Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

I can tell in my dogs eyes that hes jealous and sad.

And I'm feeling really guilty

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

I would love to say no, but it did. I still love my dog to death and spoil him when I can, but its much harder to give him the attention he used to get. I try to let him sit with me on the couch after DS goes to bed, but I can see the look in his eyes -- like he is sad. It makes me feel terrible....that why i really try to give him attention when DS is sleeping.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Absolutely! I am stretched so thin that she gets the grunt of it ALL THE TIME! I actually thought of giving her to my uncle who lives on a farm so she could have a better quality of life.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

On my part, not theirs. I am so over them it's not even funny but I still love them and take care of them but they are not my babies anymore, that's for sure.
DH's dog was never my baby. I am not a dog lover. So he tolerates my cats and I tolerate his dog.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

I'm trying not too...I have 3 dogs, all which I love dearly, but I can def tell they are craving my attention, especially my German Shepard...she is still a puppy and is very attached to me.

Thankfully, they are not jealous of the baby...they are all very sweet with her.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Posted by MrsBumbleb

Absolutely! I am stretched so thin that she gets the grunt of it ALL THE TIME! I actually thought of giving her to my uncle who lives on a farm so she could have a better quality of life.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

They were PITA before the baby. PITA after the baby.

DH really took care of them (pet them a lot)right after DS was born.

Then I also pet them after I felt a bit better.

I do make a point to pet them.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Yes it did -- but we didn't have him too long before DD was born, so he wasn't used to being the baby yet...

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Yes, in the beginning it was so tough with a colicky baby and being new parents----he was always last on my list, but now that I have more of a handle on things, he gets more attentions, long walks with DS & I and best of all, a new found friend in DS who loves him soooo much!

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

no, not at all.

i wouldn't let it.

she is my first baby. i still treat her the same. i have a little less time for her, but i give her all the love, affection and kisses that i did before. just like when i have my second child, i won't treat DS any differently, i won't treat my cat differently.

my angel baby

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Unfortunately, yes.

I swore it wouldn't but it did.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

I still love him as much as I did, but he doesn't get nearly the attention he did and he's constantly trying to act up in order to get my attention now...

Message edited 9/19/2008 7:07:27 PM.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Posted by Deedlebug126

Posted by leighla

Unfortunately, yes.

I swore it wouldn't but it did.

Same here, it breaks my heart.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Yes - I never thought I wouldn't have time for a cat, but it happened.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Yes I am just stretched so thin right now that I don't have the patience for them. I still love them and would never dream of giving them away but I know that I am not the "mommy" they used to have.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

I had 2 cats when my first son was born. They handled it pretty well. I always made sure to make cuddle time with them when he was asleep. My one cat passed away before I had other kids but I still have my other cat. She mainly hides out in the basement until the coast is clear and then she is all over me at night. I feel bad for her but I just make sure I'm petting her a lot when I'm watching TV - it's "our time" together. sort of like making special time for the older child when a new baby comes along.

Message edited 9/19/2008 8:00:17 PM.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

When we first had Jack we had Molly. I don't think my relationship with her changed - but she was just a pain sometimes. She would bark when he would sleep and it would drive me insane.

Molly died and now we have Abby. I don't have the same relationship with Abby bc I think I am more guarded now. Molly was my first dog and I was heartbroken when she died. Abby is the most amazing unbelievable dog ever. She gets more love from my DH than my son gets. I don't have the time to give her all that much during the day and I do feel horrible about it.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

I didn't give birth, but my relationship with my fur babies definitely has changed since my son came home from Korea, and I feel horrible about it. I used to take the dogs with me everywhere. They were my world. I simply don't have the time to devote to them like I used to. I still love them the same, but I just can't dote on them as much, and I definitely yell at them more now than I did before.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Actually no.

But Maggie is not like other dogs (or so we tell ourselves ) but she still has alone time with us b/c she is spoiled and sleeps with us.

Now that DS is older, I see even more what a great dog she is, b/c he puts her through the ringer and she is still a fantastic dog, doesn't bark, cry or fight with him.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Most definitely. I NEVER thought I'd say it- but sometimes I really feel she's more work than shes worth.

It makes me sad- because she really is a sweet dog, but she requires alot of attention that I just don't have.....

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

Not too much. I still take the time to go outside and throw the ball around with him twice a day (with my son or when jacen is napping) and when we go for walks... i bring our dog with us.

Then he of course gets all our attention after 7:30pm and he sometimes sleeps with us at night.

I think he has it pretty good so far, especially since he's been spoiled with having me home for 3 months.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

It did change at first, where the pets were put aside.

And then some life changing events occurred in my life; where I felt like I was given a second chance. My kids are of course #1, and they love our pets, so our pets still maintain a large part of their pre-baby life. What changed after kids, the dogs were ignored at the end of the day because we were so tired.

Well, my sweet dog Linus developed a cancer, thank god my DH got it all out of him (He did the most aggressive surgery possible and all margins are clear! YAY). So now, I'm sitting here, with my little Linus snuggled up next to me and we both heal together.

Re: Did your relationship with your pet change once you gave birth?

I have two cats and I know things changed with them and I don't pick them up as much but I still take good care of them. And I will even admit that when DD was first born and I was borderline PPD, I used to hold my cats and cry because I knew that they were there for me and I would feel better if I pet them.

We also made a point of letting the cats in the room with DD. We never locked them out. We let them sniff her and be close. A pediatrician friend actually said that is good as it helps build resistance to allergies. The cats sleep on our bed and overall, I never pushed them away from DD.

Funny thing is that the female cat, who was always DH's baby (the cats are siblings but each one latched on to one of us) has become mother hen to DD. She comes and gets me if DD cries and she meows until I make it better. She lets DD pet her, kiss her and love her. She wants DD to give her attention. I think she really loves her. The male cat is nice but not like the female. She became like a mama cat.