Why
Over the years I've worked with countless dog-owning young couples with feelings so strong for their dogs that they could not imagine those feelings could be any stronger for a child. However, when they became pregnant they found released from within an even greater capacity for love. An accompanying byproduct of this heightened state is a fierce, innate, hard wired need to provide the safest of environments for their child. From that moment and for many years to come they know that all decisions will revolve around the impact they will have on their child. That first pregnancy launches a furied time of preparation part of which is includes an evaluation of their current environment from its baby-friendly perspective. What was once just a means to access the basement they realize is now a path of potential danger that must be addressed. What was once just a cupboard to store cleaning supplies is now a reservoir of peril. What was once 'their dog' is about to become the 'family dog' and regardless of their devotion consideration is given to potential for conflict however minor.
Based on past experience some dog owners will be aware of the possibility of jealousy or anxiety however many will not be aware of the potential for either that the addition of a baby can uniquely elicit. Others have little worry about conflict based on malice or fear but much to worry about regarding unruliness. Behavior that could once be worked around; they realize will by necessity need to be addressed. Outside of injury due to unruliness, statistics confirm that an objective eye is warranted and that each dog should be assessed for its baby-friendly status. According to many high profile sources one out of two children is bitten by a dog before reaching the age of twelve and dog bites are greater health problem for children in the US, than measles, mumps, and whooping cough combined. For most dog owners though the risk their dog brings is due more to sheer unruliness than meanness of spirit. However either way intervention before the dramatic change in lifestyle that accompanies the birth of a child is becoming more common amongst dog owning expectant couples.
Myths
My initial interest in infant safety around dogs stems from the prenatal class I took in preparation for the birth of my first son. The nurse teaching the class was asked what precautions should be taken when the expectant parent was also a dog owner. The recommendation offered by the nurse that expectant moms and dads could help prevent future jealousy or anxiety by introducing a baby doll into the house hold, and simulate day to day interaction with an infant. This would entail cuddling, carrying, bathing, dressing, etc. I have read this as well on countless websites and in articles like this one and books. To a layperson this might make sense. However, children's toys, including baby dolls, are made from the same material as is found in many dog toys. After over 20 years working with thousands of dog I can say with confidence that the keen senses of a dog are not going to be fooled into connecting a baby doll with a true baby and thereby acclimatizing it. However some have been known to make a grab for the baby doll as if it were another plastic toy gift from their owners creating unnecessary worry for the parents to be.
Another well-meaning myth is that bringing home an infant's hospital blanket will introduce the dog to its scent and somehow make it easier for the dog to accept the baby when it arrives. Where this advice originally came from remains a mystery but it certainly did not come from a professional. Any behaviorist, psychiatrist or psychologist knows that if desensitization is to have a desired outcome it is a slow incremental process. The idea that a sniff of a blanket might temper the sensory impact that an infant will have is the equivalent of expecting that a glance of the ultrasound image will realistically prepare an expectant mother for her labor experience let alone the impact of all that will follow once she brings her child home. Fortunately, there are much better options to turn to that will help a dog make the transition from being an 'only child.'
Reality - Some Dogs You Can Change But Some You Cannot
Cohabitation between humans and dogs has existed for thousands of years. However, for better and worse, over the last century the nature of the relationship has changed significantly. Dogs are no longer just a means to an end for securing food, herding and protecting livestock, and protecting home and hearth. For many of us, they have become family members. The upside is that a dog is one of the few things that you can pour a little love into once in a while and harvest back an endless stream of unconditional love. The down side is that as well-meaning as we might be, many of the signals we now send our dogs confuse them as to who should be the teacher and who should be the student and without this stability they often unnecessarily develop behaviors that range from the annoyance of unruly behavior to becoming actual safety liabilities.
Expectant dog owning parents should keep in mind that over the last few decades many of the breeding protocols that lead to a physically and mentally balanced dog have become the exception rather than the rule. Also, training methodologies have changed such that many dog trainers now erroneously believe and so advise their clients that even the slightest discipline will make a dog's behavior worse and so they recommend all-positive, all the time training. This in spite of the irrefutable evidence provided by every parenting dog, wolf, ape or human that the skills to survive and thrive in the real world come through both positive and negative. The end result of these poor breeding and training practices is that many expectant parents find themselves with a dog with characteristics that can impact the equilibrium of the household from a child's safety.
Some of these situations can be resolved by switching to a more realistic training model while others where the dog's temperament has been more seriously impacted by breeding and training conventions can create anxiety and concern in the expectant parent. Early Intervention Whether for the Unruly or the Uncomfortable Dog Armed with fact rather then myth expectant parents can assess where and why their dog might need their assistance and how either through their own efforts or along with a professional's develop a strategy that balances their dog's needs with their baby's safety.
I have found in the countless assessments I have done for expectant parents that every household can benefit by learning more on how their dog sees the world and makes connections that lead to joy and anxiety. Sometimes it is as simple as learning how to teach baby friendly obedience such as 'Stay on Your Mat'? or a proper heel and recall so that opportunities to properly exercise their dog and thereby relive its stress can be taken advantage of more often once the baby has arrived. In other situations we discovered that due to circumstances beyond the control of its owners, typically the result of breeding or early socialization, the dog had some yellow or red flag characteristics. In some situations these were addressable, in others they were not. Unfortunately other then the traditional mythical advice outlined above there is in prenatal education very little practical advice for dog owning expectant parents.
The contents of the book, How to Prepare Your Dog for Your Baby ? is a culmination many years of experience working with families and dogs and provides strategies to objectively assess and address real life practicalities that come with babies and dogs living together.
Forewarned is forearmed and consideration as to how a dog and a baby might affect each other should become as an important part of prenatal preparation experience as learning the safest of car seats, cribs, strollers and any other factor that might impact an infant's well being.
John Wade, author of several books including, The Beautiful Balance - Dog Training with Nature's Template' and “How to Prepare Your Dog for Your Baby” He has over twenty years experience assessing literally thousands of dogs with huge ranges in behavior, from unruly family dogs, to the highly anxious, to the dangerously aggressive. His expertise has been used by the courts, Children's Aid, humane societies, municipal animal controls, and corporations. He gives lectures across North America to veterinarians, veterinarian students, and dog trainers. He also has a nationally syndicated pet behavior column. You can learn more about John by visiting his website: http://www.johnwade.ca/
Friday, 30 April 2010
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Welcome Dusty. Actual Home Birth Pictures of Baby Being Born
I couldn't resist adding this beautiful video of the birth of a very cute baby boy.
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Buying A Baby Nursery Furniture
The kind of furniture we select speaks oodles about its look. It is the choice of furniture you make that transforms an empty room into a vibrant looking room. Decorating the room of your newly born baby can be a real challenge if it is your first time. Therefore, you must be extra cautious and make sure that you choose the baby nursery furniture which gives him maximum comfort. To furnish the nursery of a baby, parents need to keep the space available in mind. Cramping the room with furniture may hamper the movement of baby in it.
What does baby nursery furniture contain?
A nursery set generally contains a changing table and a crib. Parents can also buy other baby nursery furniture like swing, rocking chair, high chair, etc for their child. Today, one can find a great variety of readymade baby nursery furniture in the market. You can select a particular theme to decorate your child’s room to make it look more attractive and appealing to the eye. But if you are not convinced with the idea of theme based furniture then you can go for the individual furniture piece.
The convertible baby sets are beneficial in the long run as they can be used even when the baby grows up. You must look out for the convertible sets that can fulfill the comfort needs of your child and suits your budget as well. You must ensure that the baby nursery furniture that you buy does not have any edgy surfaces or areas or it may pose a danger on child’s safety. You should be selective about the furniture color, quality and built so that you only buy the best one for your child.
The crib that you choose must be strong enough with drop down sides to let you handle your child easily. The furniture that you purchase must comply with the latest amendments made by the government regarding their quality from time to time. Beauty of the baby nursery furniture is important, obviously one would not like to pay high price for something that is not beautiful and latest but this factor must not rule out the quality factor. It is recommended to choose branded furniture rather than going with the local one for better quality and guarantee.
So, if you keep few essential in mind while choosing baby nursery furniture than you can surely make a wise choice.
The Nursery Furniture Store features a wide variety of baby Nursery Furniture Sets, nursery decoration products and nursing chairs from some of the UK’s leading brands, including Moses Baskets and Izziwotnot. The store provides a free phone number for contact as well as secure online ordering.
Buying a Baby Nursery Furniture by Helen Sykes
Article Source: Buying a Baby Nursery Furniture
What does baby nursery furniture contain?
A nursery set generally contains a changing table and a crib. Parents can also buy other baby nursery furniture like swing, rocking chair, high chair, etc for their child. Today, one can find a great variety of readymade baby nursery furniture in the market. You can select a particular theme to decorate your child’s room to make it look more attractive and appealing to the eye. But if you are not convinced with the idea of theme based furniture then you can go for the individual furniture piece.
The convertible baby sets are beneficial in the long run as they can be used even when the baby grows up. You must look out for the convertible sets that can fulfill the comfort needs of your child and suits your budget as well. You must ensure that the baby nursery furniture that you buy does not have any edgy surfaces or areas or it may pose a danger on child’s safety. You should be selective about the furniture color, quality and built so that you only buy the best one for your child.
The crib that you choose must be strong enough with drop down sides to let you handle your child easily. The furniture that you purchase must comply with the latest amendments made by the government regarding their quality from time to time. Beauty of the baby nursery furniture is important, obviously one would not like to pay high price for something that is not beautiful and latest but this factor must not rule out the quality factor. It is recommended to choose branded furniture rather than going with the local one for better quality and guarantee.
So, if you keep few essential in mind while choosing baby nursery furniture than you can surely make a wise choice.
The Nursery Furniture Store features a wide variety of baby Nursery Furniture Sets, nursery decoration products and nursing chairs from some of the UK’s leading brands, including Moses Baskets and Izziwotnot. The store provides a free phone number for contact as well as secure online ordering.
Buying a Baby Nursery Furniture by Helen Sykes
Article Source: Buying a Baby Nursery Furniture
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Is Learning the Gender of Your Baby a Good Thing?
Back in the good old days, familys waited until the actual birth to know the gender of their newest addition to the family. Anticipating the gender was commonly a part of the excitement of the babies arrival. Now due to progress in medicine discovering the gender of your baby early in your pregnancy is a relatively simple matter. Then the question you have to ask yourself is... Do you really want to know?
Learning the gender of your newborn before it is born has certain advantages. If your family have pictured a babies room decorated in pastel colors for a newborn girl or race cars for a infant boy, then having knowledge of the gender of your infant will enable you to choose the right nursery scheme you want based on the newborns gender. Since there are numerous nursery themes that are engaging regardless of what gender your newborn is, if you truly want a set design specifically for the gender of your newborn then learning what your newborn will be before the big day helps you to get everything ready before the babies arrival. Knowing the gender of your baby in advance also helps friends and family know what colors to choose when buying the hip baby gifts. They may also choose blue or pink and the more neutral green and yellow. They can also choose blankets and clothing made specifically for the gender of the infant. Which will save you the inconvenience of returning that adorable little dress if you happen to have a boy.
Knowing that you are expecting boys or girls also gives the opportunity to you and your spouse to concentrate on picking a baby's name appropriate for the gender of the child. Choosing a baby name is possibly the most difficult things an expectant couple needs to make and needing to pick a name rather than two can make the process a little simpler. Then again having figured out the the gender of your newborn in advance eliminates alot of of the wonder and anticipation out of those long weeks of pregnancy. When the baby actually is born some parents feel a little sense of letdown though they quickly feel better in the excitement of having this new bundle of joy to love and take care of.
For a number of mom's in particular, there is nothing like that moment of breathless anticipation 'It's a boy' or 'It's a girl'! Especially if you have recieved a lot of cool baby clothes. After long hours of labor and hard work a woman is depleted and tired and there is absolutely no better pick me up than that long awaited announcement.
Being aware of the gender of your newborn ahead of your infant's birth is a personal choice that only you can make. For those who want to experience the suspense as well as the miracle of childbirth waiting to find out your newborns gender is a thrilling experience. For families with a somewhat practical way of looking at life, knowing the gender of your child ahead of time can assist you organize and prepare for it's arrival in every way possible. However you slice it, you will be overjoyed when that little bundle of joy is laying in your arms for the first time.
About the Author: For more information on cool baby gifts visit the author's website for cool baby shower gift sets and cool baby clothes. By Jay Stueve
Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=478343&ca=Parenting
Learning the gender of your newborn before it is born has certain advantages. If your family have pictured a babies room decorated in pastel colors for a newborn girl or race cars for a infant boy, then having knowledge of the gender of your infant will enable you to choose the right nursery scheme you want based on the newborns gender. Since there are numerous nursery themes that are engaging regardless of what gender your newborn is, if you truly want a set design specifically for the gender of your newborn then learning what your newborn will be before the big day helps you to get everything ready before the babies arrival. Knowing the gender of your baby in advance also helps friends and family know what colors to choose when buying the hip baby gifts. They may also choose blue or pink and the more neutral green and yellow. They can also choose blankets and clothing made specifically for the gender of the infant. Which will save you the inconvenience of returning that adorable little dress if you happen to have a boy.
Knowing that you are expecting boys or girls also gives the opportunity to you and your spouse to concentrate on picking a baby's name appropriate for the gender of the child. Choosing a baby name is possibly the most difficult things an expectant couple needs to make and needing to pick a name rather than two can make the process a little simpler. Then again having figured out the the gender of your newborn in advance eliminates alot of of the wonder and anticipation out of those long weeks of pregnancy. When the baby actually is born some parents feel a little sense of letdown though they quickly feel better in the excitement of having this new bundle of joy to love and take care of.
For a number of mom's in particular, there is nothing like that moment of breathless anticipation 'It's a boy' or 'It's a girl'! Especially if you have recieved a lot of cool baby clothes. After long hours of labor and hard work a woman is depleted and tired and there is absolutely no better pick me up than that long awaited announcement.
Being aware of the gender of your newborn ahead of your infant's birth is a personal choice that only you can make. For those who want to experience the suspense as well as the miracle of childbirth waiting to find out your newborns gender is a thrilling experience. For families with a somewhat practical way of looking at life, knowing the gender of your child ahead of time can assist you organize and prepare for it's arrival in every way possible. However you slice it, you will be overjoyed when that little bundle of joy is laying in your arms for the first time.
About the Author: For more information on cool baby gifts visit the author's website for cool baby shower gift sets and cool baby clothes. By Jay Stueve
Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=478343&ca=Parenting
How to Design a Cool and Ideal Baby Nursery
By Jay Stueve
Regardless of whether it is your very first child or you have been through the encounter in the past giving birth to a newborn is a big event in a couple's life. You want every little thing to be flawless starting with your infants nursery. Deciding on a design that will evolve with your child for the up coming few years of his life is an superb way to get going.
There are countless themes or templates to choose from you could feel a touch overwhelmed initially. Finding the appropriate theme for the baby's room shouldn't have to be sophisticated or trying. It merely calls for a little thought and planning.
Choose One Concept and Expand Around It
Try picking one concept and working the whole thing around that idea. One example is if you pick a jungle style then you might want to paint your walls in a lighter green together with darker green highlights and bring in colorful animal posters or ımages complementing your baby bedding and curtains to the design. Put in a few jungle animal stuffed animals for an added touch.
No matter if you choose butterflies, fairies, planes, or ships. Starting with one concept allows you to organize almost everything in your baby's room to that one idea and improve upon it.
Consider Picking a Theme That Will Grow With Your Infant
Many of us really don't have the income to do serious redecorating each year. So, look at deciding on a concept that will grow with your baby. While picking cute little baby angels will probably look irreplaceable in a new infants room, a three year old boy might not have the same exact appreciation for those beloved little angels as you do.
Always Keep it Simple
Always keep your concept simple. Little children require room to develop and discover and a complicated scheme may well seem confusing to a young baby. Providing a relaxing and comforting environment is a lot more essential than trying to keep up with recent magazine trends.
Utilize Your Best Judgment
Everyone and their brother is going to provide you with advice on what type of design you really should utilize for your baby's room and they are all going to be varied. Stick to what you would like and do not let other people convince you to pick a design you don't like just because they recommended it. You and your infant are going to be living with your decision so try to make it something you both will appreciate.
Give Yourself the Time to Look Around
Unless of course you already have an plan in your mind make the effort to browse around and discover what sort of things are offered for today's nursery. There is absolutely nothing worse than making a quick selection only to see an idea you like better in a month's time.
Once you have refined your options all the way down to two or three you might spend some time evaluating choices and creating a list of those items you truly want to bring your overall theme to life and try to make the room appealing.
In the end, selecting a simple theme that you can enhance or modify as your infant grows makes sense. Delivering a stimulating and enjoyable environment is all your infant needs to be entirely satisfied with his nursery.
About the Author: For a great selection of cool onesie baby gifts visit The Cool Baby Gift Store. The store features hip and trendy baby clothing and gifts at great prices including baby onesies, baby bottles, pacifiers, gift sets, and more.
Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=502434&ca=Parenting
Regardless of whether it is your very first child or you have been through the encounter in the past giving birth to a newborn is a big event in a couple's life. You want every little thing to be flawless starting with your infants nursery. Deciding on a design that will evolve with your child for the up coming few years of his life is an superb way to get going.
There are countless themes or templates to choose from you could feel a touch overwhelmed initially. Finding the appropriate theme for the baby's room shouldn't have to be sophisticated or trying. It merely calls for a little thought and planning.
Choose One Concept and Expand Around It
Try picking one concept and working the whole thing around that idea. One example is if you pick a jungle style then you might want to paint your walls in a lighter green together with darker green highlights and bring in colorful animal posters or ımages complementing your baby bedding and curtains to the design. Put in a few jungle animal stuffed animals for an added touch.
No matter if you choose butterflies, fairies, planes, or ships. Starting with one concept allows you to organize almost everything in your baby's room to that one idea and improve upon it.
Consider Picking a Theme That Will Grow With Your Infant
Many of us really don't have the income to do serious redecorating each year. So, look at deciding on a concept that will grow with your baby. While picking cute little baby angels will probably look irreplaceable in a new infants room, a three year old boy might not have the same exact appreciation for those beloved little angels as you do.
Always Keep it Simple
Always keep your concept simple. Little children require room to develop and discover and a complicated scheme may well seem confusing to a young baby. Providing a relaxing and comforting environment is a lot more essential than trying to keep up with recent magazine trends.
Utilize Your Best Judgment
Everyone and their brother is going to provide you with advice on what type of design you really should utilize for your baby's room and they are all going to be varied. Stick to what you would like and do not let other people convince you to pick a design you don't like just because they recommended it. You and your infant are going to be living with your decision so try to make it something you both will appreciate.
Give Yourself the Time to Look Around
Unless of course you already have an plan in your mind make the effort to browse around and discover what sort of things are offered for today's nursery. There is absolutely nothing worse than making a quick selection only to see an idea you like better in a month's time.
Once you have refined your options all the way down to two or three you might spend some time evaluating choices and creating a list of those items you truly want to bring your overall theme to life and try to make the room appealing.
In the end, selecting a simple theme that you can enhance or modify as your infant grows makes sense. Delivering a stimulating and enjoyable environment is all your infant needs to be entirely satisfied with his nursery.
About the Author: For a great selection of cool onesie baby gifts visit The Cool Baby Gift Store. The store features hip and trendy baby clothing and gifts at great prices including baby onesies, baby bottles, pacifiers, gift sets, and more.
Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=502434&ca=Parenting
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