One of my favorite parts of being a newborn photographer is witnessing the whole family in those first tender days. That very much includes the big brothers and sisters. I’ve photographed hundreds of sibling introductions over the years. I’ve seen immediate, melting adoration. I’ve also seen toddlers who would very much like me to put the baby back, thank you very much.

What I’ve noticed is that the toddlers who transition most smoothly have one thing in common. Their parents started preparing them early. Not with one big conversation, but with small, consistent moments leading up to the birth. Here are five things that seem to make the biggest difference.

How to Prepare Your Toddler for a New Baby

5 Tips from an Orange County Newborn Photographer

1. Talk About the Baby Early and Often — But Keep It Simple

Toddlers don’t have a great sense of time. Telling a two-year-old that a baby is coming “in four months” doesn’t mean much. What does help is weaving the baby into everyday conversation in small, concrete ways. Point to your belly and let them feel kicks. Read simple books about becoming a big sibling. Look at photos of when they were a newborn and talk about what babies need.

The goal isn’t to build anticipation. It’s to normalize the idea so it doesn’t feel like a sudden shock. You want your toddler already familiar with the concept before a very loud, very needy stranger shows up.

2. Involve Them in the Preparation

Toddlers feel important when they’re included. And feeling important goes a long way toward accepting a big change. Let them help pick out a onesie for the baby. Have them arrange a stuffed animal in the crib. Ask them to carry the diapers to the nursery. These small acts give them a sense of ownership and pride. They’re not losing something. They’re gaining a role.

I always love when older siblings arrive at a newborn session already feeling like a helper. It comes through in the photos every single time.

3. Practice the Logistics Before Baby Arrives

If the new baby means changes for your toddler, try to make those changes well before the birth. A new bedroom, a new bedtime routine, starting preschool — handle these a couple of months early if you can. That way the transition feels separate from the baby’s arrival. Your toddler won’t connect every disruption to this new little person.

The same goes for any changes to your daily routine or childcare. The more settled your toddler feels before baby comes home, the smoother those first weeks tend to go.

4. Carve Out One-on-One Time Before and After

This one is simple but powerful. In the weeks before your due date, be intentional about special time with your toddler. A trip to the park, a movie night, a baking project. Anything that says “you are seen and you are loved.” Then keep doing it after the baby arrives, even in small doses.

Your toddler will feel the shift in your attention even if they can’t say so. Ten minutes of fully present, undivided time can do more than an hour of being in the same room distracted.

5. Let Them Feel Whatever They Feel

Some toddlers are immediately smitten with the new baby. Others are angry, clingy, or withdrawn for a while. Both are completely normal. One of the kindest things you can do is resist the urge to talk them out of their feelings. “I know it’s hard to share Mommy” is more connecting than “You love the baby, remember?”

Give them language for what they’re experiencing. Keep their routine as consistent as possible. Trust that the relationship between your children will unfold in its own time. Some of the sweetest sibling moments I’ve ever photographed happened weeks after baby came home. That was when the toddler decided, on their own terms, that this new person was actually pretty great.

A Note from Behind the Camera

I’ve had the privilege of photographing so many Orange County families in those early days. Sibling photos are some of the most treasured images parents ever receive. There is nothing quite like capturing the moment a toddler meets their new baby brother or sister. That mix of pride and wonder is something I never get tired of seeing through my lens.

If you’re expecting and would love to have those moments documented, I’d love to chat. You can learn more about newborn sessions here.