I'm no expert on this but have a pup myself and can share my experiences in the hope they help u a little
Don't know how anyone copes without a crate lol....we got Maya when she was 5 months and shes now 7, I rememeber my friend sayin do u want the crate and not really knowing I said ok just in case. Don't know how I would have coped without it! she goes to bed around 10.30 and she knows its bedtime she gets a gravy bone and she she jumps in so fuss at all and depending on how busy a day shes had will sleep anywhere to between 5am and 7am and willl just yap a little in the morning not proper barking just enough to let us know shes needs out. Many a time I have been up at 5 to let her out but she does her stuff straight away and will settle back down for another couple of hours. We have a a few accidents along the way but she has never ever soiled her crate at all. Also when we need to go out for a few hours she goes in cos then I know shes safe and well as knowing my house is safe
With regards to the poo eating she used to do it a lot and last week we were away sorting my mother in laws house out and I have to admit we were so busy I missed her going a few times only know cos I caught her eating it and now we are home she goes in the garden fine and doesn't touch it so I know she was trying to hide the evidence and it wasnt her fault at all so although its disgusting its hard to be mad cos it was totally my fault not hers. On the way home she took a fancy to rabbit droppings in the country park we stopped at and promptly threw them back up on the way home!
Just think of them as babies at 5 months your pup is very much still learning when u have your newborn I'm sure u will at some point have the same problems with him/her tryin to put everything they see in their mouth
just give it a little time I'm sure u will get there I think aswell once they get past the 6 month stage they seem to be more receptive Maya seemed to be much better after 6 months she seemed to learn much quicker.
Good luck with the pup and the new baby
