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Original poster

Dogs and Newborn babies

27 replies

Youcannotbeserious · 31/03/2008 10:04

I have a lovely labrador and I also am due to have a baby in May 2008.

I have NO issues with the dog around the baby.

I would, however, like some advice on allergies in babies.. Currently, the dog has free run of the house (including my bedroom, which is where the baby will sleep)

i hoover daily and change duvets twice a week, so pet hairs don't really build up but I'm wondering whether it would be better for my baby to sleep in a 'clean' room to start with...

Am I being a bit too precious?

(Sorry to be a bit of a pedant, but I really don't need advice on the whole dog around baby ethic - I am happy with that, I'm just interested in letting the dog sleep in the same room as the baby!) thanks

OP posts:
HassledAtHeathrow · 31/03/2008 10:11

Both our sons were born into a doggy house and developed no probs with allergies. We made some effort to minimise dog's presence in bedrooms but didn't enforce a total ban. Labs shed a lot and I suppose that in theory I would want to have a completely dog-free sleeping room, but I wouldn't get hung up on it unless the baby started to show any signs of probs.

Onlyaphase · 31/03/2008 10:13

Good question and well done for thinking about this now! I didn't think about it until DD was born!

I have two yellow labs who had the run of the house and an 18 month old DD. I thought I would have no issues with the dog hair etc but was horrified to find that after 3 days in hospital with a newborn I was paranoid about dog and cat hair in my home, on my sofa, in my bed etc. This paranoia did go away after a few weeks, but I've not been comfortable with the dogs or cats being allowed upstairs since then. I think there is just something about seeing your tiny new baby dressed up in their new babygro with dog hair on their cheeks that horrified me (and I am a long term dog owner, brought up by dogs etc)

Now, the dogs and cats are downstairs only, and I hoover daily. It is better now she is walking, during the crawling phase I had to hoover more for my own sanity!

FWIW, the midwives I saw at home were supportive of the dogs being upstairs, said it was better for a childs immune system to have this exposure. And the dogs are such good playmates to the baby now, it is just lovely to see.

dizzydixies · 31/03/2008 10:16

our dog has run of house too and both dc have been fine. she is a collie/cocker cross but still sheds. haven't had any issues with allergies but obviously the dog not allowed up on kids bed or ours - although when dh sleeping off a nightshift am not too sure she's not in with him

SirDigbyChickenCaesar · 31/03/2008 10:21

am probably going to get pummeled for this BUT... our dog has the run of the house. he has always slept in our room.
i didn't want to kick him out when the baby came. it would be enough of a change for him when DS arrived.
In the end we all ended up in the bed. not for the first few weeks but eventually. now DS is 2.6 and as far as i know has no allergies.
basically, like anything else you have to do what you are comfortable with.

HassledAtHeathrow · 31/03/2008 10:23

Actually, the key thing is probably keeping them off the furniture, like dizzydixies says.

We do enforce the 'no furniture' rule with our little dog. It keeps hair at bay and teaches them their status all at once.

HassledAtHeathrow · 31/03/2008 10:25

Sorry, just sp[otted Digby's dog-on-bed set up. Didn't mean to criticise that at all. If it works for you then fine. Our dog is chippy and needs to know his place. It is so lovely for kids to grow up around dogs.

dizzydixies · 31/03/2008 10:28

hassled I agree re furniture but I think its dh thats the problem here not the dog lol she doesn't dare go up when its me but I am SURE if I went upstairs now, dh is sleeping off a shift, she's be on the bed and he's either let her or is too sound to notice

Original poster
Youcannotbeserious · 31/03/2008 10:28

Thanks Guys!

My dog does sleep on the bed with me when I'm by my myself, but sleeps on the sofa when DH is home

I could stop him sleeping on the bed, but would really struggle to stop him sleeping on the sofa.... I'm just too much of a wimp and feel for him......

He's 5 now, and has always slept on the sofa or bed - I couldn't change that now!! And, I agree with your SirDigby - it'll be enough of a change anyway!

OP posts:
HassledAtHeathrow · 31/03/2008 10:30

Sheepish confession: When DH is away I sometimes let my dog sleep on the bed with me, despite all my principles.

Original poster
Youcannotbeserious · 31/03/2008 10:33

DizzyDixies:

You are SOOO right... my dog wouldn't DREAM of going upstairs with DH (Even when DH is in the house) but when it's just me and the dog, he's up there like a shot!!!!!!

OP posts:
dizzydixies · 31/03/2008 10:36

is it maybe the DHs we need to be training better

Eve34 · 31/03/2008 10:53

WE had a year old lab when DS was born and he was and is fab with him. DS climbs all over the poor thing and he loves it. Although we now keep him down stairs as the stair gates keep him in place but he wasn't really allowed upstairs. He also sleeps in the kitchen at night, always has.

sophiewd · 31/03/2008 11:09

I am with SirDIgby on this one, dog has slept in our bedroom before DD came along and has enough ishoos anyway that being chucked out would have been devestating for him. We all rumble along fine. Also just a suggestion which we did following a chat with our MW was that dog came in car to hospital when we came home, just so that we didn't magically appear with child.

Original poster
Youcannotbeserious · 31/03/2008 11:27

ooohh... good idea, Sophie.........

We'd thought about our dog meeting the baby outside first (he's much better at meeting new people outside of the house off 'his' territory, IYSWIM... His greeting can be a little too welcoming at the front door!)

But, maybe we should bring him to London and maybe even go for something to eat before we go home?

(Anything connected with eating is a GOOD THING in my dog's book, so I'm thinking that, if for the first few days the baby is here with him, he gets great food, it'll really reinforce the 'positive' benefits of the baby...)

BTW, a RL friend (who, to be fair, is a dog trainer) said that one positive thing that can be done is to express some breast milk to give to the dog AFTER the baby has been fed - so the dog comes to associate quite feeding time for baby as 'treat in store for me' but my dog is such a glutton, I can't see the problem with just giving hima drop of cow's milk which he loves and is far less yucky a thought....

OP posts:
SirDigbyChickenCaesar · 31/03/2008 11:29

our dog was at MIL's place. we came home with baby then DH went and got the dog so that the baby was already in the house.
it seemed to work for us. and we never made it a big deal about the dog sniffing the baby either. this was a new member of our pack and he wanted to get to know him.

Threadworm · 31/03/2008 11:31

When I came home with DS1 my Italian Spinone was so unnerved by the new smells (blood, milk, baby) that he actually backed away from me in fear. It is a difficult time for them.

I made sure dog had plenty of opportunity to explore baby safely. I strongly remember him a HUGE dog inhaling the scent of my 5lb baby fo powerfully that I thought baby would shoot up dog's nostril. All was well though.

Onlyaphase · 31/03/2008 11:34

Have to say I find the idea of giving breast milk to the dog a little unnerving. And wouldn't work for my dogs as if they know there is a treat coming they jump all over me - so we would have ended up with dogs jumping all over me when I was feeding (nodding off in early days). And they would have smelt the milk and got even more excited. Better to give them a chewstick before you sit down to feed.

The other thing is that you can make all the plans you want to regarding coming home after the birth, but please don't set them in stone. My plans didn't include having a C section, and hobbling from the ward to the car, and being worried about the dogs jumping up at me when I got home, which is what happened. It might all be lovely for you,and go exactly to plan (and I hope it does) but not to worry if not.

Original poster
Youcannotbeserious · 31/03/2008 11:38

Thanks OnlyaPhase........

I'm really trying to keep in mind that childbirth may not be anything like the plan I have in my head..........
(And, I agree, breast milk for the dog is a yucky thought.... and the trainer was clear it was after the baby's feed, which I don't think would work for my dog either....)

OP posts:
mistlethrush · 31/03/2008 12:01

We had no problems with our xbreed (might be some lab or retreiver in there somewhere) and ds. Dog is allowed up stairs and into bedrooms, but doesn't spend much time there - has very comfortable basket in the hall and a mat on the stairs which are both good places to keep an eye on things from. Ds doesn't seem to have any asthma type problems, although has had some excema (?sp)issues (inherited from me mainly I believe) though these are not too bad now (ds 2.11).

The dog did get jealous at the beginning - have a good photo of ds asleep after a feed on feeding pillow still on my lap, and dog with chin on pillow, having been allowed to sit on my mother's lap on rug. Generally very positive relationship now though, and very patient dog!

Good luck!

SpecialOffer · 31/03/2008 12:14

No problems with allergies here, and I have a long haired old GSD. He used to sleep in our room, with us, when baby came he carried on. However when baby came along he did eventually move out, as I think we were keeping him up!!

HV and Midwife both agreed it is really good for babies to grow up in a doggy house as they are better in terms of allergies etc.

My son is now 8.5 months old and they get on so well. There has not been any jealousy issues at all.

Good luck!

sophiewd · 31/03/2008 12:27

Onlyaphase, I had a section last time and a planned one in 3 months and was easier greeting dog in car in hospital carpark where he couldn't jump all over me than when I came home.

Original poster
Youcannotbeserious · 31/03/2008 14:01

Sophie - that's good advice for me... my dog tends to be a bit 'jumpy' when greeting people at home...

And Specialoffer!

that made me laugh! I can imagine my dog shipping out of the bedroom because the baby is disturbing his nightly rest!!!!!!!!

OP posts:
pud1 · 01/04/2008 17:16

i have just spoken to my health visitor about my dog. she told me that there is less chance of my dd developing any allergies to pet hair if she is bought up with a pet from birth

justwaterformethanks · 01/04/2008 17:50

Threadworm ......italian spinone mmmmmmmmm,wonder if you fancy swapping him/her for a fully fledged teenager ,comes with all accessories ?
I believe (could well be wrong ) that children born into pet owning homes are far less likely to develop allergies , i presume due to the 'what doesnt kill you cant harm you 'theory

bethoo · 01/04/2008 17:58

when i bought my newborn home it was to two boxers and two cats. as far as i am aware he has no allergies. having dogs builds up the childs immune system. also they used to sleep on the bed but as i cio slept for a while i was not going to risk waking up next to a dog with a pair of legs poking from underneath him! to be honest having boundaries actually improved my dogs behaviour and i felt they had more respect for me. when a dog has no boundaries he thinks he is at the top in the house heirarchy.

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