Coping with pets and having a baby.

ymakesmile

My OH and I are planning to start trying for a baby at the end of this year. Being animal lovers we have 3 dogs as well as 2 rabbits and I am just wondering how other people have coped when having a baby to look after and having pets. I must admit it's one thing that has worried me, though I am sure you just find a way to cope with these things. I have tried to imagine what it will be like going for our daily walk with a baby, but I think the easiest thing would be to get a carrier that one of us could wear. Anyway, I just wanted some insight from other people. Thanks guys! :beer:

ali-t

how would you pick up poo with a baby in a carrier? surely the baby would fall out? Can you practice in advance walking the dogs while pushing something so you can fall into an easy walking routine with 3 dogs and a pram.

Kimberley

ali-t wrote: »

how would you pick up poo with a baby in a carrier? surely the baby would fall out? Can you practice in advance walking the dogs while pushing something so you can fall into an easy walking routine with 3 dogs and a pram.

You can get long handled poop scoopers now

MrsTinks

I have 1 dog, 2 cats and a baby (oh and a husband...) - my solution? Dog walker. I'm sorry but there is no way I can walk the dog properly whilst carting along the baby yet and we're at 18 weeks old now.
It may be possible but I think you need to face the possibility that one of you stays home with the baby and the other does the dog walk until the baby is older. Alex HATED being in a baby carrier until she was big enough to hold her head up properly by herself and so could be turned round to face the world. Being the worlds nosiest baby she just wouldn't stay sat somewhere she couldn't see what was happening. I have a good buggy and I can walk the dog along the road with it, but there is no way I could do it in the fields - trying to handle the dog AND a buggy... not a chance!

I guess a lot would depend on the size of dogs too... Mine's a collie/GSD mix so about medium but needs lots of walks.

I manage by having our dog walker come at 10 in the morning 4 days a week and take her out for a long 45 minute walk (they get quite far!) and then I take her out in the evening when my husband gets home from work - letting him have baby time and me some me and puppy time. Weekends we obviously manage as one takes the dog and the other sorts the baby

If the dogs are small then I guess it might be easier - and ditto if they're super obedient... mines semi-obedient lol

MrsTinks

Kimberley wrote: »

You can get long handled poop scoopers now

Yes you can, but they're rubbish I tried one whilst I was pregnant and couldn't physically bend over - nice gimmick, utterly useless

fernliebee

I only had a very elderly guinea pig when DD was born, and I hated having something else to think about, on top of all the baby stuff. Don't mean to put you off though, ultimately it's like everything, you just cope because you have to. Do you maybe have someone who would fancy walking dogs for you for a few weeks or when you need a hand, then if you end up with a C-sec (for example) and hubby is too busy with baby/ houswork/ dinner etc then you don't have to panic.

I do think that ultimately if you are realistic about how much work babies are, then no-one would have one. But we all get by and they fit in to your lives or more like you fit into theirs!

tandraig

a really good baby carrier doesnt tip baby out when you bend over!! I had one for both my sons (wish they had been around when daughter was born). I had a staffy who pooed once a day so was lucky there - my spaniel seemed to poo every time she went out! i had a front baby carrier and it was a godsend. i could hoover, prepare supper, take dog for walk (and scoop up poo in plastic bag) and the boys loved being in carrier. just make sure the baby is secure (hold onto neck area if you bending right over) and baby usually thinks its funny!

Rummer

We had two cats and a number of small animals and you just have to get into a routine that suits you. I found the animals were a fabulous stress relief when things were getting too much!

fernliebee

Oh and re the baby carrier and not being able to bend over, I had a wrap sling and you can bend over fine! You just hold their back as if you were carrying them and use the other hand to poo pick (put on shoes, get things of the bottom shelf at shops/ pick up the change that you have dropped on floor etc ), but then have baby wipes and hand sanitiser at the ready! Lol! Most babies I know who have tried both have preferred slings rather than baby carriers, as they tuck right into your body so feel more secure. Even DD who was a nosy little critter and would not lie down until she was asleep, didn't mind being tucked in the sling, and would instantly drop off!

I walked my friends dog when I was very heavily pregnant (39 weeks) too (the dog is a big GSD cross who pulls like crazy!) and I managed to pick up poo fine!

I think the hardest thing to deal with would be the tiredness of just having had a baby, but if hubby is willing to take on walks for a little while you should be fine.

It's always hard to imagine how you will cope, but you will, it will be hard work but I just think- newborn is the easy bit lol! Once they are running around! ha ha!

buxtonrabbitgreen

Many years ago I had a dog. He would not even wee in the garden, so I had to take him out about 4 times a day. It was not at all easy with the baby in the pram especially in the snow. I wish you well and also agree it would be easier to line up a dog walker, or baby sitter in advance.

Sirbendy

We have 2 guinea pigs (aged 2), and 2 cats (1 and a half, and 2 and a half) - plus a sprog on the way in 6 weeksish now.

Concerned I am...not..:) Piggies are easy and need very little apart from weekly cleans and feeding, plus lots of chatting which they'll get as they'll be in a room off the kitchen.

Cats are house-cats - self amusing, all they ask is clean litter trays (5 minutes every couple of days) and feeding (same time as piggies).

I think we'll juggle them ok. Juggling them and the house move in 2 weeks (PLEASE let sprog stay put for that!) will be the worst bit.