Helping Pets Adjust to Baby
Is your pet treated like a member of the family? Do you shower your dog or cat with affection the minute you return home from work? If so, the baby's arrival will signal a definite change in the dynamics of your relationship. If Fido is used to greeting you and having a little game of Frisbee, imagine how he might feel when you start heading for baby's room first and merely pat him on the head.
The next thing you know, you have a contented baby but a pet who has begun exhibiting some annoying new habits: Suddenly your cat starts urinating on the carpet or your well-behaved dog starts chewing up your shoes. What does this bad behavior mean? In a nutshell, it means your pet is jealous.
A Smooth Transition
Believe it or not, there are plenty of ways to get you (and your pet) through this new transition smoothly. For starters, you must watch any interaction between pet and your infant carefully, especially if this is the first interaction of its type for both. Check for signs of aggressiveness, and if you see any, keep the interaction limited until more time has passed and the two seem better acquainted with one another.
Help your pet get used to the idea of a new baby in the house by letting the animal get used to the baby's scent. If he seems interested in doing so, let him sniff everything from baby's nightshirt to the rocking chair.
Create “Special Time”
Create a new “special time” with the animal, just as you might with a sibling. Your pet needs to know that she is still special to you, even though you have new responsibilities.
As a good precaution, never let your pet and the baby be alone together, for any period of time. Close the baby's door during naptime or crate the animal. Some parents use baby's naptime as their “quality time” with their pet, and a pet would hardly complain about that.
Essential
Getting into a new routine is half the battle. You can circumvent some problems by working with your pet before the baby is born. You could, for instance, involve the pet in the decorating of the baby's room, particularly by letting the pet smell every piece of furniture and perhaps by letting it sit on the baby's rocking chair. Also, before baby is born, it would be a good idea for you to take your pet to the vet for a routine checkup — just to make sure the animal is healthy.
Keep Up with the Basics
Practice regular grooming and cleanliness measures with your pet. Don't let litter boxes fill up, and check regularly for fleas. Take your animals to the groomer if you don't have time to maintain their cleanliness yourself. For hygienic purposes, anyone playing with the pet should make sure to wash his or her hands before handling the baby.
Respect Your Pet's Feelings
The most important thing to keep in mind is that although there are plenty of folks who don't think that animals have feelings, they truly do. They know from the time you announce your pregnancy that change is in the air, because your attentiveness to them is affected from that moment on. As you become consumed with thoughts about the new baby, your pet may be pondering his position in the roost. Being aware of your pet's needs and tending to them in a caring, sensitive manner may be all you need to do to preserve the peace.
