They may also begin to rock their bodies, particularly when they go to bed. This is apparently akin to the need to suck the thumb. A spell in the rocking chair with a parent, and a bedtime story, may also help. Older sisters and brothers are a wonderful asset to a child's development, providing the infant with stimulation and companionship that parents can never offer an only child. They are examples for a baby to copy, and older siblings can offer immeasurable help to a busy mother in caring for an infant.
Siblings can also, however, be a problem and even a hazard to a young infant.
If a sibling is a preschooler, the introduction of a baby into the home may be cause for jealousy, hostility, and competition. Parents should try to channel these emotions into harmless or even beneficial outlets. Siblings often want to touch or poke a new baby. Unless they jab extremely hard at the eyes, mouth, ears, or urogenital region, there is little chance of harm. In fact, as soon as the sibling begins to show interest in a baby, it is a good idea to examine the baby together, showing the sibling how to stroke and cuddle the baby gently.