Postpartum with Older Siblings: movement and meditation

Life after baby with older siblings presents its owns particular joys and challenges.

In truth, when my third was born with siblings aged 2 and 4 years, I make the joke that every newborn should come with a 4 year-old. She was so capable and helpful, rocking the cradle so I could take a shower, finding the pacifier when I dropped it, grabbing a clean diaper when needed, and more.

One of the biggest challenges for me newly postpartum was finding ways to meet my older kiddos needs for boisterous activity, when I felt like snuggling in with little one and staying put.

Here are a couple free resources we make use of now when indoor fun is needed that work great for older siblings with a new little one in the house.

Cosmic Kids Yoga
​Free on YouTube, this channel combines narratives your kiddos may recognize with easy to follow yoga poses. And, the channel also offers some guided meditations, which can be great if you need to bring the level back down to calm in the house.

GoNoodle
​These playful combinations of movement and rhymes or song can definitely make a dent in the wiggles. And, I've found myself busting out some of these when we are waiting in line or in a less than ideal situation and my kids need to focus their energy - some of our favorites include Purple Stew and Pop see ko.

Simple Games
Having a short list of simple games to play can make it easier to snuggle baby in the rocker or carrier and keep kids occupied.  Simon Says, Red Light/Green Light, Freeze Dance, and any other childhood favorites can be great tools.

Looking for other tools to keep older sibs entertained? Read about how we use audio stories and art tutorials in our postpartum toolbox.

Looking for more support in the days and weeks postpartum? Head on over to Nested Mama and learn more about in person and online support services.