Oh, Baby!!

Contributed by Buddy’s Proud Foster Mom

Buddy fka CP Sainted Riley and his New Sister, Lena!

How to Prepare your Cairn for a New Baby!!

Our first Foster boy, Sainted Riley (now Buddy) was adopted almost 5 yrs. ago by a wonderful guy.  He then got married 2 years ago and, in early July, they had a new baby girl, Lena.  He wrote to me a few months ago and asked if I had any suggestions as to how to prepare Buddy and Mia (he also adopted his Foster girl) for Lena's arrival. 

The following tips worked great for them and they can work for you too:

• Buy a large baby doll and wrap it up in a blanket;

• Carry the wrapped doll around, rock it at night, and put it in the swing and crib various times during the day/evening; 

• Allow the Cairns to sniff and lay next to the pretend baby, but teach them not to step on the baby or to yank or pull the blanket; 

• After the baby is born, bring home a receiving blanket from the hospital that the new baby has been swaddled in - and the messier the blanket the better!  Wrap the doll in this blanket and repeat all the above; 

• When you bring the new baby home, introduce the baby wrapped in the familiar blanket;

• Set them up for Success!  Never, ever, under any circumstance, leave your Cairn alone with the baby!  It is your job to calmly protect them both and gently educate them both to respect each other to guarantee long term success.  This will take years, but is well worth the effort!

Read Sainted Riley’s Intake Story:

http://cairnrescue.blogspot.com/2010/08/please-welcome-cps-newest-family.html

See Sainted Riley’s First Update and Video:

http://cairnrescue.blogspot.com/2010/08/see-sainted-riley-in-action-at-his.html