First day home after breakdown. :)

It is amazing how 2 hours of rest can refresh you! I felt human and eager to face the challenge of including our dogs with Kelsyann but I needed everyone in our family to be completely on the same page. We had a family meeting and again discussed boundaries and what was needed. We have a high level of managment in place with crates, gates, tethers and outside time anyway so the routines are pretty familiar but...now they had to be solid! Supervision being the priority. I felt much better. Our goal for the day was to help Duke relax and adjust to Kelsyann's noises. Duke does not handle separation well and so he would be included all the time. He was up for the challenge and within several hours became more relaxed.

Giving clear and calm directions allowed Duke to adjust and follow our lead. Taking time for me to unwind was important so that I could be calm while including him while caring for Kelsyann and adjusting to home. This is important for all new Moms to keep in mind. When you come home you feel like doing all the things you could do before the baby. Coming home from the hospital can be hard and I encourage you to pace yourself and surround yourself with support. You need to focus on your recovery and the baby. Even more important if Mom is breastfeeding. Take your time and go it at your own pace. It will work out.

In our next post....how about the other dogs? What helped with them in the first days? Stay tuned!

Here is Duke during while my husband changes Kelsyann's 2nd diaper at home.