Bringing Home a Baby to Live With Your Existing Pets

     So you've found out that you are expecting . . . but you already have a furry "baby" at home who thinks she rules the roost. Everything has been well and good until now, and you've already noticed she's checking out that crib and giving you the stink eye as if to say "This IS for me, right?"

Of course you love your pet . . . she is your very first baby. You pamper her with lush pet beds. You stop everything you are doing when she wants to be petted and you even have grown used to your hand growing sore from patting her belly for hours at a time. You eat the generic brand of Hamburger Helper so she can eat the fifteen dollar vet brand of cat food. So it's really no wonder that as much as you adore your pet you are feeling like you've set yourself up for a BIG problem when that BIG belly deflates and a TINY little baby then arrives and steals the show.

Whether or not you like to entertain the thought you've probably already envisioned the worst case scenario and you wonder what you would do if the pet tried to harm the baby. Or maybe you are on the opposite spectrum and simply want to be cautious but yet don't want to think of any extreme measures like giving your pet to another loving home. Whatever the case may be, it's a good idea to begin preparing now so you know how to start introducing the baby now and things you may need to know in the future.

Introduce the Idea

While you can't put your baby in the crib just yet a baby doll is great way to introduce the idea of your baby to your cat or dog. Simply place the doll in the crib and by no means allow it to hop in or jump up on the crib. This will begin the learning process. You have no idea how curious your pet will be until baby comes home so it's ' good idea to put that training in practice now because when baby does arrive having to consistently shew the dog or cat away will be the very last thing that you need. The stress that comes with baby is tiring enough! Trust us, once the baby arrives the things that seem really easy will seem like a major hassle and may leave you a tad bit grumpy.

Never Leave the Baby with the Animal Alone

While it may seem trivial this is very important. Keeping the pet away from the new baby when you are not in the room is vital. While many people worry about the cat scratching or biting the baby, this is actually the lesser likely of scenarios. Because cats are cuddlers at heart . . . they tend to want to warm up to the coziest place. What cozier place than the new adorable baby that she's been itching to love on! Many instances of cats lying on top of newborns have proved fatal while the cats meant no harm. Don't become obsessive but don't be unaware. Be sure to keep baby's door shut when you walk away or go to sleep and instead by a quality baby monitor.

Keep Tidy Hands

Even little hands can get icky . . . and the first place that and goes is to the mouth! So be sure to keep the baby's hands clean. One of the main threats of cats and babies is bacteria. You may recall your doctor telling you to steer clear of the liter box while pregnant and this is still true for baby . . . only because the cat is mobile and so are little hands you have to be on cleaning guard. I she wants to play with the kitty make sure she washes up afterwards.

When it comes to pets and babies, sometimes there is a little rivalry at first . . . but mostly curiosity. In many cases the pet believes the baby is one of hers and she may begin to check on him or her throughout the day and run to see why they are crying. While it may be a little scary right now not knowing how it will all play out, in the end pets almost always end up falling in love with the baby and giving you plenty of "aw" worthy moments in the meantime.