When did you take your newborn out

I'm a first time mom, my LO is 4 weeks old and my pediatrician said it's best not to take out a newborn until they are 4 months and have had all their shots. She said if a newborn gets sick because someone around them is them sick, it would be an automatic overnight stay in the hospital for LO and a possible spinal tap. Ofcourse, this scared the crap out of me!! So, I haven't taken my LO anywhere except for 20 minute walks on the nicer days we have had. I bundle my LO up and we go for a stroll. Some family members have come by the house to visit. However, so many people are asking me and my DH to come over to meet LO, some with kids, some without. I'm sure no one would ask to come over if they were sick. But you never know. And with the holidays around the corner, we have been invited to a family member's house. There will be many of our adult relatives and a lot of kids there as well. I don't know what to do. DH thinks we should go. But I'm so paranoid now of LO getting sick. BUT my DH says that newborns should be exposed to some germs, that not all are bad and its good for their immune system (He read this somewhere). So, I was just wondering what everyone did when their LO was a newborn before they got all their shots, just curious to see if I'm the only new mom who feels this way. THANKS!

When did you take your newborn out

I took my DD out at a couple of weeks old. Granted, she was born in May-so it was warmer out, but 4 months just seems like a long time to not take them out.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

4 months? I think that is a little much. I started taking my DS out maybe after 3 weeks, after he got his first round of shots. I was also going insane at that point and NEEDED to get out of the house.

When did you take your newborn out

My ds is 10 weeks old, and we took him out when he was 4 weeks. We try not to take him out too often and when we do we have the car seat cover on him and we keep his car seat covered at all times. I also keep him away from any family and friends who are sick and I keep hand sanitizer in his diaper bag and in the car.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

My DS was born in May so it's a little different, but he was out in a diner at 1 week old. We kept him in the carrier with a blanket over it.

I definitely would not pass up Christmas. Try to keep the baby in the carrier as much as possible if you are worried and tell everyone not to touch the baby until they wash their hands.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

4 months sounds a little over extreme, imo. I mean, my dd was in daycare at 12 weeks old! I had no choice, what would your ped say about that?

I took dd out pretty early on - like 2 weeks old. Kept in the stroller and away from people. She was a June baby though, so flu was definitely not a concern. I think for a winter baby you should wait longer, but 4 months is a long time. As long as you keep her bundled up in the car seat or a carrier and ask people not to touch her, I would say going to family's house for the holidays is probably okay.

Good luck and congrats!!!

Re: When did you take your newborn out

at a couple of days old we had to go to the baby store, that was the first visit out! we had family and friends in small groups around 3 weeks through 2 months as long as no one was sick. i took him to the stores around 3 weeks, just stayed away from crouds. 4 months seems excessive!

ETA: he also started daycare at 3 months!

Message edited 12/13/2012 9:30:45 AM.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

I've been taking my lo out since her first doctors appointment. I had to. I needed to go out all the time to get things. My ped said not to drive myself crazy with staying in all the time. She's been in daycare since 13weeks.

When did you take your newborn out

DD was out at 2 weeks old, but she was a summer baby. I probably wouldn't be so quick to take a winter baby out in cold and flu season. However, i think 4 months is a bit much.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

We took them out right away

Re: When did you take your newborn out

Our children's ped said 2 months. Yes, it's true about the fact that if they get a fever when they are up to two months old they have to do several unpleasant tests including a spinal tap. We have dr. friends and they said the same thing...2 months.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

Just bare in mind that the shots are not going to protect against colds and flu
You can't even get a flu shot until 6 months
So even if they have all their shots- they can still get sick in public
I never got that- "getting all their shots" reasoning
Unless polio is going around....


And for the record I had to go back to work at 8 weeks. So she went to daycare at 2 months old
What would the Dr think of that?
I guess I should have quit my job....

Message edited 12/13/2012 10:07:57 AM.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

DD was winter newborn and I only took her to ped, and then next was when I went to my parents house a month later. We avoided her first visitors until she was about 10 weeks plus except for BIL and his family because of the cold and flu stuff thats common during those months.

I was okay with it, and so was DH. If I had to go to work, there would be no choice other than to leave her at daycare or a nanny. Doctors I guess are bound to tell you the worst case scenario.. its like they are mandated almost.. if they don't they blame will fall on them again. Do as you feel comfortable.. I didn't because she had a NICU stay and I didn't want to go through all that jazz over again.

ETA: my nephew got sick when he was a month old.. he was a spring baby, went out with this parents and somehow ended up with a fever.. he was admitted and had to go through the rigors, it was horrible, and he was fine but its protocol for such young babies.

Message edited 12/13/2012 10:20:09 AM.

When did you take your newborn out

2 months

When did you take your newborn out

My older 2 I took out with me when I had to go out, but they both were July babies... My 10 week daughter was October baby, and had jaundice, so her first 2 weeks she had about 7 blood draws, and I had to keep her on the billi blanket at home...I did my store runs when I was out and did what I had to do, I got my flu shot and dtap, BF her so she is protected from most things, but with my older kids none of them have had more than a mild cold or ear infection when they were little,and even now at 11, and 13 they don't get sick.. so its good to get out with them ..

Message edited 12/13/2012 10:30:07 AM.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

DS was born in February, so I was a bit hesitant to take him out. People would stop over, but i limited to onw family per day. At his one month appt. ped told me to def go out for fresh air. After that, he went everywhere with me.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

4 months!!! I would have gone crazy!!! I took both my girls out at less than 10 days. I kept them in their infant seats covered. I went to bru/target/food shopping no one touched them or came near them.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

family members houses my 10 days but it was May and warm.

#2 is due in Jan and I am worried about being cooped up at home since its Winter.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

4 months?? I never heard that. The general recommendation is 8 weeks because if they get sick in those first 8 weeks it's an automatic hospital stay and spinal tap. Truthfully, whether they have their shots or not is irrelevant..............the shots aren't going to protect them from common every day things like colds and fever.

That being said, I started taking my DD out around 6 weeks. I was getting loopy being in the house all day so I went to Target, the mall, etc. I just kept her in infant carrier and snuggled up. And this is just me BUT I wouldn't miss seeing family at the holidays or having people over to visit. Just make sure everyone washes their hands and if you're really nervous, just don't pass the baby around a lot. I wouldn't miss Xmas though, no way!

ETA - We had people visiting us from the moment DD came home from the hospital. I didn't keep anyone from her.

Message edited 12/13/2012 11:20:56 AM.

When did you take your newborn out

My DS was born Dec 28th and we were out and about probably by 2-3 weeks at the latest. I took him everywhere. We sat in WW meetings, went to the diner and went shopping.

My Dr told me that haivng a baby is nto a prison sentence.

And no a baby getting sick is not an automatic hospital stay and spinal tap. A fever might be but my sisters DS had a slight fever early and didn't have either.

When did you take your newborn out

DS is 4 weeks today and we've only taken him to the ped, my parent's, and DH's parents. We've had family come over.
I plan on taking him out to our families' houses for Christmas Eve & Day (he'll be 6 weeks then).
I haven't taken him to stores or restaurants yet. I'll probably wait until he's at least 2 months for that.

When did you take your newborn out

By 6 weeks. I would have lost my mind if it was 4 months! As long as you keep DC in the carseat in the stores I don't see a big deal. And I would absolutely go visit with family.

Re: When did you take your newborn out

Re: When did you take your newborn out

Re: When did you take your newborn out

Both kids were out within 2 days of being born.