Bringing a new baby into the household can make you rethink your entire home, from top to bottom. Identifying potential hazards and risks can make you feel like some form of OSHA or health and safety inspector, but of course the results will be much more personal and important for you. It’s one thing to experience an accident at work. It’s another for you or your family to experiencing misfortune at home, especially when it was in your grasp to rectify those problems beforehand.
One of the most frequently asked about concerns from new parents will usually involve their pets. Of course, you can close cupboards, you can lock doors, you can install stair child safety gates. But pets can be the true variable. Ensuring you take care of both of their needs, with an obvious priority of your child is important. But there’s no reason why you should have to choose one over the other in your safety practices and preparations. Consider the following:
Size
Consider just how large the pets are that you’re bringing around your newborn. It might be that your greyhound dog is one of the most harmless pets you know, but sometimes they can become excited, especially with a new arrival present. They might not be the best option to house around a child, even laying in a raised cot.
Remember, no matter how good the pets intentions are, a heavy paw or even licking can provide both a physical and hygienic hazard to your baby. If it means you have to seperate your pets and newborn, or perhaps if in the process of choosing a new pet selecting something smaller and with a gentle temperament could be the most worthwhile. You cannot adjust the size of your newborn, but you can decide how exposed they are to the large animals around them, and how well they are protected from accidental injury.
Rooms
Consider that protecting your newborn is more than simply caring for them and their immediate needs. You must consider every little thing. For example, if you possess cats, it can be a commonplace issue for them to try and access your child’s room, jump in the cot and sit on them. You can see how this might be very dangerous. Closing your bedroom doors, ensuring they have enough room ventilation, that each room is kept hygienic and that they aren’t to be scared or surprised by any unexpected noises can have a large impact on their overall sense of comfort, and yours too. Keep in mind this pet-proofing guide for the best success. When taking care of pets, it’s also possible that they will moult, meaning hairballs and general hair follicles around the room are set to increase. This can be a dangerous or harmful circumstance for some children, especially those with breathing issues. Again, ensure that they know how to
Medicines & Irritants
It’s important to ensure that the medicines you utilize for your pets cannot have any affect on your baby. For example, anti-flea medication applied to the coat can sometimes be quite harsh and toxic if your child comes into contact with them, especially if they breathe it in. Again, proximity is sure to be an issue here, so be sure to keep them apart when needed. The same goes for you. Sometimes applying certain skin creams to yourself or perhaps using anything other than sensitive products can impede the health of your child, even if it’s only via a quick hug or something similar. To avoid potential rashes, respiratory issues, and a whole host of other potential problems, it’s always wise to try and consider the medicines in your hope, identify the potential irritants for both newborn and pets, and to always read the label top to bottom no matter what kind of item you have.
Noise
Sometimes, noise can be a problem. Babies are prone to crying. This can unsettle pets that have been accustomed to a certain home environment over some time, particularly if you live in a quiet area. They might not have heard a human being make odd sounds like this since they were born themselves. However, pets, especially dogs and their excited barking, can sometimes provide a fearful noise for the newborn.
We’re not going to suggest you find methods of stopping your baby from crying or your dog from barking, this would be an insane and unrealistic thing to tell someone. However, you can try and find trigger points for both of them, and try to introduce one to the other over the course of time. For example, if you’re aware that your dogs bark loudly when you’re fixing dinner for them, or taking them for a walk, perhaps that would be a good time for your spouse to take the baby to another room. Of course, your child takes priority in these matters, and only for the first few times. As the weeks pass on, they will both adapt to this new aural environment.
History
Consider the history of your pet. Let’s say they’re a rescue dog. It might be that in their past home, if a child was allowed to be harmful or an irritant to the dog, it might have a bad feeling around children. Your loving pet you have grown to love might be aggressive in the face of a child, and they might not be able to help it. It might not be that a specific situation such as this is found, but that you should consider that time they growled towards your neighbors children, or perhaps aggressive behaviors they have had in the past. In other words, be sure never to simply trust your pet and newborn dynamic without any inquiry first. It’s important for trust to be earned in these matters, as an error in judgement has been known to lead to very unhappy scenarios. Most people will have nothing to fear, but a little care in practice can help you sustain the best family home for you.
With these simple tips, pets and new babies are sure to occupy the household with joy.
About Jammie Morey
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