when did you start taking your babe places?

[FoxintheSnow]

My ped says no indoor places till 3 months??!!

I know I didnt wait that long with ds. We've been taking her lots of outdoor places (parks, city gardens) but I feel nervous about going anywhere else. I had to go to the store yesterday and I put her in a moby wrap. She seemed protected but I feel so paranoid about it.

[~Katrinka~]

Well, no indoor places for 3 months seems a little extreme, unless your baby is a preemie, or for some other reason at a higher risk factor for getting RSV, etc. Especially when you already have another child, it's hardly practical to not go anywhere for 3 months.
Teddy has been out to the doctor's office, the midwives' office, the library, preschool, Trader Joe's, the playground, and a bunch of walks. I think keeping baby close to you in a carrier probably minimizes the risk of baby catching something from someone around you.
I am sure that at my house, the greatest source of germs is going to Teddy's 5 older siblings. The oldest 4 attend 4 different schools, so we are guaranteed to get as many germs as possible.

[monamcmona]

our ped. also suggested staying away from crowds until the end of April! that puts Sonny at almost three months old.
I was very paranoid for a couple weeks. It has been a pretty bad influenza season. Even missed my gma's 80th birthday party!!! But I'm totally over it! I have a three year old that NEEDS to get out of the house. And I NEED to get out of the house.
I was getting a little blue sitting around the house (it's still a little too cold for a new baby to be outside here)! and a sad, bored mom isn't a very good mom.

[~ani~]

Breastfed babies are pretty well protected from catching things I think.

We make sure everyone washes their hands all the time.

Our babe has been to the midwife's, the pediatrician's, post-natal yoga, all sorts of parks, stores, markets, cafes and even a few restaurants! And a museum and even a protest! Always in the sling or in my arms. We travel by foot & public transport - bus & train - we don't even have a car.

[XanaduMama]

We went to the library when she was a day old! She's also been to the grocery store, ds's school, to the zoo, to lectures and seminars... She's always in the mei tai when we're out and about, so I figure that protects her from being breathed or coughed on.

3 months!! That seems a bit excessive, to say the least. I'd go nuts.

[Jes'sBeth]

yeah, we've been lots of places. no way we're waiting 3 months. id go nuts!

as for germs... our 3 yr old already gave the baby a cold. we can't keep her inside for 3 months that's for sure and we need to live which means groceries etc.

[Catherine12]

I took our new one on her first outing on Monday... she was 10 days old. We went to the library. She did great - she was looking all around, very curious. When she fussed I was able to get her to latch on pretty easily in the sling and we nursed on the go quite successfully. It was a really nice little trip.

I've never waited more than a week or two to take my babies places. I wouldn't want to take her to a hospital or doctor's office at this age, but I think normal places are fine - she can't touch anything or anyone (other than me) when she's in the sling anyway. I think it's more important for me and other family members to observe good handwashing, etc.

[Smokering]

Rowan went out for the first time at 5 days PP, because I really wanted to attend a conference lecture. Now at 4 weeks she's been to church, town, DH's work, a restaurant, the library, the public gardens, the next-door neighbor's house...

[mtm]

we hibernated for 2 weeks but now do our normal routine so doc's office, grocery store, playground and even one coffee shop trip but I wear her when we go out and don't generally let others hold her much yet.

[MonP'titBoudain]

Originally Posted by Jes'sBeth

as for germs... our 3 yr old already gave the baby a cold. we can't keep her inside for 3 months that's for sure and we need to live which means groceries etc.

yep, ds already gave dd a cold, too (it's really pathetic!). we started going out at 4 days pp and dh was out of town at 2 weeks pp so there's no way I could stay by myself then! I just keep her in the wrap mostly, although she has been passed around a lot with family!

[Leiahs]

I'm definitely most nervous about my older kids giving the baby a cold. I looked over some journaling recently, and my DD had given my first DS a cold when he was only a month old. It jogged my memory - no fun trying to nurse a snuffly baby, and clear out his little tiny nose.

My original plan was to wait a month before resuming normal group activities like playgroup, church, etc. I've been rethinking that, however, and will probably do a playgroup and go back to church at about 3.5 weeks because of some timing with certain activities. Not a big difference, but it was enough to make me really consider it. As for going out anywhere, well, we've already done 3 trips of window shopping as a "get me out of this house!" escape, we went to the library yesterday at 2 weeks old, and we've done several outdoor walks as well. But I've avoided the grocery store, playgroups, and church.

And like Catherine said, I'm just going to be a bit militant about hand washing, especially when we go out.

[Gnatty]

We've been to church, twice...and a coffee shop. I figure with a light blanket over his face/head while I'm holding him, his exposure is limited. Plus, I'm getting the same exposure, so he should get the antibodies my body makes, right?

[milky_mama]

I was a complete germophobe for the first month and we didn't go anywhere! It helped that my mom and dad were here and dh had some time so they could take dd1 places. I also gave birth the end of Feb. when the flu season was really peaking. After a month I had to get out of the house and I needed to make sure that dd1 was able to still do the things she loved. I've taken lo with us to playgroup, grocery shopping, out to dinner twice, and to the mall for a short time (small mall that's not crowded. I live in a small town), lots of walks outside and trips to the park in the beautiful spring weather. I haven't taken her to church yet, I've just gone with dd1 and dh has stayed home with her. I keep her in the Moby the whole time covered so I feel as though she's protected. I'm also nuts about hand washing!

[KristyDi]

She went to the grocery store, in the wrap, at 2 weeks. She's 5 weeks now and has been to 5 different restaurants, church, the ped's office, the ob's office, Target a few times, Babies R Us a few times, my aunt's house for a family gathering and visitation before my great uncle's funeral. (I think it's called a wake in other parts of the country)

Basically, we're living as normal. DD is usually in the wrap unless we're going somewhere that I'll need to lay her down. I really don't like taking the carseat. It's heavy and awkward.

I think 3 months is extreme with a normal healthy babe. I'd go insane waiting for 3 months to go anywhere. My good friend's babe is 5 months, her ped gave her the same recommendation. She took her DD out after a few weeks because she was going stir crazy.

[notwonamesalike]

Once we were out of the hossie when DS was 10 days old we were out and about.

Day 12 we went to the grocery store. Day 13 to church.

When he was 5 weeks old we went to my brother's college graduation with thousands of people and at 8 weeks we went on a ferry over the border to visit
our neighbors tot he north. We celebrated Canada Day with them in Victoria.

Babe hasn't been sick - unless you count the diaper rash I gave him from my anti-biotics.