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Parenting

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Original poster

Taking a newborn out in public

49 replies

footyfan · 07/10/2011 01:49

I have a 2-week old, who is only actually due today.

I have been out to various drs appointments etc, but have also been shopping with him and for a couple of meals.

I was in a supermarket today, and got told I was being a bad mother, and that my baby should stay at home until he is 6-months old!

What does everyone else do? Surely I can't stay home for months on end- but am I being irresponsible by going to public places?

I live abroad, so wondered what the current advice in the UK is.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

lljkk · 07/10/2011 09:24

Sounds like a recipe for Vitamin D deficiency?!
I went to toddler groups when DC were 2 days old.
Who takes their older children to school or anywhere else, if they have to stay at home all day? I suppose it must be a culture with extended family about, but even so.

haloflo · 07/10/2011 10:11

I found going out with a newborn was actually easier in some ways than going out with an older baby! The sleep more when out the house. If I hadn't have got out the house to a breastfeeding support group when my DD was 3 weeks old I think I would quit breastfeeding and certainly wouldn't have met a valuable support group who have helped me cope with sleep deprivation.

If its about bonding you can do things like massage, swimming, talk to your baby whilst walking, carry them in a sling, they aren't going to feel ignored!

I did my first outing other than leaving hospital when DD was 6 days old to get her registered. I did other short outings too. All to build my strength and confidence up.

I thought babies were supposed to left outside in the garden not cooped up inside??!

haloflo · 07/10/2011 10:11

PS you aren't a bad mother. What an awful thing to say to a new mother.

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SecondRow · 07/10/2011 10:12

I got a few tuts in a doctor's waiting room when my daughter was about 10 days old - well it's not going to do the baby much good if her mother martyrs herself and fails to get treatment when she's unwell, is it?

Anyway I put them in their place by repeating what my midwife had told me, which is that newborns actually have a residual immunity for a few weeks like a carrying-on of the mother's immune system outside the womb. That shut them up.

Bugsy2 · 07/10/2011 10:14

OMG, what are you supposed to do if you have more than one child? Never take the others to nursery, school, parties or activities. How can it possibly be practical to stay at home for 6 months with your newborn?!!!!!

nailak · 07/10/2011 10:16

my mw told me to take the baby out at 5 days as she was a but yellow and we had scaffolding blocking the windows, so i went the to the park which was 30secs walk away, people made all sorts of comments...

wigglesrock · 07/10/2011 10:19

LDN how lovely, congratulations (don't worry you don't know me and I'm not stalking I just recognise your name ), have a lovely time, and hold on to every precious minute. I blinked and dd3 is almost 8 months old .

Back to the thread, I took all mine out a few days after they were born, with dd3 school runs, gymnastics etc had to be done, however my Spanish friend was aghast when she spotted me in Boots when dd2 was a few weeks old.

Ephiny · 07/10/2011 10:20

How bizarre - it would honestly never have occurred to me that babies weren't supposed to be taken outside, or to comment or 'tut' at parents for taking them out.

Like others have said, how on earth are you supposed to take the older children to nursery/school, do the shopping, not go crazy from being cooped up indoors for 6 months?

What do these people imagine that slings and prams exist for??

AKMD · 07/10/2011 10:33

If everyone kept their newborns inside, I would be gutted. I love seeing dinky little noses peeking out from swathes of blankets and the obligatory hat.

mumeeee · 07/10/2011 11:10

We took DD2 to DD1's nursery concert when she was 5 days old. Then we stayed overnight at my parents for a big family Christmas party when she was just over 2 weeks old.

I always went out and about when my children were very small babies. I would have gone crazy if I stayed in fir 6 months.

mumeeee · 07/10/2011 11:11

Oh I forgot to say. Congratulations and do keep taking your baby out.

ellesabe · 07/10/2011 14:51

I went out around town with my dd 5 days after having a c-section

notcitrus · 07/10/2011 15:31

I followed the advice from my local pharmacist, which was she wanted to see me every day just to prove I was getting out and about. (I was in a wheelchair pre-birth and the shop was about 100 yards from home)

It was nice to have a guaranteed person to say hello to from the start, before I mastered getting out for a few hours.

I did get a lot of people telling me my baby wasn't wearing enough clothes - he simply hates being too hot!

Octaviapink · 07/10/2011 18:53

Complete bullshit. Both my DCs went out from five days old or less. If you're breastfeeding then they're getting all the immune system support they need from you and the fresh air and change of scene is good for both of you.

DMCWelshCakes · 07/10/2011 22:22

DiddyDragon went out at 3 days old, DiddyCakes at 1 day old. Both are alive & healthy; neither got eaten by wolves as soon as we set foot outside.

These people are mad. Ignore them.

DMCWelshCakes · 07/10/2011 22:23

(And the only reason DiddyDragon didn't go out sooner was that I was in hospital on the high dependency bay after a nasty delivery.)

Incapinka · 07/10/2011 22:44

OMG!! my DS is 4.5 months old. That means I should theoretically have another month and a half under house arrest... Crazy! Getting out and about saves the sanity!

MyBaby1day · 08/10/2011 02:29

First of all a HUGE Congratulations on your Son!!. South America-wow!!, well if that's what they think but personally as long as he is dressed appropiately for the weather i don't think there's anything wrong in it. I just think what we're dealing with here is a culture clash. I'm half Asian and the Chinese don't take a baby out until they're a month old.....bit better than SIX!! Ha ha but also like you said in South America even then (even as toddlers) they keep them swaddled in lots of layers of clothes. I'm a girl who has an illness and despite my age look small and about 12!! ha ha so there's strange looks if i'm not swaddled sometimes too!!......anyway must go-gotta put my 90 layers of clothes on!! but Congrats again and you take him out as long as he's wrapped up. Sure you're a fab Mum!!

NinkyNonker · 08/10/2011 09:20

I got told off by an old lady in the supermarket when dd was 4 days old, cuddled up on my front in a stretchy wrap fast asleep. I just smiled and said "Ahhhh no, we're fine". I understand it when people are concerned we should be relaxing, but we'd (DH as well) gone out for a quiet midweek stroll round Sainsbugs to get some nice snacky bits and a look at clothes for me, I felt the need for something new but cheap.

LeaveYourDignityAtTheDoor · 08/10/2011 10:48

I was out Xmas shopping with DS2 when he was 5 days old. The only comments I got were directed towards me, that I should be at home resting. I had been doing that for 2wks previous due to the bloody snow and I needed to get out!

With DS1, I think it was probably the same.

Congrats on your DD

PointyBlackHat · 08/10/2011 18:43

What a load of bolleaux. We took DD1 shopping on base when she was 2 days old (DH doesn't drive, and we needed stuff). She was in a sling, appropriately dressed, I was well enough and even then I was bolshy enough to BF anywhere.

DD2's first social engagement was at 4 days old - we took her to the funeral of a friend of mine's mum. She slept through it in her sling. Our friend said it comforted him to see a new life.

There are still a lot of ignorant people around all over the world.

Janoschi · 08/10/2011 18:54

DD's first trip was to IKEA aged 5 days. She loved it, I hated it, mainly because I had a horrible mastitis flare-up right in the Markethall and I couldn't find the fastest way out!

Muser · 10/10/2011 10:01

I would have gone crazy if I'd not been able to leave the house for 6 months! My daughter wouldn't nap in the house for a start. And I'd be the size of a small planet from being sat on the sofa eating all day through boredom.

I walked home from the hospital (we live a 5 min walk away) when my daughter was less than a day old. I went for a walk round the local park pretty much every day after that. When she was 6 weeks old I took her on a plane to Scotland to visit my ill dad. She is absolutely fine.

6 months! The very thought has me reaching for my shoes!

sunnyday123 · 11/10/2011 13:51

i took dd2 home from hospital after 6 hours and within 8 hours we were out with DD1 feeding the ducks at a nearby lake - midwife says its not a problem - the main problems in the first few days are the mother not the child - i think they're more likely tp pick thing up in hospitals or overcrowded rooms of visitors than outside!

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