6 week old and terrifed to go out alone

lzygrl42

My DD is 6 weeks old and I am completely terrified to go out of the house alone with her. I have been out to Dr. appts, grocery stores and just the past week a couple of restaraunts BUT my DH or sisters have been with me. I am completely terrified to drive with her by myself.. I feel bad that she will sit back there with no one talking to her or no one to look at her. and she has known to scream quite a bit a times when we have gone out..Thankfully I have been in the back seat to try and soothe her. and it's not just for a minute either. sometimes is 5-10 mins until we pull over and take her out or get to where we are going. Yes, I have yet to sit in the front seat when we go out...I know this is rediculous but it is what it is..I have major anxieties...anyone go through this with their first? if so, how did you get through it?

twoitalians

I didn't feel as anxious about it as you, but I remember the first time I drove with DS by myself was just a short drive with DH driving the other car cuz we had to drop it off for an oil change and I was picking up DH. After that, driving with DS was easier but then for awhile I was still afraid to take DS out of the car after that so I ended up going through a lot of drive thru's. LOL It gets easier after awhile. Maybe at first, when you go out with LO and your DH or sisters go with you, you drive instead of them. Once you get that down, then you just have to set yourself a goal for doing it by yourself, something like "ok I am going to drive with LO around the block today" and then do it. "ok now I'm going to drive LO to the Starbucks drive thru and get a coffee" and do that. Take your time and start with things that you COULD go out and do, not things you HAVE to do. Like don't make your first big trip out with LO be to a doctor's appointment if you think you will be too anxious to make it the whole way alone. Know that it's always ok to pull into a parking lot somewhere and soothe your LO if he or she starts crying, you don't have to let them cry unless you want to. Good luck! You'll eventually get the hang of it.

swgal

With my first I distinctly remember the first time I took her out by myself. I drove to the bank about 10 minutes from my house. She cried and then I cried and we both survived  Each time you try it gets easier. Before you know it you won't even think twice.  Plan a quick trip somewhere just for practice.  You can do it!

byrne15

I remember feeling this way with ds#1. And it was easier...because like u said, you could soothe them if they got worked up.

However, now that I have ds#2... I take them both out together all the time.  90% of the time it is perfectly fine.  I have had to pull over a few times to take ds#2 out of his car seat because he was freaking out (he is quite fussy).

Mrs.PinkPearls

I have only ventured out once with LO by myself. I am too scared to go alone to stores. But when we go out as a family, I sit in the back with LO too. Just makes me feel better knowing I can see him and make sure he is ok.

MrsAB1316

I got a mirror that has a nightlight & plays music.  It has a remote so I can control it from the front.  99.9% of the time, DS falls asleep anyway. 

juliane2004

She is okay to cry in the car, I promise. It's not making her CIO. If I stopped every time DD2 cried in the car, it would take 10x longer to get somewhere.

Also, you can absolutely do whatever you want, anything that works for you BUT, I highly recommend not sitting back there with her (even with DH driving). My sister still sits with her DD who is now almost 2. I personally think that's .... unnecessary.

Also, she'll likely sleep a lot in the car, so being there to talk to her is probably more distracting since she needs to sleep.

DavidStamps

Try a very, very short trip alone and see how you feel....the more you try it the easier it will be. Unfortunately you are going to have to do it one day, at least this way you can control the situation and with smaller trips you know you will reach your destination in minutes. Start with the post office, Starbucks, etc. and see how you feel. Good luck!

shannond354

swgal:

With my first I distinctly remember the first time I took her out by myself. I drove to the bank about 10 minutes from my house. She cried and then I cried and we both survived  Each time you try it gets easier. Before you know it you won't even think twice.  Plan a quick trip somewhere just for practice.  You can do it!

This is excellent advice! It does get easier, I promise! 

Hyaline

I took DD on short drives to noplace until I got comfortable having her in the car with me and managing the carseat and all that.  That way we weren't on a schedule and were not trying to get anything done.  We just took short 15 minute drives in the country and then came back--I only did this a couple times before I felt like I could handle errands alone.  And, yes, sometimes she gets fussy in a store or cries in the backseat.  I guess I've just gotten used to it and we pull over when we can (or she settles on her own).