Dear pet parents, this is your fur-baby writing the blog. The two of you have been amazing parent and now I can’t wait to be an equally amazing sibling to the tiny hooman who will be joining us soon. Yes, I know it (coz even before the baby starts kicking, I can sense his/her presence) after all your belly has not grown in size because of gorging on food all day, right?
Here are a few things you need to remember before you introduce me to your new ‘pet’:
Prep me up!
I know you have been very excited to show me your baby. But you need to take things slow! Let me sniff the crib, the new furniture and other supplies … well before the bundle of joy arrives! You will also need to acquaint me with the sounds of the baby crying, laughing, etc.
Some space, please!
Some of my furry friends have anxiety which might slow down the bonding process! As a smart parent you need to create baby-free zones for pets to retire in. Intervene if you see toddlers pulling our ears, poking our nose or giving us bear hugs. For effective management you can also place baby gates between us!
Make room for some boops and cuddles
Do not restrict pets from entering your baby’s little fortress! The more areas we get banished from, the more interesting those areas become to us ;). So if your purr-fect cat wants to enter your baby’s nursery, let him/her enter. You can place our bed in their room, or simply let us sit on your lap for some cuddles as you read a bed time story to the baby. After all we’re siblings, aren’t we?
Pets come first…
Getting a pet home right after a baby? You need to paws and rethink your decision. There will be 2x more poop to clean, 2x more training to be done, 2x more energy needed (for nonstop play)! AND 2X MORE CHAOS!
On a concluding note (as I put my paws up) here are some benefits that our unspoken bond can have on your little one:
- We pets form a deep connection with babies
- Teaching babies to brush our fur, give us food and replenish our water bowl makes them more responsible
- Having a pet around will boost your cherub’s self-esteem and emotional intelligence
Ok, that’s it from me (and all the other pets!). Time to bow-wow out!
