01/29/2026
Did you know that one of the best ways kids can process events is through play? This is one of the reasons we love including your older kiddos in our appointments and encourage them to play pretend around giving birth, prenatal appointments, etc. As they go through appointments and begin bringing play into the processing, their brains start to really wrap around the idea of pregnancy and birth and what their reality looks like. If your kiddo doesn’t quite understand or get it yet on their own, these are a few fun ways to encourage this processing:
—Play midwife with them and let them help get your baby (stuffed animal or doll) out or you help get their baby out
—Talk about different noises we make in labor and make them together, giggling while you do it
—Read books about homebirth and nursing! There are so many out there with great illustrations and concepts
—Get or make them a doctors/midwives kit! Have things like a Doppler, stethoscope, herbs, and even an IV in there that they can pull out and play with leading up to the birth and even during it
—Watch birth videos together, see how they respond to these, if they aren’t seeming okay with it, even when you talk them through it, having them in your birth space might not be something they are ready for, this should give you a really clear idea on where they are at
—Find dolls and stuffy toys that give birth for them to continue imagining with. Even just getting them a baby doll can go a long way in preparing them for big sibling life
At the end of the day, remember that play isn’t nothing, in fact, it might be exactly what your kiddo is needing as they prepare for their entire lives to change along side yours.