@onceawaretwiceempowered I raised the puppy alone. I guess I thought since now there are 2 adults, we could manage a puppy too but I'm rethinking it all.
Pregnant and wanting a puppy?
- Thread starter lochie
- Start date
-
- Tags
- discussion puppy 101
@lochie Please wait I have a 9 year old son and have a 14 week old puppy I’ve found this so hard , having a baby is stressful in itself especially your first . You barely know what time it is never mind day ! It’s all feeds sterilising sleepless nights I was up every 2 hours with my son when he was born for months I just think you should hang on a while least til your in a routine with baby .
@sonia5555 I was thinking "I'd be awake anyways, I can just take the puppy outside then." But I think I'm being a little too optimistic as a first time mom. Especially after all the moms in the thread!
redcrambler
New member
@redcrambler Lol, fair.
@lochie Everyone's given you the great advice of why to wait, but I wanted to toss out a quick one as well:
If you have to deal with a puppy, you will miss getting to focus exclusively on your new baby and the new life transition that is being a mom.
Give yourself the gift of making space and time for you to truly welcome and get to know the new human. How sad it would be if that bonding time (with you or the other parent) gets pushed aside because the puppy needs love/attention/training/medical care as well.
If you have to deal with a puppy, you will miss getting to focus exclusively on your new baby and the new life transition that is being a mom.
Give yourself the gift of making space and time for you to truly welcome and get to know the new human. How sad it would be if that bonding time (with you or the other parent) gets pushed aside because the puppy needs love/attention/training/medical care as well.
@bnclement My partner and I read this post, and this is the one, honestly. I am really seeing that it would be a selfish decision to bring a pup home. I wouldn't want to deprive baby nor puppy of their wants or needs because we just wanted both. I'm very worried about making the wrong choice surrounding this decision because finding out we're pregnant AND losing our dog has been life changing. The puppy would just be a happy distraction from the huge loss we're feeling.
It's obvious that making sure all of our focus is ready to be on the baby is most important.
It's obvious that making sure all of our focus is ready to be on the baby is most important.
heisalmighty67
New member
@lochie I’m sorry but you would be out of your mind. We got our staffy puppy in January and we found out I was pregnant in April and it’s been rough! We take her to doggy day care once a week so she gets atleast one day to wild out but I am now 35 weeks and even though she’s the sweetest girl, I would’ve been able to be so much more active with her, had I not been pregnant. Plus hormones and bad (but normal) puppy behavior has set off the waterworks more than once.
@emma30 I am definitely fatigued at the end of the work day, and I'm only 24 weeks currently. I've felt a shift in overall growth recently making it harder to do everything from hair wash days, to rolling out of bed. That's just taking care of me 
Losing my dog while pregnant has been indescribably sad and difficult. I don't know if I need to add puppy blues to it...
Losing my dog while pregnant has been indescribably sad and difficult. I don't know if I need to add puppy blues to it...albinoguitman
New member
@lochie I got an Aussie puppy at 20 weeks pregnant. I just gave birth to my son yesterday, and honestly I’m a little concerned to go home to my puppy with him.
My pup is 5.5 months now and obviously still very high energy, and still bites/mouths here and there. He has no concept of personal space and will literally stand on top of you if you’re sitting on the couch. My husband and I are concerned that he will (not intentionally) hurt the baby, but we’re just going to have to be extremely cautious to not let the baby and puppy get too close together until the puppy learns some manners towards the baby.
I knew I was insane for getting a puppy when I did, but lots of people have puppies and babies and they (mostly) end up okay. I’m just hoping a lot of patience, training, and understanding will go a long way
Good luck with whatever decision you make! I can post an update in a few days to let you know how I’m managing
My pup is 5.5 months now and obviously still very high energy, and still bites/mouths here and there. He has no concept of personal space and will literally stand on top of you if you’re sitting on the couch. My husband and I are concerned that he will (not intentionally) hurt the baby, but we’re just going to have to be extremely cautious to not let the baby and puppy get too close together until the puppy learns some manners towards the baby.
I knew I was insane for getting a puppy when I did, but lots of people have puppies and babies and they (mostly) end up okay. I’m just hoping a lot of patience, training, and understanding will go a long way
Good luck with whatever decision you make! I can post an update in a few days to let you know how I’m managing
@albinoguitman Congratulations 
I hope you are feeling good and settling in well with your son!
I saw my brother and his wife get not one, but TWO puppies just before she found out she was pregnant and they're honestly doing fine, it seems. Which had a lot to do with why I thought I could do it. But then again, there are all these different factors like the breed(s), they live close to family while we don't, this is their second baby and our first, etc.
I also thought I'd be hacking the system because I'm taking a long maternity leave, and it would leave me ample time to work with a puppy. When I got my GSD, I picked him up on the last day of school (I'm a teacher,) so I'd have him all summer to train. I'm leaving in March with the baby and not coming back until the following school year, so that was another reason I thought this puppy thing could work out. Please do keep me updated if you think about it - and congratulations again
I hope you are feeling good and settling in well with your son! I saw my brother and his wife get not one, but TWO puppies just before she found out she was pregnant and they're honestly doing fine, it seems. Which had a lot to do with why I thought I could do it. But then again, there are all these different factors like the breed(s), they live close to family while we don't, this is their second baby and our first, etc.
I also thought I'd be hacking the system because I'm taking a long maternity leave, and it would leave me ample time to work with a puppy. When I got my GSD, I picked him up on the last day of school (I'm a teacher,) so I'd have him all summer to train. I'm leaving in March with the baby and not coming back until the following school year, so that was another reason I thought this puppy thing could work out. Please do keep me updated if you think about it - and congratulations again
painkiller
New member
@albinoguitman My puppy is going to be 6 months old when my baby is born in January and I'm nervous as hell that maybe we didn't do the right thing getting a puppy when we did. I was heartbroken from losing my dog and this puppy was just there and it felt right, but now it feels scary! Fortunately he's a quick learner so potty training is like 90 percent there and he's getting the hang of not using his mouth for play... I think my main concern is I don't want him to feel abandoned and unloved when the baby gets here. It'll be a juggling act but it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one going through it.
danlion8884
New member
@lochie I am the biggest dog person you’d ever meet. Raised with dogs, had two dogs through college, my 20s and loved them like my own kids. One of my rescues was my actual soul mate.
Once I had my first child, my entire world changed. Yes I loved my dogs, but they came lower on the priority list because postpartum is no joke. Between hormones and sleep deprivation and learning all the new baby things. It’s overwhelming for the first year or two. You’re going to want to give yourself the ability to enjoy new motherhood without the added stress. You don’t want to look back and only remember chaos
Trust me, I get the emotion of losing a best friend. It’s a void you want to fill. But it’s unfair to the dog and yourself right now. The dog won’t get proper training nor socialization, it’s just not possible, then you’ll resent the dog for just being a dog. Just wait you’ll be so happy in a few years that you did
Once I had my first child, my entire world changed. Yes I loved my dogs, but they came lower on the priority list because postpartum is no joke. Between hormones and sleep deprivation and learning all the new baby things. It’s overwhelming for the first year or two. You’re going to want to give yourself the ability to enjoy new motherhood without the added stress. You don’t want to look back and only remember chaos
Trust me, I get the emotion of losing a best friend. It’s a void you want to fill. But it’s unfair to the dog and yourself right now. The dog won’t get proper training nor socialization, it’s just not possible, then you’ll resent the dog for just being a dog. Just wait you’ll be so happy in a few years that you did
@danlion8884 I guess you don't know what you don't know. It's not that I'm expecting a newborn to be easy, I was just sort of thinking that before the baby comes and maternity leave would be an ideal time to take on the task of a puppy since I'd be home, but I'm definitely thinking otherwise now.
Like you said, I want to be able for us to enjoy this brand new chapter in our lives versus feeling like I was spread out way too thin. As far the pup, I want them to be fulfilled too, and I don't see us being able to do all those things that I did for my last GSD with an infant. We went to all the dog friendly stores and restaurants, which sounds like SO MUCH with a little one in tow.
Like you said, I want to be able for us to enjoy this brand new chapter in our lives versus feeling like I was spread out way too thin. As far the pup, I want them to be fulfilled too, and I don't see us being able to do all those things that I did for my last GSD with an infant. We went to all the dog friendly stores and restaurants, which sounds like SO MUCH with a little one in tow.