You got exciting news, you are having a baby. As you look over your shoulder you see your wonderful pets resting comfortably and wonder, what about them? A fear starts to sweep over you that you won’t have enough love for your pets and your newborn child. After all, your pets give you unconditional love without doing anything. You’ve always had animals, in fact you have custom pet art of them hanging on your walls. The good news is most animals adapt well to you bringing children home with the proper introduction and care.
Preparing Pets for a Baby
Introducing a pet to the idea of a baby ahead of time allows them to become familiar with their smell. Once you finish preparing the room for your baby’s arrival let your dog enter and check out the space. Pets are intuitive; chances are they already suspect that something new is happening. While you’re at the hospital, it’s a good idea to take one of the blankets that they wrap your child in and send it home with your spouse. Your spouse can then show the blanket to your dog and let them sniff it. When you arrive home with your baby, your animal will already identify with the new smell.
Spend Quality Time with Your Pet
Having a newborn to tend to, especially as a new parent, can take up a lot of your time. It’s important not to forget your four-legged, loyal friend. Balance your efforts between your baby and pets. Greet your dog or cat in the morning and pay attention to it throughout the day. If you usually take walks with your dog, continue to do so, only now wrap up your baby in the baby carriage and take the two along. When you feed the baby, give your dog something too, like a special treat as a reward for their good behavior. During naps and at night when the baby sleeps, toss the ball around outside or rub their belly.
Baby and Pet Bonding
Once your child is home for a few weeks, it’s important to let your dog know that the baby is the newest addition to the family. A younger dog may jump or get frisky, so you want to remain seated with the baby up close to your shoulder. Petting the dog while you reveal the little bundle of joy will also reassure your pet that they are also special. As months progress, your dog will begin to develop a strong bond with your little darling and in some cases even become overprotective. It won’t be long before you add new photos even a pop art photo of your baby and pet together to your wall.
The Toddler Years
As time goes by your pet will grow closer to your child and tend to hang out in the same room. Young children don’t know the difference between a stuffed toy and a real animal. This is something you will have to teach. Let your child know that pets feel pain too and that tugging and jumping on them is not acceptable behavior.
Your dog is precious and means everything to you and your new baby is a blessing that you cherish each day. Thankfully, you can have a home with pets and a new baby. Just make sure to introduce your pet to the baby’s smell ahead of your arrival, shower them with constant love and attention and reward them for good behavior. Before long you’ll have great memories of the two of them thick as thieves.
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