When did you venture out?

[neveryoumindthere]

Tomorrow ds will be 6 days old...so far I have been home, not even using the stairs (didn't have my tear stitched) but I really need to see the chiropractor so I'm making an appointment for tomorrow...

I feel like there are so many errands I need/want to run, especially because they are things I need for myself and for the baby. I feel relatively 'good' but I feel (for me) this is a tricky stage. With my 2 other kids, I did too much b/c I 'felt great' and ended up in a very bad place soon thereafter.
Also, I really don't want to set a precedent that I'm totally fine and now everyone (read: DH) will expect me to go back to doing all my 'mothering' and housekeeping. So I'm going back and forth about whether I should do my other errands since I'm already out for my chiro appt and then chill the rest of the week at home while DH is off...

I'm going nuts just sitting at home! and I love being out and about.
BUT, there's also my concern about taking the baby out so soon, especially since it's quite cold out!

What do you think?

When did you all venture out or plan to?

edited to add: DH would be driving me around and be with me the entire time. I wouldn't be alone, if that makes a difference.

[ibusymomto5]

I ventured out for the first time at 7 days pp this time. We were out most of the day, and I thoroughly enjoyed it but was wiped out when I got back home. My dh drove and was with me the whole time. Even though it wore me out a little bit by the end of the day, the good it did me emotionally was well worth it. We took our 15yo to band, made a very quick trip to the mall(store was close to where we parked), ate at Sonic, and then went and visited my mom afterwards. I wasn't very good this time about avoiding the stairs either. I went up and down the stairs everyday but limited it to once a day for the first week. I just felt extra good this time for some reason and didn't have any ill effects from doing it. I also didn't have any tearing or anything.

With my last baby I stayed inside for 3 whole weeks before I went anywhere, and that was too long for me. I was going stir crazy by the end of it and finally had to get out. I also faithfully avoided the stairs for the first several days. I had a really long recovery with that baby for some reason. I didn't tear or anything that time either, but my placenta was huge and I kind of wonder if that makes for a bigger scar to heal inside.

[sonshine_rae]

5 days old.. we went to Sunday church services

[andi-mama]

The day after I gave birth, we went to my dad's for an hour or so just to get out of the house. The next day was Canadian Thanksgiving, so we stayed home. The day after that (when DS2 was 3 days old), we headed out to an indoor playground. I have a 2.5 year old DS, and if we don't get out he will go crazy and I will go there right along with him.

[heidirk]

We stopped at my Grandma's house on the wasy home from the hospital, so she could see the LO. She's 84, and doesn't have the freedom of movement she once did. That was day 2.

Day 4 my mom came with me to the grocery store, with DS1 and Milo. It. Wiped. Me. Out! And it was an easy trip!

Day 8 we went to Church. It went Ok, actually. I'm feeling better as my cold resolves itself!



Go to the chiropractor, then come home. DH can run the errands!

[Faerieshadow]

We were out the first time on day 5 for a dr appointment (had to get a dr signature for the baby's homebirth paperwork) and then went and bought a pair of pants that day as well. Had an employee come up to me and tell me that Elina was just "too young to be out". : Um, I think be held in Daddy's arms while Mommy buys a pair of pants so that she doesn't have to wear maternity anymore is ok! Anyway, we've been to the grocery store a few times since then, and we're heading out this morning as well. Of course cold isn't a factor down here in FL but I keep her in the sling so people can't be touching her with germy hands.

[birthdancedoula]

1 week today and I'm feeling like I want to get out. We may go get dd's birth certificate and then some lunch. It'll be a pretty easy trip but I'm cautious this time b/c with ds3 I went out with all my kiddos at 8 days pp and had a major late pp hemorrhage which landed me in the hospital.

[Baby_Cakes]

5 days after Nora was born we went to the pediatrician, then the hospital. It was a lot for me - for her, not so much. Then it steamrolled - we had to go back to the hospital the next day, etc.

I think especially if you're not going out alone you'll be fine.

Nora was 18 days old when she and I went out by ourselves and we did just fine.

[lasciate]

At 4 days DH talked me into going out for lunch. Then at 6 days I went to the library, and that made me so tired and cranky for the rest of the day that I didn't go anywhere else until yesterday at 10 days, to have baby weighed.

Keep baby bundled warmly and they will be fine, it's more *you* that needs the rest than them.

[TaraRae82]

we went out when ally rae was 3 days old. i know....prob too early but i wanted to go with dh to target when he ran out to grab a few things! i was tired of sitting on the couch and needed to get out of the house.

[heidirk]

Ohh, I forgot- on day 4 at the grocery store, my mom was holding Milo b/c he didn't like the car seat AT ALL. A lady walking by says, "oh, that's a fresh one!' Well, I guess so, but fresh was not the first word I'd have thought of.

[TaraRae82]

up:

[neveryoumindthere]

NAK
well I went to my chiro appt and to one store to pick up a few things and I'm beat and sore
I just left ds in the car with dh and he slept the entire time.
It was nice to be out and see the sun but I got it out of my system for now so I'll wait to go out again and let dh pick up the other things i need.

[PassionateWriter]

Originally Posted by andi-mama

The day after I gave birth, we went to my dad's for an hour or so just to get out of the house. The next day was Canadian Thanksgiving, so we stayed home. The day after that (when DS2 was 3 days old), we headed out to an indoor playground. I have a 2.5 year old DS, and if we don't get out he will go crazy and I will go there right along with him.

i am so there w you. i took ds3 to a friends house the day after birth bc he was just soooo wired. on day 2 we went to get a baby scale and we ended up running a few more errands. other than today (day 5) i have been out each day just so ds3 could get some energy out. its really crucial for him i think..he's doing much better and getting calmer each day but not if he doesnt get outside.

[crosscat]

Day 3 we took a stroll around the neighborhood. Day 5 we went to the pediatrician. Day 10 we went to buy some furniture - DH carried DD in the Babyhawk so no one would be putting their grimy paws on her. Today is Day 12 and we did a bit of shopping, again using the Babyhawk.

We've taken some walks around the neighborhood, too.

All outings were pretty uneventful, DD generally just sleeps. We've had some diapering adventures, though.

Tomorrow I'd really like to take the baby down to the yoga studio so my classmates from pre-natal yoga can meet her. I'm not sure though, because the weather is supposed to turn chilly and there may be rain. The studio is a short walk away, but I'm not sure about taking the baby out in the cold?

[Dahlea]

I went out at 6 days pp with my husband along, and went grocery shopping. Next day was his first ped appt. I didn't have any tearing or anything though and I've recoveredreally quickly.

[Kim919]

I took the babe to see her great grandparents when she was about 15 hours old, and I went to work at a day and a half and both of those went just fine, but I tried to go to the wal-mart when she was 3 days old and that did NOT GO WELL. I ended up crying the whole way home (her too.) I don't even feel like typing out the story.

I took her back to the wal-mart at a week old with DP this time so I could hold her and that was ok. We pretty much have gone out and about every day sense she's been born and the only things that are an issue is if there is too much going on (like too much noise/sound/movement ie: the walmart)

I do think that next time I have a baby i'm going to plan it different. I'm going to make sure I have things arranged so I don't need to leave the house at all for at least a week or two and I will be taking a minimum 6 full weeks no phone calls no nothing maternity leave from work. She is being really good but going back to work (even though she comes with me) has been a little too overwhelming and I feel like I'm missing out on just sitting around bonding with her.

[Bella Catalina]

With DS, I took him out at 3 days. We went to meet friends for dinner for a birthday. I was feeling really good, but I suspect I just wanted to show him off

This time I don't think I will have much choice anyway, because with a 2.5 yo, he will drive me insane.

[NicaG]

Dd had jaundice, so we had to take her to the hospital to measure her levels on days 3, 4, 5, and 6. Luckily she didn't have to be admitted, but we were up and out of the house. When she was 4 days old we walked to the playground (1/2 mile) and sat in the sun for a while. She's 3 weeks old now and we've been all over the place--ds's preschool, the mall, parks and playgrounds, church. Newborns are pretty sturdy. And I have a miserable time being pregnant, but my body recovers fast.

[OkiMom]

With DD I took her out to Walmart and the grocery store coming home from the hospital. The next day we went out to eat and went to Target (Walmart didn't have what we were looking for- big shocker). We also took her up to my work so I could turn in my maternity leave paperwork. Next day she had a doctors appointment and we stopped by DH's work.. Then it was the weekend so we visited a few friends and went to church.

Taking her out didn't bug me all that much. I carried her and turned away from people who tried to touch. However, I quickly learned not to leave DH and her alone in public because he didn't think anything was wrong with strangers touching her.