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Newborns Out in Public -- How Long to Wait?
November 3, 2009 at 2:08 PM by Cafe Cynthia - Comments (25)
Photo by livewiresav06
I felt guilty taking my two-week old firstborn to a friend's party where there were lots of snuffly little kids around. Our pediatrician had specifically said to wait at least a month to six weeks before exposing him to germs, and as a new mom, I took his words as gospel.
When my daughter was born, I was strolling the aisles of Target and visiting friends within days with no guilt whatsoever. If she was going to catch anything, it would be something from her germy big brother.
I recently visited my friend and her 1 week old, and even though she's been through it all with an older son, she doesn't plan to take her new baby out anytime soon, especially with the Swine Flu going around. So it seems like it just depends on the mom.
Some of the responses from moms who were asked when they took their newborn out in public in Answers made me giggle:
Pnukey: "Just a few days. I had things to do."
serenaxxmarie: "When I asked my mother, she said, 'You gave birth to a baby in a hospital, the most germ ridden place there is, and you're worried about taking him to the store?' So anyway, I took my little one to a relatives' house the day I got out of the hospital and I believe McDonalds like three days after."
TiccledBlue: "We stopped at the store on the way home from the hospital."
Poll
Question: How long did you wait before taking your newborn out in public?
Total Votes: 96
Is it safer, healthier, for baby to keep her inside away from strangers as long as possible?
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Comments:
I think it was like his 1 week visit or something .. I took him to the DR and then I needed something at the store so I took him in real quick..
I only take my Son to the Docs, if I go shopping or to work he is home with Daddy.
We stopped to eat on our way home from the hospital. They finished the discharge at 1100 right before they served lunch so they couldn't feed me unless we went to the cafateria...might as well get some better food. The hospital is 45 minutes from home and I was starving. My dd wasn't even a whole day old. She was born the afternoon before
The day you took them home from the hospital they were out in public unless you wrapped them in a bubble to take them from the nursery to the car and then back in a bubble from the car to the house. They were out in public and outside. DS was at Wal*Mart at 3days old.
We made 2 stops on the way home from the hospital... One at a card shop to show my husbands friends, and one stop at the mall where I knew a bunch of my friends were having a playdate (although we just stopped in to say a quick "hello")
We stopped at the store on the way home from hospital. He was 3 days old. We started going out to church and to visit my mom when he was around a month old I think. I had a c section and a rough recovery so we stuck close to home for the most part. As soon as I was feeling up to it though, I would take the stroller up to the mall to walk and get some exercise because it was cold outside. I was taking precautions and not passing him around to people, but we did go places. He was a very healthy baby and has been a very healthy kid so far. (he is ten now).
With my first we went out to get me some pads at like 3 days and she went in with us. With my second it was a little while longer like a week maybe. We needed to get groceries and my husband can't follow a list.
Our daughter is only five days old, born via home waterbirth. I took her to her first wellbaby visit today with our pediatrician. Other than that, she hasn't been out.
All 4 of mine went out within days of being born. The first 2 went staright to Wal-mart after leaving the hospital (at 2 and 3 days old respectively). My 3rd we went to eat at Denny's the day after I got out and with the last we were at the bus stop showing her off when she was 4 days old. Her big sister was so proud.
My kids have never had more then a cold...runny nose, cough, slight sore throat. They've never had the flu and we had our first ear infection in 9 years and that was because of swimming with a clogged up ear canal not an illness.
My kids were born at 3 different hosiptals in 3 different states and not a single one of my doctors ever told me not to take them out. I didn't even think twice about. I couldn't wait to show them off to family and friends.
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We went to Target the day after I got home from the hospital. No regrets here.
picketeclipse Nov. 3, 2009 at 3:42 PM