Monday, November 12, 2007
Baby Scents Program at Sacred Heart Eases New Baby Transition for Pets
Sacred Heart Women’s Hospital recently launched the Baby Scents program to help parents introduce their pets to a new baby. The program was created by a dedicated group of Sacred Heart nurses and nursing students who noticed many new parents facing the difficult task of introducing their “first babies” to their new baby.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, familiarizing a pet with the new baby’s scent before the baby comes makes it less likely the pet will have a hostile reaction. Using this as a guide, the childbirth staff created this pilot program to help with the transition.
Each member of the Baby Scents program receives a special blanket for their newborn to help introduce their smell to their pet as well as an informational brochure with other tips on easing the transition for pets. After the baby’s first bath, Sacred Heart’s childbirth team places the blanket on the baby to expose the fabric to the newborn’s scent.
Once the baby’s scent is on the fabric, the blanket will given to a spouse or loved one to take home to their pet before mother and baby leave the hospital. When your pet smells the fabric, he will have “met” the child for the first time and will be less likely to become jealous or territorial when the new baby is brought home.
Soon-to-be parents can enroll in this program upon admittance to Sacred Heart Women’s Hospital to deliver their baby.
For more information, please call Sacred Heart at (850) 416-1600 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.
###
|
|
