On both occasions I had left the room for seconds before returning (thankfully) and in that time they had made themselves comfortable on top of sleeping babies. A new baby calls for a lot of time and attention and it’s easy for a pet to feel their own version of sibling rivalry.

i shall be putting the cot up about a month before baby comes and they will again be interested lol but they'l get bored of it...... Prior to your pregnancy, your pets were probably free to roam around the house – coming and going as they pleased. However, now that you have a new addition to your household, it is important that your pets are always accompanied when they’re around your baby and never left unsupervised. Training your pets to stay on the floor next to you until you invite them onto your lap is the ideal way to teach them not to jump up on you when you have the baby in your arms. Love and attention

Health and well-being

Both of my cats have curled up on top of two of my three children when babies. The first was several years ago, the second incident happened a few months ago, when DD3 was 8 weeks old. In the process he also gave her a tic (despite regular tic/flea treatments). A new addition to any family can change the dynamics of the house. Therefore, it is really important that you ensure that you prepare and reassure your pets as well as your children. i have two cats also, and when i had my DD 2half yrs ago i brought a cat net but to be honest i taught my cats not to go near her........ the first few days were the most interesting to them....... they would sniff her and i'd allow them to investigate her and sniff her and then i'd tell them LEAVE baby alone and give them a look and they knew they'd get into trouble LOL....... and everytime i caught them jumping on the table to get a sniff in the moses basket they'd get a telling off............ the interest went completely with in about 2 weeks max............... Inviting friends and relatives who have babies or small children themselves to visit regularly is a great way to get your pet accustomed to having one in their home – and all the noises that they make. Health and well-being i already have my moses basket up so they have already sniffed around that........ tried to sleep in it also but they have been told off a fair few times and now they dont even touch the moses basket...........

The cat responsible second time round now lives elsewhere, he's a slow learner (drinks from the loo despite years of remonstration!) and I couldn't take the risk.

Set your boundaries

It’s well known that stroking a pet can be very therapeutic and a good way to de-stress. However, during pregnancy always make sure that you wash your hands afterwards. Bringing your new born baby into the home and introducing them to your family can be extremely challenging – especially if you have other children and pets. to be honest i'd not worry too much, cats are pretty good at learning... you just need to be firm with them, i've never had to shut my cats anywhere they know they aren't allowed near baby.... fingers corssed they remember when new baby comes lol