There are a lot of tips here that are good for back to school period, even if a new little one is not on the way.
Thank you!!
Great advice!! Keeping it all together right before that little baby makes his debut is tough :)
Great advice! I’m sure many mamas will be thankful for this post.
Oh wow, both are so chaotic, I can’t imagine preparing for a new baby during the beginning of a new school year. That’s gotta be crazy!
Sounds like you have a perfect plan in place. Thank goodness I was never in this situation, I probably would have been a mess and not organized at all.
great tips! My daughter was just starting preschool when I went into preterm labor with my second daughter. I got sent to another island just in case I delivered early, and had to leave her with my parents. She adjusted, but it was so hard for me. I was away from her for a whole month!
I’ve never had this happen but your tips would help anyone who was in that situation.
I love your reminder to spend extra time with the older child. That is so important.
Great post to reference in the future.
Ive been in that very predicament many times, takes time and patience to get thru all the hectic times
Can’t imagine how crazy it will be! Thanks for sharing great tips, I may need them in the future :D
Now that is a good list.. and funny that I’ve never had to think about what that would be like.. but I can imagine its happened to TONS of women! Good thinking!
I’ve been in this situation before. I wish I would have known about these tips before! lol thanks so much for sharing!
I really like your idea of giving the school/teacher a heads up. They would be more sensitive and aware of behavioral changes then. Great list of ideas here.
Great tips. I only have one child though and won’t be having anymore so it’s not something I have to really think about, thank the gods.
Oh my, you are one busy mama!
Great tips! Getting organized can certainly be a challenge!
These are some great tips. Luckily, I do not have to encounter this as I am finish having kids now.
wonderful tips.. wish I had these when my kids were born… thanks for sharing, will have to share with my mommy friends….
I gave birth to my youngest three days before they went back to school. As much as I thought I was organized I was lacking in several areas. Thank you for sharing.
Interesting post, I never thought about having to consider going back to school and getting give birth!
Our daughter was in kindergarten last year when my son was only 6 months old. I had no extra help. It was so crazy! I was glad I don’t have to give birth in fall where the school starts! This is really a great post with valuable tips!
emailing this to my friend jenni- she’s got 3 boys and is due 9/9 with #4– she’ll have 2 in school and one home full time!
Just another great tip from a mom – we’re planners and it seems like you have everything all mapped out!
Great tips on this topic. Would have never thought of it myself.
Very important topic and fantastic pointers!