Pets And Their Behavior Around Newborn Babies

Below you will find useful tips that will help you prepare your pets for the arrival of a new baby. Having a baby is an adventure that begins 9 months before you take your little baby home. If this is a family’s first baby, the process can become even more intense. Another factor that can add to the intensity of pregnancy and the reception of a newborn baby is the presence of pets in the home. If this is the case in your family, it is important to prepare your pets in advance for your little one’s arrival.

It is normal and natural for new parents to focus all their attention on their newborn son or daughter. However, this is a problem if there are dogs or cats in the home.

Your pets will no longer receive the dose of attention they are used to, and this can lead to changes in their behavior. Generally, one of two things happens. Your pets may become anxious or depressed.

Pets suffer as a result of changes

When changes occur in a pet’s environment, they notice it immediately. In the case of cats and dogs, it is very common for them to become frightened, of course, due to their curiosity.

Now it is impossible to know how a pet will react – you can only make assumptions. The same is true that it is best to prepare your pets for the arrival of a new baby as this presents a big change.

How to prepare your pets for the arrival of a new baby

Long before your baby is born, you should prepare your dogs and cats for any unexpected situation. Remember that babies are full of surprises and anything can happen when you have a little one in the house.

Therefore, we recommend taking the following actions:

Find a comfortable place for your pet

This is one of the first things you need to think about, especially if your pet is used to running around without any kind of restriction.

No, that does not mean you have to shut your dog or cat away somewhere. But you should try to teach your pets not to stay in certain places for too long. And there may be areas in the home that your pet needs to learn to avoid completely.

For example, if you have a cat, teach your cat to stay away from the baby’s room. Keep in mind that cats tend to bounce on any surface and this is not good for your newborn baby.

It is especially important to teach your cat not to crawl on or sleep in the baby’s bed.

As for dogs, teach them to socialize and be tolerant. Of course, the details will depend on the breed of the dog and the time you spend with it.

There are some dogs that become very protective of children and even sleep at the feet of their crib or beds to take care of them.

Find new activities for your pets

To get your cats and dogs ready for the arrival of your little baby, find activities they can enjoy without your company. This is especially true if your dogs or cats are used to spending a lot of time following you around.

Remember that the arrival of a new baby requires hours of your attention. Your dog or cat can easily feel replaced and become depressed.

Get your pet used to new sounds

Remember your pet has a very developed sense of hearing – much more than us humans. It is very likely that your pet will have to stand model for your baby’s crying for many hours, and this can be uncomfortable.

To keep your pet from getting horrified, you can use footage of crying babies. Another new trick is to have the radio turned on at low volume. This will make your dog or cat hear a certain amount of noise in its environment.

Get your pet used to your child’s room

You may well spend many hours in your baby’s room. Therefore, prepare your furry family members well in advance for this reality.

Get them used to seeing you spend time there. Also, allow your pet to become familiar with various baby items. Let your pets smell the baby’s shampoo and lotion, hear the sound of your baby’s toys and get to know your baby’s clothes.

This way, your dog will understand that your baby is a part of your home.

After the arrival of a newborn baby

Now you know some of the great tricks to get your pets used to the introduction of a new family member to your family. But it is also important to talk about what to do when your baby is already in your home.

To begin with, avoid keeping your pets outside. Greet your pets and give them love and affection. Take time to remind your pet how much you care for it and how good a pet it is.

The first months with your new baby

Initially, it is best to put a gate in your baby’s doorway to keep your pet from entering. When you feel more comfortable, you can allow your pet to enter the room with your permission and company, for a limited amount of time.

When your baby is small, never leave him or her alone with your dogs or cats. Your cats and dogs will not necessarily try to harm your little one, but you will not have any sudden movements that could endanger your baby.

If your dog or cat is not used to playing rough, get them ready for when your baby starts crawling. Remember that your baby does not know how to predict danger. He or she will likely be tempted to pull, nibble or push your cats and dogs out of simple curiosity.

By the time your baby starts crawling, he or she will probably already have developed a strong bond with your dogs and cats. However, you should always be present and monitor their interactions at all times.