June 2008 Weddings
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
BWLO and pets
Two questions, one more immediately pertinent than the other:
1. How did you get your animals to stop walking across your stomach? My dog just helps herself in walking across my lap. She forgets how heavy she is too. I don't think its a HUGE problem right now but I don't want this to continue.
2. How did you handle taking care of your animal(s) while in labor and at the hospital post partum? Our girl doesn't do well home alone for long stretches, and she definitely doesn't do well alone overnight. Did you have your DH take them somewhere when you went into labor? Did someone come pick them up?
"And on the keyboard, the Big D himself, Rusty Shackleford!"
Re: BWLO and pets
Okay, I don't have the baby yet, but I am answering the questions anyway.
1. I had ninja like reflexes and put my arm up whenever the dogs started to jump towards my belly. After they hit my arm and fell a few times they stopped trying. I am not sure if I deterred them that much or if they "know." they don't seem any different, but they don't jump or walk across my belly anymore. They walk around me.
2. Our dogs are good with beig alone, I am planning to give a key to our neighbors and ask them to take care of them at first. My parents will also be in town and staying at a hotel near us, so they will be on puppy duty too. It will take my parents awhile to get to Nashville, so we're hoping the neighbors don't mind taking them out once or twice.
1. I just had to keep reminding them that they couldnt walk across me or lay on me (I have a 55lb dog and an 80lb dog). It took awhile but they eventually got the picture, especially when my belly got bigger.
2. We fed them and let them out before we went to the hospital. Once at the hospital when we knew it was going to be awhile yet and I wasnt having the baby anytime soon, DH went home again to let them out and hang out with them. Once I was in full force labor we had BIL let them out, feed them, and he spent the night with them the two nights we were in there. Our situation may be a little different though, since we live less than a mile from the hospital and all of our family is in the area and were willing to help out. Do you have anyone that could spend the night at your house while you are there?
No.
My family lives at least an hour away. DH's family is too self-centered.
I have had to take my dog's paws on numerous occasions and redirect him to sit differently. But they know something is up and at least my dog loves my belly. So even now, I still have to move him sometimes.
Our friends are coming to get him-we gave them a spare key and told them we'd call when we head to the hospital. If we didn't have them, then we'd work something out with a kennel (just make sure you are up to date on shots, etc. beforehand so that you can do an easy drop off).
On vacation she either stays with our friends who have five other dogs, so she blends in nicely, or with my in-laws.
I know the friends would be glad to take her, but they live about a half hour away and I feel thats quite a drive when one is in labor, and I'd hate to ask them to go get her. My in-laws also live about a half hour away, and they would probably take her (I guess I should have clarified in earlier post) and they wouldn't go pick her up, not without wanting something in return, and I don't want to deal with that crap.
1. My dog sort of avoided cuddling up with me when I was pregnant. That was when he became more of my DH's dog.
My only advice is maybe to just put up your arm(s) when she tries to walk across? Sorry I have no ideas on that one...
2. When I was in the hospital, DH stayed with me. His sister stayed at the house and took care of the dog until we came home. My Mom also offered to have Patch go to her house. It worked out perfectly because we had already talked to his sister about staying at the house a few weeks before DD was born. The night my water broke, we called her up right away and she packed a bag and headed over that night. If you know someone who could stay and house/pet sit I would suggest that or someone to take them to their house. For me, I wanted someone to stay at the house because there were already so many changes in the works, I wanted Patch's life to stay somewhat normal.
My dogs jumped up gently, so I didn't redirect them. They are in so much fluid and well protected that a slight bump of dog paws didn't bother them.As my belly got bigger, it was harder for them to jump up. I was also running dog agility with them on my due date, and they would randomly jump up. Sometimes I would block or step back if it was getting too much.
We were lucky and my parents were staying with us. At first I was freaking out that my parents were staying with us when we brought Evie home, but in the end it was really nice to have the help cleaning and cooking for a few days. Anyways, they took care of the dogs, and even brought a dog in with them to sleep with
My parents are very dog people.
My Blog Picture A Day Blog
Dude, you're giving them a grandchild!
Although I know people like that and that would not register. I just wanted to chime in, but I have no advice. Sorry!
I love this!
No pets here, but we dog sat for friends when they had their first kid. It was a great opportunity for us to see if we really wanted a dog and all of the responsibilities they entail and to test my allergies. (It was a no go because of the allergies.) Do you have any friends that would be willing to take him/her?
1. We have two big dogs, so tehy don't walk across but jump. DH's dog was amazing at figuring out he couldn't anymore. My dog? Not so much. He still gets smacked on the nose every time I go outside - partially he's just really excited to see me. Since they stay outside most of the time and DH has taken over most of the doggie care.
2. Since our dogs stay outside most of the time we'll give them a big bowl of food before we head out. Depending on timing etc. DH will put them in the garage overnight. I do need to talk with him about how realistic it will be for him to always go back and forth. DH really doesn't like the idea of people in his space, especially when he isn't there, but we need to figure something out. We will most likely give a spare key to FIL.