Introducing Cats/Pets to Baby

[rbp]

I have been thinking about this a lot--we have one dog, a Dachshund. He is super sweet and although he's never been around babies, he's very gentle and I am not at all concerned that he will hurt the baby.

He is a barker, however, so I'm concerned that (a) he will go nuts every time the baby cries, sending me to the crazy bin and (b) will bark and wake up the baby. These are fairly minor concerns, but I expect that I will be a little emotionally fragile in the PP period so I"m not sure if there's something proactive I should do to prepare Biscuit for the baby. We've even thought about having Biscuit stay with my ILs (25 minutes away) for a week or two after the baby is born (they would be happy to have him), but that seems to just delay the inevitable.

All this to say, I look forward to reading the responses to this thread!

[aqualuv]

We have a dog and this is our plan so it may differ from a dog vs. a cat.

1. We will buy a doll baby and H and I will practice carrying it around the house. Hopefully one that makes sounds. We have already played sounds on the computer. We will also place the doll in the crib as well.

2. H will bring home a item of clothing that the baby has worn in the hospital before we bring the baby home so he can identify their scent.

3. I will come in the house by myself alone since our dog will be very excited to see me, having not seen me in a day or two. Then we will bring the baby in.

We honestly aren't too worried about him. He's 8.5 years old. He's very sweet and has already been around children. He knows the command "gentle" and he allows us to pet him or take away his food. We plan to be a active family so he will get plenty of walks and attention along with the baby.

[natsnow]

I think we're just going to wing it. Lol. The cat loves to snuggle, so I'm more worried he's going to try to lay on the baby's face or something...haha. he also meows a lot if you lock him out of a room. We've been using the Ssscat (little motion sensor that puffs air) for that, which helps a lot.

[hokiegirl82]

We have 2 labs, 7 and 9 years old, and they are really needy, attention-whores, so it's going to be a challenge having a newborn and the 2 dogs around. We will be boarding them at their doggy day care place when I go into labor and for the next few days, and will bring them home probably the day we come home, or most likely the day after. I think when we bring them in, we will let them sniff a blanket that the baby has been in so they can get the smell, then introduce each one separately to baby while they are on their leashes, and after they have been fed and played with to get some of their coming home energy out.

I'm not worried that they will hurt the baby, they are both big loveable babies themselves, but I know it will be an adjustment for them having me home for 12 weeks of mat leave, and not getting everything they want when they want it. I've been working on making them wait for stuff to get used to not getting their way immediately.

[thatgirl2478]

We had 2 greyhounds and 3 cats when we brought DD home. I had a c-section so I was in the hospital a few days, so I sent DH home with one of the blankets DD was swaddled in so that the animals could smell her before she came home. It didn't end up mattering because the cats pretty much stayed away until she was asleep and the dogs new better than to jump or be goofy. They were curious but not obnoxious. They were just happy that I was sitting on the couch with them.

[ringstrue]

Cats? no. I didn't want them laying in her bed but it wasn't a big deal. They were too scared of her and then when that wore off she was mobile so they'd regret getting close to her if they tried. They did lay in there when she was older but not when she was in there too.

[bethaboo]

We have a dog but our plan is similar to aqauluv's. I've played a crying baby sound the last couple of weeks so he gets used to it. I'll come in the house first so he can see me. H will bring home something that smells like baby first.

[andthentherewere10]

What is your cat like? Ours is very bold/brave/loves people. He immediately sniffed the baby when we brought him home and now is found frequently hanging out with me while I nurse and care for the baby. I think cat introductions are more touchy than dog introductions because cats can all be so different. That said, we did download a crying baby ap for our phones that we played occasionally to desensitize the dogs and the cat to unexpected noises.

In addition to the cat, we have 3 large dogs that stay inside with us all the time (save for supervised time outside). They are a priority in our life both pre and post baby. We brought home the hospital blanket for them to sniff and only 1/3 cared for it. One thing I read (and the situation was irrelevant with me since I was discharged without the baby) was to visit with the dogs alone yourself when you first get home from the hospital. Your dogs will have missed you terribly and you don't want to combine their missing you with the stimulation of a new person as well.

Two of our dogs are therapy dogs so they were already kid tested and approved. The third dog is just an obnoxious, high energy, boy-puppy but he surprisingly knows to restrain himself around the baby. Our shepherd does run interference, though, when she feels there is too much doggy activity around the baby and she herds the other two away

[amaristella]

We tried to send home an item for them to smell but in typical cat fashion they did not give two shits. Now one cat steers clear of the baby and his stuff. The other one tries to imitate the baby and lay next to him until he gets grabbed then he runs away.

[kershnic]

I worried that the cats would suffocate the babies in an effort to snuggle... in reality they sniff and then steer clear. All we did was closely watch t o be sure the cats learned they were not allowed in the.crib.

[azurely]

I still have a while to go, but for those of you with cats, how did you deal with sleeping at night? Our cats both sleep with us at night, but with the baby in our room for the first few months, is this still okay or should we lock them out at night? My main concern is that they would try to lay with the baby in its bassinet and suffocate it, like kershnic said.

[kershnic]

May 7, 2014 0:40:15 GMT -5 azurely said:

I still have a while to go, but for those of you with cats, how did you deal with sleeping at night? Our cats both sleep with us at night, but with the baby in our room for the first few months, is this still okay or should we lock them out at night? My main concern is that they would try to lay with the baby in its bassinet and suffocate it, like kershnic said.

I'm sure you need to watch your own cats to be sure, but I had all the same concerns. It is part of why we decided not to bed share. Pre-babies the cats always slept with us, including one in the same spot between our pillows. When the babies were born they stopped immediately. They avoid crying like the plague and don't seem that interested in babies even when they're quiet.

[linz]

I'm not worried about when the babies come home, more what to do with our dog when we're in the hospital. Hopefully my dad can come pick him up and take him to their house.


And those with loud dogs, my cousin has 2 dogs that bark all the time and the baby sleep right thru. They get used to it pretty fast.