I had a dream that my wife and I had a new puppy and a kitten that played and got along together just fine. In the dream the kitten was hiding inside a closet. I got the kitten to come out, and out of nowhere the puppy ran out and attacked the kitten. I was shocked at that puppy.
Then later that night (in the dream) I heard someone downstairs, fighting violently with the puppy (like an intruder or something). I could tell the intruder was beating the puppy, but the sounds the puppy made were violent and scary (not crying sounds... but barking and fighting sounds). Then I heard the intruder come up the stairs to our bedroom—while we were in bed. Then I woke up.
Current events in my life are: I am trying to figure out if I am going to change jobs; I am expecting my first child; my wife has had a tough pregnancy (she is 7.5 months along); and my job has been keeping me SUPER busy.
As for the baby, we already know it is a boy (verified twice via ultrasound). My wife also was really sick at the start, with dehydration, and the Dr. placed her on a 3-month bed rest and an in-home IV. She is much better now (good days and bad days), and she is also back at work part time. No more IV’s and stuff. She is scheduled for a C-Section in May.
For some crazy reason the puppy attacking the kitten scared me a lot. (My wife REALLY wanted a girl, and I think she is still a bit disappointed, but just keeps it to her self). It did not matter to me either way what the child was, at any point in time. I do not know why the dream bothered me so much. We don’t have any pets, and I am not an animal lover or anything.
—Eddie, Married, Male, Brooklyn Park, MN, USA
Hi Eddie—
Dreams of pregnant women often are bizarre. Expecting moms, especially if it is their first pregnancy, frequently dream of birthing all types of small, primitive life forms—like snakes, lizards, frogs, cats and hamsters. In your case, your dream shows that even dads, who are worried about their soon-to-be boy or girl, can have strange pregnancy dreams!
Kittens and puppies are familiar dream symbols for babies. (Cats are feminine symbols. Dogs are masculine.) If your wife really wanted a baby girl (a kitten) then your dream may be representing her mixed emotions as a “struggle” between two opposing symbols. Your wife’s recent ultrasound confirms that, like in your dream, the “puppy” (the boy) won the battle. Your dream shows that your wife’s disappointment still is weighing upon your mind!
As an expecting parent, you have every reason to be nervous about the success of your wife’s delivery. The “threat” that appears in your dream most likely reflects the medical problems you already have experienced. Similarly, instances of REM paralysis, where you can feel the “weight” of your body during REM sleep—tend to occur more frequently during periods of stress. Did you feel like you were struggling to wake up and get out of bed—but could not? If so, this makes these dreams of paralysis, and of intruders, feel much more intense.
Sleep paralysis is a normal part of REM sleep, and is not harmful in any way, but it can be very disturbing. To learn more about sleep paralysis, please visit Sleep Paralysis! Reading about it should make you feel more comfortable. (There’s not really an intruder!)
In the meantime, congratulations on your healthy baby puppy (er… boy!) Next time around, we hope your wife dreams of kittens, turtles and moons—and many other feminine symbols—in her quest for a baby girl!
