train Chances are, your pets are already onto you. As your baby bump grows, your pet will probably get a sense of what’s going on. That’s not to say they won’t be jealous, though, especially if they’ve been the “babies” in your life until now. To keep your dogs, cats, or other pets from getting too stressed when the baby comes home, try these tips:
1. Make some racket
Babies make lots of new sounds. Turning on your infant swing or toys that make noises (or even playing recordings of babies crying) can help your fur babies prepare for the baby’s arrival.
2. Establish boundaries
Don’t let your pet to climb onto baby’s furniture or blankets. Cats, especially, like curling up in the crib. If your cat does this, remove her and keep the door to the baby’s nursery closed.
3. Bring in the babies
Inviting friends to bring over their new babies may help your pets get used to having an infant around, and will allow you to see how your pets react to babies. Be sure to monitor them closely and look for any sign of biting. Babies are small and it won’t be difficult for your fur babies to grab onto a new baby.
4. Stop bad habits now
Train your pets not to jump on the crib, jump in your lap without permission, or engage in potentially harmful behaviors like jumping, swatting, or nibbling. Keep a close eye on your pets when you invite your friends over to bring their babies to how they react to a small human being.
5. Ignore them sometimes
Since you’ll probably be spending less time taking care of your pets once the baby’s around, you can help them adjust by slowly spending less time with them now. It might be tempting to get in as much cuddle time as possible before the baby changes the situation, but gradual change is much easier on an animal than just cutting them off when you bring home your new baby. Your partner can also help out by forming a stronger relationship with the pets.