It's hard being a new mom (or even an experienced mom to a new baby) and sometimes we do things we know we shouldn't, despite what all the experts say. But this is a safe place to share your secrets (PM me)—we'll never tell.
This Week's Secret:
When my husband and I were first married, we got our dog Mandy. She has been a really sweet dog, probably the most important person in our family. Everyone said when I was pregnant with my daughter (now two months) that the dog would take a back seat. Well, not so much, actually. My baby feels as much like an intrusion to me as she does to Mandy. I feel guilty all the time that we're ignoring Mandy and I let Mandy sleep in our bed instead of the baby. My husband and everyone else think I'm crazy, but I think I love the dog more than the baby. — Anonymous
No one who has ever loved an animal, dog or cat, would question your devotion. It's true that you're rare. Lord knows I've hated my dog since the day I brought my daughter home in many ways, but it isn't a bad thing that you still love yours.
You love them both. And that's OK. This doesn't make you a bad mom. On the other hand, you didn't say, but if you're leaving the baby alone with the dog or allowing the dog to lick or nip or nudge the baby, you might want to nix that. The fact is, right now, your infant is the needier creature. You can love them both the same, but still understand that your baby needs you more, right?
Good luck. My guess is that as time goes on, you will find yourself more and more in love with your baby and so bonded this will not be an issue anymore.
Do you have any advice for this mom?
