How to Introduce Pets to a Baby

Your child is the most important thing in your life. Babies are really fragile and can be hurt real easily. Introducing them to the family pets should be a very slow process and your pets should understand the rules that are associated with the new baby.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

How to Introduce Pets to a Baby

1. Keep the new baby away from the animals for the first few months they are home unless you are right there to monitor everything. Waiting will help ensure the safety of your child as they have gotten older they will now have more movement. If they are being smothered then they will be able to turn their head by themselves.

2. Take your time and go real slow with this introduction process. Babies, especially newborns, are easy for pets to harm unintentionally. Any moment from a hyper dog can lead to an accident where your child might become injured. This will be no ones fault, but the baby will suffer because of it.

3. Let your pets sniff and get a feel for the new baby. If they are growling and showing aggression scold them and let them know this is not acceptable. Some of the younger animals just want to play. This is not a good idea because the baby is still too little; pets need to know that they cannot do this either.

4. Keep introducing the animals and the new baby over a period of time so that they can get used to each other. The more your pet sees the baby, the easier it will be for him to learn the rules and for everyone to get along. This process will have to be repeated until the baby is older and can move on her own; by then, everyone should know each other well.

5. The animals will grow to love this baby and the baby will be attached to the animals. When the early relationship between pets and babies goes slowly, they can get to know each other better and it will cut down on a lot of unnecessary problems. Before you know it, they will be playing together everyday and be best friends.

Tips & Warnings

• Never leave a newborn baby unattended with your pets.
• Cats have been known to smother babies for their milk be sure to keep your cats away from the newborn baby.

[sweetheart8148]

on 6/7/2009 Cats are NOT known to smother babies for their milk! OMG, lets perpetuate another stereotype so that cats can be demonized again.... You should NEVER leave your child alone with ANY animal. If the cat is snuggled up on the baby, it's because he's warm and cuddly. Don't let that happen, but he's not trying to hurt the baby!

[kluke82]

on 11/1/2008 very educational and insightful. good article!