How long will you wait?

kkten290

I don't remember ever seeing a post about this, but I may have just missed it since I'm not on a lot.

STM+, how long did you wait before you took your LO out in public? Will you wait the same amount of time with this LO?
FTM, how long do you plan to wait?

My FI and I were just talking about this and I was curious to see your opinions on it!

Holly_1007

LO was born in january, I had zero desire or motivation to go anywhere.  I think he was about 2 weeks old when we first ventured to the grocery store? this time around I will have a 2.5 year old to entertain, I can't imagine us staying home for very long

PepperStick

We all went to Target the day after we got home from the hospital. We went out fairly often. I would have gone crazy being stuck in the house all day.

I wasn't really concerned about the flu or anything and no one ever tried to touch her. 

MrsRidge2005

We too DD out after about three weeks or so to the store.  We just kept the cover of the car seat up and a blanket lightly over it so that no one would try to touch or come too close.  We'll probably wait a similar time with this one as DD will be in school so she'll get out even if me and the baby are not going out.  I think as long as you don't let people really touch your baby it's not the middle of flu season it's not too big a deal. 

terri_doula2010

We had to leave for doctor's appointments several times after we finally got home from the hospital (for me. They were afraid I was developing pre-e after birth, which is apparently possible, though rare.), and at 8 days old we took him to lunch and a diaper shop where I bought my My Brest Friend and moby.

I didn't take him anywhere by myself for several weeks, as I had a c-section and couldn't drive my manual car. I tried about 3 weeks in and it hurt *so* bad that I waited a few more weeks.

This time I'm hoping for a vaginal birth to not have the car issues, and as pp said, I'm going to have a 2.5 year old. I can't imagine us surviving long at home. I have a double stroller that can handle the car seat we'll get and I have several types of wraps. I'm ready!

Jams1002

I'm FTM and I've been thinking about this lately. I just had an acquaintance tell me that her doctor said to not take the baby out in public for at least 2 months. I was shocked, I can't imagine not leaving the house for 2 months, I would go crazy. I said "not even for a walk??" She was very serious about it though and said "absolutely not." Is that normal?

mlf625

I think we stayed in about 2 weeks with DS, then took him out to dinner.  He stayed in his car seat and slept.  By 3 weeks he and I were out and about doing regular errands.  I had a c/s but felt great by the time we went home.

With DD it was more like a week, then we took her out to run errands.  By 2 weeks I was back to taking DS to story time and the like - I'd wear DD or leave her in her car seat and nobody bothered her. 

kkten290

I'm a FTM so I've never even given this any thought until really now. My FI plays college football and I can't not take her to see him. That's what brought up this conversation between us. I figured 3 weeks would be okay and I'm not going to let people touch her and just make sure she's covered up. Where I sit, it's not crowded at all so I think we would be fine.

kkten290

jaimenamie:

I'm FTM and I've been thinking about this lately. I just had an acquaintance tell me that her doctor said to not take the baby out in public for at least 2 months. I was shocked, I can't imagine not leaving the house for 2 months, I would go crazy. I said "not even for a walk??" She was very serious about it though and said "absolutely not." Is that normal?

2 months seems a little long to me....But I'm also a FTM...so I don't really know...

ilovelife

We took ds to Chick-Fil-A when he was 1 1/2 weeks old. Momma was super hungry and wanted out of the house. 

Actually now that I think about it, ds and I were discharged on a Friday, I had to go back Monday to get my staples removed so we stopped at Burger King and ate in before going to my ob. So ds was only 6 days old. 

numberonemama

With #1 we stopped at the grocery on the way home.  He was three days old.  And we took him shopping the next day (for some needed baby items)

kkten290

auroraloo:

MrsSparklebottom:

jaimenamie:

I'm FTM and I've been thinking about this lately. I just had an acquaintance tell me that her doctor said to not take the baby out in public for at least 2 months. I was shocked, I can't imagine not leaving the house for 2 months, I would go crazy. I said "not even for a walk??" She was very serious about it though and said "absolutely not." Is that normal?

Says the doctor who's probably never had a baby. That's crazy to me. The doc probably said that because initial vax aren't given until 2 months and he/she didn't want to get sued. But there's no way I would stay in my house for 2 months. 

Yeah. Ridiculous. Many women only get 6 weeks maternity leave. What are they supposed to do? Nope.

6 weeks?! That's nothing!

hmp1

DS was born on Dec 3 so we did Christmas stuff pretty early. I didn't put him on Santa or anything, but we were out and about shopping and enjoying the holiday season.  Not counting doctor appointments, I would guess a week.  

 

hmp1

jaimenamie:

I'm FTM and I've been thinking about this lately. I just had an acquaintance tell me that her doctor said to not take the baby out in public for at least 2 months. I was shocked, I can't imagine not leaving the house for 2 months, I would go crazy. I said "not even for a walk??" She was very serious about it though and said "absolutely not." Is that normal?

That is crazy talk. Before my company was bought out, they only allowed 6 weeks paid maternity so most people came back after 6 weeks. Just about every daycare takes kids starting at 6 weeks. We started Gymboree classes at 6 weeks because I wanted DS to get used to being around other babies before entering daycare at 12 weeks. 

olsentobe

DS was born in Dec and we took him at 1 wk to dh's Grandparents house and stopped at the store on the way home. It was xmas time and I still needed a few things. DD will be born the week before DS starts Kindergarten so we will be out by then dropping DS off and picking him up!

damabo80

We took her out to lunch a couple days after bringing her home, and took her to a party about 2w after bringing her home. 

Honestly, the secret is just to be smart about it. Don't pass the baby around to every Tom, Richard, and Harry. Keep them covered, and as long as you are feeling up it, they are quite mobile. 

We left her in the infant carrier with a light blanket draped over the top and lunch, and I wore her the entire time at the party.  

damabo80

jaimenamie:

I'm FTM and I've been thinking about this lately. I just had an acquaintance tell me that her doctor said to not take the baby out in public for at least 2 months. I was shocked, I can't imagine not leaving the house for 2 months, I would go crazy. I said "not even for a walk??" She was very serious about it though and said "absolutely not." Is that normal?

There are more viruses and bacteria circulating in the a/c system in the house than there are outside on a walk. DD was a preemie, and our pedi just told us to be smart about it. Don't let ferny toddlers sneeze on her. Make sure hands are washed, etc 

JenOSU03

I plan to wait 2 weeks to go to the store or take a walk. I plan to wait a least a month or longer to take him in public where people will expect to hold him. 

linzeek44

I think DH will be home the first week, so he can take the dog out. After that, the baby and I will have to figure out how to walk the dog... so by week 2 we'll probably be out and walking about a little. 

 

MainelyFoolish

We took DD to the pediatrician a few times in the first couple of weeks because of her trouble gaining weight.

We took her out for her first major outing -- dinner at Applebee's -- when she was 2 weeks old. I was a nervous wreck before we left and she spent the whole dinner asleep in her carrier carseat. I relaxed a lot after that!

Krista123105

DS was born mid-January, and I was released from the hospital on a Friday.  By that Sunday I was going stir-crazy and we went to BRU to get a few things we needed for DS.  Because we live in WI, it was cold outside so he was covered by a JJ Cole infant carseat cover, so no one could touch him. 

I think as long as you're smart about it, you'll be fine (in most cases).  Just don't allow random people to touch your LO...for this reason (and a lot of others) baby carriers are fantastic!  Most people won't reach into a baby carrier that the mom or dad is wearing to touch the baby, unlike reaching into a stroller or infant carrier.

bdbelladonna

ds i waited 3 days, dd about the same, this one probably a little longer because unlike my xh dh is very helpful. usually.

mommy510

jaimenamie:

I'm FTM and I've been thinking about this lately. I just had an acquaintance tell me that her doctor said to not take the baby out in public for at least 2 months. I was shocked, I can't imagine not leaving the house for 2 months, I would go crazy. I said "not even for a walk??" She was very serious about it though and said "absolutely not." Is that normal?

 My grandmother, aunt, and mom all swear that you shouldn't take the baby anywhere for the first 6 weeks.  They also believe that you should stay on strict bed rest until then.  Sounds nice, but I really don't see how its possible. 

DS had an appointment with the pediatrician when he was 3 days old.  After that, we stopped by the grocery store to get a few things. Other than that day, we didn't take him anywhere for 2 weeks. I agree with PP, be smart about it, but also understand that sometimes you just have to get out and do things.

bonjourbelle05

jaimenamie:

I'm FTM and I've been thinking about this lately. I just had an acquaintance tell me that her doctor said to not take the baby out in public for at least 2 months. I was shocked, I can't imagine not leaving the house for 2 months, I would go crazy. I said "not even for a walk??" She was very serious about it though and said "absolutely not." Is that normal?

My doctor said this as well because of the threat of whooping cough not to go to places that will be super crowded (she gave the example of Walmart).....I'm sure we will do walks around the neighborhood, etc, but we are going to try really hard not to take baby out into crowded, enclosed areas until he has his 2 month vaccines.....we'll see how long that lasts though!  I just got my whooping cough booster, so baby will have some of the antibodies from that.

lizal

My son was a preemie so we waited 7 months to take him out (I know, a little crazy), but he was born during cold and flu season and the doctors and nurses were adamant about keeping him inside.  If this baby is healthy and full term I plan to wait about a month to take her out.

BakerMommy

We went to the drug store and grocery store after her 4 day appointment (day 3 was Thanksgiving, so we had to wait until day 4).  I think we went out to coffee at about 1 week because we had to get out of the house. 

I think you need to balance the risk of germs with your sanity.   If you're going crazy in the house, take baby out into the fresh air, or in a carrier/covered in a blanket at the store.  

mrsbhk22

My pedi said you are better off taking them places like the grocery or target than to family functions (where people want to hold/touch). I always put my kids in a moby so people couldn't touch or hold. We venture out less than a week after giving birth. I can't imagine waiting any longer!

MississippiCatfish

This was a fun thread to read!

I'm curious to figure out how we'll handle this as first time parents, because I get very stir crazy in the house, but I know that I will be pretty jittery about protecting the little one, too!  I could see myself waiting 2 weeks and then covering up the car seat while out like many said!

bosha711

DS was born in Dec, so we took him to my mom's for Christmas at 2 weeks old. That was the first time he was around a large group of people. But, we did take him to BRU once or twice after one of his first doctor's appts. He was in his carrier/carseat the whole time, though.

We had blizzard after blizzard that winter so I wasn't up to taking him out anywhere like the mall or anything like that just for the sake of getting out of the house.

mrs.kapow

MIL passed the day after DD was born, so we were very public very quickly.

DD was jaundice, so we were in a diner headed back to the hospital for heel pricks days after she was born and then we had MIL's memorial a week after.

cad0327

A lot of co workers keep asking me "how I'm going to be about taking the baby out in public" and I am sure we will after a couple days. We will be out going to appointments anyway so I'm sure we will run errands, stop by and see family, etc. I'm only getting 6 weeks after she's born so I don't want to be at home. Then again I'm also a FTM so in about 9 weeks I'll know for sure!!  

Teresa and Family

We were in the hospital for six days so I was stir crazy. We needed to do some shopping and I needed pills so we went out day we got out of the hospital. Likely do the same since I need to show id for my pills. 

Airynn Chica

bonjourbelle05:

jaimenamie:

I'm FTM and I've been thinking about this lately. I just had an acquaintance tell me that her doctor said to not take the baby out in public for at least 2 months. I was shocked, I can't imagine not leaving the house for 2 months, I would go crazy. I said "not even for a walk??" She was very serious about it though and said "absolutely not." Is that normal?

My doctor said this as well because of the threat of whooping cough not to go to places that will be super crowded (she gave the example of Walmart).....I'm sure we will do walks around the neighborhood, etc, but we are going to try really hard not to take baby out into crowded, enclosed areas until he has his 2 month vaccines.....we'll see how long that lasts though!  I just got my whooping cough booster, so baby will have some of the antibodies from that.

 

Is whooping cough common in the US right now??? It is not common here and wasn't when I was living in the US.

Airynn Chica

Here the rule is 3 months, but I would never survive that long! And my DH isn't from here so it won't be an issue.

I think probably a week. We will have to get passport pictures taken, register the international birth and apply for her passport by the second week. Then she will take an international flight at 6 weeks. But I will wear her the whole time I'm sure and it will be summer here so it's not cold.

Airynn Chica

auroraloo:

Airynn Chica:

Is whooping cough common in the US right now??? It is not common here and wasn't when I was living in the US.

There have been several outbreaks all over the country over the last few years. I had it 3 years ago myself.

Good to know! I've been out of the country now for over two years! I wonder if I can get her vaccinated at 2 months while in the US?! She will be 4-6wks when we travel.