[Shannon Poe]

Hello,

I'm Shannon, Mom to a 6 year old boy and a 3 week old girl. I was wondering when it is appropiate to start taking baby out into the world, such as grocery shopping into stores etc.

The baby and I have only been out to doctor visits since her birth and I would like to get out. I'm nursing so I can't go out without her.

When would it be safe to go out?

Shannon

 

[Aloe]

I think it is totally up to you.... My 3 yr old was a family reunion at 3 days old. Not to say that was a great idea, but it is all about choice.
If it is illness you are worried about, think about it this way she has already been to the doctor's office and most people there are not healthy.

Plus nursing her is a great way to keep her immune system strong. Do you have a sling? This is a must have in my book. You can pop her in there and people can't grab and touch her (thus reducing her contact with germs). Congrats, Anna

 

[Mallory]

Both of my boys have been to stores, libraries, restaraunts, friends, whereever in the first week of life- I hate staying home!

But other people don't go anywhere until they feel like their baby moon is over.

So do what ever feel right for you!

 

[*LoveBugMama*]

My son was out for the first time when he was 8 days old.

If I had felt great after giving birth, I would have taken him out even sooner. But I had an emergency s-sec, and felt like someone had run me over...

Here in Norway we are adviced to take the baby out when we feel like it. But since winters can be REALLY cold here, most wintermoms wait a few weeks, I think.

Congratulations on your new bundle!!

 

[hvl25]

Hey you !! Come on over !!!

I took Bella to my oldest son's wrestling tournament when she was 2 weeks old, kept her in the sling the whole time and she went every Sunday during the season, so from January till April, and to out of state national tournaments. Brenden was out fairly early too, but he was born in Oct 27 so he was out and about for Thanksgiving,Christmas, but not so much outside, he was at the mall by I think 3 weeks old. Jesse went to daycare at 6 weeks because I was in the military and had to go back to work, I had him out at the pool when he was about 2 weeks old, we lived in California. HTH.

 

[Chelly2003]

I had a c-section with my son, but I couldn't stand staying at home longer than a week............ so I went to visit my work and went grocery shopping with my husband in tow when he was a week old. (ds not dh :LOL)

 

[natesmommy126]

It is totally up to you, but I had Zachary at Walmart at 4 days old. I kept him completely covered in his carseat by a blanket to keep out germs. He was perfectly fine. I just had to get out of the house.

 

[mamarsupial]

i was just about to ask the same question...since i've already gotten some wide eyed looks for bringing our newborn out in public.

i guess there are two questions to consider really - how soon should baby be out? and how soon should mama go out?

with our dd1, i think we waited until she was a week old before venturing out. this time, we took dd2 out when she was just 3 days old. we went out to lunch and she was in the sling the whole time. at 4 days we had to take dd1 to the pediatrician (she had a small rash that turned out to be nothing) and then ran a couple errands. at 5 days we went to the grocery store. today, we went for a short walk around the neighborhood.

i think going out the last few days pushed my limits post-partum. after each outing, i felt a little drained and my bleeding picked up. so, today, we took it easy (apart from the short walk). i can't be house bound. i need to get out of the house at least once a day, but am trying hard not to overdo it since my body is still adjusting to being not pregnant, producing milk, healing, etc.

 

[scheelimama]

I was out with my babe during her first week of life, going shopping and running errands. I guess I just couldn't handle staying at home. And we took her to church when she was 8 days old. People enjoy seeing really little newborns! I didn't really get too many negative stares, that said she was too young to be out.

 

[DreamsInDigital]

In my opinion, any baby healthy enough to leave the hospital is healthy enough to be in public. I took my youngest to the grocery store when he was 3 days old. I read that when a baby encounters a germ mom doesn't have antibodies to, he passes the germ to mom during nursing and she passes back an antibody. I think that was in the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.
Just my opinion, but I could be wrong

 

[ladylee]

I took our new daughter out at 3 days for walks, etc. DD #1 at four days, I think. Not a believer in sequestering them for a certain period of time-get them out in the fresh air!

 

[EmmalinesMom]

I hated being cooped up in the house! I had Emmaline at Starbucks with my dad when she was 5 days old.

He even wore her in the sling.

 

[Lucky Charm]

I had my son at 3pm, and the next day we went home. I picked up his brother and sister at the busstop and then we went grocery shopping. he was less than 36hrs old.

I always took my babies out soon. i hate being in the house and i had things to do, so i just took them along, and three kids later, they have never been sick because of it.

 

[HRC121799]

Our older ds, we didn't take out for about a month(other than dr's appts. and once to get his pictures taken), just because it was the middle of winter and I didn't feel like going anywhere! This time, I was out with baby grocery shopping when he was 3 weeks old. I wore him in the sling and he slept the entire time!

 

[sadean]

I really think it depends. I took both of my babies out to appointments, grocery shopping and to church in a sling within the first week or so. I figured I was protecting their immunicological systems by nursing and so they were at least somewhat protected (besides being in a sling out of direct exposure).

HOWEVER, I got really irritated yesterday when I saw a pair of grandparents sitting with a newborn (couldn't have been more than 2-3 weeks old, if that) in the toddler play area of the mall surrounded by 50+ toddlers. The baby was out sleeping on Gms shoulder exposed to the environment. Obviously I don't know if the baby is nursed and therefore benifits from some protection, but I cannot imagine taking my newborn to an enclosed play area potentially (likely) full of airbourne germs. I thought it was not such a smart move and tsk'ed tsk'ed to my FIL (I know, I know, it's not my business to get self-righteous

). I think he thought I was a little nuts (my FIL), but what's new

 

[Shannon Poe]

I want to thank all the ladies who responded to my original post.

Hearing all your advice makes me feel more comfortable about taking Millicent out.
She'll be 4 weeks old Friday, and I think we're going to take her on her first offical outing this weekend.

Shannon

 

[OdessaEarthenMama]

Other than leaving the hospital with my hospital born children, its usually been about a week before I take my babies out.

 

[mamaroni]

I had my daughter out shopping at 3 days old. she was bf, and I kept her in the Bjorn the whole time.

I couldn't stand being cooped up! We had to get out.

Ds was out in teh first week as well.

My lactation consultant told me that as long as you're bf'ing, there is no reason babies can't go out right away.