Parent-2-be Tip of the Week: Helping Pets Adjust

If you have pets, you may worry about how they will adjust to your new arrival. Here is a tip we received from our pediatrician before our first child was born:

Wash two receiving blankets in baby's laundry detergent and offer one to your pet to smell, rub, and lay on before baby is born. Take the other receiving blanket to the hospital in your bag. After baby is born, wrap baby in the receiving blanket you brought from home. Once baby's scent has well covered the blanket, have Dad or another family member your pet is familiar with take the blanket home a day or so before you bring baby home. Allow your pet to smell, rub and lay on the blanket. This will familiarize your pet with the smell of the baby before baby comes home. This will also help ease your pet's anxiety about a 'stranger' being in the home and begin to ease your pet into the transition of another family member being added to the house.

When you arrive home, greet your pet without baby in arms so your pet knows you still love them and baby is not suddenly replacing your pet. Once your pet has calmed down, allow your pet to greet baby, making sure someone is around the control the pet while you hold baby. Increase baby's exposure to your pet over several days, making sure your pet still receives adequate love and attention. If possible, have someone care for your pet for those first few days while you adjust to the extra demands and exhaustion of having baby home. In no time, your pet and baby will become faithful companions!

Best wishes from our four furry friends!