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How soon after birth did you go out into the world and mingle?

62 replies

Allthatglittersisntart · 04/02/2024 20:50

There are tons of clubs and cafes for new mums in my area (some involving train) but I wonder how soon is reasonable to venture out (other than for walk)? Is it safe prior to vaccines?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
TinyTeachr · 04/02/2024 22:44

You can get out and about as soon as YOU want to. I dont think that can be predictes in advance though.

DC1 - popping out to the shops etc on day 3 (discharged from hospital early day 2). Did some socialising on day 5 and had visitors on day 6/7. Had seen my parents day 2 onwards at their house or mine. However, socialising out of the house was brief. I had a small tear, and even though it dodjt need stitches, having a wee STUNG. So I wouldn't have gone out for lunch as I wouldn't have wanted to wee! At 2 weeks I drove 4 hours to attend a friends 30th party. Great fun. You can dance with a sleeping newborn on your chest, the music doesn't bither them at all! You can't eat/drink without sitting at a table though, not enough hands (didn't take sling). Had a fabulous night.

DTwins were lockdown babies, so nowhere to go. But I wouldn't have been up to doing much for at least 2 weeks, probably closer to a month. They were 6 weeks premature and needed to be in incubators for a while. I was expressing milk every 2 hours, and juggling looking after eldest (no supportother than DH the to lockdown and nochildcare) and visiting twins to try and feed them/do skin to skin. When they did come home I was exhausted. I found the recovery from the emrgency section pretty tough too. So no way would I have been up to socialising.

DC4 was a very easy birth. Discharged within hours, felt pretty normal and comfortable. Not even very tired as she was sleepy so I basically slept at the hospital until ready for discharge. Lovely! I was at a toddler group the next day running after my twins, newborn in the sling. Did school run from day 3 and had no issue doing the activities my eldest 3 did.

So I'm my experience it really depends on how the birth goes. You can't totally plan for that. So best to have no expectations and just roll with it.

elm26 · 04/02/2024 22:45

I had a vaginal delivery with only one stitch had a pretty "easy" birth (I was induced over a period of a week, my epidurals failed and baby came out back to back but never mind 😰😂) 3 days after giving birth, my DH and I took baby to our local village pub where we sat in the garden and had a lovely meal for my 30th.

spicedlemonpie · 05/02/2024 00:07

My oldest sister was in one day out the next and drove home herself doing the laundry that afternoon.
My second sister she was out and about 3 days after birth.
Me i had a CS i was out and about slow walking like a bent stick with the buggy after a week.
My second CS i was the same but i had a 17 month old at that time as well i just had to get on with it and i did i had no help.

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WandaWonder · 05/02/2024 00:09

about 12 or so hours

DinnaeFashYersel · 05/02/2024 00:11

Several weeks but I had horrendous recoveries after my c sections

Would have loved to be out sooner.

Beansandneedles · 05/02/2024 09:12

ZiggyZowie · 04/02/2024 21:01

With each of my 5 children I waited a month before I left the house.

I liked being in a sort of cocoon situation

I wish I'd done this! I was out and about on day 2 with both, which was fine at the time but in hindsight I think I underestimated how precious that bubble is!!!

Some incredible comments on here about people being on the school run/out on day 1. Women are determindly amazing when they put their minds to it!

DappledThings · 05/02/2024 09:17

1-2 days. DC1 was in the supermarket at 36 hours because we had to stop off on the way home to buy newborn size clothes. I never realised some babies are too small for 0-3 months then we went out for lunch the next day.

I never had any desire for being in a "bubble". Nothing wrong with those who do or if that's how you feel but it wasn't for me.

Hardbackwriter · 05/02/2024 09:18

I was absolutely climbing the walls during the newborn stage with DC1, was going out for long walks, to the shops, for coffee, by day 3. Strangers kept expressing amazement I was out with such a small baby. Then... I got a nasty infection in my stitches (had a second degree tear) at around day 7, was told I had been overdoing it and that I needed to rest. So there is a reason they say that!

It's so individual, though. I know people who thought staying on the sofa watching Netflix for weeks was the best part of having a baby. For me it was like being on house arrest!

BarbaricPeach · 05/02/2024 09:20

About a week after the birth, we started to go out with baby as a couple to pubs, cafes etc. At three weeks, I started meeting my NCT group for brunch with the babies once a week. And we started baby classes at around 6 weeks.

edit: I had a planned c section, but I hadn’t learned to drive at the time so this was all on public transport or walking.

AlltheFs · 05/02/2024 09:31

We waited about 6 weeks to start going out to meet groups of people eg baby groups, but went out for walks etc and had visitors once we were home.

We opted for 3 days in a NHS postnatal centre though which was absolutely blissful- I’d have stayed there for a month if I could’ve. 24hr breastfeeding support and help with baby. I’d never held a baby before and it helped my confidence.

I think it’s fine to get them out and about from day 1 but I wouldn’t take them to busy indoor places with lots of germs if I could avoid it pre jabs. That’s just common sense.

TippiHedrin · 05/02/2024 11:46

Apart from getting readmitted to hospital days 3-4, about 2 weeks before I went further than the end of the road. Felt like ages but probably wasn't really.

3 months before I ventured out without baby on an evening (tentatively for a couple of hours)

Corondel · 05/02/2024 11:49

We went home from hospital on the Overground and called to a cafe on the way home, so kind of immediately…

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