‘Babies are bits of stardust blown from the hand of God!’ and I bet we all couldn’t agree more. The birth of a child is the best thing that can happen to one’s life. Getting a new born into the world makes your life complete and you will give your all to nurture the little life that is now yours to mould. But if you already have a pet that has been your little baby for a couple of years may not be as welcoming and warm to the idea of the baby. There are a few things you need to take care of before bringing your new born home.
Now days newly married couples opt for dogs or cats to nurture for a couple of years before considering having a child of their own. They usually do this to test their skills as parents or for the sole purpose of having a pet. These pets also enjoy the undivided attention that they get and love being pampered! They love for you to pet them, the occasional tummy rubs and sloppy kisses too! However, sometimes they aren’t very welcoming when it comes to sharing their home with newborns and toddlers.
You may be rest assured that your dog is very loving towards kids and your cat doesn’t scratch them in the face. However, in such cases the toddler is there only for a short span of time. These pets have a default level of patience when it comes to kids. Seldom do you find a dog snapping at a kid for pulling his tail or for nudging his ears! When a baby is brought home, they are seen as a threat sometimes and as an invasion of their territory. So its necessary at times to help them change their perspective about the newborns.
The most common thing you could is to invite your friends who have toddlers over. You can even offer your valuable services to your friend as a baby sitter. The kids will be with you for longer periods so you will actually get a hold of their moods and so will your pets. See how your cat or dog reacts to toddlers being around. Usually there isn’t a problem but if your pet happens to be the extremely jealous kind then you will probably have to do a thing or two more to ensure that feeling of jealousy is dispersed completely.
A few weeks before your baby arrives, you could play baby noises at regular intervals and let your pets get accustomed to it. Also you can leave a few baby stuff around like baby powder, towels, etc and teach your pets that they are off access. Pets love playing with things lying around the house so teach them to differentiate between the baby things and the others. Because your dog might have a squeaky ball and your baby might have a squeaky duck, this might confuse your canine a little and he might think that the toy is his property! So inorder to avoid such havoc its preferable that you keep you baby toys in the baby room and make the baby room inaccessible to your pets. After your baby is born, get the towel which has your baby’s scent so that the pets wont be too excited on your baby’s arrival. Let them get the scent of your baby thoroughly, maybe a couple of days to let them get used to the baby’s scent. This makes your baby’s homecoming easier and more welcoming. The pets will be very observant for a couple days as there is a new member in their family. And eventually wil get around to it and become more accepting about the presence of a new family member.
It is quiet natural, once you baby arrives home he/she will have all your attention. The late night cries and diaper change runs will be taxing. This is when the pets get neglected out and might not feel at home. This is usually when they might act out and their jealously might turn into spite. Usually your pets will lay low and not eat their food at regular intervals. Their appetite might go low. They will vent out their frustration by tearing papers. If you find a chewed furniture or a nibbled heel you will know why!
Animals are loving creatures and the domesticated pets are even more caring and loving. They however will be alert when their territory is compromised. So try to find a balance between the baby and your pets. Do not neglect your pet all together as the implications to that would be more adverse! Always find time for those belly rubs and sloppy kisses. Once your baby is done with the intial vaccines you can slowly introduce your pets to your baby. The pets will be as welcoming and loving to the new addition in the family as it with the other toddlers. It sometimes will take a little more time but soon enough you will find your pets being more protective of the baby than yourself!