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It’s just been announced: Mummy Pig is pregnant. That’s right – Peppa Pig’s mum is having a baby, and the long-running animated series will be forever changed. In an episode that will premiere – appropriately – on Mother’s Day on 30 March, Mummy and Daddy Pig will break the news to their children that a new baby is on the way, with the show’s forthcoming 11th season exploring, over time, the pregnancy and birth.
The arrival of a new baby, or in this case, an anthropomorphic piglet, is never an easy conversation to have – as I can vouch for. When I first told my daughter Lola, then 18 months old, that I was having another baby in 2018, I was terrified she’d feel left out. Nothing could have prepared me, her or Muggles, my giant golden retriever, for the reality of a new baby. It was as if we were all in suspended disbelief. I’d even tried to back out of the elected C-section saying I wasn’t ready.
I’m intrigued, therefore, to see how Peppa Pig deals with the subject. The show has been accused of gender stereotyping and sexism – once even fat-shaming. It introduced its first same-sex couple in 2022 after years of campaigning for the programme to showcase a more diverse selection of families. Peppa’s best friend Suzy Sheep is the only character without a father, making Mummy Sheep the sole carer like me. But now 21 years after we first met Peppa, her family is growing – and with Peppa herself still stuck at the age of four, it’s well, er, wild!
In the new episode, titled “The Big Announcement”, siblings Peppa and George are wearing saucepans and colanders on their heads when Daddy and Mummy Pig walk into the sitting room. “Your attention, please!” Daddy Pig says, in his authoritarian voice, while Mummy Pig tells them they have something very exciting to declare. “I’m having a baby!” Daddy Pig blurts out, blustery as usual. Mummy Pig corrects him, pointing out that “it’s we”. George lets out a little cry in shock.
In no time, Peppa and George are excitedly looking around the room for the baby – as if it’s plonked behind a sofa. They’re then told it’s in Mummy Pig’s tummy. The conversation takes a potentially awkward turn. “How did it get in there?” asks Peppa, innocently. Mummy Pig nudges Daddy Pig for help and grits her teeth manically.
“Who wants cake?” Daddy Pig asks, changing the subject rapidly. It’s all very lighthearted. Peppa and George then learn from Mummy Pig that the baby has to grow from the size of a grape to a watermelon.
“It’s an important topic to explore,” says Esra Cafer, senior vice President of franchise strategy and management at Hasbro, the company that owns the Peppa Pig franchise. “Pre-schoolers welcoming a new sibling will strongly relate to these new stories and can learn how to handle the new moments … and even only children will delight in watching the ups and downs of having a new baby in the Peppa house.” She adds: “It allows parents and children to learn with Peppa as she navigates new territory.”
Peppa Pig celebrated its 20th birthday in 2024, and Cafer says it was the perfect moment for the show’s creators Neville Astley and Mark Baker to bring “a whole new dynamic” to the family. Is it hard for Peppa to have a sibling? “Like any four-year-old, Peppa will feel all the emotions – joy, jealousy, excitement, and confusion – as she becomes a bigger big sister,” Cafer says. “Facing new experiences with confidence and curiosity is what Peppa does best.”
Peppa Pig is a superstar – and never before has a pregnancy been such a massive deal in a hit children’s animated TV series. It has, however, been broached before – and by this very programme. In the 2011 Peppa Pig episode “Mummy Rabbit’s Bump”, the mother of Peppa’s friend Rebecca Rabbit is rushed to hospital to have twins – and Daddy Rabbit misses the birth because he is parking the car. Pregnancy has also been touched upon in the Australian animated series Bluey, about a six-year-old puppy, which is the current most-watched series for preschoolers.
In 2024, an episode revealed that Brandy, Bluey’s aunt, is pregnant, marking a significant plot development for the character who, it’s been hinted at, has previously struggled with infertility issues. There are rumours, too, that Bluey’s mum Chilli will be pregnant in the show’s forthcoming season, while many have speculated – via clues sprinkled throughout the show – that Bluey himself is a “rainbow” puppy, meaning offspring born after a parent has had a miscarriage.
But while it’s all very well relying on TV shows and books to educate our young children about pregnancy, how do we talk to them about pregnancy?
“A mother’s pregnancy is quite an abstract concept for a young toddler or preschooler,” says parenting consultant Sophie Boucher Giles. “They may repeat, ‘there’s a baby in mummy’s tummy’, but this doesn’t mean that they necessarily understand. Young children learn best through experience and practice, not words, so although reading books and explaining is helpful, the reality may still be a big surprise, especially when the baby doesn’t go away, seems to be the centre of attention and is permanently attached to mummy.” It’s best to be upfront with a child about a new baby, ideally from the second trimester – but, she says, “drip feed info in small chunks, often, and in a relaxed way”.
Every family tells their children differently, but specific mistakes, she adds, include waiting to tell them about a new baby until it’s almost delivery day. Or insisting on giving the new baby all their old toys, which the older child may still be attached to. “Young children won’t necessarily feel pressured to be excited about having a new sibling but they are often very sensitive to the emotions of those around them, so being positive and providing simple age-appropriate answers, if asked, can prepare them for the changes coming.”
Dr Amanda Gummer of The Good Play Guide suggests that instead of a big “sit down” moment, it’s best to weave pregnancy news into everyday life in a way that feels natural and exciting – such as reading books about new siblings together or talking about how families grow. “We often expect kids to be thrilled, but excitement can be mixed with uncertainty, jealousy, or even anxiety,” she explains. “A great way to explore their emotions is through play and storytelling. Dolls, role-play games, or drawing pictures can help them express feelings they might not have the words for yet.”
Avoid common pitfalls, she advises, such as telling them that they could help with the new baby. “While involving them is great, making the baby feel like a responsibility can be overwhelming,” she adds. “Instead, let them explore their own role at their own pace.” Don’t overload them with info, and keep explanations age-appropriate. “A toddler doesn’t need a biology lesson – they just need to know a baby is growing and will join the family soon.” Don’t rush their feelings, either. “Even if they seem fine, big emotions can come out in unexpected ways (regression, clinginess, or acting out). Let them adjust in their own time. The most important thing is to follow their lead, validate their feelings, and make the journey a playful, inclusive one.”
I’m certain this is what will be done in the new season of Peppa Pig at least. In the meantime, I have so many questions! Will Peppa’s new sibling be a boy or a girl? Will they be as big a buffoon as Daddy Pig? Will we be getting a spin-off series? The possibilities are endless…
