Big Sibling Bags

Big Sibling Bags | Kansas City Moms Blog

When my son was born, I put together some fun things for my daughter to do while she waited for her baby brother. When I found out we were expecting again, I decided I’d put together bags again for both of my kids. Labor and birth are so unpredictable, they may be long or short. Since my kids will be with me during my birthing time, they definitely needed some fun, new distractions. Here’s what I’m putting inside!

  1. T-shirts
    I’ll be making shirts for each child that say “Big Brother” or “Big Sister” (probably like these from Etsy!) I’ve never been one for cutesy things, but the older I get the more sentimental I get. My kids are both so excited that they’re getting a new brother or sister, I want to make sure they feel special and included.
  2. Snacks
    My kids are extreme snackers! We’ll probably have some crackers, granola bars and a few other shelf-stable things. I may even include a piece of candy or something extra special. Since they’ll be home with us we’ll also make sure to stock the fridge with easy snacks (grapes, cheese, etc.)
    Doula Tip: Stocking your fridge with snacks before your baby arrives is a great idea for big siblings and for you as well! Ready-made snack packs are a favorite of mine to make when I work postpartum shifts for families. Things like containers with chopped veggies and pre-portioned hummus or grapes with cheese cubes are excellent for late-night snacking during those frequent feeding sessions without any fuss.
  3. Coloring Books and Colors
    Target has the best coloring books in the dollar spot! Every time I’m there, I’ll grab a couple because my kids inevitably destroy the ones we had. Add some brand new colors and you’ve got a great distraction. We’ll have them color a picture for the baby to give to them when they’re here.
  4. Special Drink
    In our house we mostly drink water so a juice or flavored water is a treat for them. My daughter has also taken a liking to Kombucha, we’ll make sure we have one special for her. It’s always amazing to me how much a drink besides water will distract my kids!
  5. A New Book
    We have a million books at our house but, really, they read them all so what’s a couple more? I’m planning on heading to Barnes and Noble and looking specifically for book about being a big brother or big sister. They love to hear about how things will be once the baby arrives, I’m sure they’ll love reading about it, too!

There are lots of places that sell cute big sibling tote bags but I’ll probably get ones from the craft store and have my kids help paint them. Since we will be home, I’ll probably have “labor projects” set up for them as well (like watercolors or baking a cake for baby’s birthday).

Each time a family welcomes a new sibling they also get to see their children become big siblings. Big sibling bags are a fun project that can serve a couple purposes: making the little members of your family feel special and included and distract you in those last weeks of your pregnancy. Your bags don’t have to be fancy or overflowing, a simple gift just to say, “Today is a special day for you too,” goes so far!

Mallory
Mallory Shannon is a birth and postpartum doula in the Kansas City Metro area, wife and mother of two. She had every intent to leave until she and her husband moved their family downtown and fell in love with the city and the culture. Self-professed coffee addict and foodie, she enjoys all that the Kansas City food and coffee scene has to offer. When she isn't chasing down her one- and three-year-old, you'll find her hitting the Farmer's market, teaching and providing Kansas City's family centered birth and postpartum doula care. You can follow Northland Doula at www.northlanddoula.com, www.facebook.com/northlanddoula or on Instagram @northlanddoula.