Taking baby out...

[C-Momma]

I'm about to lose my mind with cabin fever...I would love to see a movie with dh but I'm not sure how safe it is to bring my 2 week old to a crowded theater. (I was thinking about catching a week night movie when it would be less crowded).

I don't mind at all to nurse him under a light blanket (so he isn't totally exposed) for the duration of a movie. I'm just worried about the germs and the noise (I'm worried the sound would hurt his ears...but hoping I could muffle it).

Have you taken baby out? When and where? The normal stuff is making the rounds in my small town (H1N1, flu, strep, colds, etc...) but ds is breastfed, healthy and if it's safe then I am SO ready to be out and a bit normal again.

[pjs]

As a mama whose 5 wo has caught a cold and has a really stuffed up nose, I'd say wait as long as you can. DS seems to be doing ok with it, but he sounds awful and it is hard for him to nurse.

[lifeguard]

Not in your ddc. When ds was a newborn I brought him to movies quite frequently. I put him in the ring sling. He'd sleep through most of it & nurse the rest of the time. It was great! I did always go with the mindset that I'd have to leave if he got fussy but I was lucky & that never happened.

[beebalmmama]

With it being flu season, and a particularly bad one at that, I personally wouldn't take them out yet. Can you do some type of date night at home with a movie and alone time with dh and the baby?

[BeckyBird]

So far, I've taken the baby to Thanksgiving dinner, out to the store one time, and for the past 2 days, we have driven to school to pick up my son. That's about 4 times out of the house. The shopping trip was strenuous, and I was wiped out when we got home. My husband wanted us to go out to dinner tonight, but I still am not up to it yet.

Pjs, I hope your son feels better! Hopefully, this cold will really strengthen his immune system!

[ExuberantDaffodil]

I've taken my baby out a couple of times. I wear her in a baby sling (k'tan) that has a "don't look or touch my baby" position (basically, it just covers her all the way).


shameless pic:

I just don't want strangers breathing all over her. And I've never been a fan of carting around a baby in the "bucket" car seat.

I took my son to see a movie with me when he was 3 weeks old. I just popped him on a boob and all was well. I think some of it depends on the baby's personality.

[belltree]

I have taken my 5 week old to the doctor, a lactation meeting, the library, a small party with friends and for walks. But I would not go to the movies, there are way to many strangers some of them really sick.

Try to find some other activity with less crowd involvement I'd say.

[ShwarmaQueen]

DS has been to the grocery store a couple of times, the library (preschool story time- he was not impressed at the stories and nursed the whole time ), grandma's house for thanksgiving, the Pedi, a park playdate, and on several walks around the block. I was going crazy staying in too....

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by ExuberantDaffodil

I've taken my baby out a couple of times. I wear her in a baby sling (k'tan) that has a "don't look or touch my baby" position (basically, it just covers her all the way).


shameless pic:

OMG she is sooo cute! And she looks like a tiny baby doll, btw, are you sure that's your real baby??

[SunShineSally]

Exuberant what a beautiful baby!!!!!!!!!!!

Well Ds has been out to eat a bunch of times Church at exactly one week old shopping almost daily if only for ten minutes on a bunch of walks since the weather is crazy this year and we have had beautiful weather. I keep him in the Kozy for the most part unless it is raining I keep him in his bucket seat but I hate doing that! the church nursery is nice they will not take him down there if anyone is sick then the babies stay up with the parents.

I think it depends on where and how you take the baby out. And depends on you also if you are to worried or nervous don't take the baby out wait until you are ready

[MamieCole]

Having major complications during labor/delivery that required lots of medical appointments for me afterwards put me in the position of having to choose between breastfeeding him or keeping him away from germy places. I obviously chose breastfeeding, so along he came with me to all of the various medical care facilities. I don't even like to think about what he has been exposed to, between the hospital and all the dr.s offices since.

DS is 4wo today and since birth he's been to: 6 doctors office waiting rooms (for me), 2 ped appointments (for him), an emergency room (for me), an urgent care waiting room (for me), 3 restaurants, the park, my mw's home, the farmer's market, my mil's house, the airport and several walks in the sling around the block and downtown.

He's always either in arms or in a sling, so that makes me feel a little better...and open-air places don't worry me at all. It's the enclosed places and dr.s offices that freak me out. But it was unavoidable, so I just have to hope that BFing is giving him the immunity he needs to stay healthy.

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

As a single mama of FOUR now (wow - really) my less-than-two-week old baby has been out and about absolutely EVERYWHERE. But that's out of necessity. I wouldn't recommend it. It's taken a much bigger toll on my post-cesarean body than it has on his newborn body. I thought I was doing great, then all of a sudden these last two days I've been in horrid pain all over again. If you have the luxury of being able to stay home, milk it for all it's worth. The outside world will still be there later on.

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by Sleepyheaded_Mama

A It's taken a much bigger toll on my post-cesarean body than it has on his newborn body.

I'm sorry for your pain mamma. I remember how hard my recovery was with my c/s (only had DD, can't imagine how hard it is for you).

[Mom2M]

I've taken her out everywhere, usually in the Moby wrap if we are going inside anywhere, she's happy in it and away from people breathing on her!

Also, we bundle her up and take her out for walks in the stroller. It's only been about 40 at the coldest so far, but I have no plans to stop walking when winter really sets in. We have a Bundle Me that is so warm, she's usually hot when I take her out of it.
I feel better getting exercise too.

Of course, then there are the days where my motivation is down to zero and we hang around all day in PJ's and unshowered...

Deb

[Krystal323]

Uh, are we Texans the only ones left who still have drive-in theatres??? We saw Pirates of the Carribbean right when it came out, when Claire was 2 weeks old--in our car

I've been out and about with the kids--kinda hard not to when things have to get done and DH is working all the time. Nik stays in his sling and nurses or sleeps--I wear a sweatercoat and pull it over most of the open part of the sling, so I doubt he's getting too many germs cozied up in there

[BeckyBird]

We have a drive in theater too!! We go several times each summer, and it is a blast! This summer, we are definitely taking baby out to the movies.

[Shell_Ell]

I've been out with him twice in 3 1/2 weeks (once wasn't really "out" but just to the midwife's house) on purpose. My milk supply was not stellar in the beginning, and I felt my place was at home with him, resting, and paying attention to his feeding cues. By doing this, I feel like it really helped us stay on track and get my supply where it needed to be.

Stress-wise, it's not worth it to me, either. I was out and about really soon (within days) after my other two were born. I remember going to a playgroup when my second son was less than a week old. This time, there just really wasn't anything worth it to me. It has been really nice having this time at home. Cabin fever is definitely setting in, but I know it's temporary.

[ExuberantDaffodil]

Ugh. I had to take my child to the worst possible place this morning: The hallway of a public elementary school.

Couldn't leave her at home. Couldn't leave her in the car. Had to walk my son to his classroom.

Hope I don't report back in a couple days that my baby is sick.

[Mizelenius]

Yes, we've been out-- people's homes, the doctor, ,my MW, mall, restaurants, to my DD's theater class (we had to sit through a meeting), church, etc. I wouldn't think any of those places would be any worse than a theater as far as germs go, but my concern with the theater is always noise. Why do they turn up the volume SO much?

My DD is always in a wrap when we go out, and I don't generally let anyone hold her unless we're at someone's house. If they are sick, they tell me and don't hold her. Granted, my 2 yo is now sick and (knock on wood) no one else seems like they are getting it, inc. my newborn. (I'm sure I just jinxed myself . . .)

[C-Momma]

I still haven't decided...we have been out to my mom's house but no where else. If he's well covered in the wrap or sling I'd feel comfortable taking him in the grocery (and I desperately need to go soon). We also need to buy a Christmas tree this weekend so I plan to wear him while we're out doing that.

Part of me feels like he'll be fine in my carrier no matter where we go (and I have no problem telling people not to touch him and I certainly wouldn't be passing him around in public)...and part of me wants to wrap him in a protective bubble while he's so fragile.

EuberantDaffodil, that picture is precious. I love the way she is holding the sling.