When Did You Start Taking Your Newborn Out?

Pretty much from the day they were born. I'm not sitting around the house for more then a few days. Never once was an issue, not with sickness or germs.

I have taken all my kids out right away. They never became sick or had any ill effects. I was probably the one, that was doing too much , too soon, after a section.

you are fine to go out! I took my kids to the mall when they were 5 and 7 days old. I can't imagine waiting 6 weeks. Go and get out and get some fresh air :)

I would have gone stir crazy for six hours!

I started taking my newborn out when she was a few days old. We mostly went for stroller walks, parks and to stores during off-peak hours, meaning no crowds. I joke that she spent her first 3 months in Target!

By the time my 4th came along, we were all out and about right away. With 3 older siblings, the baby had more chance of getting germs from one of them than he would from being outside in the fresh air.

Four days. Never restricted visitors. Oh, wait, not with Genna, she was born two days before mother's day so we had a big family gathering to go to the day she came home from the hospital.

I have some very healthy kids so I am not sure what risks you speak of. Do your children have a medical issue that puts them at risk?

With both of my kids, I think we went from the hospital room to Walmart.

I honestly had never heard that people kept their newborns home for the first six weeks.

Live your life. He'll be fine.

I took my son out the day after he was born. He was born in the morning, had to stay in hospital for a day per requirements and then that next afternoon we were out at the park with my oldest. In my children's cases the sunshine and outdoors did well by them as they were both preterm.

My daughter went out all over with me. I had to take her back to the hospital a couple of times to check her bilirubins because she was jaundiced, we had to have groceries, I can't stand to be stuck in the house so my BIL who was out of work for a few weeks after having shoulder surgery and I would go get his mom and go out to lunch, then they'd watch the baby while I took a nap. I mean, I didn't let her get held by strangers or anything, if we were in a store she was in a sling, if we were in a restaurant she was usually either sleeping in her carseat or being held by someone in our group, but I still took her to my work and my husband's and let her get held by coworkers. She's just fine.

My sister took her first baby directly from the hospital to the mall to be held by Santa, who was tickled pink to have such a tiny newborn and gave them their picture for free. He was fine.

You still have to live your life. Get a good sling if you don't want people to hold the baby and go about your day.

We went to babies-r-us and chipotle the first day out of the hospital - he was 3 days old. My son was in his baby carrier and he was fine. Unless it's too hot or too cold, there's no reason to stay home.

Here's an article to read - http://www.babycenter.com/404_when-can-i-take-my-baby-out...

It basically says that exposure to sick people is the big thing. So I wouldn't take the baby to visit sick family or something like that, tub a swim lesson is fine.

About a week, or a little less. As soon as I felt like getting out. I wore baby in a sling, up close to me, so people wouldn't be as inclined to mess with him.

With our first, 3 days. Can't remember with our 2nd.

I think 6 weeks is unreasonable, unless your child is born as a premie with health issues - or there are other risk factors at play. If he was born healthy and you are healthy and no one is mentally ill (which may affect someone using common sense or being able to react in an emergency????) then I think you can take him out as needed as soon as you feel up to it.

I had a c-section, so *I* stayed in the hospital for 5 days (that was a long time ago when 5 days was the norm!!!!), then I sorta hung out for a week, but she went with me to my 2 week Dr appt.... then my husband went back to work, so we *had* to fend for ourselves .lol.

We flew on a plane from Houston to Baltimore when she was 5 weeks old to go to a family reunion.

She's as healthy as an ox (and due to BF complications, she was formula fed.... go figure).

I got my daughter when she was ten days old ( her birth mom is my sister) so we were out shopping on day 11 as I had no warning she was going to be with us.

We went to Chipotle on the way home from the hospital. I didn't keep him in. We used comon sense. Didn't let strangers hold hom, washed our hands before we did, didn't go around people who had been sick, etc. Other then that, we took him out where we wanted from day one. He's been sort of sick once in his 4 years.

Are the lessons outdoors? It would be unsafe for a newborn in the summer heat. If it's indoors, you might be cautious about the chlorine factor. My eyes burn sitting at indoor pools. That might be hard on a little one. Other then that, obviously I wouldn't hesitate to take a 2 week old out.

Amelia G- I live in Texas, my son was born in the summer. It DOES get unbearably hot here.

Day #4 after the first Dr. appt.

As for going to the swim lessons, if it is at an indoor facility, I would probably find a sitter. The chlorine smell in an indoor place is VERY strong.

If it was an outdoor place, it should be fine as long as he is kept in the shade

I have three kids.
I took them all out as soon as I could! My first, we were at a quincenera birthday part one week after I had him. (I also danced!) He was held by any and every one. Took him out to a restaurant. Took him any where. Never sick. BUT....we had a horrible car accident that sent us to the hospital for 6 weeks when he was 3 weeks old.
With my second, he was a C-section. I didn't feel good enough to really go out anywhere for a week or two. But after that?! We were at the park with my toddler.
With my third, also a C-section, we were out and about within two or three days I guess.
I have never understood the "don't take the babe out for 6 weeks" thing. I say, if mom and dad are up to it, I don't see the problem. And I want to note...what happened with my first, with the car accident, is SO uncommon, that I was able to get past the terror of taking my newborns out (my second and third kids). It sounds more like you are worried about sickness, which I never really thought about unless someone was actively vomiting or wiping snot from their face.

L.

Three days old. My dirst we were out the day after I came home. Life goes on. A winter baby, I would stay clear of stores, malls and schools.

I think after just a few days. We didn't let people touch the new baby and mostly it was uncrowded places like a pretty trail or the beach. I also had weekly doctor appts bc I had an issue to deal with. I did take my son to the folk festival (small, but great music) all wrapped up on me when he was 2 weeks old. I could never have stayed inside 6 weeks...how hard! I think as long as you don't let people touch the baby you'll be fine.

Wear him on your person in a sling or a wrap and I think you are fine to take him out whenever you want to, 2 weeks sounds about right to me!

~I liked wearing my kids, it made me feel more comfortable about germs being around as well us unwanted attention from strangers!

When he was 4 days old.

Our pediatrician told us we were insane if we didn't get out of the house and enjoy the summer weather as soon as we were physically able.
According to her, the baby was literally of no concern, his healthy would be just fine.

She was right.

I notice you've gotten zero responses from places where it's 118 right now... I agree with everyone who says a few days, fine (and like others, my first stayed home, but my second was all over the place, in June). But I just wanted to point out that since it's not like you can go outside, take the carseat with you inside wherever you go, even if you otherwise have the kid in a sling - the car will be bad enough to drench the kid in sweat without the carseat being hot too!

I took them out very early, like a week or two. A little fresh air will do them good and keep you from going nuts.

The only thing that held me back at all was recovering from the c-section, and even with that my second was born Oct 18 and we went out trick or treating that Halloween. I really don't see any reason not to take him out now, especially since it's not cold and flu season.

Son was born on a Tuesday in mid November. He was discharged on Friday and had a cardiologist appt that morning, so we were out very quickly. Went to church on Sunday, pediatrician's office Monday morning, and drove to my parents house on Monday afternoon. He was perfectly fine.

With my son, he was born in mid Oct and we came home on a HOT Saturday. On Sunday, my dad and stepmom had us over for dinner. So while we didn't take him far right away, we did take him out around family and close friends.

With my daughter, born in early Dec and came home on a Wednesday. We took her to a wrestling tournament that my 15yr old son was in on Friday. Next day we kept her home and my hubby went to day two of the tournament without us. We kept her mostly away from most people the best we could. Most showed the courtesy of keeping their distance except to walk by and say how cute she was.

I think you would be fine. One thought about at the swim lessons, I wouldn't have him in the same room where the pool actually is. The smell of chlorine can be overwhelming to everyone but I would think it would be too much for a newborn.

My first went out after two weeks. My second, on day 5 we went to an indoor kids play place. My third went to a bday party on day 4.

Clean your hands before touching baby, and don't let other people touch.

With my first son we stayed around the house for the first couple of weeks, but with my second baby we were out and about the day after we got home from the hospital. It is reasonable to take a newborn everywhere and anywhere you need to go.

2 months, when they had the shots.

But we did some quick trips here and there for older kids when I HAD to be out.

I think I waited a couple of weeks with my first and 4 days for my second. We went to story time at the library with big sis on day 4.

Number one two months. Number two three weeks.

Well my son was in the hospital over a month after he was born so with him it was around 6 weeks. My daughter was only 6 days old when she had her first family outing. We went to a nice valentines dinner and I got a tattoo 😊 then she was around 5 weeks old when we took her to Disney World the first time.
Added to the poster who said no one from Phx responded: my son was born in may in PHX and was released from the hospital in late June, so I'm well aware of the 118degree weather and a new baby

It was a few weeks before we started going to anywhere besides the pediatrician.
We started doing the Mommy and Me sessions at the hospital at 2 weeks.
But 14 yrs ago we didn't have as much an issue with whooping cough and other airborne diseases going around as we do now.
So if I were in your place right now I'd probably be more cautious.

With my first baby we stayed in the house pretty much the first month.
second son spent time at my house and inlaws houses.
third son same as second.
fourth son went to the movies with him the day after we got home from the hospital. it was a bust as he didn't like the movie apparently and couldn't settle down. so off to the dairy queen and then sat in the park for an hour. my daughter had her last son and came to my youngest sons baseball game with him the day she got out of the hospital.

I took my daughter to an outdoor music festival when she was a couple of weeks old.

I took my son out when he was 4 days old to the mall shopping and to a wedding when he was 5 days old, we were out almost every day, and then we were on a plane flying to Ohio when he was 2 weeks old. He is going to be 6 in 16 days and he is perfectly fine and goes on outing extremely well and travels well. He is so easy now to take with me when I have to run errands. I attribute that to taking him with me when he was very young. He knows how to act in public; he has never once thrown a fit or acted up while we were out because he has always gone out with me. They are kids they don't break. So unless he has some kind of medical problems my goodness go out and show him the world!!!

I've never heard of the 6 week rule. We took our babies out within the week. It's much easier to "shield" a new born from people/situations, much easier than dealing with a toddler trying to eat food off of public floors or potty training in public places... Lol

With my first baby, other than going for walks starting at a couple of days old, I didn't go anywhere for two weeks. After that, we did go to the park, to visit my office, the beach late in the day when it wasn't hot or crowded.
With my 2nd baby, we were out and about starting at six days old - buying a cake at the bakery for my husband, frequent trips to the lactation consultant, to my office (starting at 3 weeks, I worked one morning a week for the duration of my maternity leave), dropping my daughter at daycare, etc.
If you're breastfeeding, your baby is getting good immunities for you. I'd wear the baby in a sling rather than strollering him - people are less apt to stick their face in a baby's face or touch a baby when you're holding him than is he's out in the open in a stroller - and if you do stroller him, mosquito netting is a must.
Congrats!

For winter babies (during cold/flu season) I wait til about 1 month to go out without necessity (but then again, I've only had 1 winter baby, and he spent his first 2 weeks of life in the NICU).

Spring/summer babies - I've been out and about within a week of delivery (even with a C-section, because I go crazy at home). I just wear the baby in a wrap or sling to shelter him from curious, well-meaning, but germy hands.

Congrats on your new baby!

Three days. She needed to see the doctor and we needed supplies. It was summer, though, and we didn't let strangers touch her.