For most pet owners, their furry (or scaly) friends are considered family. Don’t stress, sweet mama, with a little planning you can prepare your growing family for a successful transition to welcome baby into a home with pets.
Scaley critters like fish, reptiles, and small mammals like hamsters or gerbils, tend to stay in their tank or cage. Before baby begins to crawl and walk, your life with baby and your pets likely won’t change much. But when baby becomes a bouncing toddler, you’ll need to keep your eyes on them as their excited hands will try wandering into tanks and cages to pet your animals!
A more common situation is if you have four-legged pets like dogs and cats. Below are tips to guide you for, what is hopefully, an easy transition home with your newborn and a warm welcome from your fur baby!
Before Baby Comes Home
Prepare your space
Set up baby’s nursery and allow your pet to sniff around. This will help get them used to the new area.
If you need to relocate crates or litterboxes, do this early so your pet has time to adapt to the change. Play videos of baby noises, crying, and place baby toys around so your pet isn’t alarmed by their squeaks and noises when they begin to occur regularly.
Train your pet
If Fido is a big bouncy dog, now is the time to train your pup to follow your verbal commands, such as “sit” and “stay.” A hand gesture that signals your pup to retreat will come in handy. Practice with a doll to teach them not to bite. Lavish praise and treats on your fur baby for their good behavior. In time, play and fetch can become a fun game with baby.
Additionally, practice new rules for your pet. Train your pup to sit while you put on their harness and click on a leash. Decide whether your family will allow your pet on the beds. Start early by limiting jumping and barking.
Give your dog or cat their own bed on the floor in or near their favorite family members. Consider crate training your pup or kitty so they’ll be comfortable resting in a crate with a soft bed, water, and food for a short while.
Schedule a vet appointment
Make sure that your pet is up-to-date on all their care and have their nails trimmed.
Choose pet coverage for when you’re in labor
Determine who will watch and care for your pet while you’re at the hospital. Set up a meet and greet so they can practice walking and feeding your animal. Show them how to use all your pet’s equipment such as harnesses, leashes, water and food bowls. If needed, consider whether you want to board your pet at a facility, with a sitter, or your veterinarian’s office a few days before your due date.
Welcoming Baby Home
Allow your animal to sniff baby
While you’re in the hospital, send home blankets with the baby’s smell on them to help your pet begin to recognize this new scent.
Stagger your entrances
Your furry pet will likely get excited when you return home bringing in a whole new person with you.
Wait until your pet is calm to introduce them to their new friend.
Try this! You enter the home first and give your pet a few rubs. Then, have your partner or a friend enter with your baby. Slowly and sweetly allow your pet to come close to baby. If you have more than one fur baby, help them each meet baby one at a time.
Monitor baby and pet interactions
Your pet’s mouth isn’t the cleanest or sweet smelling. Keep baby apart from your furry friends until they’re calm and can gently explore baby’s scents and delicate skin.
Consider using a crate or carrier when your baby and pet are both riding in your vehicle—this is safe for both of them. Build a loving relationship by giving your baby and pet a fair amount of attention together; when baby has a snack, so does your pet. When baby gets a stroller ride, your pup gets a walk alongside. When baby naps, their furry friend will likely want to do the same nearby.
Never leave your baby and pet unattended
Never leave your baby and pet alone together, and particularly without adult supervision. Even the most gentle animals can get overly excited if petted in the same spot for too long, or another type of accident can happen.
Carve out time for your pet
The first few weeks at home with your baby can all blend together. That’s OK. Your primary focus is your baby! It’s still important to spend time with your pet. Make a plan for you, your partner, other family/friends, or a pet sitter to spend some time every day taking your pet for a walk or for uninterrupted belly rubs (or whatever type of petting that your furry friend loves most).
Set up safety gates and poison control
As you babyproof your home, make sure that cleaning supplies for your home are stored in a safe location, like the garage. You want to ensure that your baby and your pet don’t accidentally get into them.
Keep these items safely stashed in a safe space:
- Diaper cream
- Nipple ointment
- Prenatal vitamins
- You and baby’s medications
- Small pieces from baby equipment
Ask a Professional
Remember, you have a team of professionals including your veterinarian to help you as your family grows! Call them or your baby’s pediatric care provider if you have any questions for their best tips on safely transitioning a new baby into your home and life with your pets.
