Yep day 1.

If you were to experience a two week newborn coughing and with a runny nose, your opinions might change to become more risk averse. It's tough to see a sick newborn.

6 weeks

I took my 2nd on day 4 (1 day after getting out of hospital) to Target. It was on a weekday morning, so not too crowded. We were out and about every day pretty much after that- grocery store, neighborhood walks, mall, etc. I can't stand to be housebound, and really wasn't too concerned about the baby catching germs. Only time I regretted it was when I was in Costco when baby was 5 weeks old and had two separate incidents in the same visit where women saw my baby, came up to us, and when ohhhh-ing over the baby, touched his head.

I took my second child out to the grocery after 2 weeks --- kept her in a carrier wrapped up snugly (it was February). Other than that, I took her to the playground and other outdoor areas very early on. I didn't take either of mine to malls or restaurants --- not worth it to me in the middle of flu season when they're so little. After 2-3 months for that if I could help it.

Doc says 6 weeks, but earlier is fine if in carrier with no one touching and 3 feet from other people. I do my best to stick to that. She's been out once in 3 weeks.

Mom of preemie - nicu doctor told us 6 months for general trips to stores; 1yr for airplane or daycare. I nearly had a heart attack...

Regular ped said 6 weeks but avoid toddlers with runny noses and large stores like target or the mall til 6 months. Tough but doable.

First trip was 6 weeks to Rite Aid on my street cause I ran out of diapers and my Amazon order didn't show up...

If she wasn't a preemie I would have said screw it and just left the house earlier on.

First child: about three weeks old. Second child: about three days old.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone. My pediatrician told us to wait until 6-8 weeks to bring her out to the mall. I was surprised. Isn't the rule of thumb 4 weeks?

I A cant believ how many Drs say this and it gets posted here. That is the strangest thing unless your baby has known health issues. I had a Jan baby and we started taking walks around neighborhood on day one. Baby is bundled into stroller or carrier, no is touching them and they aren't touching anything. We too, baby to Costco first wee, out to lunch twice and dinner. Good lord, staying stuck I. The house for two months is asking for PPD. Get a dr who,practices in this century

I agreed with you until my DS got RSV. That really was way worse than avoiding people for a few weeks.

Snowmageddon baby Jan 2010. We stopped for lunch on the way home from the hospital. You can go in public just don't let people touch your baby.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone. My pediatrician told us to wait until 6-8 weeks to bring her out to the mall. I was surprised. Isn't the rule of thumb 4 weeks?

My FIL is a ped and prefers 4 weeks. I still went out at a week. I wouldn't go to a family event or party where they would be passed around and lots of people but honestly, being in a carrier or in the bassinet attachment of the stroller she was contained and no one came close. If they had, I would have said something. Also, we were obsessive about washing our hands before touching her.

btw - with #2, we figured out that it was super easy to go out to eat. We'd hire a fun babysitter for #1 (then 2.5) and dine out with the newborn until she started caring about where she was snoozing (around 2.5-3 months).

I went couch shopping with my third three days after birth. I NEEDED that new couch to chill on. He was in a mei tai and the couch came the next day. It was may. Other babies we took out to dinner or walks around town in the first week- I had very easy recoveries and don't like being house bound- but they were short adventures and I wore baby or they slept in the carrier and I have no issues with nursing in public.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone. My pediatrician told us to wait until 6-8 weeks to bring her out to the mall. I was surprised. Isn't the rule of thumb 4 weeks?

This is SO old school - AND it only works for your FIRST baby. If you have pre-school or school age kids, it isn't practical (or necessary, imo) to stay in the house for 6-8 weeks. I was the PP who said I took my baby out after his 1 week appointment. I just did what another PP suggested for their first few weeks - they were in the carrier with a blanket draped around them. Very, very few people were bold enough to ask to take a peek.

I think the main issue is to avoid really cold situations (little babies can't shiver to stay warm) and close contact with others. But going out to a store if your baby is bundled and away from people touching seems fine! My second was out with me at preschool drop-off for his brother at 2 weeks - couldn't avoid it. But I wasn't letting the kids touch him or anything!