Hi there

I am planning a home birth in March and have an exhuberant lab puppy. He is 10 months old now and is really kind of obsessed with me, he doesn't like to leave my side. He is a bit of a barker as well when anxious which we are trying to train him out of. I'm not sure what to do with him when I am going to give birth, I have a few months to work it out I guess.

I will be setting up the birthing pool in the lounge room (being a lab I am a bit concerned that he will want to jump in for a swim!) and this overlooks our smallish courtyard garden. I could put him out into the garden but he is an inside dog so this might make him stressed out if he is out for long periods. I could also section off a bit of the house using the baby gates or shutting the door so that he is still inside and has access to outside but I have a feeling that he might make him stressed out as well. Or I could just let him be in the loungeroom with me and hope he settles down or make it my husband's responsibility to settle him down/ take care of him. Or I could arrange for the brother in law to take him away to have a sleepover with his dog.

I presume my cat will avoid the whole scene like the plague as she mostly does her own thing.

What are your thoughts? Has anyone had furrbabies at their homebirth? How did you manage it?