We are waiting until LO is 2 months before we take her out in public, per pedi's advice. Is there anyone else who hasn't taken LO out yet? Of course she's gone to the doctor and we've taken her to some friends' houses, but no grocery/Target/etc yet.
Maybe I'm being overly cautious, but I'm paranoid. And... I'm nervous that she'll freak out while we're out in public.
Re: Anyone else waiting to take LO out?
Yeah, I'm pretty much going insane from cabin fever. I'm not a stay at home type, either. I am spending my whole maternity leave basically sitting at home with LO, but I hate to go back on what DH and I decided... even though he has no clue what it's like to be at home with the baby all freaking day long!
What Laura said...
DS was born 12/10. We skipped all the big family Christmas things and only went to the low key ones with only a few people. We have gone to BRU 2x and Target 2x. Oh, and the mattress store. We had planned on doing the 2 months also, but sometimes it just doesn't work out like that. We did agree that we can take him to the stores, just not during the busiest times (like Target on a Sunday....).
Our big dilemma is now is that H's grandma passed away this morning. Most of that side of the family has not yet met DS. The viewing and funeral are Friday and Saturday, so we don't know if we should take him or not. My MIL said if want to bring him she has no problem being the one to tell the family that they can't hold him (which I thought was nice of her) but we're still not sure. I may have one of my girlfriends come over for a little to watch him...ahhhh - don't know what to do!
We're waiting at least one month, maybe two. I don't feel comfortable handling LO on my own outside of the house. That being said, that doesn't mean I'm going to be trapped inside my house for those two months. I plan on going out without LO to the store once in awhile, when DH is home with LO.
I think DH and I are overly cautious though.
your pediatrician seriously told you not to take LO out for 2 months??!! what the heck do you do all day?? I've been taking LO out since he was a week. I leave him in hi carrier but yeah Id go totally crazy being at home nonstop.
1ht
I'm still recovering from a c section, so I'm home all the time and I don't mind at all. We've done one walk and one trip to the midwife clinic, both with my husband.
I'm nervous about taking him anywhere for stupid reasons, like how its cold out, so he'll be bundled up- but I don't want him to over heat inside and I'm breastfeeding and don't want him to freak out in public if I can't feed him right away. We don't drive either, so it's all public transit. ...and I have a panic disorder and hate line-ups/crowded public spaces...baby steps
I haven't been out yet with the baby and it's killing me. But this is mostly because it's just been so freezing, and we keep having blizzards! If this were any other time of year, we probably would have been out already, probably taking walks, going to the park, etc. But so far, my sidewalk is basically impassable.
By the way, my pediatrician, who is actually really casual about most things, also suggested not to take him out to public places until he is 6 weeks old because it's flu season. My mom and husband have glommed onto this idea and are giving me serious guilt every time I suggest taking him to the store or something. Blech. Cabin fever indeed.
this is such a good point. germs will find their way to your LO one way or another.
Yeah, this was my pedi's reason, too. But I'm thinking 8 weeks is overkill after reading all of these responses. I have been able to get out a few times when my mom comes over to watch the baby, but I haven't taken her anywhere.
Thanks, everyone. Time to talk to DH.
My pedi didn't say anything about not going out.
We've been going out since about 2 weeks (maybe once or twice before that). I just need to get out of the house. I actually try to get out at least once a day, we go for walks at the mall, and we go to restaurants (because she always sleeps in her carrier). I also had to take her to the grocery store by myself because we were out of wipes.
Maybe I'm a bad mom, I hope not.
Not me since we don't have one in this suck of a town I live in, haha!
Seriously? I think it is customary in China for mom and baby to be quarantined for the first month after birth. Two months seems a bit excessive to me.
We waited 2 weeks.
My pedi didn't say anything, but I am not taking DD anywhere other than doctors/family until she is almost 3 months.
If ANY baby gets a high fever, it's an automatic spinal tap to test for meningitis. This test applies for 60 days after the due date. My LO was born a month early.
We visit family, and will go to a small family party at the end of January, but no big parties, and absolutely no going out in the general public. DD was a preemie, and had a rough start in life with a surgery, but I was planning on keeping her home for 8 weeks if all had gone well (now we're doing about 12).
Our pedi recommended 6 weeks since it's the height of cold and flu season, but we ignored her.
DH is home with me for now so we've been out a few times to Target, BRU, etc. We leave her in her carrier and pull up the cover if there are a lot of people around. No one is touching her or breathing on her, and we're not letting her lick doorknobs or cart handles and she's been just fine so far.
I just could not sit at home for 2 months, I'd go stir crazy! I'm not sure how much I'd be getting out beyond a neighborhood walk if I was home alone because it's such a production to get anywhere, so I'm taking advantage of having DH home.
Our ped also told us no going out in public with baby until at least 6 weeks. She said small family gatherings are okay, but absolutely no grocery stores, malls, etc.
I go out to do errands at stores when DH is home to watch the baby. Or, we'll go together, but DH and the baby will stay in the car while I run into the store by myself.