What did your ped advise you re: your newborn and going out

MickeyM04 · December 2013

I'm curious about this. When DS was born, our ped told us that for 8 weeks we should try to limit the time he spent in public places as much as possible. The reason being that a fever of 100.4 in a baby under 8 weeks old = an automatic hospital admission/spinal tap/etc. for presumed sepsis. She said if we were to go out to try to avoid going places during peak hours (i.e. going out to eat early rather than at 6:00p.m., not going to the grocery store at 10:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning, etc.) but ultimately to keep him home as much as possible or in open air environments (outside dining, parks, etc. as opposed to Target, the mall, etc.) since they have ZERO immunity as newborns and even just a cold for us can = 100.4 fever illness for them. Well I feel like I am the only one who got this message because all over my FB lately I have seen people with their babies of less than a week old out at Target, the grocery store, the mall, whatever. And granted do I know what time they went? No, they could have been going at 7am or 9pm or whatever so I don't know.

My question is this. I know when you already have a kid at home, you can't stay home or quarantine yourself for 8 weeks, and no doctor would tell you that you have to sequester yourself with your other child and your newborn for 8 weeks...but when it was your first kid that you were having, did ANY of you get the advice from your ped to limit public places with your baby for the first 8 weeks? Or was it just me?

MickeyM04 · December 2013

Sounds like it is a bit mixed! I am like @Bumgellica216. I quarantined us for 8 weeks basically. The only indoor place other than our house that DS was in prior to 8 weeks was Starbucks so I could get a coffee--so for about 3 minutes. And he was born in April so really it wasn't high illness season but people are gross I feel like. I work with people who go to the bathroom and then leave without washing their hands. It freaks me out honestly thinking about all the crap out there. This time I'm sure we will go out because I can't confine a 2 year old indoors for 8 weeks. But I'm sure we will be going out at off hours and avoiding crazy crowds. I saw a woman shopping on Black Friday (i.e. the busiest shopping day of the year) with a baby that looked to be about a week old. It just seems to me to be a bad idea. But like I said, I see it all the time so I was thinking maybe me and my ped are just nuts.

ksyknelvr73 · December 2013

I can't remember if my doctor said something, but I think he did b/c DS was born in flu season. He either said 4 weeks or 6 weeks to the best of my memory. I pretty much kept DS at home the first 2 months unless I absolutely HAD to run an errand.

FmrAFBrat · December 2013

We were told with DS1 (October Baby) not to go out if possible during the first 2 months. I still had to take him to the doctors and to get groceries, but I did try to avoid it if possible.

Mom2anAngel2 · December 2013

Our pedi didn't say anything about it, but as you said, I think you just have to be smart about it. Unfortunately, many people in this world do not take the time to think things through. Since DS was born in early January we did restrict our time out to church, pedi office and a quick run into a store if necessary. We also had an awful amount of snow last year and were trapped in the house anyway. I just remember going stir crazy and DH forcing me to oh out and get my hair done while he watched DS.

MickeyM04 · December 2013

@andrea ri 80, I definitely see your point, and I was concerned about all the visitors too! I guess my thought process was that all peds basically say avoid sick people right? I don't know about you, but when I have a cold, or generally when I'm sick at all, I still run all my errands and do all my crap that I have to do. So I couldn't guarantee that the lady in front of me at the checkout line, or the cashier, or the person standing next to me looking at mac 'n' cheese doesn't have a raging cold or flu or something. And most stuff like that I think is airborne if someone coughs or sneezes or whatever.

I do hear you on people being contagious before they are sick though. That's why anyone who came had to visit load up on hand sanitizer. Most people I know were pretty cool though--like if their kids were sick or everyone in their office was sick they'd say, "I'm not going to come over just yet, I have a feeling I may be coming down with something pretty soon." The benefit of your close friends and family knowing you're nuts

You are totally right that you can't eliminate the risk, especially with spouses and siblings who are in school or at work or whatever, but to some extent you can minimize it right? I'm not judging either way honestly I was just so curious because I swear I feel like the only person I know who didn't have their baby at Target (why is it always Target by the way?) by a week old.

jobiann · December 2013

Our pedi never said anything about restrictions on being out and about. But he was born on December 30th in the height of flu/cold season so I just DIDN'T take him anywhere but to doctor appointments until he went to d/c at 6 weeks old. He didn't go to a "store" until he was four months old and it was when my MIL took him. Even now he still doesn't go to stores very often.

The first time I took him to the grocery store the checker reached out and grabbed his hands....I pulled out my wipes right away and took his hands out from hers and asked her if she knew how many germs were on the money she takes from customers. She probably thought I was crazy but SERIOUSLY!

Honestly, I try not to be a crazy about germs, but I also try and use common sense. YES, I wipe down carts before we use them, YES, I wipe his hands as soon as he gets into the carseat from d/c.

mork · December 2013

I specifically asked about this. Both the hospital Ped and our Ped said we could go out whenever we were ready. They said it was best not to let a bunch of people handle her, but that going out was fine. Going at non-peak times was just an "if it makes you feel better" thing.

I remember taking her to the grocery store at 6 days old, and we took her to dinner at 10 days old (for our anniversary). But, I'm one of those Moms that takes her out ALL the time, unless she's sick, and I've been like that from the beginning. I was VERY strict about who could touch her though (and only after washing), and would cover the carrier with a blanket in stores etc.

salsa_wifey · December 2013

My pedi never gave such advice. DS #2 was sick around the time that we brought DS #1 home. He had a pretty bad fever. DS #2 got sick at about 10 days old but it was only a cold - no fever. I was bf'ing though so he was getting my immunity.

We were definately not quarantined for 8 weeks. I know we had a birthday party a couple weeks after he was born.

In the end, you are the mom and you know what's best for your child.

ravenclaw1 · December 2013

We've been taking Alice out and about since she was probably 2 weeks old. I needed to get out. We used our carrier a lot to keep her close and avoid people touching as much as possible, and also kept the shade up on her stroller.

MickeyM04 · December 2013

Sounds like me and my ped are in the minority! To each their own I always say. This does explain though why I always see newborns out in public when they are a few days old; apparently no one really gets this advice anymore.

luvmyducks · December 2013

Never told anything about staying home. I took both girls out early and either just kept them in my Ergo/Beco or in their carseat with the canopy over it to keep people away.

VeilSdeGTO · December 2013

I pretty much quarantined myself with DD#1 with one exception. At 3 weeks, I took her to work (I work at a school) because one of my previous students was visiting and I wanted her to see DD since she was so heartbroken for me after my first loss. I wore DD in the moby the entire time and didn't allow anybody to come within 5 feet of me. Hah!

I didn't mind not going out as it was cold and DH was able to run errands for us. If I felt like I needed to get out, she and I would just go for a walk around the block in the stroller.

With DD#2, I also brought her to work but it was after school to drop off some graded exams. I wore her as well and was there for maybe 10 minutes. I don't plan on taking DD#2 out anywhere else, either.

DH has been great with DD#1 and takes her to the park down the street and to run errands if she starts to get stir crazy on the weekends.

My pedi also said to avoided crowded areas for the first 6 weeks. He did say that if I did need to go to the market or anywhere like that, to go during off-peak hours.

adoxyinherear · December 2013

I was told to limit her exposure for the first six weeks by her pediatrician and one of my midwives... but one of the other said just to be sensible about it. Don't let lots of people hold her, don't over do it, etc. We were in a good enough place to start going out now and then when she was about a month old, and we did take her out to eat, to the grocery, etc. I feel like it's one of those things that you have to use your own best judgment, and I think you really hit the nail on the head with the family thing: if you have more than one child, what are you supposed to do? This is the kind of advice that can ONLY be followed by new parents, so, what's everybody else supposed to do?

awesnap · December 2013

With DC#2 the peditrician and the hospital staff were more concerned about keeping my germy toddler away from the baby. And I agree, I've seen my toddler do some pretty nasty stuff.

chloebeth930 · December 2013

I didn't recieve any advice on limiting having L out in public places, however, I also live in a military town and you are lucky if both parents are home when the baby is delivered. I wasn't so lucky and DH was in Afghanistan when L was born. My family lived 14 hours away, so at 2 weeks old when we ran out of milk, to the grocery store she went. I think the big thing isn't not having your LO out and about but more of safe gaurding them from strangers and germs touching them. Leave the babe in a car seat and drape a blanket over it. That will keep hands away or give you enough time to swat at people that want to sneak a peek hehe.

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