As a Mum to a pet and a baby, I have been thinking of ways to introduce them to each other, but I have also read about so many harmful health effects of this association that have got me.
Based on the things I read, I stopped touching my pets when I realized I was pregnant, I had a neighbor whose little Son had asthma and when he was taken to the hospital, the doctor said exposure to pets could be a major trigger and this got me even more worried.
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However, my little boy is growing to be a very inquisitive one, he would try to go close to the family pet and try to touch her, although I haven't given room for close contact between them, I know it would only take time before they begin to bond.
I have also read stories of other families where the children and pets grow together and have a good relationship. But through it all, I believe caution should simply be applied where necessary.
It has been realized that children trust their pets more with their secrets since they won't be scored by the pets. It is always a beautiful sight to see children interact and play with their pets. Continuous interaction with pets makes the children more responsible as they learn to care for other living beings other than themselves.
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Unfortunately, not all experiences are positive like I feared, children within the age of 0-4 stand a higher chance of being hospitalized for injuries from dog attacks. Pets like cats and dogs enjoy routines and are not usually comfortable with sudden. So, you have to take time to introduce them to the new addition to the family even if it may take time.
No matter how excited you feel about bringing your baby home and introducing him or her to other members of the family, on no account should you leave the baby and pet alone to themselves, that's highly dangerous.
Similarly, babies may get startled at the sound of a pet, the same way a pet may get startled at the sound of a baby, so it takes a lot of attention to get them acquainted with the sounds each of them will be producing at least until the child grows to a reasonably matured age.
Sometimes, separating the both of them would be necessary, which was what I did in my case, considering that smell, sound and everything, I just felt separating them was the best thing.
The child could accidentally do things that would hurt the pet and the pet would want to react too, imagine how the pet would try to reciprocate especially in your absence.
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Allowing your pet to the room where your baby sleeps is not healthy according to experts, any baby materials, toys or cot should not be allowed to be played with by the pet. Allergies or asthma could be caused by either animal fur, feathers, or skin flakes.
The child may also experience suffocation or breathing difficulty from a pet lying close to the face of the child. On the other hand, even the pet may choke on the child's toys.
The most scary part is the spread of infection from pet to baby which could be passed through food trays, water, food, and even faces.
Pets can carry infections and germs that could cause illness in a child, the most commonly noticed illness is that of the stomach. These germs are spread through; salmonella, giardia, campylobacter, and cryptosporidium.
Salmonella is a very common bacteria type, it can be spread through the touching of an infected pet or pet's face and the putting of through same hands in her mouth, and for the kids who love to put their hands in their mouth, you know this is a great risk. Stomach pain, headache, vomiting, high temperature, nausea, diarrhea, and headache are symptoms that a salmonella infection can produce.
A kid having pet allergies could be really serious causing things like sneezing, coughing, itchy and red watery eyes, an itchy throat, mouth, and nose, eczema, and anaphylaxis.
The decision you decide to make with your pet and baby is left to you as a parent, I believe every parent can make the right choice for their child/children. Thanks for yout time, please feel free to leave yiur opinion in the comment section.
For Further Studies
https://www2.hse.ie/babies-children/child-safety/pets/pets/
https://www.fentonrivervet.com/wp-content/uploads/How_to_Introduce_Pets_to_a_New_Baby.pdf
https://www.wearefamily.nsw.gov.au/resources/waf_booklet_resource.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8295854/
https://www.wearefamily.nsw.gov.au/resources/waf_booklet_resource.pdf
https://www.scientiasocialis.lt/pec/node/files/pdf/vol59/77-85.Svensson_Vol.59.pdf
Hi, I am Tobi, a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. If you want to hear me speak about relationships and general life issues, you can find my YouTube channel where you can watch any episode for free, please do not forget to subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here, Kindly do well to keep them coming.
