When would you take a newborn out in public?

[dolphingirl]

I like to stay home for a few days, but like to do short outings so I don't go nuts. With a couple of my kids, I remember going out to eat within the first week. Usually around 1 week old, I'll do a short grocery trip or Target, etc. (I remember when I had our first daughter after 2 sons, I couldn't wait to go to the store to look at pink, girly things!)
We went to a beach about an hour from home when youngest dd was 2 weeks old. It was wonderful at the beach--stayed under a huge umbrella or put her in the solarveil sling--the drive there and back were tough though--she hated her carseat!

I try to take it easy as much as possible though interspersed with the outings. Otherwise the postpartum bleeding seems to really pick up--ugh. My body definitely tells me when it's doing too much!

[___Krystal_]

Depends what season my little ones were born in. My winter baby didn't go out right away because it was super cold when he was born. I remember a snow storm the night I went in to have him. My summer baby was out the day we got home because it was so nice and we went for a nice little walk to get some fresh air after being in the hospital for 24 hours.

[lemurkinsmommy]

With my son we had to stop at walmart to pick up a few things on the way to spend a week at my mom's the day we were out of the hospital. So he was 3 days old the first time he was in public. With my daughter we went out for family dinner when she was 3 days old, the day after we were home from the hospital. It was DH's birthday dinner and she was only around close family then at 9 days we went to our first leche league meeting with her. This time around this baby will be out in public too as I have to take DS to and from preschool everyday anyways.

[Zanne]

Vietnamese and Chinese culture are typically very strict with postpartum care - with at least 30 days with very little activity for both the mother and the child, including not leaving the house. With a Vietnamese mom and a DH who is an acupuncturist, DS and I were under very strict care to stay as true as possible to the parameters of the "sitting month." With DS #2, I plan on doing the same.

[el's mama]

I think if they're in a wrap, not being held by anyone else and they're breastfed, there's no need to wait a month. I think 2 weeks is fine. And the beach even more so because it's so open and the air is clean.

[alyssa&rylan's-mommy]

My older two kids had to be back at the hospital for check-ups at 4 days, and we stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home. With my youngest, she had to go back at 3 days for her check (jaundice) and we stopped then. It will probably be the same with this baby.

[nonipie]

They were both out within a few days. I really don't even understand the logistics of staying in. How does that actually work? I have to get things done. They both needed follow-ups with the Ped. at about 3-5 days old. We needed to go grocery shopping, errands etc. We don't have any family here so either we do it or it doesn't get done. My newborns are almost always wrapped on me, they don't get touched by strangers or really anyone else. We didn't have any family here until about a month after. I never even really considered not taking them out. Life has to go on. The older children have to eat and get outside LOL!

[chello]

depending on your definition of "public", we have gone to SIL for a big family dinner the day I got out of the hospital with each baby (dinner not connected to the new baby, just coincidence, so now I tell her she needs to plan a family dinner just after my due date so i know when I'm coming out of the hospital ) and with DS we left the same day he was born. We go to church the next Sunday, or whatever.

[Fashionably Green Baby]

We don't miss a beat. We went to a family reunion the day after our youngest got out of the hospital.

[psylion]

With my DD we went to babysrus on the way home from the hospital. She came early and we weren't really ready. Everyone says you'll go over with your first. She was six days old. We also went out for dim sum on the way home because we were hungry and nothing else was open. When the twins are born I will have to ate them out right away(assuming their not in the nicu) because DD will be in kindergarten and won't have another way of getting there. If you have a kid in school in the house I can't imagine anything worse that you'll find in public that what the kid will bring home. Plus if you can't go out, how do you get groceries? Everyone's gotta eat.