Newborn questions for the more experienced...

[magpiedee]

Because I'm freaked out at least once a day, and i'm sure some of the other newborn noobs are, too!

1. How soon can we take them out among people? My pediatrician said we could walk around the neighborhood or go to the park right now, but to avoid public places like Target or Kroger. But when can I take her by work, or let visitors hold her? And, yeah, when can we go to Target?

2. Does anyone else not care about dressing up their baby? We received 50 gallons of clean, cute used clothes and oodles of adorable new stuff at the showers, but I just don't have any interest in dressing her up. I bought 2 packs of snap-front white shirts, and I like her best in those with diapers and a receiving blanket. I pull out a onesie, go to put it over her head and realize she's going to just hate it... I feel like i'm missing some motherly component because I don't ever put her in real clothes.

3. What do you do when your babe sleeps like a champ ON you, but won't sleep more than 20 minutes in the bassinet/crib/etc.? I really miss sleeping next to my husband!

Answers? Questions? So confusing the new baby... :

[Meeshi Mama]

We had to hit the grocery store on the way home from the hospital and I didn't think twice about it. We even ate at the food court area, hit up the pharmacy and got groceries.

At 9 days old, we took a road trip to Ithaca and looked at houses for sale, hit the coffee shop, bagel shop and a few other stores.

At two weeks old, I took all three girls to the grocery store myself. Beyond that, we are outside daily for walks and hikes etc.

When we go out and about, we're always holding her and do not pass her off to strangers or anything. I never thought it was necessary to stay away from people, she was born in a germy, busy hospital, yk?

As for dressing her, most days Luna lounges in a dipe and gown. If we go out, I just put her in a onesie top and pants. Today is actually the first time I've gotten her dressed up in a dress and that's just because we're doing 3 week pics later.

About the sleeping, the days Luna resists being laid down to sleep are the days she's gassy. I have to pat her until she lets a burp out (sounds like a sailor most times!!!) if I want to be able to lay her down. Some days she prefers sleeping upright in the carseat.

[Jowchar]

I had dd out with me at the grocery store within the first 3 days as well. I had her in a sling and I swear I felt like everyone thought i was shoplifting because she was so tiny you couldn't even see her!
I only dressed her in the most comfortable clothing, nothing fancy or frou-frou at all at first, i thought her skin was too sensitive. I preferred really soft sleepers or those nightgowns with the elastic bottoms. Sometimes she was only in a onesie and a blanket. It's totally up to you.
As for sleeping, she slept in my arms or next to me in bed, either snuggled up or in the basinet right beside. I know it might sound bad, but I just figure the time we have with them as newborns is so fleeting, I wanted to spend every second absorbing the whole experience, and dh could wait.
As it turned out, he cuddled right up to me too, just on the other side. So I would have dd on the left and dh spooning on the left all night.
It helped us all get a lot of sleep and we were all happier for it. Particularly because after a few weeks I had mastered nursing while lying on my side so she wouldn't even fully wake up to eat.
Undoubtly you will find a way that works best for your family.

[taradt]

We were out in the yard right away, by 2 weeks we were doing groceries/library ect in our small town. 3 weeks we went out to dinner and now at 5 weeks pretty much anything goes
Kienan is always in his pouch and no one touches or holds him, but with a 4 year old life gets back to normal pretty quickly.

getting out of pj's some days is a goal itself cutsie clothes are hard to put on and hard to change diapers in.

No advice on the sleeping on you, both my kids have done that DH just cuddles us when we are nursing. by morning we usually have both kids in the bed snuggling and it warms our hearts to see our family together like that

tara

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

For me it depends on the time of the year and what kind of illness is going around. Both mine were born in Oct so the begining of flu and cold season here. I didnt take either one out in public until they were 6weeks old. I did go to my mom's but that is all. Even after they got bigger I would only take them out with me to wal-mart if my mom couldnt watch them for me. It wasnt so much a germ thing then as I had a hard time dealing with doing what I needed to do and keeping a eye on them.

If you want to take them out right away that is fine to, but for me if they had gotten sick that small I would have delt with horrible guilt. (that is just me by the way) I never liked the idea of strangers breathing on my baby or touching them and 99% of the time they see a newborn they have to touch (not that I blame them because I love newborns to) but the germ factor freaks me out a bit when they are so tiny.

If you dont want to dress her all up that is fine. It is way easier to change a diaper if you dont have to go thru undoing a bunch of cloths.

[mamamilkers]

I would assume that if your baby was normal and healthy (not a preemie or a weak immune system or something) that you can take your baby out as soon as you feel like it. Just don't let people touch him/her. YOU are the mama and if some lady is coming at you like they're going to smooch all over the baby, you can kindly let them know to get the heck away!

As far as dressing, pretty much DD#2 is in basics, as well. No need for frou frou stuff at all. I also love those gowns with the elastic, but if we are going to be in the car, then she needs to be in jammies with legs.

Oh, and the sleeping thing? Let me know when you find out the secret! LOL

[boobyfeeder]

The doctor's office is more germy than anywhere you could bring your baby, so I wouldn't sweat bringing her out in public. Dunno bout the other stuff, I have all hand-me-downs from DD#1 so it's not exciting dressing her up, and we co-sleep with the baby in the middle, so I wouldn't sleep next to DH anyway.

[Sailmom]

I know the first baby freak outs all too well. With my dd, it took a sheer act of will to take her out on an errand. We would walk every day in the sling, but the grocery store seemed so daunting. Now, with #2, I am eager to get out and about and not be cooped up in the house. It is very helpful to my 2 year old to stay active as well... So,

1. Keep your newborn in the sling, then you don't have to worry about strangers, or even friends, touching or breathing on your child. Keep some hand sanitizer in your diaper bag and clean your hands regularly.

2.Dress the baby in whatever is comfy for her and easy for you.

3. Get the baby to sleep in whatever way you can, especially in the first 2 weeks. Get dh to sleep with her as well. Some of the best advice I got was to do whatever you need to to get through the first 6 weeks. Celebrate when they are 90 days old, and everything gets easier in 2 week increments!

[veganf]

During the first few weeks I request people wash hands before touching baby. But I go anywhere I want. And someone always ends up grabbing little toes or patting his head. But life's too short to stay trapped at home IMO.

I dress them nicely for a weekly or monthly photo, or when the urge hits me. Depending on the season, I find either onesies or one piece outfits to be easiest. but to each his own.

If they start developing a preference for sleeping ON me, then they get set down for naps as soon as they're asleep, even if they wake up instantly and need to be picked up again. Eventually they'll be too tired and sleep where they're put. Of course if I'm out baby can sleep in the sling, but I personally don't have what it takes to carry baby ALL the time...that drives me crazy. If it's evening and I'm watching tv or reading and he falls asleep nursing, often if I wait 20 minutes and then put him down he's bound to stay asleep more soundly.
Of course at night he just sleeps next to me (he likes my arm to be touching his head, LOL). No way I'm getting up multiple times in the middle of the night!

Just listen to your gut feelings and do what you feel is best.

[ColoradoMama]

I guess I'm the odd one. I love to let other people hold my babies (well, people that I know - of course!). My friends have been bringing me food since the day after he was born, and everyone has held him - even their kiddos. I love the sense of community it builds - even from the start. Of course, not many people agree with me, but that's okay, too! My kiddos have always been pretty healthy - ds1 was 15 months old before he got so much as the sniffles. When I am out, Louis is always in the sling.

As for clothes, I usually opt for comfort. I can't resist some of the really cute outfits once in a while though! Luckily, for boys, the cute outfits usually also tend to be comfy, too - no frills and lace!

[boobyfeeder]

"1. Keep your newborn in the sling, then you don't have to worry about strangers, or even friends, touching or breathing on your child."

Yeah, you'd think that, but we went out to dinner when the baby was a couple days old, and I had her in the sling. We walked into the restaurant, and the hostess (whom I can't stand anyway, she NEVER smiles), came up and actually tried to reach over and pull back the fabric to touch my baby. : I was like, "Um, please don't touch". I wanted to smack her hand away. And then she had the gall to look all offended. Some people have no tact.

[2 in August]

I was far more paranoid with dd. DS has been going out with us since the beginning. I figured if he was going to the hospital every day for blood work and the dr 2x a wk for weight checks, i could take him where ever I wanted to go. My friends who brought me meals all got to hold him, kind of my thank you to them. Plus, like Colorado said, I liked sharing him with the people that are important to me and who cared for him before he was even born.

As far as dressing him, we do onsies if it is hotter or jammies if it is chilly. My dd goes nuts about not putting real clothes on him, but nothing really fits yet. I keep telling her that they are called sleep and plays for a reason. lol

My baby sleeps on me too. I can put him in the bassinette for about the 1st hour or so at night then we are out on the couch together. It doesn't last long. I did it with dd too and by 4 months she was wanting to be put down and would cry if I held her too long. They are only this little and needy for a short time, so I do what I can to make him happy and comfy. My dd would cry till she made herself sick (the few misguided times I ignored my mommy intuition and listened to the CIO crowd). Today mil told me I was spoiling ds and he should just cry till he fell asleep. I just told her that I'm not going to treat him like that and if he was crying I would do whatever I could to make him feel better.

Just follow your instincts. I spent way too much time with my dd trying to drown out my momma voice and do the "right" thing according to the books my mom, mil, etc. It just made me nervous and uptight and I ended up saying scr*w it, I'm the mom of this baby and I'll do what I think is best. It was very hard for me since I hate conflict, but I did do it and was much happier.

[Mimi37]

Originally Posted by 2 in August

My baby sleeps on me too. I can put him in the bassinette for about the 1st hour or so at night then we are out on the couch together. It doesn't last long. I did it with dd too and by 4 months she was wanting to be put down and would cry if I held her too long. They are only this little and needy for a short time.

Oh yay, thank you -- Comments like this keep me going. Have not slept more than 45 min at a time last 2 nights. On the couch. DD wants to sleep on me, upright (has reflux ) -- if only *I* cd sleep upright!! DH took her for 5 hrs this morning and I slept the happiest sleep ever. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[nak]

[Azreial]

take baby out when you want. Ditto on the dr's office being super germy, if its safe to go there its safe to go just about anywhere.

dress dd however you want, you're the one who has to look at her the most

With 4 kids I've finally figured out who to get them to sleep in a crib/bassinet have twins then they can sleep together
maybe try a swing? my dd loved to sleep in the swing.