What can you take a baby to?

[tinyracoon]

Ok, genuinely can't believe I'm asking this but.. I'm 36 weeks pregnant and I've just realised I have no idea what you can / can't take a baby to! Don't know many people who've had babies so don't have any second hand experience...

Big caveat, obviously I know it depends on the baby and if they cry all the time, I wouldn't take them places where they would disturb others...

Im thinking like general life places... Hairdresser? Dentist appointment? Pub? Just realised I never seem to see new babies in the supermarket?

If you haven't seen new babies in the supermarket you've just not been tuned in. Once you start looking you will see them all the time. Hairdressers, depends on your baby. One of mine slept right through the appointment, the other one was terrified and my husband had to pick him up. Your own health appointments, absolutely, so long as you'll be able to focus enough to answer the qns etc. Depends on the pub - some are child friendly and others less so. Nowhere too noisy as it's bad for baby's ears.

I pretty took my baby anywhere. When they're newborn, they're pretty portable. DH and I spent a lot of the first two weeks having lovely lunches in pubs near us with baby safely snoozing.

As others say, just about anywhere! Maybe not a fancy restaurant or the opera or something, but otherwise they more or less go where you go. For the hairdressers I prefer to go on my own as it's nice having some 'me time', and for something like getting my nails done I'd tend not to just as I'd worry about the fumes from products.

The salon I go to has a very strict no children policy.

Wait 6 weeks before taking them out in public. If they get sick their body might be too weak to fight it off. Plenty don't follow this guidance though. The rest is up to you. Your baby has a right to be where you are. If people can't handle baby sounds they don't understand what it is to be human. Always put your and your baby's needs first. I'm a single mother and I took my kids everywhere, never felt left out in any way. Plenty of times I had to leave a movie or a play because my kid couldn't handle sitting still and quiet. Last week I took elder DD to the movies for her birthday, and I kept toddler DD awake all day, no nap and lots of outdoor play, so at the movie at 7pm she fell asleep immediately and slept hard! It was the new Ghibli movie so I was determined to stay and enjoy. You'll figure it out as you go along. Just don't let anyone make you feel like you aren't allowed to exist because it bothers them.

You can take them to the pub (if the pub allows children). You can go to special cinema and concert showings (highly recommend as they sleep through it when they’re young). I wouldn’t take them to the hairdresser, people spend a fortune on their hair and like the relaxation and I wouldn’t want to bring a baby and disrupt things.

Basically anywhere where a baby crying won’t be completely disruptive for people and you can’t easily take them outside. So I wouldn’t go to the theatre, mainstream cinema/concerts/opera/ballet, but I would go to the pub, restaurants, supermarket.

Where is the don't take them out before 6 weeks guidance?

I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to take them out before 6wks? Is this new guidance? I was having a pub lunch when then were 3 days old. I’d be stir crazy having to sit indoors for 6wks, I also think vitamin D is hugely beneficial for everyone.

I am fairly certain that you do not have to wait 6 weeks before taking your baby out in public, maybe there's recent guidance which I am not aware of.

I had to take my DS to a hospital appointment when he was 10 days old. There's no guidance about staying home. We did our first baby class at 5 weeks!

Utter bollocks that you need to wait 6 weeks to take them anywhere!

I agree with the other PPs- they’re really portable when they’re little. DD2 went round loads of art exhibitions in her sling, for instance. Both my DDs have been in restaurants regularly from almost day one, which makes life easier now they’re ’trained’ to behave there!

Our cinema does baby cinema. Low lights and quieter but adult movies. And cheaper.

Cafes etc, absolutely. Supermarket, of course.

Anywhere that doesn’t have age restrictions. They’re nice and portable when they’re very little, take advantage before you have a terrible two year old like us!

So you think older sons should be kept home from school for over a month once their baby sibling is born? Mine were on the school run as soon as I was able to push the buggy.

Baby doesn't have a right to be anywhere. If op wants to go abd see a loud scary movie, which would make baby upset from all the loud bangs, it would be inappropriate to take them. Not taking him isn't denying a baby's needs. No baby needs to be in an adults only space - theatre, restaurant, exhibit etc.

If you have a baby screaming hand wash through Prima Facie and you're then having to get loads of people to move out of the way so you can leave, you're ruining the show for everyone.

I baby wear a lot so you don't see but until baby crawls they're happy coming along to hair salon, dentist, chiropractor etc. A recent classical music concert stated no babies because of the nature of the performance but even some music venues and cinemas have baby friendly screenings and ear defenders are available to buy. They're extremely portable until the can move on their own! Then they need entertainment (which can just be looking around) and containment (safe places/high chairs etc).

So you think older sons should be kept home from school for over a month once their baby sibling is born? Mine were on the school run as soon as I was able to push the buggy.

^ what an absurd over reaction. The poster clearly meant to avoid baby groups and gatherings where baby might be exposed to lots of bugs and infections. Not the bloody school run in a sling or pram!

I absolutely third/fourth the recommendation for baby cinema. I went so often in the first few months and loved that they put on proper adult films (eg I saw Parasite with DS when he was about 4 months old). I did get annoyed with the parents who used it as a social occasion and an excuse to chat though!

I had to have my wisdom teeth out and my smear test with my dc1 on my chest as she was a velcro child, dh was at work and we have no family near and needs must! She wouldn't settle enough for any fun things like baby cinema or sitting in a coffee shop or pub. She'd go round the supermarket in a sling but that's about it.

I always took baby wherever I was going. First DC was super placid in any case. Once I had 2 tinies I would leave them with DH if they were likely to be a distraction eg dentist hair dresser. Later with DC3 I was once turned away from a hairdresser where there was a spa like atmosphere so it is possibly worth checking I.

My baby (3 months old) pretty much comes everywhere with us! Except for Hamilton, we have tickets in January and he will not be attending with us 😂

I brought mine out each day, coffee, library, shopping, galleries, museums etc.
He had a hectic social life from 3 days old.😉

Really enjoying reading these, thank you!

6 weeks sounds a bit much, but I'm assuming it's more 'not a packed festival' vs 'don't leave the house' ??

Both DD and DS were in supermarkets when they were 2-3 days old. Life continues and that means food needs buying and consuming! I've taken my kids practically everywhere, never been told they can't be there - even the hairdressers contrary to PPs

You won’t see many really tiny babies out and about as the first few weeks tend to go by in a milky blur. Then absolutely go to supermarkets, pubs in the daytime, cafes, special baby cinema sessions, swimming etc.
You say you don’t know people with babies but have you done an antenatal course? It’s very useful to have a group of mums with babies the same age to go out and about with. Look out for post natal courses aimed at mums with newborns too, I did one of those with nct and a free one with my local hv. Also look for baby yoga, baby massage etc.
Basically get out to anywhere you will be able to meet other local mums, vital in the first year but also useful to know people once the dc start school.

Also DD did the school run the day after she was born. Would have been the day she was born but we got called back for her baby check as school was turfing out so my mum had to pick DS up