"If you assign them a role and make them feel important, your animal companions will welcome the baby just as warmly as you do."

All of these difficulties can be avoided if you take steps to include your animal companion in the excitement of the new addition to the family. First you must explain to your pets as you would to a child about the impending birth. Take care to assure them that the new arrival will in no way reduce them in your affection, while also explaining that your new duties as a parent may sometimes limit the amount of free time you have. It can also be quite helpful to ask for your pet's help in caring for the baby. Include him in the day-to-day care of the baby and thank him. Animals love to feel they are sharing in the joy of looking after a new arrival. If you assign them a role and make them feel important, your animal companions will welcome the baby just as warmly as you do. As they form a loving bond with your baby, you will find that they become quite protective of the infant.

I had one client who reported that her female cat began to act quite aggressively toward her when she became pregnant. She consulted me because she thought the change in the cat's behavior was due to her pregnancy. But when I connected to the cat's energy, I felt no jealousy, only a feeling of serious illness, nausea and weakness. I sensed that the cat had cancer and her new, aggressive behavior was her way of trying to tell her owner that something was wrong and she needed help. My client took her cat to the vet that afternoon. He confirmed the diagnosis and immediately began treatment to relieve the cat's symptoms. As the cat felt better, her aggressiveness decreased. The timing of the change in her behavior and the beginning of her human companion's pregnancy was only coincidental.

Some people make the mistake of only spending quality time with their pets when their baby is napping. This leads animals to associate the baby's appearance with the end of playtime, and once again, jealous feelings can arise. Try instead to ignore your pet while baby is sleeping; don't play with it and don't pay it much attention. Make a big fuss over both the baby and the pet when the baby wakes up so that your pet will look forward to the baby's awakening. This will reinforce the idea that the baby is an enjoyable addition to the household.

My own daughter, Emma, just had practical experience of this idea. She recently welcomed home her first baby and my first granddaughter — our beautiful little Emily. We prepared for Emily's arrival by telling Emma's two cats, Cinnamon and Raisin, how much we needed their help to care for the baby. By the time Emily came home from the hospital, both cats were bursting with excitement and anticipation. Emma has been careful to lavish attention on the cats whenever Emily is awake. In this fashion the cats have learned to associate the baby's presence with the most pleasant time of their day. Both cats have behaved splendidly toward Emily because they regard her as a positive addition to the family instead of as an unwelcome interloper.

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