For not taking 2-week old to his granddads birthday?

At 2 weeks PP I couldn't wee or sit down without crying from the pain of the stitches. My breasts were so sore I couldn't wear a bra. And I was so sleep deprived I could barely string a sentence together let alone smile and be sociable. So no I absolutely would not attend a big gathering at 2 weeks.

Honestly, if you've had a c-section and you don't feel up to socialising, you aren't being unreasonable to stay at home with your baby. Two weeks is very new and if your DH's family wouldn't normally invite you, they are probably only doing so to see the baby and pass it round.

Do what makes you feel comfortable. Don't feel pressured into going.

I didn't when DS was tiny but there was whooping cough around (I was one of the first to be vaccinated whilst pregnant) & there were a lot of kids going to be there at a party when he was a week old but after that I took him everywhere & had loads of visitors

I think (in a lovely way) that you have to get used to bring the bringer of the dc for a very long time. DS is 12 but even now my dm and my best friend's parents can't help looking past me when I walk in & saying either are you on your own or where is he - families just love babies x

You can always go home after an hour if you've had enough x

I also had an Xmas baby so she was passed around loads of friends and family at a week old. I think you are being a bit overprotective but that is also normal, you have a precious little bundle you want to keep safe. So many people love newborn snuggles too.

I wouldn’t go. You’ll probably be forced into the handing the baby round when you don’t want to and will feel terrible afterwards. I know ppl say ‘just don’t hand the baby over’ but it’s hard when you’re newly post partum and you have all the family making you feel bad about it. If you’re not comfortable go with your instincts and don’t go. And in terms of why you’re not going I’d just say ‘I’m still recovering from my c-section and the baby can’t be away from me as he’s too young’.

You have to feel up to it yourself, but otherwise I'd see it as a opportunity to get a lot of first visits out of the way in one go. By all means don't agree everyone holding baby etc (sling/car seat/pram and not in your arms is a good idea) but a short visit to show off baby in one fell swoop seems ideal.

If the baby is your DHs then he also gets to decide who can meet the baby

At the end of the day, it’s your baby your choice. We had 25 of our family members over on day 7 for his naming ceremony and we had people on and out the house all the time - we just avoided mixing with anyone that we knew had a cough or cold. I like the PP suggestion of keeping him in a sling that way he attends but you won’t get randomers trying to pick him up

You could take him but in a sling, for a short time. Stops people manhandling him I found.

Two weeks post C-section? Are you feeling up to it, OP? Your recovery from surgery is more important than people wanting to meet the baby; they don't hand out medals for who met them at their youngest!

Be kind to yourself too ❤️

I would go.

If you’ve had a c-section, are you medically fit and able to go (not sure how long it takes to recover from a c-section).

How are you feeling, OP? I can’t imagine going to a party with 20 people 2 weeks postpartum, but it depends on how you are feeling and what feels comfortable.
If you don’t feel up for it, it’s completely OK to skip it.

I would go but understand why you are not keen. Your in-laws will be so excited to show off their new grandchild.

I wouldn’t go, OP. He’s a two week old baby and you’re only two week’s postpartum. There will be many, many other opportunities for a family gathering when he’s a little older.

It’s amazing all these babies born in hospitals with all those people and all those germs,,,,

Anyway, I would take my baby and see no issue. Presumable the baby will be sleeping or you are feeding anyway?

Also I have 3 other children so couldn't keep the fourth away from colds and germs as a newborn. Obviously you want to avoid it when possible but it's easy to be very anxious about these things and likely baby will be fine. Have a lovely time 😀

@untitled1 I am well aware of babies developmental stages so thanks for that. I would hope that people with a cold would use their common sense and not hold a newborn or go near that baby. If you go too then you can control that.

At two weeks old your baby has all of your immunity so I think it’s fine from an infection perspective especially if you are sensible.

more pertinent is how you feel physically and emotionally and whether you feel up to such a big occasion personally. At two weeks I wouldn’t have. I was establishing feeding and had been unwell with mastitis. I think it’s more about your needs than the baby’s.

I wore a sling quite early on after having a C-section, but I had previous experience of carrying in a sling with another baby. I found people were less likely to invade MY personal space to see baby, compared to when baby was in the pram or a car seat.

Taking the baby in a car seat is a good idea, but is the guidance still around limiting time for a baby to be in a car seat?

If you've just had a C-section, without even thinking about your baby, do you feel well enough to go? Be kind to yourself OP. Enjoy your new baby.

We celebrated Christmas 3 weeks after ds was born with both sides of the family and went to a christening a week after our youngest was born

each to their own but we didn’t pass our babies around, wear a sling so you don’t have to .

This. Good luck OP.

What do you think will happen if people hold your baby OP? Genuine question. If you tell us what specifically worries you then maybe we can help a bit more.