Dogs in bed when baby comes?
 

I just wondered what others have experienced with having yorkies in their bed and then having a new baby in the same bedroom. Did you ban the dogs from the bed or the entire bedroom or did you keep the same sleeping patterns and learn to adjust to both dogs and baby in the room. At this point I need to make a choice so we can all adjust if they are to be moved out of our bed. I'm not sure if it's feasible to keep them sleeping with us and also have Luke in our room sometimes nursing from our bed.

What would you suggest? Doggies have a very hard time being seperated esp Bentley. He has accidents in the night when he's not in our bed with us and he pants like he's having a panic attack. Not sure how to adjust him to the changes should I decide he needs to sleep in his own space.

Thanks for any advice.

IDK because I had my baby first. But my little man was very colicky and he had GERD so he puked a lot and would get choked so he had to sleep with me so I could make sure he wasn't choking. I suggest sending your HD home with something with the new babies smell on it so the dog's could be getting use to it before actually bringing the baby home! Best of luck!!!

Would it be possible to keep them in the room, but off the bed? Like in kennels or an expen?

i tried gating them in our bathroom area so they could see us but not be in the bed last night and that's when Bentley starting his panic attack panting. i waited awhile and he never really settled so i moved him to just outside our door gated in the hallway and he eventually stopped and went to sleep, but in the middle of the night i checked on them and he'd peed on the carpet all over. :( i don't know which is easier. i might try them in the hall bathroom tonight. close enough but not on carpets. it's just super hard because Mike and I miss them not in our bed at night too. we're wondering if they'll just adjust to Luke in the bedroom and sometimes in the bed with me or if i'm being selfish and they need to be in their own space not waking up all night with Luke and us. What sounds best for them?? I also have crates, Sadie does fine in hers but Bentley cries and will poop on himself and make an awful mess in his at night. :( poor puppy mill dog :(

Here is my "plan" ;)

I have a bassinet we plan on using in our room once he comes home. I will nurse him, change his diaper, and lay him back in the bassinet each night. I don't see the girls being a problem. Cooper sleeps like a rock at the foot of the bed. However, she also has no problem sleeping in her crate, which she does often. If things get too crowed or there is another problem, Cooper will be fine spending nights in her crate.

Maddie is the one I worry about adjusting to the baby the most. I want to keep things as normal as possible for her so she doesn't feel that we are "replacing" her with a baby. I fear changing her routine after 4 years would send her into a frenzy. I put her out of the bed one night I was not able to sleep comfortably with her curled around my legs, and she peed and pooped outside the door. I believe she has anxiety when it comes to change.

IMO, I think your bedroom should be off limits. If you can't or don't want to do that, I would not let them on the bed. It is respect for the human pack leaders. Mommy, Daddy and baby allowed on the bed. Doggies on the floor. Crate or x-pen is a good idea, so they don't get stepped on at the 2 am feeding. I always put my children back in their cradle after the feeding. I was worried about rolling over on them. New parents are so sleep deprived, less to deal with is better.

while i agree with putting baby back in cradle (pack n play bassinet) I don't agree with any type of pack leadership type mentality. we are a family all of us together. my dogs have always slept in our bed since they were first with us. they know they are dogs and that they aren't like our bosses or anything, but i certainly don't feel that they have to be banned from the bed because i'm their "pack leader". if i ban them from the bed/bedroom it's because i'm worried about THEM getting enough sleep and being comfy. it's not about me.

that's how i'm feeling Amanda. Bentley and Sadie have been in our bed for two years. they don't know any other routines and i'm scared that i either need to change routines now for the next 20 weeks or not at all so they don't feel baby as a threat to their place in our lives. maybe we'll just keep things normal and i can go into the baby's room in my glider to nurse or prob up on pillows and use a boppy. that way they don't trample on baby laying down but don't have to be in another room either. i think Bentley may start sleeping under the bed because he does that half of the time anyways. he just hates being forced into cages or gates :(

My mom had her dog when my sister was born (4 years ago) and nothing really changed. Their dog stayed in their bed, she was fine. Jealous of the baby at first but she adjusted well.

My aunt had her baby 2 years ago and her Pit Bull still sleeps at the foot of the bed, but they have a HUGE bed lol.

Ummm... let's see, who else have I experienced? Oh, my dad and stepmom still had our Golden Retriever when my almost 8 year old brother was born and she continued to be in their bed/room. My lawyer's Boxers that I used to watch also stayed in the room/bed when baby was born.

Yeah it just worked out for all of them. The dogs never changed anything. When the parents got up with the baby, dogs just slept through it, or followed them from room to room. I think of it this way, there has been nights where I had an upset stomach or something is out of norm and I'm getting up throughout the night and Jackson just stays in my bed, then I crawl back in, and go back to sleep. I know that's different than a baby, lol, but just saying.

It's just never really been a big deal for anyone I knew with a baby. Dogs adjust very well most of the time and are smarter than we give them credit for. :)

THANKS BRIT! That's kinda what I was hoping to hear from someone. No changes and everyone just got used to the baby crying and sleeping through it. I don't really think I have the heart to make them move. Esp how Bentley pants. It broke my heart hearing him panic. He's under the bed half the time anyways, he just hates to be confined. Whew i really feel better. I think the dogs will learn to be gentle and not step on Luke and i think Luke will learn to LOVE LOVE his doggies. :p You made me feel lots better!!

I think your pupsters will do what Kaji does. Sleep where he wants and if he gets annoyed he gets up and moves to his house (tent) or his bed. :)

I think ur right. I'll bring their crates and more tent bed options in the room so they can find a hiding place. mite even fix up a bed under my bed for Mr. Bentley to hide. ;)

I agree with Brittany... I don't think you will have any problems, and I definitely don't think the dogs should be 'banned' from the bedroom. They should not be treated any different than they are treated now. If you put baby back in his bassinet after feedings, the dogs will not be affected and life can go on as it always has :)

I think it's sad when babies come along and people decide that their dogs aren't as important to them. They are part of the family, and should be treated as such :)

i really want them to feel included in all of baby's day. helpers they are all the normal days, helpers they will stay through baby and toddler years.

I thought of Maddie when I read this. She gets her sleep all else be darned :rolleyes:so if she feels disturbed, I can see her making her way to another room.