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Parenting

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Original poster

when is it ok to take a newborn out the house?

53 replies

NattyTurkeyAndEggnog · 16/12/2008 20:02

i had a conversation with my friend today, who said that she doesnt take her new babies out of the house until they are 2 weeks old, and that she was shocked at how early i take mine out.
no one told me that you are "not allowed" to take a baby out of the house in the first 2 weeks, i took mine out at 3 days, and 2 days, and plan to take my baby due in july out at around the same age.
im talking trips to supermarket, or quick trip to the park for DS when i had DD as he was going stir crazy in the house.

so does anyone know if there is actually i "proper" time to take a baby out of its house?

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LadyPenelope · 17/12/2008 08:29

Chinese culture says you and baby must stay at home for a month ... your mother or mother in law looks after you, you eat large numbers of eggs and chicken, drink lots of soup. Also you are not allowed to shower or wash your hair .

You can kind of see where the idea comes from ... be waited on hand and foot, eat good food, rest a lot, just look after baby ... but it drives most modern girls crazy and they sneak out!

littleboyblue · 17/12/2008 08:37

I was told by mw not to take my baby out until at least day 4 of being at home to give him time to adjust to all the different places and atmospheres.
You've just got to do what you are happy with, I for one will prob be out straight away with this one doing the food shopping etc, because I have to, but my friend who's due at the same time is haveing a 40-day lay-in.

bozza · 17/12/2008 08:43

I took DD to a birthday party at 1 day old. Admittedly it was only at a neighbours. And it was May.

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Anna8888 · 17/12/2008 08:55

I didn't take DD (November baby) out at all for the first 3 weeks or so - and then I took her to Waitrose in a sling, but she didn't actually go outside at all as the car park was covered and I just took the lift straight up to the supermarket.

When she was 3.5 weeks she went to her first party.

amidaiwish · 17/12/2008 08:56

we walked into town and went to starbucks when DD2 was 2 days old, the day after we got home from hospital. why not?

with DD1 we went to the pub when she was 3 days old to see all our friends - better that than them all coming to the house we thought!?

Nbg · 17/12/2008 09:04

I remember when I had dd, so only 2003, the midwives said I had to stay in for 2 weeks.
I didn't have a traumatic birth or anything like that but I was visited by the MW's everyday and then every other day in the second week.
They also said that I shouldn't push the pushchair for a month because it was deemed as "doing too much".
I was gutted, all I wanted to do was push my newborn in my shiny Quinny

PillockOnTheChristmastree · 17/12/2008 09:06

I went to the supermarket on my way home from the hospital, which, as I'd been sent hom immediately after I gave birth must have made ds2 about 5 hours old

jingleMAMADIVAsbells · 17/12/2008 09:09

I had a CS so was in hospital mon-thurs then on the Friday waited patiently on MW and when she showed up DS was in the pram all ready to go She didn't look to amused as I was going to town and it was a 2.5 mile walk.

I think everyone is different with regards to recovery/bonding etc, do what you feel comfortable with not what people say unless is proper medical advice of course.

seeker · 17/12/2008 09:26

Ds came with me to collect his big sister from a party at 6 hours old. He was up and coming on the school run at 5 days!

pudding25 · 17/12/2008 12:55

How odd -especially midwives saying you had to stay in for 2weeks. Unless it is absolutely freezing outside?

I would have gone mad if I had stayed in all the time. I think we went out for a walk about the day after we got out of hospital and was out most days, even if it was just for a walk in the pram or round to someone's house.

OhYouMerryMerryKitten · 17/12/2008 13:15

I think it depends on how the new mum is feeling. Whilst its brilliant that people can be out and about within a day or so of birth, that mustn't then turn into an expectation that new Mums ought to get out so early, that can be a lot of pressure for someone who is struggling post birth.

OrmIrian · 17/12/2008 13:16

Why aren't you allowed? Who is going to stop you? Do they dissolve in fresh air?

bronze · 17/12/2008 13:18

Someone has to take the others to school...

MerlinsBeard · 17/12/2008 13:19

well seeing as how you can, in theory, WALK home from hospital then as soon as you are discharged!

wahwah · 18/12/2008 21:24

I had DD Saturday evening and we went to visit my sister on foot Sunday afternoon the next day. I was not arrested by the baby Police, so it must be ok.

pamelat · 18/12/2008 21:27

at 3 days old we did a morrisons food shop!

itsazoohere · 19/12/2008 11:04

We snuck in to my relations house to wake them and announce dd3's birth-she was 3 hours old !
I scared the midwife when she came round to check on me that afternoon (twas a homebirth in the early hours) by being out .
We were so proud we couldn't wait to show her off!

Jenbottleofeggnog · 19/12/2008 13:54

There's a few cultures where you don't take the baby out for a set time, often a month.

Mine was in hospital for a month!

HairyToe · 20/12/2008 16:45

There was a woman at school the other week who gave birth at midnight, got home from hospital at 3am and was in the school playground at 8.45am dropping off her older child with the 8 hour old baby in a baby carrier on her chest.

aGalChangedHerName · 20/12/2008 16:57

I went with dd2 (2 days old) to a local chinese buffet place with my friend.

The waitresses were absolutely horrified when they realised how new she was. They said we should have kept her inside for at least a month
Don't remember exactly what reason she gave but it was a cultural thing obv.

MKG · 20/12/2008 18:07

Mine are always out around day 2. I drove my sister to the airport the day after I got home from the hospital with ds1, and went to a friends barbecue the days after I got home with ds2.

I really like being out as soon as possible because I go stir crazy in the house, and it keeps the older one's busy.

Hulababy · 20/12/2008 18:11

As soon as they are born?

I had a c section so was confined to hospital for 3 days, but when I was allowed home we visited DH's work to show DD that day, on way home. We were out and about with DD from there on in.

Friend's DS was born at home, and they were out and about the very next day.

ByThePowerOfBaileys · 20/12/2008 18:12

if you think that you are able to leave the hospital and take the baby outside and take baby home after 2 hours then there can be no real time limit.

with DS1 we walked to the Drs surgery the Monday morning when he was born 5pm the Sunday night.
with DS2 we went out on the afternoon for a walk when he was born at lunchtime.

hollyivypoppy34 · 20/12/2008 18:13

baileys..are you made of iron? am full of awe for you going out on same day

ByThePowerOfBaileys · 20/12/2008 18:17

no not made of iron - DS2 was a short uneventful labour at home. I was still full of adrenalin from the birth and I rested about day 3 when it ran out

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