Baptism and having a new baby in public?

Gigglefest

I was baptized at just four weeks old, and we are starting to plan our son's baptism. I am starting to feel nervous about taking him to mass weekly as a newborn and to have him in public around so many people so young. When will you start taking your babies out as a regular part of your day? How old will your babies be at their first public event? What is reasonable and safe?

JoelleOK

An advantage of baby wearing with little babies is you have a great excuse to not let people hold your baby. I went to a small church when DS was born. He started going to church just over 1 week old. I only wanted a couple of people to hold him but he got passed around to everybody. BUT I wasn't clear when I let the first person hold him. Other than smelling like old lady perfume he was fine.

He was 3-4 months old when he got sick for the first time, but DH brought the "crud" home and I got it too.

rainydayluck

With DD, we went out pretty early, I think once I was cleared to do physical activity (and she was a winter baby). Ditto that baby wearing keeps people off them. With this LO we are already planning which baseball games we will be going to once I'm cleared again. It is whatever you are comfortable with.

cnbean

DS was born in mid February, so the cold and flu season for sure. He was in church with us a week after he was born. I just made sure that no one outside the family held him. To me it was no big deal. I plan on doing the same thing this time too. As long as I'm up for going out, baby will too. 

If you are worried about people messing with the baby you can get a carseat canopy type thing. That tends to stop people from just coming up and playing with them.

pistolpackinmomma

Meh. DS was a January baby, height of cold &a flu season. I had things to do and places to go (DH travels for work so just waiting for him to get home wasn't gonna cut it) do off we went. He was born on a Thursday, his first pedi appt was the following Monday and we went to BRU after. So I guess 4 days old? We also had a funeral at 1 week old that he went to with me. Granted fucking family members had a few words to say about a baby at a funeral but WTH did they expect me to do. I sure as he'll wasn't going to miss my great gramdma's funeral and I didn't have anyone to watch him!

MissLadyTay

We'll be taking this baby out as soon as we come home from the hospital. I will also let (non-sick, non-smoking) people hold my baby if they wash their hands. I have a germy toddler who brings anything and everything home from school so there's nothing to do but breastfeed and wash hands and hope for the best.

TaylorHam86

Going to church with LO for the first time is going to give me an anxiety attack, on the real.

hfooter

I asked my pediatrician what he would do. He said he wouldn't take his kid out in public till the first round of shots at 2 months. I can still go to friends houses and have them come to me, but that's about the extent of it. Of course is DH is gone and can't help with going to the store and I need to go I will take the kid with me.

But otherwise I plan on being a homebody for the first 2 months. And I really doubt I'll be that ready to leave the house all that much before then. But that's just because I have anxiety and assume I will be feeling pretty overwhelmed with a newborn.

softservecity

MissLadyTay said:

We'll be taking this baby out as soon as we come home from the hospital. I will also let (non-sick, non-smoking) people hold my baby if they wash their hands. I have a germy toddler who brings anything and everything home from school so there's nothing to do but breastfeed and wash hands and hope for the best.

MIL is a heavy smoker so this would not fly in our house. She's actually coming to stay for two days when LO is about 2 weeks old. I'm not excited about having a guest (even family) sleeping on my couch as we have no extra space. Especially someone who smokes and is very handsy. Oh well... Deep sigh...

SMM1986

MissLadyTay said:

We'll be taking this baby out as soon as we come home from the hospital. I will also let (non-sick, non-smoking) people hold my baby if they wash their hands. I have a germy toddler who brings anything and everything home from school so there's nothing to do but breastfeed and wash hands and hope for the best.

This. DH is going back to work after a week or 2, so I'll be out picking up the kids from school and whatnot. Mine are 8 & 5 so we do the same and just hope for the best regarding germs and stuff.
That being said, it pisses me off so bad when people come to visit and are sick. Stay away! Someone got DD sick when she was just a few weeks old and it sucked. So hand washing, sanitizer, etc with guests is a must.

cchild101010

softservecity said:

MissLadyTay said:

We'll be taking this baby out as soon as we come home from the hospital. I will also let (non-sick, non-smoking) people hold my baby if they wash their hands. I have a germy toddler who brings anything and everything home from school so there's nothing to do but breastfeed and wash hands and hope for the best.

MIL is a heavy smoker so this would not fly in our house. She's actually coming to stay for two days when LO is about 2 weeks old. I'm not excited about having a guest (even family) sleeping on my couch as we have no extra space. Especially someone who smokes and is very handsy. Oh well... Deep sigh...

Um no! I am not allowing anyone to stay with us. Not because of germs but I don't want them in our space! Also my FIL is a smoker (although he's supposedly quit again) so that won't be allowed on our property at all if he were still smoking or goes back. You are nicer than I would be

deanna1313

@gigglefest I must be losing it because when I read it I thought you didn't want to take him out before he was baptized. I know that used to be a big thing years ago.

It will be May so I'm not worried about sickness and stuff like that. I plan to see how I feel and the baby's temperament is. No reason to worry now. Decide when the time comes.

I do have my little cousins confirmation/birthday party in early june(due May 21st). I plan to be there. I'm not really concerned about leaving the house. I'm sure I will want to get out as soon as I feel well.

Storrmys

I had my first out early and I expect to have this one out as soon as i'm able. We have an 8 and 9 yr old germ factories at home so if LO is gonna get sick it will be from his brother and sisters and not a random person at church or a store.

momthatlifts

I'm lurking because I'm wondering the same thing

iqwedding3

I'm not sure what we're going to do, but I had friends who brought their kid out at 10 days to social gatherings and such, and they politely asked people to look but not touch. 

christieep

I'm sure we had DS out fairly quickly, but people (outside of family) weren't touching or holding him.  We probably took him to church with a week or two.  He was baptized at 6 weeks, but that was just how the schedule worked out, not because I was trying to incubate him from anything.  He was born at the end of July though, then things aren't so germy.

eghulse

I'm due May 28, my sister will be speaking in church the Sunday before my due date, and another sister graduates from high school the next week. I plan on doing a lot of baby wearing so I can go to said events. I figure it'll be May/June, as long as I keep him close and restrict touching I'll be doing what I can.

JURAH

We had ds out for Easter Sunday services after he was born on the Tuesday.  I did have him in my Boba though.  After that he went wherever I went, store, museum, park.

Figure I'll do the same with LO.  Definitely think it's better for everyone's sanity if I can get out and about early on.

sheriot

Just stopping by to say I've been reading the title of this thread and thinking it was a discussion of actually going through labor, having your baby in public. Now that that's out of the way, I plan to take my girl out asap. May and June in New England should be lovely.

Carry on.