Help me get out of the house with a 2 week old

[Yikess]

Can anyone help with some advice on how they go out of the house with a 2 week old? I have no idea how to predict the sleeping patterns of my baby or how to breast feed when out and about. Please help me as so many other mothers are able to do this and I just cant see how Im going to be able to do it...ever!

It gets easier - if you dont have to go out, and dont feel up to it, dont. If you do want to go out, keep it quite low key - make sure you have a change bag with everything you might need already packed (including change of outfit), feed the little one and get them all wrapped up and then go for a little walk with them to the park or somewhere lowkey - chances are they'll sleep. If they do get hungry while you're out you can always stop to bf them in coffee shop but feeding them before you head out will generally mean they wont want a feed for abit.

First of all congratulations on the birth of your new baby.

re getting out, take small steps first. e.g. a little walk locally with the baby in the pram just after a change and feed so he/she won't need a feed while out.

What worries you about bf when you are out and about? Could you take a friend/dp with you for support. Perhaps a trip to a cafe? Or a shop like John Lewis that has a decent "baby room" if you prefer to feed with more privacy?

Once you have been out and about a few times, it will seem less daunting.

If you overthink it you'll never do it ! You can't predict one so young and the journey will throw out your best guess anyway as baby will probably nap in the car/pram. Plan a short trip at first , knowing where you might find a feeding room if that makes you more comfortable. Have a change bag ready by the door and set out as soon as you have fed and changed. good luck

Re the feeding, if you feel a bit exposed or whatever (I used to struggle in the early days getting her latched on without fussing about a bit) then it might help to have a muslin/small blanket handy to cover up a bit. You don't have to cover up btw, but I found it increased my confidence.

You just have to bite the bullet and go for it. Don't be too ambitious with the first outing - a brief stroll round the block will do until you get a sense of how the baby likes being in the buggy. Two of mine only had to get in a pushchair to fall asleep, the other two hated any form of transport whatsoever in the first few months.

You can't predict the sleeping patterns of a 2 week old - it's pointless even trying, so ignore that as a factor for now. Try and get a feed in before you leave the house if possible, though, and clean nappy etc.

re BFing - hitch up tops rather than unbuttoning stuff. And use a scarf for exposed midriff.

A 2 weeks old has no pattern for sleeping or feeding - this IMHO is the easiest time to get out and about. Your lo will sleep anywhere - in car seat or buggy etc. As you're bf you can feed anywhere, you don't need to worry about heating milk up or steralising anything so make the most of it. If you're shy about bf in public, most bigger shops (department stores/ mothercare etc) have feeding rooms.
Having said that if you wear baggy tops or have a muslin to hand it's very easy to bf in public discreetly. Both my dc were fed in Starbucks loads.
Just make sure you take enough nappies and wipes, and change of clothes for your lo.
What about trying to go to a friend's house if you want to start off gently?
Good luck.

just feed before you go, go somewhere close by to start with, movement and fresh air will have lo asleep and they'll prob stay asleep alot longer than they would at home. do you have a sling? means you don't have to worry about negotiating doors and things with a pram - that was the hardest bit for me!

Hi All

This has been so useful - Just so you know the bit Im worried about is what to do if she gets really fussy or suddenly decides that she wants cluster feeds. I am using a widgey to feed and probably need to try to feed without one and once I can do that maybe I will feel more confident. any advice would be helpful. Thanks for all your well wishes on my beautiful baby girl.

Yikess - totally agree with Robyn, I fed before I went out, then they would probably sleep a lot in the pram or car seat. It's amazing but they could go 3-4 hours in the pram never like that in the house.

Have a practice without your widgey (I am assuming this is a pillow )

Another good tip if you feel exposed is buy a boob tube seriously, wear it underneath your main top under your boobs so when you lift your top to feed your tummy is covered. Or another good one I found is a baggy cardigan as you can wrap it around you and the baby making you feel less exposed.

Small trips at first, half an hour then an hour. You will be surprised the fresh air and rocking in a pram will make her sleep I promise you.

re: widgey, I take a small pillow or fold up a bulky jumper/fleece to use as a pillow when I'm out as I struggle without something to aid support.

lots of great advice - thank you. tomorrow I am going to go out with my DP just for a short trip and see how I get on. I will be practising the feeding without the widgey (pillow) thingy.

I'm not sure how many people are out and about in the early days with their first (which I guess from your post yours is) - especially not in this weather! Having said that, its worth biting the bullet and getting out there as you'll probably be surprised at how easy it is and how nice every one is to you. To make it really easy for yourself, pick a day when its not raining/snowing and you've got no other plans and give yourself a really simple goal like going to the corner shop and buying a magazine at some point during that day and then wait until your LO has had a good feed, bundle it up and off you go. Of course, just as you get to the door the HV will ring/LO will do a massive poo/it starts pouring with rain etc and so you don't make it out and the whole routine starts all over again - hence why its worth having a non-essential goal like buying a magazine! Another easy destination for a first trip is a local friend who also has a baby as then they'll have all of the paraphenalia in case you've forgotten something and will be able to provide sympathy & support if needed.
The great thing is that within minutes of leaving the house your LO is likely to be asleep and whilst you're out loads of random strangers comment on how gorgeous your LO is/how well you're looking etc so you feel fantastic. If your LO does happen to scream its head off, you'll quickly realise which people who you pass by have young children as they all give you sympathetic glances/comments.

As for feeding, pick an outfit which is easy to feed in discreetly (eg a top over a vest) and a destination where you know that there's a coffee shop or somewhere which you can get the pram into easily and sit down (any Starbucks, Costa etc) and just do it. I've now bf my DD in a range of pubs, restaurants, coffee shops & car parks and I'm not sure any one has ever noticed (including some of the people who I've been sitting at a table in a restaurant with!). To you, it will probably seem really obvious and as though you're waving your nipple at everyone in the place but its incredible how much is hidden by the baby's head.

Btw, my baby bag contains the following:

• changing mat
• nappies
• baby wipes
• Dettol wipes
• bin bag things
• spare vest & baby gro
• muslins
• toy (may distract crying LO if waiting to see GP or something)
• infacol
• red baby record book (so that I never forget it when I go to see HV or GP)

• wallet
• mobile
• keys
• breast pads
• note pad & pen

Good luck!

Join a breastfeeding group.

I joined a support/social group at DD around 5 weeks. Feeding was no probs, loads of p[eople offering to help. Good conversation as everyone enjoying company....

Will get easier!

I sported several layers, some went below the boob, some above and a cardi over baba (mainly for the cold!!!!!)

What about invited people over to yours too?

Good lists here. May I also add that I got an inflatable pillow from the Body Shop, the sort you are meant to use in a perfumed and lengthy bath (ha ha). That fitted neatly into my change bag, and gave support to his head. However, I wouldn't recommend the Body Shop pillow itself, as the valve was very hard, and I often made myself almost faint when blowing it up! Maybe try Millets (camping shop) or sth like that?

After a while, you will be amazed how much time you spend away from home, and that is a good thing, as being stuck at home with a newborn and a lot of mess can be very dispiriting!

Good luck!