# Adjusting to a New Baby



## puppylucy (Jan 8, 2005)

Hey girls. Hopefully the title of my post made sense I wasn't quite sure how to word it. I'm expecting a baby girl in August. Lucy has never been around small children and she is a very spoiled dog. She is, as I'm sure most of your furbabies are, OBSESSED with attention. She's already started acting differently since I became pregnant (but in a positive way)--more protective of my, snuggles against my tummy, and is just even more enamored with me than usual :wub: My problem is -- how will she deal with a new baby coming and getting all the attention? I really really want them to have a great relationship but Lucy has NEVER been around small children and she's quite a barker when somebody new enters our home. Have any of you had to deal with this situation--the dog came first and then you had kids? Does anybody have any comments or advice? All feedback is appreciated...my OB recommended giving Lucy one of the baby blankets (with the baby's smell on it) so she can smell it and get used to it so she "recognizes" my daughter when we bring her home from the hospital....but other than that (and I don't even know if that willl help) I am at a loss. Appreciate your help ladies, xo!!!


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

Congratulations! You should really PM Gena (lillady) if she doesn't see this post. She has a 3 month old little girl and Kosmo is just wonderful around his little sister!


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

I cannot speak from personal experience, but here are a few things I would do:

-Set up as much of the baby furniture, swings, supplies, etc, as early as possible so that the only "new" thing around when the time comes is the baby. Dogs are very sensitive to change, and having her already be familiar with the crib & other furniture/supplies will help her adjust properly beforehand.

-Buy a doll or two and treat it like your baby. Carry it around, teach her to sniff it but not paw or stand on it, etc.

-Perhaps start to desensitize her to a baby's cry...play a cd for a few minutes per day with baby sounds...That's a wild thought, but it might help her not get startled when she hears the new baby.

-I like the idea of giving her a blanket with new baby's smell on it.

-Make sure you give her 1 on 1 time with you after the baby arrives. Cuddle with her without the baby in the room sometimes so she doesn't feel replaced.

-Keep a schedule, and try and keep almost everything the same way it's always been. Continue to go on your normal walks, etc. as much as you can.

-Relax and be happy -- we all know our furbabys can sense when we're stressed or unhappy.


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## 3Maltmom (May 23, 2005)

QUOTE (Bonnie's Mommie @ Apr 5 2009, 11:06 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=757965


> Congratulations! You should really PM Gena (lillady) if she doesn't see this post. She has a 3 month old little girl and Kosmo is just wonderful around his little sister![/B]



That's what I was going to say!!! Thanks alot, Linda!! Now I have no advice :huh:


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

I think it will all fall into place. :wub: There are rare occasions when it doesn't work , but I think Lucy will just adjust.
They just know that this bundle of joy is now a new part of their family, I have seen it with friends all the time.
I would, like suggested, do a little preparation so Lucy will not be so taking a back from this change, but I really think she will adjust.
I would just see her reaction and let Lucy have the most interaction she can have with your new baby.
DO you have a friend who has a newborn, not a toddler but a newborn or up to 4 months old?
If you do then why not ask her to come by and see how Lucy reacts? 
I have no other advice, but I wanted to say congrats and all the best to you and your family!


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## Hunter's Mom (Dec 8, 2008)

My mom did just what your OB said. When my little sister was born my stepdad brought a hospital blanket that she was wrapped in home and let our dog sniff it and nuzzle up to it. He was also not banned from the nursey and when my sister went to sleep they spent time with our dog. Granted, he also had 3 other kids in the house but we were there when he arrived and we were far from babies.


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## kodie (Aug 24, 2004)

I dont have any advice...  ..but i wanted to say that my bf and me were just talking about this subject this weekend... if i ever had children how do i expect to handle my 2 dogs. Kelsie is a barker too just like your Lucy... she barks at new people and the front door... even sometimes when my bf's son yells. Soo... i wanted to say that the suggestion of desensitizing with a tape of a baby crying is a great idea. I might start looking for tapes of sounds to desensitize kelsie from things. I also want to tell you that i have the same worries you do... i have 2 furbabies so i have double the attention to give... and if i were to have a baby... I just hope i am able to handle it all. My bf says i should start getting my furbabies used to not getting so much attention.. but honestly its too hard. lol.. I am hoping my babies will be like Lucy... very affectionate to me if i were ever pregnant. I wish you lots of goodluck with your pregnancy and Lucy... keep us updated on how Lucy adjusts... it might be helpful for me in the future! :thumbsup:


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I searched for "child" on dogwise.com can came up with some titles.

I highly recommend Terry Ryan's Sounds Good CDs...she has one for babies and a bunch of others that are great. They are available on dogwise.com as well.


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## puppylucy (Jan 8, 2005)

You all had such good advice I really appreciate it :wub: I only have time for a quick reply right now so I'm just saying THANK YOU and I'll respond more in detail tomorrow x


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## Kissi's Mom (Apr 21, 2006)

QUOTE (puppylucy @ Apr 5 2009, 11:05 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=757963


> Hey girls. Hopefully the title of my post made sense I wasn't quite sure how to word it. I'm expecting a baby girl in August. Lucy has never been around small children and she is a very spoiled dog. She is, as I'm sure most of your furbabies are, OBSESSED with attention. She's already started acting differently since I became pregnant (but in a positive way)--more protective of my, snuggles against my tummy, and is just even more enamored with me than usual :wub: My problem is -- how will she deal with a new baby coming and getting all the attention? I really really want them to have a great relationship but Lucy has NEVER been around small children and she's quite a barker when somebody new enters our home. Have any of you had to deal with this situation--the dog came first and then you had kids? Does anybody have any comments or advice? All feedback is appreciated...my OB recommended giving Lucy one of the baby blankets (with the baby's smell on it) so she can smell it and get used to it so she "recognizes" my daughter when we bring her home from the hospital....but other than that (and I don't even know if that willl help) I am at a loss. Appreciate your help ladies, xo!!![/B]


First I would like to say Congratulations!
I can speak from experience to your situation. I am a Gramma to 18 month old twin boys. They and their parents live with
my husband and myself and trust me Kissi (almost 6 now) had never been around kids, is very spoiled and a barker from the word go. When we brought the boys home we never banned the dogs (my daughter has a silky) from the nursery, instead we gave each of them a bed in the boys room. They were almost always wherever the boys were. For the most part when there was a baby on my left shoulder there was a Kissi on my right leg (and my daughter's silky was never far away either). The babies slept through the barking, and we laugh and say they speak "dog" better than English... The dogs love the boys beyond belief. When they were little if one of them cried and we did not get there quickly enough there was Kissi in my face letting me know someone needed my
attention. When I was holding one of the boys and he cried she would get as close as she could and lay her head on his little butt and if that didn't help she would go and get her gumma bone (her favorite possession) and lay it maybe 3-4 inches away from his face...I guess she thought it made her feel better so why not the baby. Our problem now is that Kissi can't even imagine that the boys would want to hurt her so I do watch them very closely and I probably yell "run Kissi run" a million times a day because I
am afraid one of them will fall on her and hurt her, but she has gotten pretty good at being close enough to keep watch on them and still stay out of their way for the most part. Soo that being said, don't leave Lucy out, she is probably cleaner than most people and if given the opportunity will open her heart to your little one and be her best protector. Let her give gentle sniffs and kisses and let them bond from the very beginning. 

good luck,
Linda


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## puppylucy (Jan 8, 2005)

QUOTE (LJSquishy @ Apr 5 2009, 11:25 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=757974


> I cannot speak from personal experience, but here are a few things I would do:
> 
> -Set up as much of the baby furniture, swings, supplies, etc, as early as possible so that the only "new" thing around when the time comes is the baby. Dogs are very sensitive to change, and having her already be familiar with the crib & other furniture/supplies will help her adjust properly beforehand.
> 
> ...


This advice all sounds great!!!!!! (apart from the doll idea, I see where you're going with it but my Lucy would see it as a toy....not a good plan LOL). I've started setting up some things around the house to give her a good long time to adjust. Put up a big old bouncer, she didn't like that....ran away from it when we were setting it up LOL! We'll be setting up the nursery in the next month or two so that should help. I've scattered various baby items around the house, I think getting her used to the new things is an _excellent_ idea. :thumbsup: The recording of the baby crying should hopefully help. Thought I wish I could desensitize my daughter to Lucy's yappy barks!! Ha I guess she gets a pretty good sample from the womb

I really appreciate you taking the time to give me these suggestions. I'll definitely let you know how it works!!!:wub:


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## puppylucy (Jan 8, 2005)

QUOTE (Bonnie's Mommie @ Apr 5 2009, 11:06 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=757965


> Congratulations! You should really PM Gena (lillady) if she doesn't see this post. She has a 3 month old little girl and Kosmo is just wonderful around his little sister![/B]


Thanks for the congrats :wub: Would she be a little weirded out if I just PM'ed her out of the blue???


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## puppylucy (Jan 8, 2005)

QUOTE (I Found Nemo @ Apr 6 2009, 04:25 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=758018


> I think it will all fall into place. :wub: There are rare occasions when it doesn't work , but I think Lucy will just adjust.
> They just know that this bundle of joy is now a new part of their family, I have seen it with friends all the time.
> I would, like suggested, do a little preparation so Lucy will not be so taking a back from this change, but I really think she will adjust.
> I would just see her reaction and let Lucy have the most interaction she can have with your new baby.
> ...


Thanks so much for your positive advice [wub] Makes me a lot less stressed about the whole situation.... She has been around babies occasionally and she either barks alot or just ignores them. Thanks so much for the congrats x


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