Will your pregnancy affect your pet?
June 30, 2008 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Women's Health
In many families, pets are like children; they’re an integral part of the family unit. So, like children, these pets can be affected – and not always for the better – when you become pregnant.
Pregnancy can take attention away from the pet, albeit not intentionally. But if you’re having a hard pregnancy, lots of morning sickness or the need for bedrest, for example, you may not be able to do as much with your pet as you are used to doing. And then, of course, comes the baby’s birth, displacing the pet in the family order.
HealthDay offers some tips for you to prepare your four-legged friend: Health Tip: Preparing Your Pet for Baby
Images: Marijke Durning & Newscom
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This is so interesting – I actually brought this up to a very pregnant friend yesterday afternoon. I was teasing a little when I asked her what they were doing to get their (a little spoiled and much beloved) cat ready for his new baby brother. And she told me all about the things that folks had recommended to them, like play tapes of babies crying to get him acclimated to the sounds that will soon fill his world.
One of the biggest things that people miss is that it’s okay for your pet to smell the new baby. Thoroughly even. I’ve seen so many jerk their baby away when a pet is simply curious. Here’s this new thing that steals all the attention and the poor animal can’t even check it out.
We have three med-large dogs in the house, and I didn’t do a ton of things to help them prepare, but they seemed adjusted enough. I let them check out the baby’s room after we got it finished, and they got to check out the baby’s stuff.
One of my dogs is a cuddle bug, and while I was pregnant, I often slept on the couch since I was home alone at night, and he would sleep on my legs with his head resting softly on my tummy. I know he got his fair share of kicks!
I don’t foresee any problems when the second one arrives, but we always closely supervise the dogs and the kids. Even if my daughter can stick her whole fist down a dog’s throat with no reaction.