After nine long months of carrying a baby, the day finally came and went of giving birth. Now, you have a newborn in the house and you feel cooped up, wanting desperately to go to lunch with a friend, hit a sale at the mall, and just get back into a normal routine but you have concerns about when it is best to take the baby out in public. The truth is, if the weather is not bad and the baby is healthy, there is no reason you cannot take your baby out.
Years ago, people worried that a baby would be exposed to horrible things, thus becoming sick. While it is true that your baby’s immunization is not as strong as it will be, with proper precautions, you can get out for a while. Now, you probably do not want to take a five-day old baby out, especially if the weather is cold or hot, but in about two weeks, there is nothing wrong with going out.
In fact, most pediatricians today will encourage you to get out as soon as possible. I was at a ballgame for my neighbor’s boy last week and sitting in front of me was the most gorgeous little baby. I asked the mother the baby’s age and she said she was just a week old. The baby slept throughout the entire game and mom was smiling and cheering on her son. It was really beautiful and nice to see a mother not afraid, nor confined.
Keep in mind that if your baby was a preemie, then chances are the doctor would advise you to wait a little longer but if you have questions, simply call the pediatrician. When going out in public with a small baby, you should consider a few things. For one, most people will want to touch, and some even hold the baby. Because germs can be passed from one person to another, particularly from the hands, you would need to say something polite like “If you don’t mind, this is his/her first time out”, while turning away slightly. While this might sound insensitive, remember that your number one concern is the baby, not stranger’s feelings.
In addition, if this is your first baby and first trip out, make sure you pack lightly but with the right things. When I took my daughter out the first time, a friend who had also given birth went with me to the local shopping center. We had so much stuff between the two of us; one would think we were going to stay a week. Most importantly are diapers, wipes, and formula if not breastfeeding. A blanket to place the baby on during diaper changing, a change of clothing, and small plastic garbage bag for the dirty diapers is also helpful. Other than that, not much is needed unless you plan to stay overnight somewhere.