Mom Wanted To Put Sleeping Baby Down in Bouncer, But Dog Had Other Ideas

When a Missouri couple first purchased a bouncer for their newborn son, they could never have predicted they would have to relinquish it to another member of the family.

Wedding and lifestyle photographer Aliyah Roettgers became a mom for the second time just six weeks ago with the arrival of her son, Silas.

However, Roettgers is actually a mother to three little ones in the house, if you include their 4-year-old dog Milo. Most U.S. pet owners see their four-legged friends as more than just animal companions. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found 97 percent of pet owners polled view their pets as part of their family.

Milo likes all the things you would expect of a dog. "His favorite things to do are to eat, sleep and go to the dog park," Roettgers told Newsweek. He has also taken a liking to Silas already. "He loves sniffing him and licking his head," Roettgers said.

That is good news for the mom. While some new parents might be hesitant to have a dog around a young infant, research suggests it could be highly beneficial.

A 2012 study from the journal Pediatrics found babies living alongside dogs caught fewer colds, got fewer ear infections, and needed antibiotics less than those babies raised in pet-free homes.

The study was based on an analysis of 397 children from birth to the age of 1. It suggests that dogs help children build up a better resistance to infection.

However, while Milo may be helping out with Silas's development, he has fallen foul of an issue that often affects older siblings: sharing.

In a video posted to TikTok under the handle @aliyahroettgers, Roettgers revealed how Milo has commandeered Silas's baby bouncer as his own.

"POV [point of view] You need to get stuff done around the house but you can't set your baby down because your dog thinks this is his," reads an on-screen caption accompanying the footage.

In the clip, Roettgers can be seen holding a sleeping Silas, while Milo looks on, cozy and comfortable in the bouncer. Milo does give a brief look to the camera where he appears to look ever-so slightly guilty at how things have played out.

Roettgers blames herself for leaving Milo home alone with the bouncer one day. "We were heading out the door to go somewhere and noticed we had left it out, but we just kept it out since we were rushing," she said. "We came back, and he was sleeping in it, and we thought it was the cutest thing."

The good news is that Roettgers and her partner have come up with the perfect solution: they are going to buy Silas another bouncer. "That one is Milo's now," she said. "He sleeps in it and lounge in it everyday."

Problem solved and, best of all, everyone is happy.