After nine long months, you are about to meet your little one. By now you probably have their room all set up, a car seat for the car and some adorable clothes picked out. You surely want to do what is best for your child, and if you are a pet owner, there are a couple of extra things to get prepared for. Have you considered how you will make this transition go smoothly for both pet and baby? Below are just a few suggestions to help make welcoming your new bundle of joy even easier at home.
Let your pet smell baby clothing.
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When we got home with our brand new son, we immediately dropped his newborn hat on the ground for our dog to sniff. After being away for a couple of days, she was eager to play and so say “hi” to all of us. Allowing the dog to sniff the baby hat was an easy way to inform the dog of the babies presence.
Introduce your baby to your pet.
This might sound silly but allow your pet and baby the opportunity to meet. I only suggest putting your newborn child close to your pet if you trust that they will be on their best behavior. Ideally, you know your pet best, and it’s a judgment call, you must make early as a new parent. The last thing you want to do is keep the new and exciting “toy” away from your pet. This could cause mischief on behalf of the dog. Let them know the baby is finally here and allow them time to acclimate.
Take care of pet issues before bringing baby home.
This article primarily focuses on making the transition easier on your pet, but you also want to do what’s best for your child as well. Look into ringworm treatment for dogs if your dog has any skin issues or simply make sure your pet’s nails have been trimmed before arriving home. The last thing you want is for any family members to get sick or injured by your pet.
Remember your dog needs attention too!
With the new baby coming home it’s really easy to forget about your pet. Besides the obvious chores such as feeding them and taking care of their bathroom needs, make sure to play with them. If you have been gone several days, they are likely to be really excited when you return. Try to give them the attention that you are used to you giving them. The last thing you want is for your dog to feel resentful towards your child and get jealous. Remember that your dog is a part of your family too. Share the excitement of bringing home a newborn baby with them too!
