- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
D.C. Area Babies
Ideas on where I can take a 6 week old?
I am having a serious case of cabin fever and need ideas on where my husband and I can take our little girl tomorrow. Its supposed to be a nice day, but I had to scrap everything I can think of or anywhere we would usually go because she's so little. Any ideas? I need to get out
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Ideas on where I can take a 6 week old?
we've been taking DS for mini hikes with the dogs. he doesn't seem to mind the baby bjorn and we all get fresh air, without worrying about being around a bunch of potentially germy people or overwhelming him with sights and sounds. We've been going to a park with really easy trails in Howard County, MD, but I'm sure you could find a similar place near you.
If you formula feed or have extra milk in the freezer (or just time it right), you could go to a local winery with a picnic area. We're planning on doing that next weekend when we go to the beach.
How about one of the gardens or parks? Not sure what part of Virginia you are in, but Meadowlark Gardens or Great Falls might be nice. Or Old Town Alexandria by the waterfront, there is a park down there. At that age, she is very portable! She'll probably sleep most of the time, so you can push her in the stroller or carry her in a wrap. Don't forget to keep her covered (especially her head) so she doesn't get a sunburn. And if you are BFing and aren't comfortable in public, you can always feed her in the car.
Great Falls has lots of picnic areas and the canal area has very flat trails away from the overlook. I just remembered they are kind of gravelly so depends on your stroller wheels whether you'd want to do that, we had a "4-wheel drive" stroller and it was fine. There is a fence by the overlook.
Meadowlark would be a nice casual stroll and they have lots of benches if you want to rest. (Not that being 6 weeks out would make you out of shape, but that you might still be exhausted from the late nights.)https://www.nvrpa.org/parks/meadowlark/
Cox Farms opens tomorrow! You could go to opening day and pick out a pumpkin.
6 week olds are very portable (as long as they're not colicky like DS was). Just throw her in a baby carrier and go somewhere!
DC museums, the zoo, a winery, a hike, anything really.
I usually use the changing table in a public restroom to change DS, but we've also changed him on the seat of our car in a pinch. I usually carry some disposable changing pad covers in the diaper bag. I like the large Especially for Baby ones from Babies R Us best because they cover the whole changing table.
ETA: We usually carry a few quart-size Ziploc bags in our diaper bag to contain poopy diapers. We don't want to leave a smelly diaper somewhere where people will have to smell it all day, so we either put it in the Ziploc and put the Ziploc in a zipped section of the diaper bag or we throw the Ziploc in an outside dumpster.
For feeding her, I recommend embracing nursing in public, with or without a nursing cover. I think nursing is so much easier when I'm out and about than dealing with carrying around bottles. If you want to use a cover, I like mine from Bebe Au Lait because the top part stands out so you can see the baby, but I rarely bother with the cover. I wear a nursing tank under a t-shirt, and when I pull up the t-shirt and pull the front of the tank down, you can hardly see any skin with the baby in front.
If you do want to carry bottles, you can keep breastmilk out for about four hours (less if it's really hot out). For formula, you can put water in a bottle, and then carry powdered formula in one of those formula dispensers. (Something like this: https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2736618)
We just change in the restroom or in the car. DS has a changing pad, so I don't worry about the germs in the restroom that much.
When DS was that little, I just brought a blanket and BFed him wherever we were, using the blanket as a cover up. For formula, you can get containers from Target that will hold 3 8oz bottles worth of formula. You just put the water in the bottles ahead of time, and mix as needed. You can also find small portable coolers to carry BM in as well.
I second the idea of walking around Old Town Alexandria. You can push a stroller or put baby in a carrier and go. If you are worried about germs and changing in public restrooms, just lay a changing pad down on your lap or on the seat of your car. Nurse with a blanket over you or bring formula dry in little containers (premeasured) and put water in the baby bottles (premeasured) so all you have to do is combine, shake and give to baby.
The international childrens festival is this weekend at Wolf Trap. Not that your baby would know what's going on, but it's an idea. I haven't ever been, but really want to go.
The more you go out and about, the more confident you become, I promise!
Honestly, you can take her anywhere--enjoy it while you can!
When Warner was 9 days old we took him out to dinner with us in Georgetown and it was great, he slept the whole time. I packed everything but the kitchen sink, but ended up not needing anything.
Try meeting a friend for lunch, go to the mall and do a little shopping--it's all completely doable. When Warner was that little, I tried to go out with him at least once a day, even if it was just to Target or a walk around the block. And like the pp said, the more you go places with her, the easier it becomes. There's no need to confine yourself to the house :-)
The first time you get out it may feel like it takes FOREVER to leave the house and you need everything but after the first few times it gets easier. Eventually you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner! 10 days after we brought our little one home from the hospital we were going crazy staring at the same walls so went out to dinner. We chose a restaurant we have been to and knew was family friendly. DS slept the entire time and even through some shopping. A few nights after that we took him to a hockey game. I was planning for the worse since a hockey game is really loud but again he slept through the majority of it. He still goes most everywhere with us and does great. I think the more you expose them to as far as public places the better they will do when they are older because it will just be part of the routine. Believe it or not now is a perfect time to catch a movie. Try to plan for a midafternoon movie during the week and sit by the door in case you need to get up. DS has seen a lot of movies and typically sleeps through most of them. Good luck and just remember it will get easier!