Baby Girl Sussex is coming, so what’s big bro Archie to do?

“You can pretend to change diapers or how to peek into the crib or bassinet quietly to see if the baby is sleeping, or how to be gentle with the baby,” Egger said. “When you play, also let your little one take the lead. You will learn things about their feelings.”

Because of COVID, hospitals and doctor’s offices often don’t allow children at mommy’s check-ups or visits after birth.

“So the first thing to think about is to prepare your child for mom being at the hospital. Just as you pack a mom’s birth bag, you might consider packing one for your toddler at home with some special toys and a special card from mom that says, ‘I love you,’” Egger said.

Caitrin O’Sullivan in Red Bank, New Jersey, has been through it a time or three. She recently gave birth to her fourth child. Her oldest is 5. This time, there were fewer opportunities to bring her older kids into the process due to pandemic restrictions.

“But one of the pros is we’ve been home with the kids, and there’s been a lot more time to talk to them about mommy’s belly and this and that,” she said.

She used a phone app that includes videos of fetal growth, and she bought a handheld device for the kids to listen to the baby’s heartbeat at home.

“And once the baby is home, I’d say the biggest thing to do is carve out that one-on-one time for the older kids, especially if they’re Archie’s age, because they don’t fully grasp and understand and rationalize what’s going on. They just know they’re not getting the special attention they used to get,” O’Sullivan said.