Anxiety is thru the roof...and my dogs aren't helping! (Long)

whirlygirl00

I think it's a mix of hormones and just getting close to the end.

Pretty much everything is done for the baby's arrival but I'm barely sleeping due to all my anxiety, I've really never had a problem like this before! My brain is going non-stop...how will labor be? When will it happen? Will the baby be ok? How will we adjust at home? and on....and on

To make it worse my friend brought her 1 year old over yesterday who is now walking. We have 2 dogs, just small 20 pound mixes. One is great with kids and we've had her since she was a baby. The other one is fairly new, he's a rescue and just a nervous guy. Well he did not react well to her, I had to put him in his harness and not let him get too close. He's very good with slightly older kids but obviously her size/movements made him very nervous. I think he was partially just genuinly curious but I didn't like the way he was acting and wasn't about to chance anything.

Luckily newborns won't be moving like that but it loooks like I'll be calling a behaviorist once the baby gets a little bit older to work with us and the dog. I would obviously never leave the dogs alone with the baby and they're small so easy to contain if I need space but it's just one more thing to worry about!

Ok that's it, thanks for letting me vent!

kwinkle1980

I have been really anxious lately and a tad depressed, too. I can't pinpoint the reason. I am clinging to DH all the time and I am sure I am not a treat to be around! I cry at everything, take everything personally...ugh! I hope this gets better once the baby is born.

whirlygirl00

RedheadBaker:

whirlygirl00:

Luckily newborns won't be moving like that but it loooks like I'll be calling a behaviorist once the baby gets a little bit older to work with us and the dog. I would obviously never leave the dogs alone with the baby and they're small so easy to contain if I need space but it's just one more thing to worry about!

Honestly, I would call the behaviorist now. The behavior will likely take some time and effort to "fix," and the more time you give yourself, the better.  

Yeah, you're right...I think I'll look into calling one for a quick convo today and see where we should start.

2gr8pits

I just had a chat with a dog behaviorialist on Saturday. Obviously it is a per case basis but she said to start my dog on Sam-E now, it is a natural supplement and may help without the $$$ investment. Our dog has anxiety that was just being treated when needed with benadryl but in the past few weeks she has been more clingy and more anxious. The supplement is supposed to arrive on Wednesday so I am crossing my fingers that it works and that is our solution.

She also said, that the dog will learn the baby's movements as it grows. So it will learn from the laying still newborn stage to the rolling, crawling, walking, running stages and the dog will grow with baby. The one I talked to didn't think that was a huge concern, our dogs are good around kids unless they run then the dogs chase (natural instinct). She said it is a learning process for all.

 She also suggested taking a dog blanket to the hospital and wrap baby in it, then take it home and it is a blanket they are familiar with, so they will smell something new on it. We had just planned on using the 1st icky cap and blanket they put on before they clean baby, which she said is also a good idea.  But the tip I hadn't heard is that she said when we come home from the hospital to enter the house without the baby and greet the dogs just like you are coming home from anywhere else. Then go back out to the car, get the baby and lay it on the ground. Let the dogs sniff and lick and don't make a big deal about it. When they are done then reward them with lots of new toys and treats, this way they know it is something new in the house and then they relate it to a good thing (toys and treats).

Again, this is all stuff that I was told, anyone other animal specialist may have a different opinion, but they are items that I will give a shot. My goal is to have a happy family with the furbabies included, but we will all grow and learn together.