Newborn Question

How soon after you come home from.the hosp can you take an newborn out? Like to go for walks? Or visit someones house? Go to a party? Be around another baby or other children?

Does it depend on the vaccinations?

Im showing how little I know about babies... How embarrasing?!

Re: Newborn Question

I'm about to be a 1st time mom too and I've received conflicting advice from other parents. Some friends have said that walks are good @ 2 weeks. Stores, etc are good @ 4 wks, as long as the babes is covered in the infant seat. 6 wks + for restaurants.
DH & I just decided to follow our Peds advice.

Re: Newborn Question

I think it depends on the newborn's health. I have also heard different information from books and BTDT moms... I don't think I'll personally be comfortable taking them out until after 1 month... so at least 4-6 weeks... But I would just run that question by your pediatrician when you first see them.

Re: Newborn Question

I took my newborn out (to visit In laws) the next day that I got home from the hospital. I went with him to the stores around 2 weeks

Re: Newborn Question

I took DD for walks immediately. We actually walked home from the hospital. The next day we were out for regular walks. I'd say early on I kept them under 20 minutes, but we have a dog and live in apartments so walks were non negotiable. We took her to my parents house a week after we were home, but it was just them and my siblings. I kept her out of indoor places like the mall etc until she was 6-8 weeks.

ETA: the recommendation about 6-8 weeks from doctors has very little to do with vaccinations. The vaccinations really offer no immunity after the first dose, but rather because if your baby gets a fever before 6-8 weeks and they can't find a cause based on physical exam (i.e. ear infection) then the baby has to get a spinal tap.

Message edited 6/9/2012 9:29:11 AM.

Re: Newborn Question

It really depends on you. My Ped told me whatever I am comfy with...just be smart. I had DS in the winter and I refused to stay cooped up so I went everywhere but you have to do what you are comfy with. We had friends who didn't go anywhere except family for 8 weeks.

Re: Newborn Question

DS was born in the winter. We had him around family early on, but didn't take him to places until he was 7-8 weeks old. There was only 1 other child in our family and he was around that child a few times within the first 2 months.

This baby is due next month. Between having a summer baby and an older child, we will be going out early on. This baby will be around children of friends and family. We also have an OOS wedding when the baby will be about a month old. I'm going to try to keep people away as much as possible, but we have to be there.

Re: Newborn Question

My neighbor had her DD in June and was walking around the block the day after she got home from the hospital

My cousins in PA brought their son who was 2 weeks old out to dinner with us .... he was in the corner and slept the whole time with no issues

I guess it depends on what you want to do and feel comfortable doing

Re: Newborn Question

I think it depends on the season the baby is born. DD was born early January and because of flu season, we couldn't take her to public places for 8-12 weeks (like Target or restaurants) because the flu can be deadly for newborns. But we were told fresh air and walks were great right from the start!

Most vaccines protect against really deadly, dangerous, but not-so-common diseases that were once much more common (think of it like modern science has eliminated the plague, in many ways). So normal everyday interactions don't really have much to do with most vaccines. You can't protect against common colds so the best thing is to avoid them while the baby is a newborn. Everyone who comes into the house is directed directly to the sink to wash hands.

You'll figure out a happy balance between paranoia about colds/germs (we all have that, especially as first time moms trying to protect our babies) and cabin fever!

Re: Newborn Question

My ds was born end of march...my ped. actually encourage me to take him out for walks...this spring the weather was great..I took him out when he was a week old...depending on the weather, I actually took him out for walks that ranged between a 1/2 and hour to 1 1/2 hours...he napped well the whole time!

Re: Newborn Question

DD and this LO are winter babies. I didn't take DD out for awhile, but that was partly because we kept getting blizzards. In between, we went to my mom's on Christmas (3 weeks), a family birthday party (6 weeks) and my book club GTG (8 weeks).

Re: Newborn Question

We took DD out to the supermarket at like 5 days old. Took her to target today at 3 weeks. As long as no one is touching her, I don't see the big deal. Just stay away from crowded areas where people would be hovering over her and she'll be fine.

Re: Newborn Question

Our DD is 6 weeks old. We haven't been to any stores yet. We just have been to the grandparents houses. Keeping visitors to just close friends and I'm not letting any school age children visit until she gets her 1st vaccs, at the end of the month. Ped told us to stay away from crowded places until she was 8 weeks old. This is our 1st baby, so I think it also depends on your own personal comfort level.

Re: Newborn Question

I have a winter baby... at 4 days old it was christmas and we went to my BIL's house. Everyone who touched the baby had to wash their hands. Nobody sick went near him. (Although nobody was sick.)

If you plan on taking your baby out just make sure people wash their hand and use hand sanitizer.

Re: Newborn Question

Thank you so much everyone. I had no idea what the norm is but i will def check with ped when the time comes...