Newborn in public

[mackmama]

When did you bring your newborn to more crowded public places like the playground, supermarket, restaurants, mother's groups, baby classes? Did your pediatrician give you any specific timeframe? Did you do anything in particular to limit your LO's exposure to flu/illness?

[boolady]

Do you mean in crowded places, or just outside or on errands in general? DD was born in mid-October. It was warm and sunny that year through late November. She went places with me almost from day 1-- maybe about day 6? DH was back at work within a week of her birth and I really didn't have a choice. I often carried her in a sling at the grocery store so that she wasn't really exposed for people to prod and poke.

[lhafer]

Well, because my husband was working a lot and had grad school so was gone every other weekend, and we don't have family close by, my first outing (other than the pedi office) was to the grocery store with both kids (4 years old and almost 2 weeks old) alone. I wore the baby, and the 4 year old rode in the cart. After that - I went pretty much anywhere with both kids. The baby was born in late Feb.

[scrooks]

With DD - yes. It was July. Nice and warm. No problem. With DS- heck no. He was born at the end of Sept but it was the height of the H1N1 epidemic so we went no where for months.

[s7714]

With my first two I had the luxury of being able to keep them at home for the first few weeks. With #3 that's not going to happen as I'll be needing to pick-up/drop-off the older two at school every day.

Same as boolady, when I did take mine out of the house I wore them so they weren't overly exposed.

[kedss]

we took dd out in public the day after we left the hospital, it was June. :) And she has been out pretty regular ever since, may have been different if she had been the first child. ;)

[carolinamama]

Within a few days of coming home from the hospital. I always figured that we were carrying them or had them in the carseat so they weren't really exposed to much. Especially DS2 who was probably exposed to more at home from Ds1 than he would be just being in a store or something. With DS1, we were back at the hospital every morning for blood draws until he was over 2 weeks old. It was probably germier there than any other public place we could have gone. Neither of the boys got sick from these outings.

[edurnemk]

The first 4 weeks, my mom stayed with us, so I only had to go out to the Ped. and I mostly stayed at home (mostly due to the sub-zero weather), but a day after she left I realized I could not stay in the house all day, so I started going out for a walk if it wasn't too cold, DS was bundled up, with a warm hat, in a bundle me with the rain cover in the stroller. But I had to take him grocery shopping starting at 4-5 weeks, I wore him. At about 6 weeks we started taking occasional trips to the mall, but it was never crowded on the days we went. In our case we didn't go out as much since he was born in Chicago in January, so the weather wasn't as inviting, for a summer baby, I'm sure I'd start taking him for walks much earlier, but I'd avoid very crowded spaces until about 2 months.

We flew to see my parents when DS was 2.5 months, the Ped did say it was better to wait until he had his first round of vaccines before riding in a crowded plane.

ETA: I just saw your updated OP. SO my answer would be 5 weeks for the grocery store (wearing him), about 6 weeks to the mall and restaurants. Waited until 2.5 months to travel. I fortunately never had anyone try to touch him when out in public, but I kept hand sanitizer hanging on the outside of the diaper bag all.the.time. Another friend kept a huge bottle of sanitizer in the stroller cup holder (very clear message ;) ).

[lizzywednesday]

I couldn't stay in during my entire leave, so I ended up wearing her a lot of the time once I got all my carriers together. It made me feel better to have her in a wrap or the Ergo and I found that people were less inclined to invade her personal space if she was worn.

FWIW, DD was born in early March and the hospital still had flu guideline posters up through May.

[mackmama]

ETA: I just saw your updated OP. SO my answer would be 5 weeks for the grocery store (wearing him), about 6 weeks to the mall and restaurants. Waited until 2.5 months to travel.

Thanks for this info... it took me awhile to figure out what I was trying to ask - hence my own edit. :)

For everyone - do you think it's safe to bring a 10wk old out and about pretty much anywhere who has had the first round of vaccines? Or are precautions still necessary?

[edurnemk]

For everyone - do you think it's safe to bring a 10wk old out and about pretty much anywhere who has had the first round of vaccines? Or are precautions still necessary?

By this point I was taking him everywhere, I wouldn't be comfortable with people touching him without washing their hand first, but other than that not much. He never got sick (he got his first real cold at 10 months). Our precautions where really mostly weather related because he's a Chicago winter baby.

[WolfpackMom]

Umm I think he was 4-5 days old, it was the end of January. I was not worried because I certainly wasnt handing him off to strangers or anything, no one touched him or came near his face etc but me or my mom or DH.

[deborah_r]

We didn't really wait with either kid.

Had to take DS2 on a train (overnight, sleeper car) at 3.5 weeks old. Good times.

[boolady]

To answer as you amended your question, no the pediatrician didn't give me a time frame, and a nursing support/new mom's group at about 6 days(?) was the first "public" place DD went. I would have lost my mind without it, and she was fine. We also used to go on walks to the park and other places. I really don't think of anything outside, like a park or a playground as crowded...I'd much rather a baby breathe the fresh air, if it's not too cold outside, than the air inside most buildings.

[essnce629]

DBF had to start studying for the bar exam a week after DS2 was born and DS1 was also in kindergarten at the time. I had to pick up my mom and grandma from the airport 5 days postpartum and went to the 1st birthday party of the baby I nannied for at 7 days postpartum. My mom and grandma came out to help for 10 days, but since it was also their first and last time in VA we did some sightseeing too at local places. With DS1 we had to pick up a few things at the grocery store the day after he was born (homebirth). So yeah, I never waited any certain amount of time for doing things outside of the house when the kids were newborns. Necessary precautions? I'd just say wash your hands often and have anyone who handles the baby do the same. And stay away from those who are actively sick, especially those with a cough.

[SnuggleBuggles]

With ds1 we didn't do much beyond an occasional errand the first 4-6 weeks. My friend just had her 1st and she is keeping him out of public places as much as possible for the first 8 weeks so he doesn't wind up with a spinal tap due to a fever.

With ds2 I had no ability to keep us at home and we were out and about in the thick of holiday and school crowds almost from the get go. I wore him and kept people away.

I breastfed both and wasn't really, really worried. The bigger problem was when dh got the flu when ds2 was 3 weeks old. The germs were front and center at home. Nursing, good hygiene and avoiding dh kept ds2 (and all of us) healthy.

Beth

[army_mom]

DD went out in public nearly from day 1. She was born on Dec 1 and we went Christmas shopping at the mall a week later (but it was Texas and nearly 70 degrees!). The ped did not give us a timeframe to go into public. DH only took 2 days off when she was born so I took her nearly everywhere I 'needed' to go. DD was in daycare full time by 7 weeks so exposed to all sorts of people.

[*myfoursons]

I drag them out as soon as we're out of the hospital. I don't let strangers touch them, but I'm at the park, grocery store, etc. within the first few days. They're in a sling or their carseat, so they're covered. I remember bringing my fourth to a children's museum when he was 4 weeks, and got a mommy drive-by. Please, he was in a sling, and no one but me touched him.

[mackmama]

When is it ok to stop asking people to wash their hands before touching baby? I don't really mind asking, but DH is very uncomfortable asking. I'm just not sure when their immune systems are stronger so want to be careful.

[mackmama]

My friend just had her 1st and she is keeping him out of public places as much as possible for the first 8 weeks so he doesn't wind up with a spinal tap due to a fever.

Is a spinal tap a common approach to a fever for a baby under 8wks? Do they not do them as often after 8wks? How awful for a little baby.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Is a spinal tap a common approach to a fever for a baby under 8wks? Do they not do them as often after 8wks? How awful for a little baby.

For a fever of a certain level, I think it is. I remember reading it and it seems that her ped told her that (though, I didn't ask where she got that info and she might have just read it too).

Beth

[Pyrodjm]

Both babies went with me to Target in a sling within the first week. DD1 went to the ped at 6 days old and I couldn't think of anywhere more germy than her office and figured why not return some things on the way home. After that she went with us to a restaurant at 2 or three weeks. We took DD2 to the playground at about 4 days old ( I needed the fresh air and DH was supervising DD1 on the equipment while I walked around the park a little. We also took them to church at 3-4 weeks old. For the first couple of months I kept them on me in the sling. Never so much as a sniffle.

ETA: About the doctor, we never asked for the go ahead and he never mentioned staying home. We don't vax so that wasn't an issue. For the first couple of weeks we made sure family had clean hands when they touched the baby. And didn't pass 'em around "till about 6 weeks otherwise no special precautions were taken,

[Raidra]

Sooner and sooner with each kid. :) I think with my first, I waited six weeks or so. With my second, it was maybe three weeks. With my third and fourth, we were out doing easy errands and playdates after about a week.

[alirebco]

With DS who was born in December, I think I didn't go anywhere except the pedi for the first 3-4 weeks.

With this baby, due in a few weeks, I'll be home for the first week but then will have to drive DS to preschool so she'll be out sooner. Plus it is not flu season so I'm not as worried. I'll have her in a woven wrap tucked in close to avoid germs.

[okinawama]

I'd say around 4 days old we were out and about with friends to a coffee shop. I too always wore him in a carrier, and never felt worried.

We traveled internationally with him around 8 weeks old.

[HonoluluMom]

I started taking DD out for neighborhood walks pretty much right away. I didn't take her out to public places for months because I was paranoid about H1N1 and she couldn't get vaccinated because of her age.

[smilequeen]

There are things I had to do with #1 and I wasn't afraid to take him out, but we weren't around a lot of other people or kids. #2 was born in the summer and I did have to get out a little more with him, but didn't go out much with both boys until he was about 6 weeks. This one, I've been a little more cautious b/c RSV is pretty bad around here right now. I try to keep him away from crowds of kids b/c he gets enough exposure from 2 older brothers. We'll get out more when spring hits.

[niccig]

6 days eating at CPK. A women in the elevator told me he wasn't to be out so early - my first Mummy Drive By. I said "the Dr. said it's fine." She replied "obviously YOU didn't have a c-section.." I said "no I didn't". But still what !! My mother said the woman was probably jealous that I was up and walking and eating at a restaurant. Whatever!!

I did check with out Dr. at the next appt and he said no reason to not be out and about. DS was fine, I was fine. He wasn't handled by anyone, slept the whole time.

[bostonsmama]

I had muffin out six days after delivery (a huge 15-person party on Turkey Day), then Black Friday shopping the next day (including grocery store). I was all over the hand sanitizer, but we went out in public pretty much any time we needed to. Muffin was term, healthy, and our winters didn't get cold til Jan.

[elliput]

Not many places are actually more germ ridden than a hospital, so I didn't worry about keeping my DC out of public places for any length of time after they were born. I am of the opinion that we are not doing our children's immune systems any favors by hiding them away in our houses.

[dec756]

2 months. ds was born in dec (in va) and it was really cold plus i wwas always super paranoid about people touchign him even his grandma :)

[AnnieW625]

Not many places are actually more germ ridden than a hospital, so I didn't worry about keeping my DC out of public places for any length of time after they were born. I am of the opinion that we are not doing our children's immune systems any favors by hiding them away in our houses.

I was thinking the same thing when I had both of my children. And with DD2 it irritated me to no end when they wouldn't let DD1 come and visit because late April was still flu season (WTH? Swine flu fall out I guess) so I went home 32 hrs. after DD2 was born vs. staying in the hospital another night.

With DD1 she was out and about to Walgreens when she was 5 days old after the pediatrician suggested we take a daily walk at her 4 day old appt.; more for my sake than hers, but it was the best advice I got!

With DD2 she had to go back to the drs. office when she was 2 days old for her bilirubin check (don't know why they didn't do this at the hospital or tell me that because I was checking out at less than 2 days pp that I'd need to have this done the following day until I was handed my discharge notes). Four days later she was back at the peds. office because I had a sneaking suspiscion she had reflux because she had consistently been spitting up since she was 2 days old.

For the store with both girls I believe they were about 2 weeks old. DD1 snugly in the infant carrier in the shopping cart, and DD2 was in the Beco carrier.

DD2 went to a funeral with a reception at a restaurant when she was 8 days old. Again I could've stayed at home, but by then I was ready to be anywhere and DD2 slept in a carseat or the Vista basinet fine; she didn't sleep much at home until she was 4 weeks old.

DH went back to work when DD2 was 10 days old and DD1 continued at daycare so we were on our own. DD2 also went to open house at DD1's preschool when she was two weeks old. Seriously DD1 would have not forgiven me had we not gone. We kept our distance from the kids and really only the other parents were interested in her and DD1 loved showing her off to her teachers.

[sunshine873]

We had an appt with her ped the day after we came home from the hospital, so we went to that and stopped for lunch & a few errands too. She was in her carseat or being held by us the whole time. Plus, we went back & forth to the hospital clinic for visits for a few weeks (1 1/2 hour drive each way) so she was used to being on the move fairly early on. Mind you, she was 3 months old when she came home from the hospital, but at just over 4 pounds she was still pretty much a newborn.

[1964pandora]

I really tried to limit their exposure to people for the first six months. One word. PERTUSSIS.

[ellies mom]

I didn't stay home at all after either of my girls. With the second (April baby), I was wearing her in a sling at the mall when she was 4 or 5 days old and at a science museum when she was 6-7 days old. I was out and about with my first (November baby) right away as well and we flew to my parents for Christmas.

I cannot stand to stay around the house for days on end. I need to get out or I go nuts.

[BayGirl2]

We took DS out to my 5 YO neice's bday party when he was 5 days old. It was summer, an outdoor swimming party, and we kept him in the Vista bassinet with a bug net over him the entire time. No germy kids or even relatives came near him and it was really good for both of us to get to a family social event at that point.

I think that was the first time besides Dr's visits, but otherwise I didn't make much of an effort to stay home. Never really occurred to me to make a big deal about it, my Dr. never said anything, and I couldn't imagine staying inside for very long. If I had a winter baby in a cold climate during a flu epidemic I may have felt different.

[mackmama]

Interesting to read everyone's different approaches. Having a winter baby along with the local pertussis outbreak has made me a bit more cautious than I probably would be in the summer. I so appreciate this board and hearing from other parents.

[jgenie]

I'll be the outlier. Both my DC were born 4+ weeks premature in January in the northeast. Other than ped appointments and walks outside my DC weren't around other people until they were 11 weeks old. We didn't have visitors other than family that flew to help us until after that point as well.

[tribe pride]

With DS1 we went out early, but it wasn't by choice. The day after I got home from the hospital we had a sewage/plumbing problem, and when the plumbing guy came to fix hit, he accidentally cut the gas line. So we had to evacuate the house while they sent firetrucks and a crew from the gas company to fix things. So yeah, at 3 days old we had to go stay in a hotel. Thankfully the baby did fine and didn't scream all night and wake other people up. A woman working at the hotel asked us how old the baby was, and when we told her, she looked at us like we were insane and started mumbling in another language. :rotflmao:

With DS2, I took him out at 1 week. DH was working crazy long hours at that point, and I needed groceries. We have no family in town, so off we went! I got a comment there, too. The girl checking us out asked how old the baby was, and when I told her she said, "I want to beat people like you" for taking children out too early. She was probably only in high school and had not idea how inappropriate her comment was, so I didn't say anything except, "Well, we're out of food." But seriously? What was she thinking?

Anyway, I had spring/summer babies, so weather and cold/flu season weren't an issue for me. If my boys had been born during the winter, I would have probably been more cautious and waited a bit longer. Well, with DS2 anyway. With DS1 we didn't have much choice!

[Tondi G]

DS1 was a july baby and out and about at 2 weeks. Ds2 was a May baby and was out and about at about 4 days. When you have an older child who is out and at preschool etc, your younger one is going to be exposed to a ton of germs that way.... washing hands and purell are your friend.

[essnce629]

Interesting to read everyone's different approaches. Having a winter baby along with the local pertussis outbreak has made me a bit more cautious than I probably would be in the summer.

Just wanted to let you know that pertussis actually peaks in the summer. July and August is known as "pertussis season."