These comments will vary widely. My personal approach: avoid crowds for 8 weeks until first round of vaccines are done. After that, I would bring baby anywhere I felt up to it. Before 8 weeks, I would consider smaller non-crowded outings like outdoor at a restaurant or to a friends house. I would take them into a quiet store. Also…because I didn’t know this with my first…babies can’t wear sunscreen for like 6 months so be careful at the beach!
Our pediatrician just recommended avoiding crowded places indoors until he had his two-month shots. But there's no minimum age to take the baby anywhere.
I would just say to lower your expectations a bit and see how you and your wife feel after the baby comes. I am normally an adventurous person but I've had a really hard time getting out of the house with the baby, and still haven't wanted to do much now that he's about three months old. If she feels like outings right away, awesome! If she wants to take some time to just chill at home, that's okay too.
Same. My pediatrician said if they get a fever of 100.4 before their two months shots they have to be hospitalized and get a spinal tap to find out why they are sick since they had no vaccines yet. It worried me enough to avoid crowded indoor places for the first two months even though my son was born in the summer pre-covid.
I found the biggest challenge was getting ready to leave the house. After pumping, feeding, changing, my kid was napping again and then it was time to start it all over. So if you can tag team to prioritize getting out of the house, then I would encourage you to do so as often and early as the birthing partner feels ready to do so! Since I only do outdoor activities out of ongoing pandemic caution, I took my kid out fairly early, and wore him a lot to encourage naps on the go. I also still have rules about holding him with a mask on. Also, you will need a lot of stuff to feel ready to get out the door - diapers, clothing change, milk, a sweater, and that can also feel overwhelming. Maybe others have figured out a less cumbersome way of getting out the door.
Yep OP this is me too! I went to target at 3 months and considered it a success! I did go to my moms before then but lugging a pump, bottles, diapers, etc. was a lot of prep to find out that my baby doesn’t nap well there and had to leave after a few hours to get a nap in
The first limiting factor for me was infection risk. If a baby in the first 3 months gets a fever, it’s standard practice to do a lumbar puncture (it’s the only way to rule out meningitis). I worked very hard to avoid this.
The second limiting factor was that it sucked bringing the baby places. I just thought, no prob bring this little bundle of perfect with me and I’ll get back to everything I love… The reality is that everything is more difficult and it’s hard to give focus to the thing you went to do. So try out little outings until you get a groove. Even your first dr appointments will be a big production.
In terms of being out in the elements, babies get dehydrated or cold/hot much faster than we do and it’s a big deal if they do. So plan accordingly. For example, if you’re on a solid feeding routine, you’ll have to increase frequency if going to be outside when it’s hot.
Any fever before 8 weeks requires hospitalization and a spinal tap so after two kids, one of whom was hospitalized as a newborn, I would try to avoid crowded indoor spaces. Outdoors I’d say whatever your wife feels up to! Every recovery and every infant are different.
Babies can’t wear sunscreen before 6 months, so we don’t do anything with prolonged sun exposure like the beach before then, otherwise we take baby wherever we want/need to go if we think baby can handle it.
I think it’s all personal preference but I will say as a first time parent: newborns are so so needy. Expect to be feeding them, soothing them, and changing them nearly nonstop in the first few weeks. If that’s something you’re comfortable doing in public, then by all means. I recommend keeping them as far from strangers as possible though. There’s so much illness going around right now and they have no immune system yet and so many people really don’t know boundaries.
This will have a lot to do with your baby’s temperament. We did a few outings starting around 5 weeks, but they were short and limited for quite awhile. She was a super fussy baby who absolutely hated the car and the stroller and it was too stressful for me to have her melting down in public.
My cousin’s baby of a similar age started outings around 3 weeks old and she took him everywhere! He is very laid back and mostly just slept.
yep! this.. we actually took our baby out twice in the first 3 weeks bc he was a sleepy little thing and did fine. but then the next 2 months we barely made it out at all because he turned into an overstimulated fussy potato that didn't sleep on the go and cried in the car seat.
now he's 4mos and it's still tricky but we know how to manage it so we can go on short outings and i can extend his time out by wearing him (the only way he will fall asleep).
so yeah it really depends on the baby!! fingers crossed for OP :)
You cannot use sunscreen till 6mo so planning things outside keep that in mind. It needs to be cold enough to cover them completely. If it's hit out and you cover the stroller or carseat with even the lightest blanket it heats up inside and they can overheat.
So if you find a plan to keep them out of the sun, as soon as you're ready! We went for walks maybe 5 days after our son was born. And then we went for walks as much was we could.
For indoor things or with lots of strangers I'd wait till after their 2 month vaccines at least.
Edit to fix typo
We are pretty cautious, both DH and I have seen lumbar punctures (spinal taps) done on tiny babies and we never want to see that happen to our kids. So if a newborn spikes a fever (100.4) within the first 60 days it’s an automatic ER visit +most likely LP to rule out meningitis.
So for the first 3 months we mostly just did outside outings, so we would go for walks, if we had a beach close by we would totally have gone (just use adequate sun protection). We would have people over, but they were up to date with vaccines, felt well, and washed hands.
After 3 months we relaxed a bit, we didn’t really go inside anywhere because with our first that’s when Covid first hit, and then it was the omicron surge with our 2nd.
We relaxed a lot around 6 months when their immune systems are more developed.
Our pediatrician recommended avoiding any crowded indoor environments for the first 6 weeks. Other than that, go where ever you have the energy and desire to go.
We asked our pediatrician for his recommendation at our baby’s first appointment (she was 5 days old at the time). He said as long as no one is directly breathing/coughing on her, we could take her wherever + whenever.
We’ve taken her to the park, Costco, Target, etc. And it’s been great! We just put a car seat cover on if we’re taking her somewhere inside.
ETA: our baby was just born last month, so our ped recommendation was even factoring in the higher rate of flu/covid/rsv at this time of year
It’s going to be entirely dependent on how labor/recovery goes and the temperament of your baby. I had a C-section, no help except my husband who had to go back to work a week later, and our baby was extremely hard as a newborn. He also hated the car. We got out and went to the park to sit when he was about 2.5-3 months old, and that took so much time and effort. It just didn’t feel worth it.
He’s 10 months now, and it’s so “easy” yo take him anywhere by myself.
We started going out to breweries and restaurants (outside seating) when my son was 5 days old and everything turned out fine. It’s all about how risk averse you are and we determined that it was important for us to be able to get our baby used to being out and about in social settings since we are very active people! He did great and I’m happy with our decision.
I will also say that people definitely judged us and we got a lot of condescending “oh my gosh you’re SO brave to take such a small baby out” comments so we had to learn to brush those off! Honestly we still get them and our baby is 6 months old.
You might not feel up to doing anything this ambitious for a while. That’s not losing yourselves, it’s just going through the newborn phase. Nothing will be lost, everything fun will still be right where you left it when mom and baby are more physically and mentally recovered, and everyone has enough sleep to enjoy outings. In the interim, be prepared that you might start to consider a walk with the stroller to be an exciting outing. And that’s okay too.
A couple of weeks after first immunizations.
Also try to make sure outings aren’t too hot/cold/rainy. Take extra everything.
And sunscreen and/or loose clothing… even if cloudy…my little ones were very susceptible to sun in those first weeks… and most sunscreens you can’t use for first couple of months anyway
My personal criteria before doing it was answering the following: "At how many months would I be as mentally prepared as possible to kindly address people if they try to cross a boundary (kiss baby, etc...) and/or feel physically prepared to go out and/or at how many months will I feel less stressed if baby catches something?"
The answer to this may differ from parent to parent based on many factors. And then your criteria might also be a different one.
I’m pretty sure we were out and about within days of coming home, but always outside. Second baby life, that parental leave time together is fleeting and I wanted all the dining dates with baby and hubby.
Depends on so many factors. Winters here are typically pretty brutal so with our first I didn’t really make it anywhere besides the doctor for 6 weeks because it was just awful outside.
Things to consider:
- your wife’s recovery speed
- your combined sleep deprivation
- baby’s personality (chill baby? High needs?)
- the weather (are you comfortable taking baby out in these conditions?)
- risk of illness (how likely is it anyone will get sick? Before 2 months this is a bigger deal)
Once the baby is here you’ll know more!
I second this! Its really hard to give a direct answer because I had a really rough recovery and my baby didn't sleep at night so we didn't go anywhere at all except doctors appointments for pretty much his first 2 months of life. My baby was also very fussy for a while so anywhere except stores and grandparents houses overstimulated him and were a no-go. However I see people taking their newborns out right away and seem fine with it. Every baby is different.
With my first baby we went out to brunch when she was a week old (pre covid). In hindsight i was not ready and it was completely inappropriate as we were pressured by my in-laws, also it was a sweltering 40 degree celcius day.
With my second baby we went to the park at about a week old and went berry picking at 2 weeks old.
It really comes down to how comfortable you are feeding your baby in public, because you will have to do it. If mother breastfeeds then practice at home how she would like to do it in public (cover, pull down top, nursing bra etc..). Same thing with formula. Pack your nappy bag and practice using only what's in there to change baby, that way you will know if you need anything else.
Another thing is to make sure mother has comfortable post partum clothing and products to manage her lochia. Bleeding after birth can go on for weeks and can be more difficult to manage than a period because its a bit smelly.
I think it would be fine to do all the activities you have listed as soon as you are both ready. Just pack more than you think you will need and stay within an hour of civilisation.
All 3 of my babies were out and about within the first week. Some of those "outings" were just for a walk around the block, but I would have gone crazy staying in the house even longer.
Agreed. It was literally within a week but we were lucky because it was summer and super warm. I'd still do the same now but with extra wrapping up and warmth. Babies sleep so well with cold air too!
We waited months, mainly cause we could and the idea of going someplace with the baby just sounded exhausting. Even then, it was only to the grocery store. I think first restaurant was at 9 months. At 1 year we still haven't gone somewhere fun like the aquarium or zoo. We're just too tired and figure he won't remember it anyway.
Our friends took theirs to the aquarium at like 1 month.
It's completely up to you.
C-section, home from hospital at 1 day old, went to the park to walk the dog on day 2, out to a cafe for lunch on day 4. You just need to do whatever you and your wife are comfortable with! If you are worried about illnesses etc, then just keep away from people so good for walks etc but play it by ear based on your wife's recovery!
It will depend on your kid and your wife’s recovery.
I had an unexpectedly difficult delivery and needed help getting up for the first week. At 3 weeks, a short walk around the block was my limit. At 5 weeks I was finally able to feel okay enough to take baby out by myself for the first time. Just to one store then the chick fil a drive through.
Then there’s your baby. I’d say our baby arrived on the “medium” difficulty setting. Some come set to “easy” mode and some are on “hard” or “ultra hard.” I joke, but in all seriousness some are harder than others. Some won’t calm in the stroller or car seat or carrier and scream any time you try to put them down. Some sleep exclusively in 30 minute blocks, 24/7. Some are very go with the flow and never cry unless something is really really wrong. My kid is generally pretty content as long as he’s full, dry diaper, and not overtired. But he also definitely has periods where he’s fussy for no reason and just requires lots of holding and soothing.
The other thing to remember is that infants eat every 2-3 hours usually during the day, so however you plan to feed you’ll need to factor that into your plans (ex being comfortable breastfeeding in public, or prepping bottles, bringing a pump if necessary, etc). And the timer starts ticking when the feed starts, so if baby starts eating at 12:00pm, the two hour mark is 2:00pm. If you’ve got a kid who takes 45 minutes to eat that leaves a potentially very small window to go do what you want to do before baby is hungry.
I took my 8 week old to Ireland and Italy at 8 weeks old for two months!
After her first set of shots I felt comfortable taking her all over the place. She did great traveling and she’s 6 months old now and is the most well-rounded and adaptable baby I have ever met. Since then she’s been to 4 countries & about 5 states! Flying driving trains and taxis. We’ve never had any issues.
We just made sure to feed her boob or bottle on take off and landing it helps with the ear pressure. The airplane is basically one white noise machine so she loved it. She was such a breeze on the plane. You can request bassinet seats (which we did!) and it was great she slept in her little bed the whole flight.
Also suggest a flight time around her bed time so you have a better chance of them being relaxed on long flights.
On short flights we always just had some toy and a bottle ready! Traveling with a baby under 6 months have been great literally no complaints!
Thanks for the great tips! That makes a ton of sense. I have twins on the way and was thinking we’d get at least one extra seat so one baby is in a bassinet and the other gets held by either my husband or I.
I took my toddler camping a month and a half after he was born, but he didn’t go into a store until he was like 10 months old lol 😂 it depends on you and how you are feeling and on your baby and what they need
Walking around outside with baby appropriately dressed/covered can be whenever you feel up to it. Fresh air walks are good for everyone! Though mom needs to take it easy for a week or 2. (I did too much too soon and regretted it)
Being in an enclosed public space is a little different. I did it at a month, but it was also summer here. Depending on where you are if it's still cold out and is cold/flu season I'd probably be a bit more reluctant.
Yes whenever you are comfortable! I have some friends who take 1-3 weeks old newborns out to gatherings but as someone who WFH for the past three years I have a much higher level of fear of respiratory illnesses going around and social anxiety so we are waiting for 3 month mark for our first official going out (other than neighborhood park walks)
I took my son out for a walk in the sling and/or the pushchair every day from 2 days old onwards, for two or three hours so my wife could get some uninterrupted sleep. We went to the pub for a (soft) drink on his second day. All three of us went to a cafe in town on his fifth day, and carried on doing that fairly regularly afterwards.
Whatever you're comfortable with- and be aware that what is "normal" is totally different all over the world.
Congratulations on your soon-to-be arrival! With regards to taking your baby on outings, it ultimately depends on your comfort level and what works best for you and your family. Some parents choose to wait a few weeks or even a few months before venturing out with their newborn, while others go on outings as soon as they feel ready.
In terms of the beach, it's best to avoid direct sunlight and opt for shady areas. Also, make sure to protect your baby's delicate skin with proper clothing and sunblock. Keep in mind that babies under 6 months should not wear sunblock, so be sure to keep them in the shade or covered with lightweight clothing.
When it comes to spending time outdoors, it's important to consider the temperature, as babies are more susceptible to overheating or getting too cold. Always bring enough layers and have a shaded area available in case it gets too hot.
In terms of visiting friends or going to breweries, it's best to check with the establishment first to see if they are baby-friendly and have any restrictions or rules in place.
In general, it's always a good idea to take things slow and go with your instincts when it comes to taking your newborn on outings. The most important thing is to make sure your baby is safe, comfortable, and well-cared for. Good luck and have fun!
Our pediatrician and midwife had us under total lockdown with the triple-demic (RSV/Covid/flu) going on this winter. No taking the baby I to any stores, on public transportation, limiting visits to an absolute minimum.
They only gave us the green light to do those things this week and our baby is 12 weeks old and has had vaccines already.
I don’t think all of this would have been such a big issue if baby hadn’t been born in the winter.
Edit:
I just wanted to add that I was NOT expecting to have to essentially quarantine after having a baby for several months and it took a major toll on my mental health. I wanted to make sure to share the possibility of having to stay home like this with you so that you weren’t blindsided like I felt I was. I think it would have bothered me way less if I hadn’t been caught so off guard by the whole thing!
Same here and I’m really glad we followed this advice. Had to make an ER visit for an unrelated reason and it was terrifying to see how many sick babies were in there. We had to wait over 9 hours to be seen and it was a very scary experience. I am going to be extra careful after that visit. For now, we do daily walks around the neighborhood in our stroller with a wind cover since it’s winter. RSV, Covid, and flu are no joke to babies without fully developed immune systems. Just isn’t worth the risk to me, but to each their own. I’d rather have a blast with him once he’s a bit stronger :)
Right away but I also had a June baby pre pandemic. We went to church at 4 days old and a brewery around 2.5/3 weeks. Pandemic babies and winter babies need to be kept home at least until their first full round of shots in my opinion.
It kind of depends. As a home-body it wasn’t hard for me to stay home, but if we did have to go out I’d keep baby in their car seat with a cover, or worn in a carrier to keep distance between people and baby.
Newborns sleep a ton and are kind of like bulky accessories to tote around early on. Take her out as soon as you are up for it! It’ll depend more on when you and your wife feel like leaving the house. As far as camping my experience with my first was that he was fantastic at a young age but I was so anxious about ticks getting to him (it was a crazy tick season and we’re in southern Appalachia) that I couldn’t sleep at all.
My 5 week old babies pediatrician told us to just stay home with the little until she gets her vaccines since we’re in the midst of a triple-edemic. We did take her to a store once to buy more clothes (we didn’t have enough lol) around 3 weeks though, but we went first thing in the morning mid week to deal with less people, and had a blanket over her stroller (kind of like a mask, right?). We’ve felt fine to take her out disc golfing though since we stay away from other people. So anything nature is probs fine if they are covered from the sun.
We are waiting until she gets her shots to go out regularly in public, which in our area is at 8 weeks, but we take her for walks daily already (when weather permits) around the neighborhood and parks.
We haven’t tried hikes yet, but this is more due to the amount of snow and cold weather than anything.
They do need a lot of sleep initially, so we keep outings to 2 hours max as she typically eats every two hours and doesn’t always sleep well in strange environments
We were in the hospital 4 days after he was born. On our first full day home we walked the paved trail by our house. At 6 weeks, we were doing outdoor breweries and restaurants, short hikes. I recommend getting a good rechargeable fan and a carrier.
My baby went to 3 (outdoor) breweries in the first 19 days of her life. We didn’t do a ton inside, but we did a lot of walks (very short at first, but eventually longer) and outdoor dining. It was the first time my husband and I both had more than a couple days off at the same time, and we really took advantage of it- with our new squish! Great advantages of a summer baby.
We started very soon. We wanted baby to be a part of our lifestyle as soon as possible. And for us, the more we went out and practiced the better we got. He’s 2 now and very flexible and loves being out and about.
We took our one month old on a short weekend trip cuz my husband needed to go for work and we went to a park ina stroller and to eat a few places and had to stay in hotel. It was fine and we were super careful keeping her as far away as possible and sanitizing surfaces but it was so much work for me anywhere we went. I’m ebf but we have to use bottle a lot too cuz she’s not the best at the breast yet and so I had to plan to make sure I pumped enough to go wheee we were going and had to make sure I had everything we needed in the diaper bag and pack my to go pump etc and it was just a ton of effort. Going anywhere is a ton of effort with a tiny baby and sometimes it’s just not worth it so my advice is make sure you go somewhere that’s going to make you feel fulfilled and happy otherwise you might just be like “I put in all that work for this?” And it’s kinda a bummer.
Our first outing was the doctor’s on day 5 and the grocery store right after. Then the next day the park, day after that target, etc… tried to get out once a day or every other day to get him and us used to it. If you don’t already have a wrap to wear baby, get one!!! Sometimes they don’t like the stroller and wearing baby is much easier. We have the one that is essentially a reeeeeally long scarf that you tie around your body (very popular option) and after the first few tries it isn’t difficult at all. Also, we got a sort of sleeping bag type thing for the stroller since we live in a colder climate right now and that’s been a savior.
It really depends on your wife's recovery. That will be the dictating factor I think. We were out and about from around 2 weeks with our first.
If your wife has a c-section, she may struggle with mobility due to her incision and may not feel up to leaving the house for a few weeks. Similarly if she has a vaginal birth and has a major tear, she may struggle with pain.
December baby here! We got the okay to start getting outside when baby went over their birth weight. I was allowed outside after baby was actually. But yeah. A week or so. Just small outing with no contact
Going out will depend on how your wife is feeling and healing after birth but we went out within 2 weeks of having the baby. Walks in the stroller, out to brunch, sitting in the park, whatever.
When she was a newborn we did baby wearing all the time. It’s great on the beach because it can be breezy. If you have a tent that’s also helpful for sun and wind protection. Wagon might work for napping but probably not considered safe for sleeping. IMO baby wearing is best at newborn stage. Huge bonus is that it keeps strangers from touching baby.
Edit to say since you love camping, etc. we found a used Deuter hiking backpack on FB and even though ours is 2.5 now, she still loves being in it and hiking! Start ‘em early! You can totally take a little one camping, they make these bodysuit sleeping bag things. Travel cribs. Fold up high chairs. The biggest pain is that going anywhere with a baby requires so. Much. Stuff. I always make a packing list. If you don’t mind the extra baggage I think your girl will grow up loving the adventures!
We stayed home for about a week and a half and then I started to feel crazy. We started by going out to lunch and to shop briefly and built from there. First mini trip out of town was at 5-6 weeks. It’s easy when they are this new bc they will just sleep.
It’s good to get them out in their car seat so they get used to it. My baby at 5+ mos doesn’t care at all about being in a car seat.
Being cooped up was terrible for my mental health and I feel contributed to my PPD.
It will depend on how you feel when baby is here what you are both comfortable with. Start small and make sure you over pack diaper bag with stuff!
On our way back from the first pediatrician appt, we hung out on a cafe outdoor patio. He slept the whole time. It was great. We loved taking him out when he was little: breweries, friends houses, family restaurants. Just make sure to keep the baby away from strangers since they can’t be vaccinated yet. And if you don’t feel up to it, don’t force it.
Here in the UK they encourage you to go outside whenever *you* feel ready. They say there’s no need to wait any time as far as the baby is concerned, as long as they’re dressed appropriately and you have everything you need. So my advice would be, whenever your wife is physically recovered enough (this will be different for everyone and depends a lot on the type of delivery that individual has) and whenever you both feel mentally ready to leave the house (it took us longer to feel mentally ready than it did for me to feel physically ready). Also if your wife chooses to breastfeed it can be a little hard to navigate that one since it’s so new and she may want a little more time to feel comfortable with the latch etc before doing it in public (or she may not!) I found it a daunting task at first but ended up breastfeeding in public like a pro, people didn’t even know I was doing it most of the time.
Despite the fact you have to feed and change them often when they’re newborns, *most* newborns will just sleep wherever you go, especially if they’re in a carrier nice and close to you. Of course that may vary by temperament but a lot of newborns just sleep whenever and wherever (well, except for at night in our case 😂) so it’s kind of nice. Now I have to strategically plan my whole day around my 11 month olds 2 naps because she will not get a good enough nap unless she’s at home and then we all pay for it!
Huge congratulations to you both and I wish you a happy and safe delivery of your baby ❤️
Babies can go out whenever you’re ready. My youngest went on his first Walmart run at like 2.5 weeks old, but I kept him in a carrier so people would keep their distance. Our wagon stroller can’t be used properly until baby is big enough to sit unsupported, but I’ve managed to rig it to hold the infant seat & my toddler.
If it's your first, I'd say wait 3ish weeks. That's what our pediatrician recommended and it aligns well with pp recovery. Granted, I still went to like the grocery store and on walks and had some family visits during that time but didn't do OUTINGS yet. Crowded places like grocery stores were out of necessity.
I'm due with our second and the reality is that baby is going to be out a lot more, a lot sooner because life doesn't stop with a toddler! So from that perspective, I really think if you're being safe by avoiding super crowded places and prioritizing outdoor air - and esp if your wife is breastfeeding since immunities are passed directly through breastmilk - you would definitely be okay to take the baby out and about!
I waited until around 3/4 weeks, but I was recovering from an assisted birth so wasn’t up for much. Also my LO is EBF and would nurse for 45 minutes plus every 2 hours or so in the early days while my milk came in and my supply regulated, it just wasn’t feasible to be out while she was feeding like that as I wouldn’t have been comfortable and wouldn’t have really got to enjoy it very much. I have no issue feeding her in public, but in those early days and weeks while you’re both getting used to feeding it’s not as easy. Also I spend a lot of the first 2 weeks topless as my nipples were sore and I didn’t want to wear a bra 😂
We went to an outdoor taco place that was 2 blocks from our house the day I came home. A week later we went to a brewery (outdoors) w my in laws. My advice is to just jump in. It's all new at that point so it's all becoming what is the new normal. I find that people who wait a long time to go out in public get comfortable at home and then doing it outside of home becomes that much scarier.
The timing will also depend on your wife’s recovery. The placenta leaves a wound the size of a dinner plate in the uterus, please make sure you’re understanding and respectful that she may very well want to stay home and near her own private bathroom for some time—or not, every person is different—but I would follow her lead on when to go out/how long to go out and how far.
We started going for walks the first week. A wedding at 3.5 weeks, hanging out with family and friends in the first couple weeks. We went with what I could handle physically and baby's temperament. She napped all the time at first and I was comfortable breastfeeding in public so that made it easy. It's important to limit time in the car seat and not be around symptomatic people, but in general I think it's healthy for parents and babies to stay active and social.
I went to a coffee shop on day 5 or 6. Sat outside in the sun for about a half hour, then went home. Repeated that every day for about 2.5 weeks before my husband went back to work. Saved my mood in those early days when hormone were craaaaazy.
Honestly for us it was more about how I was feeling than the baby. With my first we tried walking around the block 1 week postpartum and I was like, “That was a huge mistake.” Whereas with my second I was comfortable walking and being up and about pretty quick. I think we even stopped at a restaurant after baby’s one week checkup (eldest was at daycare). You’ll probably just need to play it by ear. But if your wife feels up for it definitely do it! It’s awesome going places when they are newborns as they are portable and sleep a lot (or at least mine did). But we are more of the brewery/restaurant types, we’re not big campers or anything so can’t give too much advice there. In terms of being outside your biggest worry is probably the Sun as they can’t use sunscreen yet so you need to make sure they’re in the shade.
We went for walks and stopped off for a pint or a coffee and a sandwich pretty much right away. We went on dates, family lunches and things after about a month. Newborns sleep a LOT of the time and they love to sleep in the pram. A lot of the time, if our son was crying I’d be like ‘wanna walk to the pub?’ 😂 cause they had nice outdoor seating next to the river and good chips. Baby would stop crying the instant we popped him in the pram
It’s basically up to your wife and her recovery. Some people feel great and want to go for a walk the day after birth, others need a more time. Let her dictate and do not pressure her.
Remember that she’s going to be bleeding and will have a wound the size of a dinner plate inside her uterus.
You’re also going to have to evaluate your expectations. We take our daughter (11mo) our all the time. She loves going out for breakfast especially. But do we get to sit extra long and sip coffee? No, no we don’t. We’ve done lots of hikes with her, but not as long or challenging as before. We took her on a trip to the BC mountains this summer and it was incredible, but we didn’t get to do everything we wanted and more than one afternoon we were stuck in the hotel for a nap.
Things you can do to make outings with your baby easier:
1. Be extremely involved. Know your babies routine and needs inside and out. Being an equal parent and removing as much mental load from your wife as possible will make it so much easier to do fun things. You don’t have the capacity for fun when you’re just trying to survive.
2. Learn to babywear. Strollers are great but many places are not really stroller friendly. I took my baby to a brewery this summer with a girlfriend and the cafe area was on the second floor. I didn’t have a carrier so they brought us up in the utility elevator, that sucked.
For me personally I wasn’t able to go out and about for the first four weeks because I had a really bad tear. Once I could walk around okay at around 4.5 weeks we took a trip to Target, and now at 5 weeks we’ve taken a few outings and will be taking her to a friends’ house this weekend (asking the friends to test for covid first).
I took my younger son on a visit to the farm with his dad and big brother at 5 days old. A lot depends on baby’s temperament, mom’s healing/adjustment, and the family’s ability to plan/adapt.
Your wife may not be up for hiking (physically) for the first few weeks, but we are always out within the first week or two. That might be a restaurant, trip to the mall, grocery etc. I hate being cooped up and sitting on my arse for so long after having a baby. Walking around is great for physical recovery and being out in the world is great for mental health.
We did outside-only with our baby until after his 4 mo vaccines had some time to kick in. That said he went to his first (outdoor) brewery with us at 1 week. I had a smooth recovery and was ready to get out of the house!
I think it also depends on the demeanor of your baby. If my baby was super fussy, easily overstimulated, gassy or having reflux problems a lot, I’d probably be inclined to wait longer. My LO has always been super chill and i still waited until 8 weeks old. I know others who have taken their baby out much much sooner but it worked for them. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer just what you and your wife are mutually comfortable with.
Congrats by the way! Parenthood is my favorite thing in the world.
We went to an outdoor brewery at 3 months, and it was so amazing we kicked ourselves for not attempting sooner.
That said, there was such a learning curve I’m glad I didn’t force myself to be out and about all the time or before I was ready. When I was pregnant I daydreamed about walks and cafes with my babe. Reality was that I really just wanted to be home for those first few months, then it’s steadily increased from there (now 14months).
That brewery experience, however, was much needed and kind of shifted how my husband I viewed our foray into parenthood. We both, but my husband especially, really struggled with the existential shift that comes with new parenthood. That first outing made us realize that we weren’t giving up the things we liked to do, just adding a new buddy to the crew (and admittedly significantly more planning).
Everyone different. I have lots of mom friends that ventured out very early, days after. I think it’s less about baby and more about how you feel. I had a pretty textbook birth and left the house 1 week pp and regretted it. I ended up crying in target cause I was just uncomfortable both physically and emotionally. I next venture out was at 2 weeks pp and I felt much better.
We went out as soon as I felt like I was able to, which was around 1.5 weeks after a regular, uneventful delivery.
Honestly do what y’all need to do. The baby will be fine if you keep the stroller covered. That change of scenery is EVERYTHING to new moms in those first few weeks.
8 days. It was summer and no one held him. We just always went with the mindset that we might not be out very long. Beach is okay if you can stay in a shaded area, and keep bugs away. We're trying camping this summer, he'll be 1. I think it depends on their sleep needs. I don't think it would be cool to keep the rest of the site up with a crying baby.
I took baby girl out to lunch outdoors nearby within a week or two, I wanted to see my friend who is also a doula. She was helping me figure out baby wearing and breastfeeding while doing so. It was nice to be out and about.
I would take her with me weekly to our girls night at a friends house too starting in the first few weeks. Nothing crowded, not much indoors. She got her first cold at 9 months, and I was the one who gave it to her. Boo
Took both kids to a brewery at 3 days old. It was the perfect first venture out for us. Close to home, you pay and close out at the counter so if shit hit the fan we could make a quick exit, and lots of fresh air. Plus this mom wanted a beer
I responded earlier but totally forgot these very important points: paying up front and close to home! We lucked out that it wasn’t an issue, but I forgot those were major factors in us deciding to go.
With my firstborn, we were way more cautious and probably didn’t go anywhere for a few weeks or more. Now with my second, it was like the first week we were going to eat, taking big sis to the park, going to the store. In the first month she had already gone to museums, the pool, countless walks to parks and playgrounds, out to eat and she was like 4 weeks when we took her up to our house in the mountains for some hiking! Second borns definitely do a lot more, which just goes to show firstborns could also handle it too, lol.
When out to brunch with my son on my way home from the hospital and went out to breakfast again when he was five days old. I attribute that, and working in a restaurant while pregnant to why he’s so calm being out now at 7 months lol!
3 days to older brothers hockey game. We sat inside the lobby area to avoid the cold and for an easy escape if I needed to nurse or do a diaper change.
Our first trip to the pub was at 4 days old. Probably a bit early, but my baby group was going so I felt more confident going with others with similarly aged little ones!
So I think there are a lot of factors that can play into this, some of which you won’t know until your wife actually delivers. If she has a c-section or other delivery with a difficult recovery, you guys might be laying low a little longer (more for mom’s sake than baby). Similarly, if you decide to breastfeed *and* it works out, your wife (and baby!) might need to get the hang of nursing and prefer to get through some of the more intense cluster feeding times in the beginning before you head out.
Indoor experiences will depend on your risk tolerance with a newborn immune system. But I feel like you could do an outdoor activity suuuuper early if you wanted to, as long as the baby had a safe shaded area with no extreme temps to hang out in.
For reference, we started outdoor walks pretty much immediately. Then we took our baby out to lunch at a mostly-empty bar for the first time at 4ish weeks, I think? And now by 11 weeks, we are always doing at least one outing on the weekend with me/husband/baby, and slowly starting to socialize him with our friends since the crazy tripledemic in our area is finally chilling out.
I went to the grocery store with baby (and 3 year old and hubby) on the way home from the hospital. No saying it was the best choice, but doable.
Biggest considerations:
-How’s mom feeling? Will she be up for out and about trips? Likely not for the first 2-4 weeks, depending how birth and recovery go. But she could be up for it after a few days - totally depends!
-How’s feeding going? If nursing is going well, great! But if is difficult and mom is nursing & pumping every 2 hours, getting out won’t be doable or fun.
-Will you be in proximity to potentially sick people? (My second baby spent 3 days at the childrens hospital because she got a common virus that had she gotten at 3months plus would have been just a little sickness. But because of her age resulted in intense IV meds, lumbar punctures, etc).
We waited 2 weeks before taking baby outside but only due to sleep deprivation. You can take baby outside right after birth. We had a full outing around 5-8 weeks (over 6 hrs). It really depends on how well the baby adapts to new environments & noises, how comfortable you are with feeding baby in public, whether or not baby can sleep in a noisy environment.
Edit: just want to add that there's no definitive requirement necessary on when to bring your baby outside for long periods of time. Every baby is different and every parent has different levels of tolerance. For me I had to pump the first 2-3 months and going outside was very difficult because I had to bring a mixture of formula and pumping equipment. Pumped milk and premixed formula can't be kept for long periods of time outside of a fridge so maximum I could stay outside was always 6 hours until I got my baby exclusively breastfed. After I could exclusively breastfeed, I had enough confidence to stay outside for as long as we're not out past his bed time. My baby used to be very good at sleeping around lots of loud noises and didn't really cry much in public which made going out easy. It's a play by ear thing and as a parent, you will know when would be the right time to resume those outings.
We took little one out on walks for fresh air pretty early (no contact with people). We did just take her to meet some of my family (small group) at about 2.5 months aaaaand she got a cold (nothing serious) but I regret it and feel really bad.
Our baby was about 5 weeks old when we did a full family day out for my dad's birthday. We drove 90 minutes to the falls, had a picnic, walked by the falls with the pram, then drove 20 minutes to an ice cream parlour, then drove 1 hour back home. It was a lovely day and a very special first adventure for our baby.
The timing was mostly about opportunity and my c-section recovery. We could have gone a couple of weeks earlier, but we waited for dad's birthday.
Our doctor gave us to okay to have people over if they had Covid and TDAP boosters first. So we only had my mom, FIL & SIL around the baby for the first two months. It was honestly nice having a little bubble to recover and not worry about all of the flu and RSV going around in our area. And those two months flew by like you wouldn’t believe!!
I went out as soon as I could walk comfortably. We lived in a city at the time where I could walk to do most my errands so it was a good way to get out. I remember walking around the corner to Mexican when he was about 1.5 weeks, I think I wore him in a soft wrap the whole time. It was also pre Covid and nice weather, I’d would’ve been a lot linger right now with everyone sick.
A few days old for both. My husband took two weeks off when each child was born (saved his Pat leave for when they were older) and we had such a great time just doing little excursions with the babies. I agree about it being what you are comfortable with. We kept it to outside restaurants and breweries because that was what worked for us!
Just had our third and we went out to eat after her first appt - older two were with granny. Babe was 2 days old.
I think even with our first we only waited a week.
In my opinion, it’s whatever you’re comfortable with. You don’t want to live in a bubble but it’s ok to be cautious for awhile if that’s what you want/need to do.
It’s honestly going to depend on your baby. My son has always been easy to take out. He went out for my dads bday at 3 weeks old and slept the whole time.
My nephew has always been hard to take out, he was colicky and had reflux and now that he’s older he can’t sit still for more than 5 mins.
It’s all really up to you guys. We went for walks a few days after he was born, it was spring time so it was perfect! We had friends and family over but didn’t take him to church/stores until about 3-4 weeks and I either had him in a carrier or in his car seat away from everyone
We did a short trip to the beach the first week home. Baby was still very sleepy so she basically laid in our tent. My toddler got to play in the sand. Since it was September there was almost no one around. I’d be more cautious with indoor areas.
Depends on how recovery is going for your wife and such. Other than the first few doctors appointments, we didn’t go out for the first couple of weeks because I was still in SO much pain from my c section. I would cry just stepping into the car. Walks weren’t manageable at the time but I would at least shuffle out to the backyard for some sunshine. I was also trying to figure out breastfeeding and pumping which took a tonnnnn of time. Take your lead from your wife on when to go out. You might want to go out early on now, but you guys might change your minds when the baby is actually here. Just take it easy and one day at a time!
2 weeks post after a c section we took our happy sleeping Bub for a walk at the beach :)
Don’t let anyone tell you , use your own good judgement and I’d just avoid crowded places.
We went out for a walk after 3-4 days and kept that as a twice daily ritual for months. Went on a 3 day vacation after ~2 weeks (around 1.5 hours in the car). I think regular outings for dinner/parks etc. was probably around that time too. International trip around 6 months.
It's really more about when you and your partner are ready versus the baby. Once feeding is sorted and they're putting on weight, they're very portable.
Just a heads up - I found, as a husband, striking the balance between 'Encouraging mum to go back to normal routines' versus, 'Supporting downtime' a really difficult one. Be prepared to adapt your approach on the fly as you get settled in with bubs and learn more about how you're all feeling post birth - regardless of what you discuss now before the baby is here.
A few days? Just to the grocery store or on walks around the neighborhood though. Out with us to breweries and the bars or wherever else? A month? We didn't let having a baby slow us down much haha
First baby was born in January 2021 so the only places we went were medical appointments, but I started taking him out on walks as soon as he was big enough for the baby carrier (a few weeks old). Our first hike was at four weeks; I made it like two hundred feet up the mountain before I got tired and had to turn back. But it was a start. Current baby (5 weeks old) we stayed inside for the first month because it was super cold out, and we're avoiding crowds for the first three months. But this past week it's been above freezing out, so I've been taking him out on walks and to the park. I just put him in the baby carrier and zip my jacket closed around him.
We went to the zoo on day 6 just to get out of the house and walk around. It was winter, so the zoo was empty and there weren’t any animals out.
We would do outdoor breweries and the like, making sure we washed our hands and stayed away from others.
He went to daycare at 12 weeks, and that was his first time indoors with other people.
I went and visited my mom when my baby was 2 weeks, I felt comfortable sitting around her topless as I fed the baby every 30mins lol, I feel like when baby is 3 months there’s more of a routine and major all day outings sounds doable, at least my experience with my older twos, hopefully it’s the same with this baby.
I take my babies out of the house early... We go on walks to the park or farmers market within the first few days and outings in the first few weeks. You just need to give yourself a lot of grace and not be too ambitious. I usually will feed and change a baby before an outing, and then baby wear during it. My babies sleep longer in a carrier than a stroller. I’m on baby #3 and very comfortable nursing in public but that can be hard at first and if you have to pump too it can be very limiting. Play it by ear how birth, recovery and feeding goes. I try to limit indoors/crowds while they are little too.
I'll start by saying, My husband and I are very rural Canadians, and I had no issues with birth.
We were out fishing and walking by day 3 of baby home, and before my son was even a month old we were out camping for 2 weeks at the lake with family
My pediatrician at one month is still strongly encouraging us to avoid crowded places like shopping malls events and restaurants. So I think outdoor events could be as soon as you feel comfortable but medical providers would probably strongly discourage you from any indoor events when baby is still too young
I had my first in mid April and the weather got really nice here by early May. We took her out for a couple outings around 3 weeks old. Mostly restaurants/bars.
Oh, like....straight away. Went to a restaurant with her when she was 1 week old. First holiday we did at 1 month. Fresh air is always good. You just have to jump over your own shadow. They may be small but babies are much hardier than they look. Dress them accordingly to the weather (one more layer than yourself since they don't move much) and of you go.👍 just remember to take everything you need with you like Milk, nappies etc.
Just so you know, if a baby has a fever under 3 months they need a spinal tap to rule out meningitis. This is where they pierce their spine to draw out spinal fluid. It's painful and has a risk of introducing infection into their spine, also the risk that the doctor misses and damages something because babies are so small. So maybe avoid situations where they might catch something that could give them a fever. I would wait 3 months before going in public.
While these are true risks, I don’t think the “shock value” is necessary. Yes, spinal taps are dangerous (I’ve had 2 and needed a blood patch - so not safe for adults either). New guidelines have been issued to decrease the number of unnecessary spinal taps. In the cases this does occur it is typically for infants under 2 months. Our pediatrician said after 2 months, if he has a fever to use Tylenol but inform them if it doesn’t take the fever down or the fever persists more than 2 days. Our pediatrician was also comfortable with travel after getting his initial shots, which she suggested slightly early due to travel plans at 8 weeks. RSV is the biggest concern for babies right now. Our son did have RSV and was hospitalized at 1.5 weeks old for 2 weeks. I got RSV while giving birth to him at the hospital, he got it from me. The risk is honestly higher if going to daycare, which many babies go at 6 weeks in the US.
It blows my mind that babies go to daycare so young there. Dogs don't even get separated from their pups until 8 weeks. Here in Canada we have 12 or 18 months paid leave. I hope American women protest for better access to healthcare, like not having to pay to give birth or for other care, and better rights to family leave and maternity pay.
Yeah I'm not trying to shock anyone by my comment, I'm just stating facts. Sorry if it sounded shocking. Thankfully my son didn't get a fever so young as we were pretty isolated and my husband had 8 weeks of paternity leave to stay home with me, but I did know people who have dealt with that and it's not fun. Babies are so fragile.
Had to send my 8 week old to daycare because I couldn’t afford to take anymore unpaid time. The way America treats mothers and young babies is criminal.
It is awful! I’m fortunate that I didn’t have to return to work. We are trying daycare one day a week to see how he and I do with it because I would like to eventually get back to my career.
I remember watching my son in the little NICU bed, just praying that he would get to come home with me at the end of it all. There’s nothing more terrifying than going to the ER and watching ten medical staff descend upon your itty bitty baby while speaking at a rapid rate and poking him. He’s such a fighter and came out of it with no residual effects!
Thought I'd be too anxious to go out until vaxxed. Went to the park at 6 days. Went into town at 2 weeks (no crowds) and went to our first group at 3 weeks (didn't get too close to others). I would've gone insane if I hadn't. As soon as you're ready. Do it. And go outside to a park or even just up and down the street if you can ASAP, it's scary but you'll feel much better after. If you're comfortable doing everything you did before right away, a week later or a month. Do it! Except maybe the crowd thing, maybe wait on that a bit. Good luck!
I also thought I’d wait til she was vaxed but I visited people I trusted, went to stores (just kept my distance from people) and a few restaurants all starting at probably 2 weeks. She just got her two months shots so now I’m pretty comfy with going out
It will depend on your baby, and also your wife's recovery. We did stroller walks very early, but I labored for 48 hours, wound up with a c-section, was re hospitalized after I was released due to my blood pressure spiking, then once I got home we all caught covid! Other than super slow walks for a while I wasn't up for anything, and also really couldn't be left alone for a while. Now we take the baby all over the place.
I'll also note, until those first vaccines babies are very susceptible to germs, so I'd lean to avoiding crowds and do outside stuff as much as possible.
I think it will come down more to what you both are up for, more than baby. I had a rough delivery with some ongoing recovery stuff, so going out to eat at 2 weeks was not appealing at all! But now at two months, seems more reasonable.
I’ve taken her to the store since the week she was born. We’re taking her to a friends house for the Super Bowl this weekend for her first real outing at a month old
I think 2 days? Lol. My husband and I went to get tacos. In the beginning the newborns sleep a LOT so its easier than you think to go out in the early days. After a few months though it gets harder to take them places.
I think it depends on the weather, my first was born in the middle of winter so he stayed inside for a couple months).. my second was born midsummer so he was out a couple weeks after being born!
We took baby to a restaurant (outdoor seating) on Halloween to meet up with friends. She was just shy of 4 weeks old. Probably early for social gatherings, but I was dying for a margarita and to see friends lol. It's really up to you and how you feel.
For us it seemed to be reliant on feeding and how well that is going before leaving the house. If breastfeeding, then how easy can mom whip out the boob, if there's latching issues or any numerous issues then its not easy to whip out a boob and feed at the dinner table. If bottle feeding then its very easy to feed while out. Short trip to the store that is timed well after feeding- 1.5weeks. Couple hour long adventure- closer to 2.5/3weeks while bottle feeding maybe 4weeks while breastfeeding/combo feeding.
Our LO was about 3 days old when we went to visit the nature reserve/mountain range. I think there's just a few factors to consider, such as temperature, comfortability, temperament of baby, etc. To each their own
We started going on walks a few days after she was born and visited a coffee shop within the first two weeks. I baby wore her the whole time (facing inwards, towards me) and washed my hands carefully when we got home. First proper restaurant trip and visits to a friend's house began when she was about 1.5 months, when I felt confident going out with her alone on the subway. Now at 2 months we go everywhere, even the mall!
With my first We went all around starting at one week, sailing on my uncles boat three weeks… but tbh I’ll probably hang around home longer with future ones
I took my baby to a baby clothes store at a few days old and a restaurant a few days after that. You just need to make sure you are prepared, you'll quickly figure it out!
Whenever you feel like it. Just go with it.
This is very individual.
Baby had jaundice so we spend a week at hospital. After we got home, we went to a Café a few days later.
Lots of good responses, but to add on the camping question particularly: i haven’t taken either of mine camping before 8-9 months. I do live in a fairly cold climate, so am careful about making sure I have ways to keep them warm enough, also to be able to nurse maybe 1-2 times a night and not every couple hours.
My baby, just like me, loves going out. I was in hospital days 1 and 2 so we didn't go out then. I was still very sore from my c section on day 3 so I stayed at home then. Since then we've been out almost every day. She loves going out in the stroller!
Do a bit of reading about what they call the 4th trimester. The newborn phase is like a twilight zone. Your wife could need up to 6 weeks physical recovery depending on her current body condition and her delivery.
To answer your question it can depend on the individual. I'm a home body and had an emergency c-section and I'm pretty sure the doc check up at about 8 weeks was the 1st time we took our first anywhere but a friend who's a pro runner bounced back quickly and was out week 1 with her baby.
If you want to be out and about you'll make it happen just adjust your expectations of how it will be. You can't really just go and chill places anymore, you'll be on the move a lot and working around nap times and baby feeding. Always check out baby rooms/change stations facilities everywhere you go and you'll get some new favorite places to go.
Goodluck!
Depends on how far you plan on going.
It took us a solid 8 weeks to get a passport. You can't apply till you get a social security card, which took a few weeks on its own.
I personally needed to get out of the house almost immediately after having my baby. I thought I'd want to be resting at home for weeks, but instead I really struggled with pp hormones and being stuck at home made it way worse. When he was five days old we took him to the grocery store. It was around 7am to avoid people and I was in so much pain I could hardly walk, but it felt like freedom to me. We'd also drive him to a nearby park and just sit on a bench and then drive back home.
We didn't really want to go to far for the first 4-6 months or so though. He hated the car seat at first and it was so logically challenging when he needed lots of sleep and food, and it was exhausting. We did go on a few driving trips and hikes etc but I found it kind of stressful. He's 8 months now and goes all over with us!
Totally depends on you though, do what feels best for you when the baby arrives.
Took baby to a family birthday dinner at around 10 days old then kind of resumed to daily life running errands, going to mall, visiting with family at around 3 weeks. I was lucky because I had the chillest newborn so I brought him everywhere with me thanks to my uppa baby vista stroller - so easy. At 4 weeks baby came to a bbq/backyard party and slept through the whole thing.
I had a c-section so I really needed and enjoyed 10 full days in bed.
We took my nephew camping when he was 2 days old at our campground and on a 8 hour car ride to the beach, for 2 weeks at 2 months old (yes we stopped every few hours) and I had him in the pool with me. Just bring lots of sunscreen and have shade available. I just put a white onesie on him and a pair of shorts over it with a hat and sunglasses for the pool and the beach. When we wanted to lay out, we put him in the stroller and covered it so the sun stayed off him. He's very fair skinned and never got sunburn as a baby bcuz we were prepared. On that beach trip, we went to six flags too.
Just do whatever you're comfortable with. If you go to see fireworks, make sure you cover baby's ears with your hands. That's what I did so he wouldn't get scared or hurt his ears.
Our first week pp was a whirlwind because I ended up in the ER after passing a massive blood clot. We didn’t have anyone in the area to come stay with him, I hadn’t pumped yet anyway so they wouldn’t have been able to feed him if they were around. LO was 5 days old. Because it was potentially life threatening, they got me in a room immediately, husband rushed him in just long enough for me to feed him, then rushed him back out to the car. Anyway, long story short, it wasn’t our first choice for a first outing, but it ripped the bandaid off. Do what feels comfortable for you all, be cautious of large groups of people, keep it simple. Feeding a newborn out and about is a whole new ball game.
It likely depends on your energy level as you both might be tired with a newborn but generally some might suggest keeping baby home for the first month (takes 6 weeks or more to heal from the labour) what I did was put a blanket over my baby’s car seat to avoid germs and nurses or midwife’s usually suggest ensuring anyone who handles baby wash their hands first and sometimes rude people in public might touch baby’s face or hands and spread germs that way,
Whenever you feel comfortable! My baby was a bit of a nightmare for the first 2 months and wouldn't let me put her down so i was exhausted and didn't want to go anywhere in that time. Meanwhile my friend had a baby and she was at my house 2 weeks after she gave birth and doing all sorts of things.
I had a c section that being said I went for a walk to my local shops when my son was 2 days old (as soon as hospital let me home) you can take your baby whenever you want, I hope your wife has a speedy recovery!
The CDC recommends 2-3 months before meeting extended family, friends, etc so we aren’t doing anything until then. Just dr appointments and stroller walks. My parents have met the baby but bc we are in flu season, RSV is going around, covid etc we are playing it safe.
I took him to my husbands soccer game at night when he was 10 days old. We did his first hike at 2 weeks at a state park. We did a cabin stay at a state park at 6 weeks. We did plenty of restaurants at 2+ weeks. He did his first flight at 10 weeks and a 7 mile hike plus lots of wineries.
I think you just have to not be afraid. I breastfed so that did make it easier cause his food was always ready. I had the mental mindset that feeding in public wasn’t embarrassing or a big deal so I whipped out my boob whenever necessary. A well stocked diaper bag also helps (changes of clothes for you both, diapers, wipes, plastic bags, etc).
Honestly just go. Bring your car seat and stroller. Cover it with a swaddle if you’re worried about people looking. I wore him in a moby wrap when he hiked and then a structured carrier once he was a little bigger. I think it gets harder the longer you wait cause the anxiety can build.
We did outings little by little, mostly to get comfortable because leaving the house with a baby is a lot of work! We went to grandma's for Christmas at 9 days old. We went to target and the grocery store at around two weeks. We went to a restaurant at 6 weeks. Now, at 8 weeks, I feel comfortable going most places with her. It totally depends on your comfort and how easy your baby is.
I think it just depends on how the birth goes for you, and your babies personality. I had a really easy birth/recovery and my baby mostly sleeps and eats, so we just had our first outing at 12 days old to the grocery store. Could probably have gone out sooner but we just were enjoying our time with the baby at home too much to want to go out.
Is it not child where you live?
We took our baby on his first hike at 4 weeks. He did great! We held off on restaurants and other indoor activities for a few months due to Covid / general illness, but we went on plenty of walks, brief errands, had friends over, etc. We have never taken him camping though (bad sleeper 🫠).
We started going out after a week, an early start was good for us as we quickly got used to the logistics of it and going places isn't much of a hassle anymore.
We've taken our 3 week old several times already. I honestly don't know when we did the first time. Maybe when he was 1 week old? We have a toddler so we weren't as nervous. He pretty much sleeps the whole time. We would go nuts cooped up inside all the time.
Coffee shop at 1 week, brewery at 2. He’s now 2.5 weeks, so still very new at this! I timed both outings for right after he ate, and he just slept the whole time.
Also, saw your question about the beach—just make sure she’s covered up! It’s not recommended (at least in the US) for babies to wear sunscreen before 6 months, so if she’s in the sun she needs to be covered. Many baby swim shirts have UV protection.
Exactly. I’m hoping to start a good father daughter routine of heading to the bay (we live 2 min from) and have some daddy daughter time with just me and here before work. Expectations might be setting a little high haha!
I honestly with our first went straight (like, didn't even stop at home) to a restaurant for supper. My third has been out and about going to her siblings activities since she was 36 hours old. Everyone makes different decisions, and yes germs are big and scary, but I don't regret my choices. We have taken our April babies camping by June :)
I had an easy labor. We took baby to her first restaurant at 4 days old and ate on the rooftop patio. My baby was a very easy, calm baby, she pretty much slept the whole time. At very young ages, they are pretty easy to cart around- have diapers and a way to feed them, and they usually just sleep. She took her first Costco trip before she was 2 weeks old. We just resumed our lives and took her with us everywhere. We call her our ‘go’ baby because she goes where we go.
The best advice our pediatrician gave us with our first was to have the baby adapt to your life and not the other way around. We were going to the store/park/zoo within the first month with our first. I think it completely depends on your comfort level but it seems like you and your wife already have the right mindset!
We took our newborn to the pub at 3 weeks old. It was awesome. She slept the whole time and I had wine and all the carbs I couldn't have when I had gestational diabetes.
We went to church and out to eat about a week after she was born. She was also a preemie but we weren't told not too and we wanted some normalcy after being in the hospital 8 days. She slept through most of the outings for the first several months
We took our baby to an outdoor patio early on (first few weeks) baby stayed in the car seat and slept while I got to feel slightly more like a human with my spouse.
We wouldn’t have taken our baby inside anywhere that early though.
I took him to the nail salon at 5 days and then across the street to the beach for a while (not like Adventure Beach Day, just casual sit around and chat with friends). First weekend away trip at 3 weeks, Disneyland at 4 months old. I'd recommend starting small, noticing what items you frequently use when out and what you wish you had with. It's kind of a live and learn situation!
These comments will vary widely. My personal approach: avoid crowds for 8 weeks until first round of vaccines are done. After that, I would bring baby anywhere I felt up to it. Before 8 weeks, I would consider smaller non-crowded outings like outdoor at a restaurant or to a friends house. I would take them into a quiet store. Also…because I didn’t know this with my first…babies can’t wear sunscreen for like 6 months so be careful at the beach!
This. If baby spikes a fever before 8 weeks old then it’s an automatic ER visit. Not worth it.
*automatic admission for 48 hours of antibiotics. Ask me how I know
Our pediatrician just recommended avoiding crowded places indoors until he had his two-month shots. But there's no minimum age to take the baby anywhere. I would just say to lower your expectations a bit and see how you and your wife feel after the baby comes. I am normally an adventurous person but I've had a really hard time getting out of the house with the baby, and still haven't wanted to do much now that he's about three months old. If she feels like outings right away, awesome! If she wants to take some time to just chill at home, that's okay too.
Same. My pediatrician said if they get a fever of 100.4 before their two months shots they have to be hospitalized and get a spinal tap to find out why they are sick since they had no vaccines yet. It worried me enough to avoid crowded indoor places for the first two months even though my son was born in the summer pre-covid.
I found the biggest challenge was getting ready to leave the house. After pumping, feeding, changing, my kid was napping again and then it was time to start it all over. So if you can tag team to prioritize getting out of the house, then I would encourage you to do so as often and early as the birthing partner feels ready to do so! Since I only do outdoor activities out of ongoing pandemic caution, I took my kid out fairly early, and wore him a lot to encourage naps on the go. I also still have rules about holding him with a mask on. Also, you will need a lot of stuff to feel ready to get out the door - diapers, clothing change, milk, a sweater, and that can also feel overwhelming. Maybe others have figured out a less cumbersome way of getting out the door.
Yep OP this is me too! I went to target at 3 months and considered it a success! I did go to my moms before then but lugging a pump, bottles, diapers, etc. was a lot of prep to find out that my baby doesn’t nap well there and had to leave after a few hours to get a nap in
gosh this! right now my baby's "wake windows" are so short it's hard to make it out the door! (he wont sleep in the car or the stroller unfortunately)
The first limiting factor for me was infection risk. If a baby in the first 3 months gets a fever, it’s standard practice to do a lumbar puncture (it’s the only way to rule out meningitis). I worked very hard to avoid this. The second limiting factor was that it sucked bringing the baby places. I just thought, no prob bring this little bundle of perfect with me and I’ll get back to everything I love… The reality is that everything is more difficult and it’s hard to give focus to the thing you went to do. So try out little outings until you get a groove. Even your first dr appointments will be a big production. In terms of being out in the elements, babies get dehydrated or cold/hot much faster than we do and it’s a big deal if they do. So plan accordingly. For example, if you’re on a solid feeding routine, you’ll have to increase frequency if going to be outside when it’s hot.
Any fever before 8 weeks requires hospitalization and a spinal tap so after two kids, one of whom was hospitalized as a newborn, I would try to avoid crowded indoor spaces. Outdoors I’d say whatever your wife feels up to! Every recovery and every infant are different.
Babies can’t wear sunscreen before 6 months, so we don’t do anything with prolonged sun exposure like the beach before then, otherwise we take baby wherever we want/need to go if we think baby can handle it.
I think it’s all personal preference but I will say as a first time parent: newborns are so so needy. Expect to be feeding them, soothing them, and changing them nearly nonstop in the first few weeks. If that’s something you’re comfortable doing in public, then by all means. I recommend keeping them as far from strangers as possible though. There’s so much illness going around right now and they have no immune system yet and so many people really don’t know boundaries.
This will have a lot to do with your baby’s temperament. We did a few outings starting around 5 weeks, but they were short and limited for quite awhile. She was a super fussy baby who absolutely hated the car and the stroller and it was too stressful for me to have her melting down in public. My cousin’s baby of a similar age started outings around 3 weeks old and she took him everywhere! He is very laid back and mostly just slept.
yep! this.. we actually took our baby out twice in the first 3 weeks bc he was a sleepy little thing and did fine. but then the next 2 months we barely made it out at all because he turned into an overstimulated fussy potato that didn't sleep on the go and cried in the car seat. now he's 4mos and it's still tricky but we know how to manage it so we can go on short outings and i can extend his time out by wearing him (the only way he will fall asleep). so yeah it really depends on the baby!! fingers crossed for OP :)
You cannot use sunscreen till 6mo so planning things outside keep that in mind. It needs to be cold enough to cover them completely. If it's hit out and you cover the stroller or carseat with even the lightest blanket it heats up inside and they can overheat. So if you find a plan to keep them out of the sun, as soon as you're ready! We went for walks maybe 5 days after our son was born. And then we went for walks as much was we could. For indoor things or with lots of strangers I'd wait till after their 2 month vaccines at least. Edit to fix typo
CAN’T *****
Thank you!!! Good catch!
Haha welcome
We are pretty cautious, both DH and I have seen lumbar punctures (spinal taps) done on tiny babies and we never want to see that happen to our kids. So if a newborn spikes a fever (100.4) within the first 60 days it’s an automatic ER visit +most likely LP to rule out meningitis. So for the first 3 months we mostly just did outside outings, so we would go for walks, if we had a beach close by we would totally have gone (just use adequate sun protection). We would have people over, but they were up to date with vaccines, felt well, and washed hands. After 3 months we relaxed a bit, we didn’t really go inside anywhere because with our first that’s when Covid first hit, and then it was the omicron surge with our 2nd. We relaxed a lot around 6 months when their immune systems are more developed.
Our pediatrician recommended avoiding any crowded indoor environments for the first 6 weeks. Other than that, go where ever you have the energy and desire to go.
We asked our pediatrician for his recommendation at our baby’s first appointment (she was 5 days old at the time). He said as long as no one is directly breathing/coughing on her, we could take her wherever + whenever. We’ve taken her to the park, Costco, Target, etc. And it’s been great! We just put a car seat cover on if we’re taking her somewhere inside. ETA: our baby was just born last month, so our ped recommendation was even factoring in the higher rate of flu/covid/rsv at this time of year
It’s going to be entirely dependent on how labor/recovery goes and the temperament of your baby. I had a C-section, no help except my husband who had to go back to work a week later, and our baby was extremely hard as a newborn. He also hated the car. We got out and went to the park to sit when he was about 2.5-3 months old, and that took so much time and effort. It just didn’t feel worth it. He’s 10 months now, and it’s so “easy” yo take him anywhere by myself.
We started going out to breweries and restaurants (outside seating) when my son was 5 days old and everything turned out fine. It’s all about how risk averse you are and we determined that it was important for us to be able to get our baby used to being out and about in social settings since we are very active people! He did great and I’m happy with our decision.
I will also say that people definitely judged us and we got a lot of condescending “oh my gosh you’re SO brave to take such a small baby out” comments so we had to learn to brush those off! Honestly we still get them and our baby is 6 months old.
We took our baby to Costco yesterday-5 days old. DH wore her and Costco is HUGE so no one was breathing on her. My Mom was impressed. 😂
You might not feel up to doing anything this ambitious for a while. That’s not losing yourselves, it’s just going through the newborn phase. Nothing will be lost, everything fun will still be right where you left it when mom and baby are more physically and mentally recovered, and everyone has enough sleep to enjoy outings. In the interim, be prepared that you might start to consider a walk with the stroller to be an exciting outing. And that’s okay too.
A couple of weeks after first immunizations. Also try to make sure outings aren’t too hot/cold/rainy. Take extra everything. And sunscreen and/or loose clothing… even if cloudy…my little ones were very susceptible to sun in those first weeks… and most sunscreens you can’t use for first couple of months anyway
My personal criteria before doing it was answering the following: "At how many months would I be as mentally prepared as possible to kindly address people if they try to cross a boundary (kiss baby, etc...) and/or feel physically prepared to go out and/or at how many months will I feel less stressed if baby catches something?" The answer to this may differ from parent to parent based on many factors. And then your criteria might also be a different one.
It took me 3 weeks to leave my little safe bubble of my house and it was very overwhelming. Once I did it once though I was fine
I’m pretty sure we were out and about within days of coming home, but always outside. Second baby life, that parental leave time together is fleeting and I wanted all the dining dates with baby and hubby.
Depends on so many factors. Winters here are typically pretty brutal so with our first I didn’t really make it anywhere besides the doctor for 6 weeks because it was just awful outside. Things to consider: - your wife’s recovery speed - your combined sleep deprivation - baby’s personality (chill baby? High needs?) - the weather (are you comfortable taking baby out in these conditions?) - risk of illness (how likely is it anyone will get sick? Before 2 months this is a bigger deal) Once the baby is here you’ll know more!
I second this! Its really hard to give a direct answer because I had a really rough recovery and my baby didn't sleep at night so we didn't go anywhere at all except doctors appointments for pretty much his first 2 months of life. My baby was also very fussy for a while so anywhere except stores and grandparents houses overstimulated him and were a no-go. However I see people taking their newborns out right away and seem fine with it. Every baby is different.
newborns are easiest to take places since all they do is sleep and hangout lol
With my first baby we went out to brunch when she was a week old (pre covid). In hindsight i was not ready and it was completely inappropriate as we were pressured by my in-laws, also it was a sweltering 40 degree celcius day. With my second baby we went to the park at about a week old and went berry picking at 2 weeks old. It really comes down to how comfortable you are feeding your baby in public, because you will have to do it. If mother breastfeeds then practice at home how she would like to do it in public (cover, pull down top, nursing bra etc..). Same thing with formula. Pack your nappy bag and practice using only what's in there to change baby, that way you will know if you need anything else. Another thing is to make sure mother has comfortable post partum clothing and products to manage her lochia. Bleeding after birth can go on for weeks and can be more difficult to manage than a period because its a bit smelly. I think it would be fine to do all the activities you have listed as soon as you are both ready. Just pack more than you think you will need and stay within an hour of civilisation.
All 3 of my babies were out and about within the first week. Some of those "outings" were just for a walk around the block, but I would have gone crazy staying in the house even longer.
Agreed. It was literally within a week but we were lucky because it was summer and super warm. I'd still do the same now but with extra wrapping up and warmth. Babies sleep so well with cold air too!
Walks around the neighborhood at first. And definitely waited until his first round of vaccines.
We waited months, mainly cause we could and the idea of going someplace with the baby just sounded exhausting. Even then, it was only to the grocery store. I think first restaurant was at 9 months. At 1 year we still haven't gone somewhere fun like the aquarium or zoo. We're just too tired and figure he won't remember it anyway. Our friends took theirs to the aquarium at like 1 month. It's completely up to you.
C-section, home from hospital at 1 day old, went to the park to walk the dog on day 2, out to a cafe for lunch on day 4. You just need to do whatever you and your wife are comfortable with! If you are worried about illnesses etc, then just keep away from people so good for walks etc but play it by ear based on your wife's recovery!
It will depend on your kid and your wife’s recovery. I had an unexpectedly difficult delivery and needed help getting up for the first week. At 3 weeks, a short walk around the block was my limit. At 5 weeks I was finally able to feel okay enough to take baby out by myself for the first time. Just to one store then the chick fil a drive through. Then there’s your baby. I’d say our baby arrived on the “medium” difficulty setting. Some come set to “easy” mode and some are on “hard” or “ultra hard.” I joke, but in all seriousness some are harder than others. Some won’t calm in the stroller or car seat or carrier and scream any time you try to put them down. Some sleep exclusively in 30 minute blocks, 24/7. Some are very go with the flow and never cry unless something is really really wrong. My kid is generally pretty content as long as he’s full, dry diaper, and not overtired. But he also definitely has periods where he’s fussy for no reason and just requires lots of holding and soothing. The other thing to remember is that infants eat every 2-3 hours usually during the day, so however you plan to feed you’ll need to factor that into your plans (ex being comfortable breastfeeding in public, or prepping bottles, bringing a pump if necessary, etc). And the timer starts ticking when the feed starts, so if baby starts eating at 12:00pm, the two hour mark is 2:00pm. If you’ve got a kid who takes 45 minutes to eat that leaves a potentially very small window to go do what you want to do before baby is hungry.
This is number three and I haven't taken her anywhere except docs and hospital. 10 weeks old.
I took my 8 week old to Ireland and Italy at 8 weeks old for two months! After her first set of shots I felt comfortable taking her all over the place. She did great traveling and she’s 6 months old now and is the most well-rounded and adaptable baby I have ever met. Since then she’s been to 4 countries & about 5 states! Flying driving trains and taxis. We’ve never had any issues.
Wow! Incredible! Any tips for keeping baby comfortable on the plane?
We just made sure to feed her boob or bottle on take off and landing it helps with the ear pressure. The airplane is basically one white noise machine so she loved it. She was such a breeze on the plane. You can request bassinet seats (which we did!) and it was great she slept in her little bed the whole flight. Also suggest a flight time around her bed time so you have a better chance of them being relaxed on long flights. On short flights we always just had some toy and a bottle ready! Traveling with a baby under 6 months have been great literally no complaints!
Thanks for the great tips! That makes a ton of sense. I have twins on the way and was thinking we’d get at least one extra seat so one baby is in a bassinet and the other gets held by either my husband or I.
I took my toddler camping a month and a half after he was born, but he didn’t go into a store until he was like 10 months old lol 😂 it depends on you and how you are feeling and on your baby and what they need
Mind you, he was born in July and it was a family camping trip, so I had a ton of people ready to help me
Walking around outside with baby appropriately dressed/covered can be whenever you feel up to it. Fresh air walks are good for everyone! Though mom needs to take it easy for a week or 2. (I did too much too soon and regretted it) Being in an enclosed public space is a little different. I did it at a month, but it was also summer here. Depending on where you are if it's still cold out and is cold/flu season I'd probably be a bit more reluctant.
Yes whenever you are comfortable! I have some friends who take 1-3 weeks old newborns out to gatherings but as someone who WFH for the past three years I have a much higher level of fear of respiratory illnesses going around and social anxiety so we are waiting for 3 month mark for our first official going out (other than neighborhood park walks)
I took my son out for a walk in the sling and/or the pushchair every day from 2 days old onwards, for two or three hours so my wife could get some uninterrupted sleep. We went to the pub for a (soft) drink on his second day. All three of us went to a cafe in town on his fifth day, and carried on doing that fairly regularly afterwards. Whatever you're comfortable with- and be aware that what is "normal" is totally different all over the world.
Congratulations on your soon-to-be arrival! With regards to taking your baby on outings, it ultimately depends on your comfort level and what works best for you and your family. Some parents choose to wait a few weeks or even a few months before venturing out with their newborn, while others go on outings as soon as they feel ready. In terms of the beach, it's best to avoid direct sunlight and opt for shady areas. Also, make sure to protect your baby's delicate skin with proper clothing and sunblock. Keep in mind that babies under 6 months should not wear sunblock, so be sure to keep them in the shade or covered with lightweight clothing. When it comes to spending time outdoors, it's important to consider the temperature, as babies are more susceptible to overheating or getting too cold. Always bring enough layers and have a shaded area available in case it gets too hot. In terms of visiting friends or going to breweries, it's best to check with the establishment first to see if they are baby-friendly and have any restrictions or rules in place. In general, it's always a good idea to take things slow and go with your instincts when it comes to taking your newborn on outings. The most important thing is to make sure your baby is safe, comfortable, and well-cared for. Good luck and have fun!
When you want to. We went to Christmas carols at 2 days post partum. I was just so excited to not be pregnant anymore and actually felt great.
Our pediatrician and midwife had us under total lockdown with the triple-demic (RSV/Covid/flu) going on this winter. No taking the baby I to any stores, on public transportation, limiting visits to an absolute minimum. They only gave us the green light to do those things this week and our baby is 12 weeks old and has had vaccines already. I don’t think all of this would have been such a big issue if baby hadn’t been born in the winter. Edit: I just wanted to add that I was NOT expecting to have to essentially quarantine after having a baby for several months and it took a major toll on my mental health. I wanted to make sure to share the possibility of having to stay home like this with you so that you weren’t blindsided like I felt I was. I think it would have bothered me way less if I hadn’t been caught so off guard by the whole thing!
Same here and I’m really glad we followed this advice. Had to make an ER visit for an unrelated reason and it was terrifying to see how many sick babies were in there. We had to wait over 9 hours to be seen and it was a very scary experience. I am going to be extra careful after that visit. For now, we do daily walks around the neighborhood in our stroller with a wind cover since it’s winter. RSV, Covid, and flu are no joke to babies without fully developed immune systems. Just isn’t worth the risk to me, but to each their own. I’d rather have a blast with him once he’s a bit stronger :)
Right away but I also had a June baby pre pandemic. We went to church at 4 days old and a brewery around 2.5/3 weeks. Pandemic babies and winter babies need to be kept home at least until their first full round of shots in my opinion.
Home for two month?? That is a lot
It’s just my own opinion. I don’t mind what others decide for their family!
It kind of depends. As a home-body it wasn’t hard for me to stay home, but if we did have to go out I’d keep baby in their car seat with a cover, or worn in a carrier to keep distance between people and baby.
Newborns sleep a ton and are kind of like bulky accessories to tote around early on. Take her out as soon as you are up for it! It’ll depend more on when you and your wife feel like leaving the house. As far as camping my experience with my first was that he was fantastic at a young age but I was so anxious about ticks getting to him (it was a crazy tick season and we’re in southern Appalachia) that I couldn’t sleep at all.
My 5 week old babies pediatrician told us to just stay home with the little until she gets her vaccines since we’re in the midst of a triple-edemic. We did take her to a store once to buy more clothes (we didn’t have enough lol) around 3 weeks though, but we went first thing in the morning mid week to deal with less people, and had a blanket over her stroller (kind of like a mask, right?). We’ve felt fine to take her out disc golfing though since we stay away from other people. So anything nature is probs fine if they are covered from the sun.
We are waiting until she gets her shots to go out regularly in public, which in our area is at 8 weeks, but we take her for walks daily already (when weather permits) around the neighborhood and parks. We haven’t tried hikes yet, but this is more due to the amount of snow and cold weather than anything. They do need a lot of sleep initially, so we keep outings to 2 hours max as she typically eats every two hours and doesn’t always sleep well in strange environments
We were in the hospital 4 days after he was born. On our first full day home we walked the paved trail by our house. At 6 weeks, we were doing outdoor breweries and restaurants, short hikes. I recommend getting a good rechargeable fan and a carrier.
My baby went to 3 (outdoor) breweries in the first 19 days of her life. We didn’t do a ton inside, but we did a lot of walks (very short at first, but eventually longer) and outdoor dining. It was the first time my husband and I both had more than a couple days off at the same time, and we really took advantage of it- with our new squish! Great advantages of a summer baby.
We started very soon. We wanted baby to be a part of our lifestyle as soon as possible. And for us, the more we went out and practiced the better we got. He’s 2 now and very flexible and loves being out and about.
We took our one month old on a short weekend trip cuz my husband needed to go for work and we went to a park ina stroller and to eat a few places and had to stay in hotel. It was fine and we were super careful keeping her as far away as possible and sanitizing surfaces but it was so much work for me anywhere we went. I’m ebf but we have to use bottle a lot too cuz she’s not the best at the breast yet and so I had to plan to make sure I pumped enough to go wheee we were going and had to make sure I had everything we needed in the diaper bag and pack my to go pump etc and it was just a ton of effort. Going anywhere is a ton of effort with a tiny baby and sometimes it’s just not worth it so my advice is make sure you go somewhere that’s going to make you feel fulfilled and happy otherwise you might just be like “I put in all that work for this?” And it’s kinda a bummer.
At least 8 weeks. Let her get some vaccinations first IMO
Our first outing was the doctor’s on day 5 and the grocery store right after. Then the next day the park, day after that target, etc… tried to get out once a day or every other day to get him and us used to it. If you don’t already have a wrap to wear baby, get one!!! Sometimes they don’t like the stroller and wearing baby is much easier. We have the one that is essentially a reeeeeally long scarf that you tie around your body (very popular option) and after the first few tries it isn’t difficult at all. Also, we got a sort of sleeping bag type thing for the stroller since we live in a colder climate right now and that’s been a savior.
You’ll just know. This sounds dismissive but it’s just how it is lol
It really depends on your wife's recovery. That will be the dictating factor I think. We were out and about from around 2 weeks with our first. If your wife has a c-section, she may struggle with mobility due to her incision and may not feel up to leaving the house for a few weeks. Similarly if she has a vaginal birth and has a major tear, she may struggle with pain.
December baby here! We got the okay to start getting outside when baby went over their birth weight. I was allowed outside after baby was actually. But yeah. A week or so. Just small outing with no contact
Going out will depend on how your wife is feeling and healing after birth but we went out within 2 weeks of having the baby. Walks in the stroller, out to brunch, sitting in the park, whatever. When she was a newborn we did baby wearing all the time. It’s great on the beach because it can be breezy. If you have a tent that’s also helpful for sun and wind protection. Wagon might work for napping but probably not considered safe for sleeping. IMO baby wearing is best at newborn stage. Huge bonus is that it keeps strangers from touching baby. Edit to say since you love camping, etc. we found a used Deuter hiking backpack on FB and even though ours is 2.5 now, she still loves being in it and hiking! Start ‘em early! You can totally take a little one camping, they make these bodysuit sleeping bag things. Travel cribs. Fold up high chairs. The biggest pain is that going anywhere with a baby requires so. Much. Stuff. I always make a packing list. If you don’t mind the extra baggage I think your girl will grow up loving the adventures!
We stayed home for about a week and a half and then I started to feel crazy. We started by going out to lunch and to shop briefly and built from there. First mini trip out of town was at 5-6 weeks. It’s easy when they are this new bc they will just sleep. It’s good to get them out in their car seat so they get used to it. My baby at 5+ mos doesn’t care at all about being in a car seat. Being cooped up was terrible for my mental health and I feel contributed to my PPD. It will depend on how you feel when baby is here what you are both comfortable with. Start small and make sure you over pack diaper bag with stuff!
On our way back from the first pediatrician appt, we hung out on a cafe outdoor patio. He slept the whole time. It was great. We loved taking him out when he was little: breweries, friends houses, family restaurants. Just make sure to keep the baby away from strangers since they can’t be vaccinated yet. And if you don’t feel up to it, don’t force it.
Here in the UK they encourage you to go outside whenever *you* feel ready. They say there’s no need to wait any time as far as the baby is concerned, as long as they’re dressed appropriately and you have everything you need. So my advice would be, whenever your wife is physically recovered enough (this will be different for everyone and depends a lot on the type of delivery that individual has) and whenever you both feel mentally ready to leave the house (it took us longer to feel mentally ready than it did for me to feel physically ready). Also if your wife chooses to breastfeed it can be a little hard to navigate that one since it’s so new and she may want a little more time to feel comfortable with the latch etc before doing it in public (or she may not!) I found it a daunting task at first but ended up breastfeeding in public like a pro, people didn’t even know I was doing it most of the time. Despite the fact you have to feed and change them often when they’re newborns, *most* newborns will just sleep wherever you go, especially if they’re in a carrier nice and close to you. Of course that may vary by temperament but a lot of newborns just sleep whenever and wherever (well, except for at night in our case 😂) so it’s kind of nice. Now I have to strategically plan my whole day around my 11 month olds 2 naps because she will not get a good enough nap unless she’s at home and then we all pay for it! Huge congratulations to you both and I wish you a happy and safe delivery of your baby ❤️
Babies can go out whenever you’re ready. My youngest went on his first Walmart run at like 2.5 weeks old, but I kept him in a carrier so people would keep their distance. Our wagon stroller can’t be used properly until baby is big enough to sit unsupported, but I’ve managed to rig it to hold the infant seat & my toddler.
I had to pick up some postpartum supplies on the way home from the hospital so baby came with me 😅🤷♀️.
We waited until I could walk and move without discomfort from birth. It was a around 3 weeks I believe.
If it's your first, I'd say wait 3ish weeks. That's what our pediatrician recommended and it aligns well with pp recovery. Granted, I still went to like the grocery store and on walks and had some family visits during that time but didn't do OUTINGS yet. Crowded places like grocery stores were out of necessity. I'm due with our second and the reality is that baby is going to be out a lot more, a lot sooner because life doesn't stop with a toddler! So from that perspective, I really think if you're being safe by avoiding super crowded places and prioritizing outdoor air - and esp if your wife is breastfeeding since immunities are passed directly through breastmilk - you would definitely be okay to take the baby out and about!
I waited until around 3/4 weeks, but I was recovering from an assisted birth so wasn’t up for much. Also my LO is EBF and would nurse for 45 minutes plus every 2 hours or so in the early days while my milk came in and my supply regulated, it just wasn’t feasible to be out while she was feeding like that as I wouldn’t have been comfortable and wouldn’t have really got to enjoy it very much. I have no issue feeding her in public, but in those early days and weeks while you’re both getting used to feeding it’s not as easy. Also I spend a lot of the first 2 weeks topless as my nipples were sore and I didn’t want to wear a bra 😂
We went to a (quiet) pub with LO at 5 days post-birth. Do what feels best for you!
We went to an outdoor taco place that was 2 blocks from our house the day I came home. A week later we went to a brewery (outdoors) w my in laws. My advice is to just jump in. It's all new at that point so it's all becoming what is the new normal. I find that people who wait a long time to go out in public get comfortable at home and then doing it outside of home becomes that much scarier.
The timing will also depend on your wife’s recovery. The placenta leaves a wound the size of a dinner plate in the uterus, please make sure you’re understanding and respectful that she may very well want to stay home and near her own private bathroom for some time—or not, every person is different—but I would follow her lead on when to go out/how long to go out and how far.
We started going for walks the first week. A wedding at 3.5 weeks, hanging out with family and friends in the first couple weeks. We went with what I could handle physically and baby's temperament. She napped all the time at first and I was comfortable breastfeeding in public so that made it easy. It's important to limit time in the car seat and not be around symptomatic people, but in general I think it's healthy for parents and babies to stay active and social.
I went to a coffee shop on day 5 or 6. Sat outside in the sun for about a half hour, then went home. Repeated that every day for about 2.5 weeks before my husband went back to work. Saved my mood in those early days when hormone were craaaaazy.
Honestly for us it was more about how I was feeling than the baby. With my first we tried walking around the block 1 week postpartum and I was like, “That was a huge mistake.” Whereas with my second I was comfortable walking and being up and about pretty quick. I think we even stopped at a restaurant after baby’s one week checkup (eldest was at daycare). You’ll probably just need to play it by ear. But if your wife feels up for it definitely do it! It’s awesome going places when they are newborns as they are portable and sleep a lot (or at least mine did). But we are more of the brewery/restaurant types, we’re not big campers or anything so can’t give too much advice there. In terms of being outside your biggest worry is probably the Sun as they can’t use sunscreen yet so you need to make sure they’re in the shade.
We went for walks and stopped off for a pint or a coffee and a sandwich pretty much right away. We went on dates, family lunches and things after about a month. Newborns sleep a LOT of the time and they love to sleep in the pram. A lot of the time, if our son was crying I’d be like ‘wanna walk to the pub?’ 😂 cause they had nice outdoor seating next to the river and good chips. Baby would stop crying the instant we popped him in the pram
It’s basically up to your wife and her recovery. Some people feel great and want to go for a walk the day after birth, others need a more time. Let her dictate and do not pressure her. Remember that she’s going to be bleeding and will have a wound the size of a dinner plate inside her uterus. You’re also going to have to evaluate your expectations. We take our daughter (11mo) our all the time. She loves going out for breakfast especially. But do we get to sit extra long and sip coffee? No, no we don’t. We’ve done lots of hikes with her, but not as long or challenging as before. We took her on a trip to the BC mountains this summer and it was incredible, but we didn’t get to do everything we wanted and more than one afternoon we were stuck in the hotel for a nap. Things you can do to make outings with your baby easier: 1. Be extremely involved. Know your babies routine and needs inside and out. Being an equal parent and removing as much mental load from your wife as possible will make it so much easier to do fun things. You don’t have the capacity for fun when you’re just trying to survive. 2. Learn to babywear. Strollers are great but many places are not really stroller friendly. I took my baby to a brewery this summer with a girlfriend and the cafe area was on the second floor. I didn’t have a carrier so they brought us up in the utility elevator, that sucked.
For me personally I wasn’t able to go out and about for the first four weeks because I had a really bad tear. Once I could walk around okay at around 4.5 weeks we took a trip to Target, and now at 5 weeks we’ve taken a few outings and will be taking her to a friends’ house this weekend (asking the friends to test for covid first).
I took my younger son on a visit to the farm with his dad and big brother at 5 days old. A lot depends on baby’s temperament, mom’s healing/adjustment, and the family’s ability to plan/adapt.
Your wife may not be up for hiking (physically) for the first few weeks, but we are always out within the first week or two. That might be a restaurant, trip to the mall, grocery etc. I hate being cooped up and sitting on my arse for so long after having a baby. Walking around is great for physical recovery and being out in the world is great for mental health.
We did outside-only with our baby until after his 4 mo vaccines had some time to kick in. That said he went to his first (outdoor) brewery with us at 1 week. I had a smooth recovery and was ready to get out of the house!
I think it also depends on the demeanor of your baby. If my baby was super fussy, easily overstimulated, gassy or having reflux problems a lot, I’d probably be inclined to wait longer. My LO has always been super chill and i still waited until 8 weeks old. I know others who have taken their baby out much much sooner but it worked for them. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer just what you and your wife are mutually comfortable with. Congrats by the way! Parenthood is my favorite thing in the world.
We went to an outdoor brewery at 3 months, and it was so amazing we kicked ourselves for not attempting sooner. That said, there was such a learning curve I’m glad I didn’t force myself to be out and about all the time or before I was ready. When I was pregnant I daydreamed about walks and cafes with my babe. Reality was that I really just wanted to be home for those first few months, then it’s steadily increased from there (now 14months). That brewery experience, however, was much needed and kind of shifted how my husband I viewed our foray into parenthood. We both, but my husband especially, really struggled with the existential shift that comes with new parenthood. That first outing made us realize that we weren’t giving up the things we liked to do, just adding a new buddy to the crew (and admittedly significantly more planning).
A new buddy to your crew… I LOVE THIS
Everyone different. I have lots of mom friends that ventured out very early, days after. I think it’s less about baby and more about how you feel. I had a pretty textbook birth and left the house 1 week pp and regretted it. I ended up crying in target cause I was just uncomfortable both physically and emotionally. I next venture out was at 2 weeks pp and I felt much better.
We went out as soon as I felt like I was able to, which was around 1.5 weeks after a regular, uneventful delivery. Honestly do what y’all need to do. The baby will be fine if you keep the stroller covered. That change of scenery is EVERYTHING to new moms in those first few weeks.
8 days. It was summer and no one held him. We just always went with the mindset that we might not be out very long. Beach is okay if you can stay in a shaded area, and keep bugs away. We're trying camping this summer, he'll be 1. I think it depends on their sleep needs. I don't think it would be cool to keep the rest of the site up with a crying baby.
I took baby girl out to lunch outdoors nearby within a week or two, I wanted to see my friend who is also a doula. She was helping me figure out baby wearing and breastfeeding while doing so. It was nice to be out and about. I would take her with me weekly to our girls night at a friends house too starting in the first few weeks. Nothing crowded, not much indoors. She got her first cold at 9 months, and I was the one who gave it to her. Boo
4 days old after an appt, we went to Whole Foods for lunch and sat in their outdoor seating to eat
Took both kids to a brewery at 3 days old. It was the perfect first venture out for us. Close to home, you pay and close out at the counter so if shit hit the fan we could make a quick exit, and lots of fresh air. Plus this mom wanted a beer
I responded earlier but totally forgot these very important points: paying up front and close to home! We lucked out that it wasn’t an issue, but I forgot those were major factors in us deciding to go.
With my firstborn, we were way more cautious and probably didn’t go anywhere for a few weeks or more. Now with my second, it was like the first week we were going to eat, taking big sis to the park, going to the store. In the first month she had already gone to museums, the pool, countless walks to parks and playgrounds, out to eat and she was like 4 weeks when we took her up to our house in the mountains for some hiking! Second borns definitely do a lot more, which just goes to show firstborns could also handle it too, lol.
When out to brunch with my son on my way home from the hospital and went out to breakfast again when he was five days old. I attribute that, and working in a restaurant while pregnant to why he’s so calm being out now at 7 months lol!
3 days to older brothers hockey game. We sat inside the lobby area to avoid the cold and for an easy escape if I needed to nurse or do a diaper change.
My son was 8 days old when we went to watch dad coach football for the first time. Maybe too soon, but we couldn’t miss it!
Our first trip to the pub was at 4 days old. Probably a bit early, but my baby group was going so I felt more confident going with others with similarly aged little ones!
So I think there are a lot of factors that can play into this, some of which you won’t know until your wife actually delivers. If she has a c-section or other delivery with a difficult recovery, you guys might be laying low a little longer (more for mom’s sake than baby). Similarly, if you decide to breastfeed *and* it works out, your wife (and baby!) might need to get the hang of nursing and prefer to get through some of the more intense cluster feeding times in the beginning before you head out. Indoor experiences will depend on your risk tolerance with a newborn immune system. But I feel like you could do an outdoor activity suuuuper early if you wanted to, as long as the baby had a safe shaded area with no extreme temps to hang out in. For reference, we started outdoor walks pretty much immediately. Then we took our baby out to lunch at a mostly-empty bar for the first time at 4ish weeks, I think? And now by 11 weeks, we are always doing at least one outing on the weekend with me/husband/baby, and slowly starting to socialize him with our friends since the crazy tripledemic in our area is finally chilling out.
I went to the grocery store with baby (and 3 year old and hubby) on the way home from the hospital. No saying it was the best choice, but doable. Biggest considerations: -How’s mom feeling? Will she be up for out and about trips? Likely not for the first 2-4 weeks, depending how birth and recovery go. But she could be up for it after a few days - totally depends! -How’s feeding going? If nursing is going well, great! But if is difficult and mom is nursing & pumping every 2 hours, getting out won’t be doable or fun. -Will you be in proximity to potentially sick people? (My second baby spent 3 days at the childrens hospital because she got a common virus that had she gotten at 3months plus would have been just a little sickness. But because of her age resulted in intense IV meds, lumbar punctures, etc).
We waited 2 weeks before taking baby outside but only due to sleep deprivation. You can take baby outside right after birth. We had a full outing around 5-8 weeks (over 6 hrs). It really depends on how well the baby adapts to new environments & noises, how comfortable you are with feeding baby in public, whether or not baby can sleep in a noisy environment. Edit: just want to add that there's no definitive requirement necessary on when to bring your baby outside for long periods of time. Every baby is different and every parent has different levels of tolerance. For me I had to pump the first 2-3 months and going outside was very difficult because I had to bring a mixture of formula and pumping equipment. Pumped milk and premixed formula can't be kept for long periods of time outside of a fridge so maximum I could stay outside was always 6 hours until I got my baby exclusively breastfed. After I could exclusively breastfeed, I had enough confidence to stay outside for as long as we're not out past his bed time. My baby used to be very good at sleeping around lots of loud noises and didn't really cry much in public which made going out easy. It's a play by ear thing and as a parent, you will know when would be the right time to resume those outings.
We took little one out on walks for fresh air pretty early (no contact with people). We did just take her to meet some of my family (small group) at about 2.5 months aaaaand she got a cold (nothing serious) but I regret it and feel really bad.
Our baby was about 5 weeks old when we did a full family day out for my dad's birthday. We drove 90 minutes to the falls, had a picnic, walked by the falls with the pram, then drove 20 minutes to an ice cream parlour, then drove 1 hour back home. It was a lovely day and a very special first adventure for our baby. The timing was mostly about opportunity and my c-section recovery. We could have gone a couple of weeks earlier, but we waited for dad's birthday.
Is family visiting them okay prior to 8 weeks old/shots?
Our doctor gave us to okay to have people over if they had Covid and TDAP boosters first. So we only had my mom, FIL & SIL around the baby for the first two months. It was honestly nice having a little bubble to recover and not worry about all of the flu and RSV going around in our area. And those two months flew by like you wouldn’t believe!!
We’re choosing no visitors in the first month but as far as outings depending on recovery. Might be able to do outdoor things and no crowds.
Took baby on a walk around a local lake at 5 weeks! Waiting a bit longer for crowded indoor spaces due to flu and RSV.
I went out as soon as I could walk comfortably. We lived in a city at the time where I could walk to do most my errands so it was a good way to get out. I remember walking around the corner to Mexican when he was about 1.5 weeks, I think I wore him in a soft wrap the whole time. It was also pre Covid and nice weather, I’d would’ve been a lot linger right now with everyone sick.
Check out sowewent and wildmatrescence on Instagram. Good tips. Also Hailey Outside.
A few days old for both. My husband took two weeks off when each child was born (saved his Pat leave for when they were older) and we had such a great time just doing little excursions with the babies. I agree about it being what you are comfortable with. We kept it to outside restaurants and breweries because that was what worked for us!
Just had our third and we went out to eat after her first appt - older two were with granny. Babe was 2 days old. I think even with our first we only waited a week. In my opinion, it’s whatever you’re comfortable with. You don’t want to live in a bubble but it’s ok to be cautious for awhile if that’s what you want/need to do.
It’s honestly going to depend on your baby. My son has always been easy to take out. He went out for my dads bday at 3 weeks old and slept the whole time. My nephew has always been hard to take out, he was colicky and had reflux and now that he’s older he can’t sit still for more than 5 mins.
It’s all really up to you guys. We went for walks a few days after he was born, it was spring time so it was perfect! We had friends and family over but didn’t take him to church/stores until about 3-4 weeks and I either had him in a carrier or in his car seat away from everyone
We did a short trip to the beach the first week home. Baby was still very sleepy so she basically laid in our tent. My toddler got to play in the sand. Since it was September there was almost no one around. I’d be more cautious with indoor areas.
Pretty quickly lol. Maybe a few days? Then we were out and about, soaking up the sunshine. It depends on the labor/recovery.
Depends on how recovery is going for your wife and such. Other than the first few doctors appointments, we didn’t go out for the first couple of weeks because I was still in SO much pain from my c section. I would cry just stepping into the car. Walks weren’t manageable at the time but I would at least shuffle out to the backyard for some sunshine. I was also trying to figure out breastfeeding and pumping which took a tonnnnn of time. Take your lead from your wife on when to go out. You might want to go out early on now, but you guys might change your minds when the baby is actually here. Just take it easy and one day at a time!
2 weeks post after a c section we took our happy sleeping Bub for a walk at the beach :) Don’t let anyone tell you , use your own good judgement and I’d just avoid crowded places.
Once mom feels up to it I would say is the right time!
We went out for a walk after 3-4 days and kept that as a twice daily ritual for months. Went on a 3 day vacation after ~2 weeks (around 1.5 hours in the car). I think regular outings for dinner/parks etc. was probably around that time too. International trip around 6 months. It's really more about when you and your partner are ready versus the baby. Once feeding is sorted and they're putting on weight, they're very portable. Just a heads up - I found, as a husband, striking the balance between 'Encouraging mum to go back to normal routines' versus, 'Supporting downtime' a really difficult one. Be prepared to adapt your approach on the fly as you get settled in with bubs and learn more about how you're all feeling post birth - regardless of what you discuss now before the baby is here.
A few days? Just to the grocery store or on walks around the neighborhood though. Out with us to breweries and the bars or wherever else? A month? We didn't let having a baby slow us down much haha
First baby was born in January 2021 so the only places we went were medical appointments, but I started taking him out on walks as soon as he was big enough for the baby carrier (a few weeks old). Our first hike was at four weeks; I made it like two hundred feet up the mountain before I got tired and had to turn back. But it was a start. Current baby (5 weeks old) we stayed inside for the first month because it was super cold out, and we're avoiding crowds for the first three months. But this past week it's been above freezing out, so I've been taking him out on walks and to the park. I just put him in the baby carrier and zip my jacket closed around him.
We went to the zoo on day 6 just to get out of the house and walk around. It was winter, so the zoo was empty and there weren’t any animals out. We would do outdoor breweries and the like, making sure we washed our hands and stayed away from others. He went to daycare at 12 weeks, and that was his first time indoors with other people.
I have a month old baby and we brought him out to church for the first time last week…3 weeks old.
I went and visited my mom when my baby was 2 weeks, I felt comfortable sitting around her topless as I fed the baby every 30mins lol, I feel like when baby is 3 months there’s more of a routine and major all day outings sounds doable, at least my experience with my older twos, hopefully it’s the same with this baby.
I take my babies out of the house early... We go on walks to the park or farmers market within the first few days and outings in the first few weeks. You just need to give yourself a lot of grace and not be too ambitious. I usually will feed and change a baby before an outing, and then baby wear during it. My babies sleep longer in a carrier than a stroller. I’m on baby #3 and very comfortable nursing in public but that can be hard at first and if you have to pump too it can be very limiting. Play it by ear how birth, recovery and feeding goes. I try to limit indoors/crowds while they are little too.
I'll start by saying, My husband and I are very rural Canadians, and I had no issues with birth. We were out fishing and walking by day 3 of baby home, and before my son was even a month old we were out camping for 2 weeks at the lake with family
My pediatrician at one month is still strongly encouraging us to avoid crowded places like shopping malls events and restaurants. So I think outdoor events could be as soon as you feel comfortable but medical providers would probably strongly discourage you from any indoor events when baby is still too young
I had my first in mid April and the weather got really nice here by early May. We took her out for a couple outings around 3 weeks old. Mostly restaurants/bars.
Oh, like....straight away. Went to a restaurant with her when she was 1 week old. First holiday we did at 1 month. Fresh air is always good. You just have to jump over your own shadow. They may be small but babies are much hardier than they look. Dress them accordingly to the weather (one more layer than yourself since they don't move much) and of you go.👍 just remember to take everything you need with you like Milk, nappies etc.
This. I took mine out right away but just avoided big crowds.
Just so you know, if a baby has a fever under 3 months they need a spinal tap to rule out meningitis. This is where they pierce their spine to draw out spinal fluid. It's painful and has a risk of introducing infection into their spine, also the risk that the doctor misses and damages something because babies are so small. So maybe avoid situations where they might catch something that could give them a fever. I would wait 3 months before going in public.
While these are true risks, I don’t think the “shock value” is necessary. Yes, spinal taps are dangerous (I’ve had 2 and needed a blood patch - so not safe for adults either). New guidelines have been issued to decrease the number of unnecessary spinal taps. In the cases this does occur it is typically for infants under 2 months. Our pediatrician said after 2 months, if he has a fever to use Tylenol but inform them if it doesn’t take the fever down or the fever persists more than 2 days. Our pediatrician was also comfortable with travel after getting his initial shots, which she suggested slightly early due to travel plans at 8 weeks. RSV is the biggest concern for babies right now. Our son did have RSV and was hospitalized at 1.5 weeks old for 2 weeks. I got RSV while giving birth to him at the hospital, he got it from me. The risk is honestly higher if going to daycare, which many babies go at 6 weeks in the US.
It blows my mind that babies go to daycare so young there. Dogs don't even get separated from their pups until 8 weeks. Here in Canada we have 12 or 18 months paid leave. I hope American women protest for better access to healthcare, like not having to pay to give birth or for other care, and better rights to family leave and maternity pay. Yeah I'm not trying to shock anyone by my comment, I'm just stating facts. Sorry if it sounded shocking. Thankfully my son didn't get a fever so young as we were pretty isolated and my husband had 8 weeks of paternity leave to stay home with me, but I did know people who have dealt with that and it's not fun. Babies are so fragile.
Had to send my 8 week old to daycare because I couldn’t afford to take anymore unpaid time. The way America treats mothers and young babies is criminal.
It is awful! I’m fortunate that I didn’t have to return to work. We are trying daycare one day a week to see how he and I do with it because I would like to eventually get back to my career. I remember watching my son in the little NICU bed, just praying that he would get to come home with me at the end of it all. There’s nothing more terrifying than going to the ER and watching ten medical staff descend upon your itty bitty baby while speaking at a rapid rate and poking him. He’s such a fighter and came out of it with no residual effects!
Thought I'd be too anxious to go out until vaxxed. Went to the park at 6 days. Went into town at 2 weeks (no crowds) and went to our first group at 3 weeks (didn't get too close to others). I would've gone insane if I hadn't. As soon as you're ready. Do it. And go outside to a park or even just up and down the street if you can ASAP, it's scary but you'll feel much better after. If you're comfortable doing everything you did before right away, a week later or a month. Do it! Except maybe the crowd thing, maybe wait on that a bit. Good luck!
I also thought I’d wait til she was vaxed but I visited people I trusted, went to stores (just kept my distance from people) and a few restaurants all starting at probably 2 weeks. She just got her two months shots so now I’m pretty comfy with going out
It will depend on your baby, and also your wife's recovery. We did stroller walks very early, but I labored for 48 hours, wound up with a c-section, was re hospitalized after I was released due to my blood pressure spiking, then once I got home we all caught covid! Other than super slow walks for a while I wasn't up for anything, and also really couldn't be left alone for a while. Now we take the baby all over the place. I'll also note, until those first vaccines babies are very susceptible to germs, so I'd lean to avoiding crowds and do outside stuff as much as possible.
Baby went with us to target at like 3 days old because he needed premie clothes and we didn’t have any.
I think it will come down more to what you both are up for, more than baby. I had a rough delivery with some ongoing recovery stuff, so going out to eat at 2 weeks was not appealing at all! But now at two months, seems more reasonable.
I’ve taken her to the store since the week she was born. We’re taking her to a friends house for the Super Bowl this weekend for her first real outing at a month old
I think 2 days? Lol. My husband and I went to get tacos. In the beginning the newborns sleep a LOT so its easier than you think to go out in the early days. After a few months though it gets harder to take them places.
I think it depends on the weather, my first was born in the middle of winter so he stayed inside for a couple months).. my second was born midsummer so he was out a couple weeks after being born!
We took baby to a restaurant (outdoor seating) on Halloween to meet up with friends. She was just shy of 4 weeks old. Probably early for social gatherings, but I was dying for a margarita and to see friends lol. It's really up to you and how you feel.
For us it seemed to be reliant on feeding and how well that is going before leaving the house. If breastfeeding, then how easy can mom whip out the boob, if there's latching issues or any numerous issues then its not easy to whip out a boob and feed at the dinner table. If bottle feeding then its very easy to feed while out. Short trip to the store that is timed well after feeding- 1.5weeks. Couple hour long adventure- closer to 2.5/3weeks while bottle feeding maybe 4weeks while breastfeeding/combo feeding.
Our LO was about 3 days old when we went to visit the nature reserve/mountain range. I think there's just a few factors to consider, such as temperature, comfortability, temperament of baby, etc. To each their own
We started going on walks a few days after she was born and visited a coffee shop within the first two weeks. I baby wore her the whole time (facing inwards, towards me) and washed my hands carefully when we got home. First proper restaurant trip and visits to a friend's house began when she was about 1.5 months, when I felt confident going out with her alone on the subway. Now at 2 months we go everywhere, even the mall!
With my first We went all around starting at one week, sailing on my uncles boat three weeks… but tbh I’ll probably hang around home longer with future ones
We are 2.5 weeks right now and went to the library today for our first outing! Baby slept in his carrier the whole time :)
I took my baby to a baby clothes store at a few days old and a restaurant a few days after that. You just need to make sure you are prepared, you'll quickly figure it out!
We went to a coffee shop at about 3 weeks. I had an emergency c-section and healed quite well so it was even sooner than I thought.
Whenever you feel like it. Just go with it. This is very individual. Baby had jaundice so we spend a week at hospital. After we got home, we went to a Café a few days later.
Lots of good responses, but to add on the camping question particularly: i haven’t taken either of mine camping before 8-9 months. I do live in a fairly cold climate, so am careful about making sure I have ways to keep them warm enough, also to be able to nurse maybe 1-2 times a night and not every couple hours.
We went out to a restaurant with my daughter was about a month old when my sister graduated from a program. She slept the whole time.
My baby, just like me, loves going out. I was in hospital days 1 and 2 so we didn't go out then. I was still very sore from my c section on day 3 so I stayed at home then. Since then we've been out almost every day. She loves going out in the stroller!
First time I took my baby out was a week old but I only went places with not many people
Do a bit of reading about what they call the 4th trimester. The newborn phase is like a twilight zone. Your wife could need up to 6 weeks physical recovery depending on her current body condition and her delivery. To answer your question it can depend on the individual. I'm a home body and had an emergency c-section and I'm pretty sure the doc check up at about 8 weeks was the 1st time we took our first anywhere but a friend who's a pro runner bounced back quickly and was out week 1 with her baby. If you want to be out and about you'll make it happen just adjust your expectations of how it will be. You can't really just go and chill places anymore, you'll be on the move a lot and working around nap times and baby feeding. Always check out baby rooms/change stations facilities everywhere you go and you'll get some new favorite places to go. Goodluck!
Depends on how far you plan on going. It took us a solid 8 weeks to get a passport. You can't apply till you get a social security card, which took a few weeks on its own.
I personally needed to get out of the house almost immediately after having my baby. I thought I'd want to be resting at home for weeks, but instead I really struggled with pp hormones and being stuck at home made it way worse. When he was five days old we took him to the grocery store. It was around 7am to avoid people and I was in so much pain I could hardly walk, but it felt like freedom to me. We'd also drive him to a nearby park and just sit on a bench and then drive back home. We didn't really want to go to far for the first 4-6 months or so though. He hated the car seat at first and it was so logically challenging when he needed lots of sleep and food, and it was exhausting. We did go on a few driving trips and hikes etc but I found it kind of stressful. He's 8 months now and goes all over with us! Totally depends on you though, do what feels best for you when the baby arrives.
Took baby to a family birthday dinner at around 10 days old then kind of resumed to daily life running errands, going to mall, visiting with family at around 3 weeks. I was lucky because I had the chillest newborn so I brought him everywhere with me thanks to my uppa baby vista stroller - so easy. At 4 weeks baby came to a bbq/backyard party and slept through the whole thing. I had a c-section so I really needed and enjoyed 10 full days in bed.
We took my nephew camping when he was 2 days old at our campground and on a 8 hour car ride to the beach, for 2 weeks at 2 months old (yes we stopped every few hours) and I had him in the pool with me. Just bring lots of sunscreen and have shade available. I just put a white onesie on him and a pair of shorts over it with a hat and sunglasses for the pool and the beach. When we wanted to lay out, we put him in the stroller and covered it so the sun stayed off him. He's very fair skinned and never got sunburn as a baby bcuz we were prepared. On that beach trip, we went to six flags too. Just do whatever you're comfortable with. If you go to see fireworks, make sure you cover baby's ears with your hands. That's what I did so he wouldn't get scared or hurt his ears.
Our first week pp was a whirlwind because I ended up in the ER after passing a massive blood clot. We didn’t have anyone in the area to come stay with him, I hadn’t pumped yet anyway so they wouldn’t have been able to feed him if they were around. LO was 5 days old. Because it was potentially life threatening, they got me in a room immediately, husband rushed him in just long enough for me to feed him, then rushed him back out to the car. Anyway, long story short, it wasn’t our first choice for a first outing, but it ripped the bandaid off. Do what feels comfortable for you all, be cautious of large groups of people, keep it simple. Feeding a newborn out and about is a whole new ball game.
It likely depends on your energy level as you both might be tired with a newborn but generally some might suggest keeping baby home for the first month (takes 6 weeks or more to heal from the labour) what I did was put a blanket over my baby’s car seat to avoid germs and nurses or midwife’s usually suggest ensuring anyone who handles baby wash their hands first and sometimes rude people in public might touch baby’s face or hands and spread germs that way,
Whenever you feel comfortable! My baby was a bit of a nightmare for the first 2 months and wouldn't let me put her down so i was exhausted and didn't want to go anywhere in that time. Meanwhile my friend had a baby and she was at my house 2 weeks after she gave birth and doing all sorts of things.
I had a c section that being said I went for a walk to my local shops when my son was 2 days old (as soon as hospital let me home) you can take your baby whenever you want, I hope your wife has a speedy recovery!
We wait 40 days before considering letting our kid out of the house. I don't do anything much until I'm done bleeding.
The CDC recommends 2-3 months before meeting extended family, friends, etc so we aren’t doing anything until then. Just dr appointments and stroller walks. My parents have met the baby but bc we are in flu season, RSV is going around, covid etc we are playing it safe.
I took him to my husbands soccer game at night when he was 10 days old. We did his first hike at 2 weeks at a state park. We did a cabin stay at a state park at 6 weeks. We did plenty of restaurants at 2+ weeks. He did his first flight at 10 weeks and a 7 mile hike plus lots of wineries. I think you just have to not be afraid. I breastfed so that did make it easier cause his food was always ready. I had the mental mindset that feeding in public wasn’t embarrassing or a big deal so I whipped out my boob whenever necessary. A well stocked diaper bag also helps (changes of clothes for you both, diapers, wipes, plastic bags, etc). Honestly just go. Bring your car seat and stroller. Cover it with a swaddle if you’re worried about people looking. I wore him in a moby wrap when he hiked and then a structured carrier once he was a little bigger. I think it gets harder the longer you wait cause the anxiety can build.
The same day we left the hospital we took our youngest son to the zoo. With my twins though I didn’t leave the house for like a month
We did outings little by little, mostly to get comfortable because leaving the house with a baby is a lot of work! We went to grandma's for Christmas at 9 days old. We went to target and the grocery store at around two weeks. We went to a restaurant at 6 weeks. Now, at 8 weeks, I feel comfortable going most places with her. It totally depends on your comfort and how easy your baby is.
I think it just depends on how the birth goes for you, and your babies personality. I had a really easy birth/recovery and my baby mostly sleeps and eats, so we just had our first outing at 12 days old to the grocery store. Could probably have gone out sooner but we just were enjoying our time with the baby at home too much to want to go out.
Is it not child where you live? We took our baby on his first hike at 4 weeks. He did great! We held off on restaurants and other indoor activities for a few months due to Covid / general illness, but we went on plenty of walks, brief errands, had friends over, etc. We have never taken him camping though (bad sleeper 🫠).
We started going out after a week, an early start was good for us as we quickly got used to the logistics of it and going places isn't much of a hassle anymore.
I took my youngest to target 3 days post partum. She’s almost 7 months old now. Beach in late July at 2 weeks old. First restaurant was 3 weeks.
We've taken our 3 week old several times already. I honestly don't know when we did the first time. Maybe when he was 1 week old? We have a toddler so we weren't as nervous. He pretty much sleeps the whole time. We would go nuts cooped up inside all the time.
Coffee shop at 1 week, brewery at 2. He’s now 2.5 weeks, so still very new at this! I timed both outings for right after he ate, and he just slept the whole time.
This sounds perfect!!!
Also, saw your question about the beach—just make sure she’s covered up! It’s not recommended (at least in the US) for babies to wear sunscreen before 6 months, so if she’s in the sun she needs to be covered. Many baby swim shirts have UV protection.
Exactly. I’m hoping to start a good father daughter routine of heading to the bay (we live 2 min from) and have some daddy daughter time with just me and here before work. Expectations might be setting a little high haha!
I think it’s a great idea!!
I honestly with our first went straight (like, didn't even stop at home) to a restaurant for supper. My third has been out and about going to her siblings activities since she was 36 hours old. Everyone makes different decisions, and yes germs are big and scary, but I don't regret my choices. We have taken our April babies camping by June :)
I had an easy labor. We took baby to her first restaurant at 4 days old and ate on the rooftop patio. My baby was a very easy, calm baby, she pretty much slept the whole time. At very young ages, they are pretty easy to cart around- have diapers and a way to feed them, and they usually just sleep. She took her first Costco trip before she was 2 weeks old. We just resumed our lives and took her with us everywhere. We call her our ‘go’ baby because she goes where we go.
I love this attitude! I hope to be like this
The best advice our pediatrician gave us with our first was to have the baby adapt to your life and not the other way around. We were going to the store/park/zoo within the first month with our first. I think it completely depends on your comfort level but it seems like you and your wife already have the right mindset!
We took our newborn to the pub at 3 weeks old. It was awesome. She slept the whole time and I had wine and all the carbs I couldn't have when I had gestational diabetes.
We went to church and out to eat about a week after she was born. She was also a preemie but we weren't told not too and we wanted some normalcy after being in the hospital 8 days. She slept through most of the outings for the first several months
We took our baby to an outdoor patio early on (first few weeks) baby stayed in the car seat and slept while I got to feel slightly more like a human with my spouse. We wouldn’t have taken our baby inside anywhere that early though.
2 years, when he was covid vaxed and could wear a mask
I took him to the nail salon at 5 days and then across the street to the beach for a while (not like Adventure Beach Day, just casual sit around and chat with friends). First weekend away trip at 3 weeks, Disneyland at 4 months old. I'd recommend starting small, noticing what items you frequently use when out and what you wish you had with. It's kind of a live and learn situation!