When did you start taking your newborn to stores, etc.?

[beansprout13]

I'm curious to know when you started taking your newborn DC out in public places like grocery stores, Target, etc. DS1 was a winter baby and was a tiny baby so I was very careful with him and probably avoided larger public stores until he was close to 8 weeks old. DS2 is now almost 4 weeks old. I'm debating whether he is old enough to take to such places - it is summer so the germs are less and DS2 is also a much bigger baby (about 10lbs now). My pediatrician says "ideally" wait until 6-8 weeks, but she confessed that she didn't wait that long with her own kids.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[KrisM]

With DS, about 4 weeks. With DD, about 2 weeks. It might have been even sooner with her if I could have driven before that!

[kedss]

we took Hannah out at 2 days, I figured we had to take her to her dr's appt a few days later, might as wellget her used to being in the car-

[LarsMal]

DS was only about a week or 2 when I walked down to the local ice cream shop with DH and some friends. It was literally a five minute walk, got ice cream and walked home. In just those few minutes, though, I heard a woman say, "That baby should NOT be out!" Who knows, maybe she thought we had gone to dinner, too. I was so upset I didn't take him out again until he was 6 weeks.

DD, well, that was a different story! I was carting her everywhere once I could drive after my c/s. She was about 3 or 4 weeks old when I started taking her out. I remember going to buy DS's big boy bed when DD was only 4 weeks, so definitely by then!

My ped told me I could take them out whenever I wanted, as long as it wasn't to a super crowded place or an extra germy environment. She said as long as I was comfortable with it and it was a "safe" environment, I could take them out right away.

Do what feels right!

[mamaoftwins]

Our guys were 5wks early and tiny, so we waited until abt 10wks b/c it was winter. I probably would have done it around 8wks had it been summer. With your new DS, honestly, I'd probably go btwn now & 6wks. BUT ... be on the watch for people wanting to touch your new baby. I've had to kindly ask people not to touch the babies' hands, hair (DS1 has a full head of curly, lustrous dark hair since birth so everyone wants to touch), and faces several times.

Have fun out with DS1 and the new little one! (whenever you decide to go!)

:)

[lilycat88]

DD and I came home on the Saturday after she was born on Tuesday. We went out to my favorite Thai place that night. I was going crazy after being in the hospital for so long. It was July 5th, though, so i wasn't so worried about winter germs and such.

[Jen841]

Seriously, yes. Did not let him out of my sight much, so they went where I went.

#1 was a summer baby. At 2 wks old we traveld from Chicago to Buffalo NY for my brother's wedding.

[pb&j]

Maybe a week or two? I distinctly remember being in Target when DS was brand spankin' new. I figured it couldn't be any germier than the ped's office where we'd already had 2 appts.

[kmak]

My cousin went to her DS t-ball game on her way home from the hospital after having DD.

[elliput]

Three days. I am pretty sure that was when we made the first trip to BRU to get a breast pump (I was engored) and more clothes. We waited to find out gender and so had a very few clothes when DD was born 3 weeks early at the beginning of January in Michigan. We made several trips out in the next couple weeks while my parents were visiting including Sam's Club and restaraunts.

[MontrealMum]

Between 1 and 2 weeks to the grocery store and pharmacy in our neighborhood. Not to bigger places like BRU until after 2 mos., but that was mostly because I couldn't drive myself. He was a summer baby as well, and quite big and strong when he came out. Looking back I wish I'd done more when he was so portable; now with a near-walker/climber everything's a struggle. I can push him around a store, but there will be no coffee or eating! I will say, though, that I didn't hesitate to move if we were near coughers! Silly, probably, because germs are everywhere, but it made me feel better.

[momtoonegirl]

I first took DD out at 3 weeks. She was tiny, and I didn't take her out in crowded places. I usually had her in a sling or Bjorn so she was close to me, and people were less likely to touch her.

[sidmand]

I think just use your judgment. I know I had DS out at 12 days and DD was probably even before then...but both are spring/summer babies and I didn't go to anywhere really enclosed. Mainly just parks or outdoor malls and such. I also wore DD in a sling which severely cut down on anyone coming too close! Now that she's in her bucket sometimes I do get little kids (and adults) coming up very very close. One little guy even stuck his fingers in her mouth (yuck). But I would've gone stir crazy if I kept her in all this time. Plus it would've been impossible with DS too.

Like the others, I figured she was already at the pediatrician AND the hospital ER within her first week so nothing else could be all that bad. But I didn't take her to places like grocery stores.

[doberbrat]

DD was born at the end of Oct 3w early. Target a few days after birth. She went to opening day at IKEA on day 6. awards banquet on day 9.

I kept her in a sling, didn’t play pass the baby or let strangers touch her and went about my business. For me, there is no faster track to depression than being stuck in the house w/a squalling nb.

[tylersmama]

We went to Target at 3 days old. Out and about several other places within the first week, including the grocery store, BRU, and the ice cream shop!

[BillK]

Since we had to fly back home from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh with Zach when he was 3 days old we never really much worried about taking him out in public.

[C99]

DS1 was born at 35 weeks in January. I took him to IKEA at 2 weeks old. DD went out and about at 1-week-old and DS2 went out at like 3 days old...

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ds2 was born in early December and as much as I meant to have all my holiday stuff done before he was born I did not. Ds was at Target like 3 times before Christmas! I didn't like being out in those major crowds but it had to be done. I reassured myself that he was a full term, breastfed baby- and I wore him all the time so no one would touch him- that he would be ok. He did fine. Also, because of ds1 we were out a ton at school functions and just places he needed to go.

No idea when we went out with ds1 except while waiting for a lactation consultation when ds was 36 hours old we were at Wendy's (we chose to leave the hospital 20 hours after his birth. Definetly wasn't a planned outting but he did fine.

Beth

[kijip]

T was 7 days old when he left the hospital. I needed shoes for my new, big feet. We went to a Farmer's Market/Open Air Market that happens every weekend the next morning and bought steel toed clogs for me and had breakfast at the Still Life Cafe. T just slept the whole time on J's chest.

[tnrnchick74]

I kept her in a sling, didn’t play pass the baby or let strangers touch her and went about my business. For me, there is no faster track to depression than being stuck in the house w/a squalling nb.

I had to go out sooner rather than later - for ped appointments, MD appointments, etc and since we live a ways away from the offices food was a necessity so we went out to eat. That said, I did/do keep Parker attached to me instead of in his car seat and it REALLY limits the number of people trying to touch! Yeah babywearing!

[lisams]

DD was about 3-4 days old. We just kept her in her carseat with a light blanket over her. DS was born at the height of flu season, so ironically I kept him (second born child) home longer, probably at least a week or so. But I did go out on short trips by myself and left DS and DD with DH.

[Melbel]

Other than doctor's appointments, I like to keep my newborns at home for at least the first month. I did take the baby to drop off DS and DD1 at camp one day out of necessity when DD2 was 2 weeks old. Sure enough, some well meaning older ladies could not help but to touch and smell my newborn's head. Is there a polite way to ask people not to touch your baby? When visitors come by our home, I do not hesitate to ask them to first wash their hands. For some reason, I have a harder time with strangers, particularly when it happens before my brain registers what is going on. I have a sling and Baby Bjorn which I will use for future outings.

DH has watched DC to allow me out of the house from time to time. I would just feel so guilty if the baby were to get sick following an unnecessary outing. Of course, I can not keep her in a bubble forever!

[gatorsmom]

Right away. I just kept their carseat canopies over their heads and equipped my carseats with this sign:

www.mytinyhands.com

No one touches them when this is prominently displayed.

[ThreeofUs]

Between a complicated birth and c-section, a week in NICU, Christmas when we got out, and blizzards thereafter, we didn't get out until DS's first ped appt.

And, frankly, didn't want to! We were so shell-shocked by the birth and a baby who didn't sleep, I think all we wanted to do was huddle.

Going out to stores with DS was at least 2 months after birth....

Lisa, I LOVE that sign.

[bubbaray]

Love that sign, Lisa! :)

I took both girls out to their first dr's appointment, 1 week old, both were c/s, so that was 3 days after hospital discharge. I honestly can't remember if we took them out before that. But, it wasn't all that long. I had no driving restrictions with either.

ETA: I've never EVER had someone touch either of my children. Ever. Honestly, I would completely FLIP out if some stranger touched either of my girls, even now. Ewwwww. I never really thought to stay home b/c of germs. I mostly stayed home to heal from the c/s and b/c I was BFg every 5 minutes.

[Melanie]

Same here with my Dc (winter first baby, summer second). I couldn't keep Dc1 home all the time b/c of a new baby. So I think probably around week 2 or so, week 4 for more recreational day outings. However I nearly always had her in a sling so people are less likely to touch all over her. Dd was born a couple of days before school started so she also went to school a few times in week two, but again I had her in a sling and if any of the little ones wanted to touch her I just told them to touch her feet. They love that, and less germs by the face!

[maestramommy]

Well, let's see. We took Dora to the Baskin Robbins a day after we got home from the hospital because it was friggin hot and and we had no A/C. With Arwyn we were taking her to the ped's right away (jaundice) which is some kind of germ trap because Dora's gotten sick twice after a wellcheck. I also started taking her to Dora's toddler class a month after she was born. But I kept her in a sling or wrap all the time when we went out, so unless someone came super close and sneezed I didn't have anything to worry about.

[AngelaS]

My winter baby didn't go out for 5 weeks.
My May baby went to church at 8 days.
My fall baby didn't go out for about 3? weeks.

[LD92599]

We really wanted pizza from our favorite place so we went out a few hours after getting home. I also took DS to my office right after his 1st ped appt so i could get a few things out of the way. FWIW he was born in early March.

[Wife_and_mommy]

With DD, it was 10 days or so. With DS, 5 or so days. I figure with #3, I'll leave the birth center and go shopping for a new purse.:ROTFLMAO: j/k:ROTFLMAO:

[egoldber]

With my oldest, the day after discharge we went to Target. So she was 4 days old.

Amy was 6 weeks early, so I kept her a bit lower profile, but mainly because I was pumping and doing triple feeds for the first 4 weeks. Once that calmed down, I took her out a lot (no choice with an older sib in half day K and lots of activities) so I just kept her in the sling or well covered.

I have also never had anyone touch a baby in the infant seat, but I tend to hover and not look very friendly LOL!

[cvanbrunt]

DD#2 was born on Tuesday, home Thursday, and the whole family went to the neighborhood Halloween party on Saturday. I did spare her the costume!

[mdb78]

DD was 4 days old for her 1st ped. appt. Her first time at a store was at 2 weeks when we went to Babies R' Us. At 4 weeks, she had her 1st mall trip. :)

[khalloc]

My first DD was born in Nov. I probably waited a week? My new DS is almost 3 months old. I took him out right away. I dont see the point of waiting. I need to go out and do stuff like errands and grocery shopping.

[o_mom]

With all three I was at the BF support group at four days old. Peds office on day 5-ish? I really didn't even think about not taking them to stores. Church I waited a month or so because it is full of little old ladies who want to fuss over a new baby. :)