[Nora'sMama]

Nora is 3 weeks old (well, 24 days to be exact...) and we have taken her to Target, to Starbucks, twice to my parents' (an hour away by car), to church, out to dinner...

Two of my friends told me their doctors said not to take their DC out around people until after 4 weeks because if they get sick in the first 6 weeks odds are they'll end up in the hospital!

Now I am second-guessing my decisions to take Nora out and let her be around so many people. I feel like I've put her at risk unnecessarily! I'm wondering if my fears (and guilt) are out of proportion or whether I really was not very smart to introduce her to germ-filled environments at such a young age.

DH thinks I am crazy and yelled at me for being paranoid. He thinks she needs to be exposed to the world and its germs ASAP to build her immune system, and that my friends' doctors are nuts. What's the reality?

 

[Kirsten]

We took our dd1 out to our 12th and last childbirth class :LOL , then the Bellevue Art and Craft Fair (THOUSANDS of people), then to Nordstroms after for some pink clothes (we had all neutral stuff when she was born). She was six days old. People were more shocked that I was up and around that much than we had her out at six days. I felt great!

I didn't take any of my babies to places likely to have sick people - doctor's offices, hospitals, preschools, etc. when they were less than a month - if I could help it. But sometimes I couldn't.

Some kids are just prone to things like croup (which truly SUCKS!) My dd1 and dd2 never got it - but with dd3, every little sniffle turned into it. Awful and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Once we figured out she was prone, I was more careful about where I took her and when.

I think babies born in the winter have more to "catch" in public than our summer babies. I wouldn't worry.

 

[Viola]

My first daughter was born in a hospital and she came home 2 days later. Five days after her birth I returned to the hospital to the breastfeeding clinic. The week after she was born was mother's day, so we went out to breakfast.

My second daughter was born at home, and her first trip out of the house was when she went to the pediatrician's office at 3 days of age. Then at 8 days of age I took her to the pumpkin patch as I had promised my older daughter, and I wanted to go while I still had someone to help me (my nephew). We had a lot of visitor's after she was born anyway, because people brought me meals.

 

[eightyferrettoes]

Ds was out by 3 days old-- to my college night class! AND it was February AND we had to hike uphill 2 miles in the snow!

Yeah, I dunno. Seems to me like a healthy fullterm baby can go wherever pretty much right away. We took him to his first outdoor event at 3 weeks-- an outhouse race. :LOL Wanted him to experience a cultural event.

 

[RedWine]

Dd#2 was out by 3 days as well. I wanted to keep to my toddler's schedule as much as possible to make having a new sibling easy on her...so we went to all my toddler's activities as usual, with the baby in a sling.

So not only was she out, but she was around toddlers...I just kept her up and away from any that had the slightest sign of a cold. She's been 100% healthy.

 

[Bensma]

DS was born in a hospital in January and we went home 2 days later. The pediatrician wanted to see him again 2 days after that, so we went to a doctor's office in winter when DS was 4 days old. To be honest, it was harder on me, as I had a long labor and delivery, and DS is now a healthy, happy 5 month old. If you are comfortable and baby is healthy, don't listen to the naysayers. So many people give you opinions/advice in that first month, when you're so emotional and vunerable, it can be difficult to remain confident in your decisions!

 

[BabyBumblebee]

We were out and about at 3 days - to be honest, unless your house is hermetically sealed your dk's are being exposed to 'outside' air anyway...I understand avoiding 'sick' people and places, but you can go too far...

 

[meemee]

i was houseboud till dd was 2 weeks old because of my c-section. i tried going out at 5 weeks but bled more. once we started there was no holding back. at 2 weeks my dd found the skyloft at teh mall (only place cool enough in teh middle of 110) totally fascinating and kept looking up the whole time. since i am a single mom she went everywhere with me starting at 2 weeks.

she was a v. healthy baby so i didnt worry about germs too much. instead i was happy to expose her to what was in the air to build up her immunity.

 

[mamabohl]

we took them out within a few days. as long as people don't touch them it's no biggy.

 

[Houdini]

My oldest was about 7 days, but his ped (no longer with him) at the time said we should wait until he was eight pounds. He weighed 4 lbs. 5.5 ozs at birth and was 4 lbs. 2 ozs when he came home at five days. He wasn't eight pounds until three months old.
My daughter was in the NICU for one month and went to get her pics taken the day after she came home.
Zachary was about seven days when we took him out shopping. Nicholas was five days old when we went to church.

 

[Past_VNE]

We took Jett out at 7 days to get some nursing bras for me. We went to Babies R Us (ugh) and then to the grocery store for some cranberries. (Cranberries that are still in the freezer. Obviously we needed them.)

I believe in staying in or staying relatively sedate for the first month, but my reason is that so your body can heal, not to keep the baby away from things really. I believe that getting back to normal too quickly is the main reason that US women have so many pelvic floor and incontinence problems developing as they age.

In Japan, it's extraordinarily rare to see a baby under 3 months old. We took Jett to a Japanese restaurant when he was two weeks old. They were floored that we were out. They were even more floored that I was on my way to work with him.

At two weeks, I was going to work twice a week with Jett in a sling. It was a sitting job, no stairs. Funny, now I don't work at all and he's 5.5 months.

 

[findingMYway]

Mine were all different. But, I say 6 weeks is the minimum. However, if you really have to go out a sling is great. Because you can tuck them down in and no one will put their hands on them. I had a lady peek in one time but my breast was out, funny thing was she wasn't embarrassed at all. It was an older lady and she said she breastfed all of hers. Only time that happened though so the sling is a protection.

 

[rere]

our sweet gal (nora) was born right before thanksgiving so at ten days old we were at two family gatherings and i'm pretty sure(it's hard to remember now) we'd made it out a few times before that.she's never had so much as a sniffle in 6.5 months and she's around school aged kids all the time.if you're breastfeeding you really don't need to worry about it.she's getting all the immunities she needs from you.

only you know what's right for your baby.we have instincts for a reason don't let what's right for other people make you doubt your own instincts - as hard as that can be.

 

[Llyra]

I took Julia out for pizza (for me, not her!) when she was 5 days old. Honestly, I don't get this don't bring babies out thing, especially for babies born in hospitals. Heck, there's more germs in the hospital than anywhere else. I can understand avoiding crowded indoor places like movie theaters and malls, especially during flu season, but I really think that a healthy, full-term, breastfed baby is a lot hardier than we think, and that colostrum is much more protective than we think. It wasn't good for me as a mama to stay cooped up in the house, especially in the summer. I think the fresh air was wonderful for Julia, and I know being in a sling while I was active and moving around was VERY good for her.

The only reason I can see for a mama to avoid going out would be if the MAMA doesn't want to: wants some quiet, private time away from nosy strangers or well-meaning friends and relatives, or needs time to emotionally or physically recover, or time to establish breastfeeding.

 

[Rainbow]

My first had jaundice and nursing issues so we were out and about a lot... Dr, LC, dinner, etc...
My second was 2 weeks when we started going out.
My third was almost 2 weeks when we went out once tot he Dr, but we didn't start going out "normally" until closer to 4. She' s 5 weeks now and life is just starting to look normal again.

We were out in the back yard a lot during that time, so it wasn't that we weren't getting fresh air... I just enjoy spending a lot of time at home taking it slow with the new baby. It wasn't really anout germs... just relaxing and enjoying the new baby.

 

[BlueStateMama]

With my first child I waited about a month. With DD I brought her out and about by her second week, tucked in my sling.

Quote:

I can understand avoiding crowded indoor places like movie theaters and malls, especially during flu season, but I really think that a healthy, full-term, breastfed baby is a lot hardier than we think, and that colostrum is much more protective than we think.

ITA. She was a hospital birth and I'm sure her germ exposure was as high there as anywhere else.

 

[newmomma2005]

It never even crossed my mind to wait to take Logan "out". Like a PP said, he was born in a hospital and there are way more germs in a hospital than anywhere else. It is actually really hard to catch colds and the like just by being in say a mall or something similar. You really have to be like within 3 feet of people, and have them sneeze/cough etc right on you!!! Plus, if you have your baby in a carrier of any sort(sling,wrap,ABC) who is gonna reach into it to TOUCH your baby? Especially here in America, that would be way into your personal space! I say take them whereever you want to go. To an extent, babies get used to what is normal for your lifestyle.

 

[celia]

My pediatrician said 6 weeks. I thought it was excessive- except that it was mid-winter, flu season etc. I made it to about 5 weeks then I couldn't take it anymore and out we went! She's made it to 4 1/2 months without getting sick once yet. If she had been born this time of year, I don't think I would have waited at all. jmo.

 

[elmh23]

My doctor never said anything. At 5 days old, she went out for a doctor appt. That day we also took her grocery shopping. At 3 weeks we went to the mall for photos (at JC Penney) and then Christmas shopping.

 

[3girlsmommy]

When my oldest was born we took her to the mall at 2 days old. I really needed some clothes that fit. Man we got a lot of crap for that!

My middle dd we took her to church at 4 days old. We waited that long because there was an ice storm and very cold out. I started going stir crazy after 2 days.

Our 3rd dd was born Tuesday at 3:00am and we took her to pick up her oldest sister from preschool on Wednesday. Everyone thought I was nuts but I felt fine and she was in the sling so no one touched her.

I think the whole waiting thing is important if the baby is not breastfed because they aren't getting the antibodies to help them fight things off. Also we always carried/had the baby in a sling when we went out w/ them. THere is less chance of them being touched and/or sneezed on then if they were in a stroller.