To do a day out without newborn weeks after birth?

You’re the mum. Whatever you decide is fine. But maybe you can’t make that decision until the day because you really might not feel like it.

Is it rollarcoasters or Zip wiring? All I can think of that would make sense.

If you go, book a gp appointment for the inevitable mastitis when you get back

Things like this baffle me?

Why on earth would you leave your week old baby to attend an event where your baby isn’t welcome?

What kind of family event is considered to be so important that they’d expect a mother and newborn baby to be separated from each other in order for the mother to attend?

It sounds awful, selfish and entitled.

I certainly wouldn’t be going OP and I’m horrified that your family would expect you to leave behind your baby.

I had to leave DS2 for a photo shoot when he was about 3 weeks, and was gone for most of the day.

I was already pumping from a week with both babies so had no concerns about home being hungry or unsettled (he could get milk out of a rock, that kid didn’t care how his food arrived).

My only recommendation would be fgs please take a breast pump with you as you may end up incredibly uncomfortable!

Separately when I did this, I had a wonderful but tiring day and honestly I couldn’t wait to get home and climb back into bed with the baby. But of course there’s nothing wrong with going that long!

How long a journey? I had easy births but still wouldn’t have wanted to be driving for hours at 2wks pp.

I don't know why so many people are saying YABU. It's a part of a day with your other child and your family. Leave the baby with DH and go and have fun.

Not unreasonable to want to go but there are so many factors you won’t know until the time. The biggest thing is breastfeeding. How important is breastfeeding to you? Are you prepared to give the baby formula if you can’t express enough? Two weeks is when they often cluster feed, so I don’t know how you could even pump enough in those early days for that long away. I’m sure some people manage but the most I managed to pump at that stage was one bottle for when I had to go out for all of 90 mins. And the midwife was impressed I’d managed that much. There’s also other risks to your breastfeeding journey being away that long, but if you’re prepared to overcome them or accept you may need to give the baby formula at some point (nothing wrong with that at all, by the way) then go for it. In fact, if you’d said baby will be bottle fed then I’d have said absolutely go for it and baby will be fine at home with dad. In fact it might be nice for their bonding. But EBF is a different beast.

Assume you didn't drive there and back yourself, if you were 5 days post-section and had a glass of wine.

OP is planning to drive there herself and leave her DH at home with the newborn.

She's saying she won't take the baby and is leaving it all day with husband - I agree with you, taking the baby and having family help and love would be a lot easier if possible, but apparently it isn't

But OP is leaving newborn at home with dad, not bringing it to be cooed over.

At that age/stage with my 2nd we did a big day out, but we did it as a 4 for my eldests birthday (theme park), the littlest was 2 weeks old. I understand you're saying you can't take the baby, but I don't really get it. They're so transportable at that age, and you won't worry if they're with you, and feeding becomes a non issue as you're there too. Plan whatever you wish, but I think you'll find it all easier if you're together. I'd suggest planning a variety of options and playing it by ear on the day (if family don't mind that you might pull out)

OP there's a reason they call it the fourth trimester.

Sorry, I do understand - but your newborn will not; they will effectively be abandoned by the entity that was until a few days before their home; they can't even distinguish between themselves and you as a separate existence at that age.

So if you have a choice, I definitely would not.

I went to a similar family event (great aunt’s 100th birthday lunch at my cousins house) when my second was 5 days old after a c section. It was lovely, I sat and was waited on, everyone cooed over the baby and had a cuddle, toddler DD played with her cousins, I even had a lovely glass of wine! I think it depends on your family and how you feel physically but I think it would probably be ok.

YOu do need to clarify some things. I was self employed and had to leave DD with DH for around that amount of time sometimes when she was very young. It was fine. But.... I didn't have to go far, it wasn't particularly physically demanding etc.

I would definitely have struggled more if ihad been a 90 minute drive, post c section (after inductino), wrangling 4 year old, and doing a lot of socialising etc, then 90 minute drive.

surely the answer is not to commit now and to see how you feel once it's there?

No way would I leave a 7 day old baby for that long myself - I wouldn’t want to be pumping at that point as milk supply is still establishing.

Hope it all goes well OP!

Just take the baby with you, real life involves all the children.

No one said it was compulsory for mother and baby to be together 24/7.
But it's not appropriate to downplay the impact of a mother and her breastfed newborn being apart for 6 hours, as some PPs have done.
Of course it's sometimes necessary to separate a newborn from its mother, and I'm sure there were very good reasons for you taking care of your grandchild so young, but I don't like this tendency to minimise and normalise it for trivial reasons.

I wouldn’t go. It’s shame to miss such an event but I wouldn’t want to leave a 2 week old for that long.

🤣

A two-week old breastfed baby?

What could possibly go wrong?

Except, for a multitude of reasons some babies don’t have their Mums for those 2weeks. I took custody of my granddaughter at 2 days.

Whilst it’s optimum, it’s not compulsory to stay with your baby 24/7 for 2 weeks.

It's not "outdated" to respect the unique bond between a mother and a 1-2 week old baby.

I think see how you feel nearer the time :)

If you’re physically comfy, you can manage the milk situation and your DH is on the same page then why not xx

I don't see why not, i went out with my other child when my second one was less than 2 weeks old. That said I didn't have a section.