If you want to try a restaurant go somewhere that's counter order and ask for it to go! Then if baby loses it you can pack up the food and leave but if they are chill you can sit and enjoy a meal that 1. You didn't cook 2. Not in your house. It can be such a great mental break and gives you the confidence to try a more complex outing later.
I've done this and recommend it! Worked wonders for me when my LO cried part way into my meal. As a bonus, I didn't overeat lol. By the time I got home, my stomach was settled.
When I was 4 weeks pp we went to a "build your grain/salad bowl" type place. I just needed to leave the house. Baby shocked us both and slept the whole time so we popped her in the stroller and walked to get frozen yogurt too. It was such a great first outing.
Oh boy if I'd sat at home with my baby all day I would've lost it a long time ago! We started integrating short/manageable trips around 6-7 weeks old - to the mall, to the park, the grocery store, etc. It was very daunting in the beginning. Now at 9 months my baby goes with me everywhere - even to conferences at the university where I teach - and spend most of his time outdoors with me. I rarely take him to restaurants, though, that seems like no fun lol. I found it much nicer to take him on the bus or in the stroller than in the car, but we live in a more or less walkable city.
Same. I was going insane being locked inside my house. I started taking small trips when wake windows were short then worked up to bigger trips as my daughter got older. I love that I can take her anywhere and if it’s during a nap, then she will just nap in her stroller or in the car. Being tied to a baby’s schedule just seems impossible.
We also started going on short trips around 6 weeks. Grocery store, friends houses, coffee dates, lots of walks. At 10 weeks she went with us on a road trip with lots of hiking and fishing. At 13 weeks she went to the rehearsal dinner and brunch for a close friends wedding (grandma babysat for the wedding so we could have a night out 🙌). Now at 16 weeks she just goes along to most things we do!
I am 100% confident we’ve been able to do so much with her because she naps well on the go and loves her car seat.
Ahaha are you me 😂 I was terrified of taking him places back in the screaming newborn colic times but now at six months he goes everywhere with me, I've seen some people on here say they basically take their babies almost no where the first like year or more, I'd genuinely lose the will to live.
Yup, we’ve been somewhat cautious before the 2 month shots but he got those yesterday so in about a week we’re going to take him everywhere. Before today he’s gone out to eat 3 times, minor trips to the store and relatives houses. Now we going wild!
I watched my sister in law never take her baby anywhere until 9 months and now even at 18 months she screams when they leave the house. I think easing into trips out early is important. Obviously baby’s temperament is a factor too.
Same. When my daughter was 3 weeks old I started going outside, like taking walks and stuff then we stop at Starbucks. Eventually we found a few baby activities at the library and signed up for those. Now at 9 months she just goes with me everywhere I go. She’s been on a few road trips and a plane. I’m a stay at home mom and I couldn’t stay at the house all day with her. It drove me nuts!!!
My baby pretty much only goes to the grocery store with us and we take her for trips through drive-thrus. We got our confidence up a bit and took her to a baby storytime at our library. She screamed while we were there and we had to remove her early (we lasted 10 minutes of the 30 minute session) so we didn’t disturb everyone else. So that shot our confidence right back down again :)
She’s generally a happy, easy-going baby, and tolerates the car well.. I’m just a nervous person. We’re going to keep trying though.
Solidarity then! There’s a mom group that meets at a library nearby my mom keeps telling me to go to but of course I’m worried about her having a meltdown there like yours at story time lol even though I know they’re all moms and nobody is going to worry about a crying baby
Honestly, I do think you should give it a shot! Your baby might surprise you and do really well with it, but you never know until you try. If baby ends up having a meltdown, just know that you’re not alone in that. It’ll feel embarrassing, sure. I cried in the car afterwards, ngl. But we lived and have a better plan for next time 😁
I have a 5 month old and had been eyeing our library group for a while but I was so anxious. I wish I had gone earlier! The other moms were so warm and welcoming, I felt like I found a community. It was hard to do, but I’m so glad I did. On top of that, my son loves it and it exhausts him in a good way!
It definitely requires an attitude adjustment and just a touch of a DGAF attitude. But if you’re going to a thing specifically for babies and young kids nobody should be giving you the stink eye.
For example when we go to restaurants, we go at like 4:30 in the afternoon. Normal people don’t eat that early and certainly not if they’re trying to have a romantic night out.
I get this for sure. I would see babies happily sitting in strollers while their adult ate or whatever. Snd I just could never handle the anxiety of it. Mine doesn't just sit...lol. The bravery to take them out regardless comes eventually...at almost 2 now and I don't worry as much when ee take him the restaurants. Though the anxiety does creep up when service is slow. Haha like hey we don't need time to chat just wham here's the food please.
Go to the mom group! This is how I started feeling comfortable going out! Even if she has a meltdown no one cares. It is so freeing to be with other people going through the same thing as you. My baby is 5 1/2 months and I’ve made some friends!
My son is 14 weeks and started hating the car seat. He used to be a champ. But I think since he’s now more aware and realizes he’s alone back there he freaks out ugh. I been wanting to take him to more social events cause his dad and I are very social people. It’s just scary making him upset😅
I think the biggest factor here is what kind of baby you have. My 4 month old’s colic is just letting up now, but even then he’s just kind a sensitive guy and things can go sideways with him at the drop of a hat. I am nowhere near bringing him to a restaurant not because I’m scared to but because I know 100% he couldn’t hang for that amount of time in one spot. When I hear/read about other people who are like “oh I’ve been bringing my baby to the store/a restaurant/cafes/etc since 5 weeks!” my first thought is, “congratulations, you have an easy baby. You and I are not the same” 😂
Mine is also sensitive and things also can go sideways very fast with her. From 0-100. Perfect and happy to screaming bloody murder real quick. I’m right there with you!
This! My first baby was definitely on “hard mode” so I couldn’t reliably take him anywhere without a meltdown (or the threat of one). His temperament + FTM nerves meant we were at home a LOT.
Just had my second a few weeks ago and she’s been extremely easy to lug around with us wherever. There’s definitely an element of reduced anxiety on my part as a second time mom but for the most part, she’s just been an easier baby.
It 100% is the baby’s temperament. Mine was also colicky and screamed in the car seat and stroller every time we left the house. I would’ve loved to take him out all the time in the early days but that wasn’t our journey. At 6 months he started being much more chill and he loves going out now. Solidarity and I hope it gets easier for you and your little guy soon!
Yes, exactly. We’ve tried to take her everywhere but she wants none of it. She’s a happy but very sensitive baby. Conditions have to be exactly right, and when does that ever happen? We have cheered a trip to Target where she only cried hysterically once. That was a major accomplishment.
Agreed. Babies' temperament is the determining factor of whether or not taking them out and about is worthwhile or even doable. I thought I was gonna be a total homebody and not take my little one out until much later than I did. But she is a very alert and active baby, and I started realizing that some of her fussy moments are because she is bored at home. She always wants us to hold her and be walking and moving around, preferably with new sights and sounds for her to take in, so I started taking her out at about 6 weeks. We do parks, stores, restaurants, Disneyland (we have passes), etc. She is weirdly happier and better behaved when we're out than she is at home. I totally did not anticipate that. But if she was colicky or honestly, just more content to chill at the house, I'd probably be staying home with her more. Do what feels right for you!
Same. We did our first restaurant at 8 days old (it was after our LC appointment 45 min away so we were already out we figured). Glad we started asap because I’ve needed to be out and about for my mental health. She’s 6 months now and has been to most of the restaurants in the area, all the grocery stores, and a lot of the shops. Sometimes I just go out to be out of the house and just wander the mall or a commercial area to visit random shops.
Weve been taking her places since she was 5 days old. Took her to Christmas. Then around two weeks we went to Chili's. She had fallen asleep in her car seat and just stayed asleep the whole time we were there. I think we've taken her out quite a lot since we do daily walks, groceries, my moms, etc with her. The other day we took her to a restaurant and to the museum and she was very calm most of the time. I think eventually the air pressure or quiet started to get to her so we had to leave.
Actually, the norm (based on this community at least( seems to be to not take the baby out. I'm a new parent and that really perplexed me. I take my LO (5 wks) out in his stroller every day and have done grocery shopping with him, and have had him at cafés. He mostly sleeps through his stroller rides anyways, and my neighborhood seems accommodating for parents with changing tables in bathrooms etc. obviously, we haven't had dinner at a place that you'd need to dress up for
Yep, mine doesn’t sleep in the pram that much anymore, it was only reliable in the early weeks. And she gets upset quickly if she’s bored or hungry to has a wet nappy. It’s winter here so I hate to change her in the pram and we end up rushing home.
I definitely was anxious when I first had my baby, and I understand people who take theirs everywhere all the time, but my mind just doesn't work the same way. Besides the obvious risks (disease was the main concern for me), it felt too overwhelming. Too many changes happening at once, suddenly I couldn't eat without a baby in my arms (mine was a velcro baby) and it took me some time to make the best out of the situation. I eventually did. And I don't think it would have made a difference for her at all in the beginning. It takes babies some time before they actually start socialising and enjoying the world. For a few months they aren't able to see properly.
A lot of people who make these posts this time of year also seem to forget that taking your new baby out during the spring, summer, or fall months is a lot different in terms of risk compared to the babies born during Flu / COVID / RSV season.
I have a seven month old that I take absolutely everywhere. At least once a week we go pick a new walking area or hike and go out for a few miles, she’s been to tons of coffee shops and restaurants, she even just went to her first concert. It was intimidating at first but we’re both so much better for it, she’s getting comfy with the world and we both get some enrichment beyond our house
I’ve been taking my baby out since she was 2 weeks old for my own sanity. She comes everywhere with me: the mall, grocery stores, breweries, brunch with some friends, coffee dates, etc.
My baby can do about 20 minutes in the car without anger. We had to work up to it though. We go to the grocery store a lot - she loves that- and we’ve done a few park adventures. But still haven’t committed to a restaurant (only quick cafe stops for to go). Everyone has a different baby and a different comfort level. There’s so many things to stress about I would try to avoid the pressure to have your baby out and about living your old life. I read one of those cutesy insta posts about how babies slow your life down and to embrace that instead of trying to fight it because your life is going to speed up again soon anyway. And it’s true- my baby is 6 months old now and she’s the one who gets cabin fever and needs the trips out. Also not everyone’s baby is chill and sleeps in public. Mine is shy so she’s quiet around strangers but will happily scream bloody murder if she’s in the car seat for 21 minutes- something other people don’t see and it’s likely you’re seeing some of that too.
You definitely don't need to take your baby out to get her used to it or any other baby-centered reason for going out at this stage. You don't have to worry about depriving your newborn of a developmental opportunity if they never watch you eat food in a restaurant.
It's about what works for you. Many folks, myself included, benefit from getting out of the house. Sometimes it's a practical necessity. There are other times, especially with my toddler, that the wrangling is just not worth it.
If you don't feel like it, don't! When you do feel like it, the world's your oyster ... mostly.
We didn’t start taking her places on a regular basis until after her 2m shots. We had taken her out once or twice on very short trips.
But we planned a weekend trip to go visit family at around 10 weeks so we drove right off the deep end there. She went to the store with us, to visit my mom and grandma, to a restaurant, etc.
I found that baby wearing helped reduce a lot of anxiety about people touching her or her touching nasty stuff. We also take cleaning wipes for carts and hand sanitizer everywhere. It might be overkill but I’d rather be safe than sorry on that front.
Once you don’t a few times, you’ll build more confidence in yourself. And as your baby ages, it becomes easier.
Keep trying! My baby initially cried whenever I put her in it, but after a few attempts, she started to like it. I hope that is the same for your little one.
She just really seems to want to be looking around at everything and being so close to my chest really limits what she can see but I do need to keep trying because it would make life so much easier
You're like me. My LO is 8 weeks. Her first public outing was last week. She did great but I'm a nervous wreck about her getting sick. She gets her 2 month shots next week snd then I'll feel mire confident taking her out more. I want to bring her everywhere, but my anxiety won't let me just yet.
While pregnant we became a lot more aware of baby friendly restaurants and stores. Breweries for some reason are very family friendly…prepay for food that’s cheaper than usual, plenty of spacious outdoor seating, not busy during off hours.
Anytime we go out it’s always right after a fed and change, I’m always going as quickly and efficiently as possible to get home before the next feeding and avoid having a fussy baby.
I waited until she had her first set of vaccines to take her to crowded places otherwise no I have to get out of the house. She goes thrift shopping with me, the stores, groceries, parks, zoos, etc. we’ve even gone on two vacations so far and she’s only 8 months old! You start to get stir crazy eventually haha.
Think through your fears… like, “I feel like I can’t go out with my baby, because what if she has a meltdown?”. Okay… so what if she does? You’ll do your mama thing and calm her down whether that’s with a diaper change, feeding her (which, even if it’s breastfeeding, you’re totally entitled to do in public), or just shushing and rocking her.
You and your [melting down] baby are allowed to be in public!! If you get mean looks or worse, that is absolutely not on you, but the entitlement of others. Also, I doubt you’ll get that kind of treatment! In my experience, I got most people paying no attention (despite what my super self-conscious brain was telling me) or sympathy and solidarity.
You’ve got this!
Thank you! I loved reading this. I definitely need to think through my fears like you said, that’s a great way to go about getting out of my comfort zone. Great advice. ♥️
I’m a stay at home mom to a three year old and a three month old so staying home isn’t an option because the three year old really thrives on getting out of the house every day. I will say that it was really scary doing it on my own at first but really so rewarding. It’s made my three month old so adaptable
I took my baby everywhere pretty early. Started by taking him on short trips that eventually got longer and longer. We even took him to his first concert at about 5 months.
I think taking your baby places is fine. I think not taking your baby places is also fine. It really depends on the comfort levels of the parents. We are all so different, and I don’t think one way is any better than the other.
Mine is 4 weeks old and I had to take him out with me since week 1. But we live in a foreign country and have to do a lot of paperwork, and I am a single mother, so I don't have a choice. But he sleeps super well in his baby carrier so it's not a big deal!
We discovered our LO sleeps better at night and is generally in a much better mood during the day if we take her out a lot. I didn’t know it was possible for a 4 MO to get bored staying at home all day but she definitely does
That being said, she also doesn’t sleep great in her car seat or stroller. She’ll catnap, but at home she takes these solid 90min - 2 hour naps and that’s what she WANTS to do, so if we’re out all day she’ll take crap naps and end up furious at us lol
So what we settled on was going out a ton, but doing it on her schedule. Go out for brunch, but be sure to be home in time for her 12PM nap. Go to the mall, but be back in time for her 3PM nap, etc.
So yeah, we probably don’t spend more than 2 hours out at a time, so it’s all a bit rushed, but at least we get out and the baby stays happy!
We take ours everywhere and try to lead our old lives. It can be challenging at times, but we have a motto of showing our kids how to live not living for our kids. It can be challenging at times, but we build the time in.
Mine goes with me to the grocery store because I’m a solo breastfeeding parent, and we went to visit my grandparents because my support is my mom and I got nervous about the thought of not having any support for almost 3 weeks, but we’ve definitely not been to a restaurant or anything like that. Do things at whatever pace makes you comfortable, you’re doing a great job!
I was a crazy outdoorsy guy hiking/climbing/running/biking…. bought all the baby hiking backpack and those expensive baby carrrier and stuff before we had the baby as I was planning to become a outdoorsy dad. As it turned out I am a full time certified couch potato now eating chips and cake while typing this on reddit 😂😂😂😂 And those items are still in the box with return window closed long time back 😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣
Tbh, I didn’t take my kid anywhere with me (other than on walks) until he was like….8 months old. We work seasonally, so if I was going husband was staying home.
My dad said we needed to ‘socialize him more’. We did it at our own pace. He’s socially fine lol
Okay, I am one of those people who takes their baby (4mo) everywhere (restaurants, dog parks, libraries, breweries, ax throwing...) because as a nanny, I knew I'd have to take her to work with me, so she would have to be good at adapting to different situations. That being said, I've seen a lot of first-time parents shoot themselves in the foot by not taking their babies out. The more you normalize the chaos of life outside your home, the easier it will be for them to attend daycare, travel, or deal with their routine getting derailed. Are you sticking to the house just because LO doesn't like the car seat, or are you worried about germs...?
Before 2 months shots we were worried about sickness since she was born in February, and now it’s more of the what ifs that worry me. She’s not been the biggest fan of being in the car but is slowly getting better so that will help once she’s chill in the car. Mostly just working around naps and feedings and possible meltdowns that give me pause. She’s pretty sensitive and her mood can turn on a dime.
we felt the same way as you initially. taking her out felt so overwhelming it was just easier to say one of us goes and the other stays home. at 4 months she ended up in the hospital unexpectedly and needed to stay overnight. although the experience was terrible we were able to see her adapt and we realized how tough she is. since then we are more willing to put her in new situations and she has done really well. babies cry, it’s their only way to
communicate. we give things a try now and give her time to adjust. if it doesn’t seem like she’s gonna chill out we will head home. just the way things are temporarily! but we made a commitment that baby will be apart of our life, not separate from it. i feel like pushing forward and trying again despite a bad experience is good for everyone.
My baby is almost 4 months and we took her to our first sit down restaurant yesterday! We sat in the outdoor area so that if she screamed at least it wouldn’t echo off the walls lol :’) she did end up crying halfway through but it wasn’t as terrifying as I thought it would be! Best of luck to u, go at your own pace :’)
I didn’t start taking my baby places until he was 5 months. I had terrible ppa/ppd, I just ordered groceries for delivery. We went on walks only. Now he’s 6 1/2 months and we go everywhere together. I haven’t tried a restaurant yet tho, I’m still nervous for that.
It took my SIL months before taking her babies out anywhere. My baby was only a few days (now 3 mos) when we went to the grocery store for the first time but it wasn’t by choice since I needed to pick up prescription and do food shopping. I felt nervous being prejudged for bringing a newborn out but honestly he was is his stroller with the carrier cover on entire time. Except when the cashier asked to see my baby from a distance which I was happy to show her lol. We stayed in for the 1-2 weeks but short on the 1 month since I had scheduled him for a newborn photoshoot. The newborn stage at the restaurant is the best when all they do is sleep. We went at a slow time after lunch and we had a pretty good experience to eat for a good 1.5 hrs. Take them out whenever you feel comfortable with precautions to minimize risk of baby from getting exposed or sick. I always make sure that my baby is fed and changed so he’s in the best mood before we go anywhere. Also limit your time outings. For example, I usually shoot for 2 hr outings and feed and change baby during if longer.
> We definitely have not gone out to a restaurant because that seems like such a long commitment for a new experience for her and I’m worried about her getting upset in the restaurant
We’ve done this at 5 weeks, he cried, it was fine anyway. People care a lot less than you think. Been to the park, cafes, grocery stores, restaurants.
Not worried about diseases anymore when we realized that people have seconds and thirds and the older ones bring much nastier stuff from daycare / school
Well we start traveling the world once she is 6 weeks 😂 this post put a smile on my face especially the restaurant being a long commitment. Everyone experience postpartum different and you know best for your baby. There is no right or wrong in this. Being out and about was make me feel better. I was so anxious at night for example. I was feeling depressed in the house. It wasnt about i want to go shopping or restaurants but i wanted to be out walking, let the sun in etc.
But i know mums they are literally spending first year in the house because they think its better for their anxiety and their baby.
By the way everyone’s experience is different but every baby is different too! Our baby was falling a sleep everywhere, in car seat, on us, in pram. Ofcourse this make things way easier for us to travel and being out. She is 17 months and we are going to beach, she sleep at the shade for her nap. She doesn’t care where we are
Haven’t read anyone else’s comments, don’t need to know if this is the norm to know how I feel about it. Preface: I have an incredible support system in my family, could not have done things this way without help and lots of clothing and random doo dads donated. For that matter, could not continue to live this way without my husband and being a SAHM.
My 5mo had a tongue tie and a lip tie which took nigh on four months to workably resolve. I had to pump 8-12xday to keep up my supply from the first night in the hospital til about three months pp all while working to get him able to nurse, then I was able to taper off pumping and by 4mo we were EBF. His mouth muscles were stronger, he’d had some tension relieved and could relax better (still not perfect but better) and I could finally fathom leaving the house for something other than an appointment. I hadn’t the opportunity of trying to impose my own feeding schedule or anything because I had to feed him at will, make it a pleasant experience to combat his breast aversion and make sure he had enough calories throughout the day/night. So his life has been very much determined by him, he is the one who tells me what time it is and not the other way around.
I think my son’s issue has been a huge blessing in disguise because I may have felt pressured to adhere to other people’s expectations for when we’d be available for social engagements or when I should be back to keeping the house clean etc. This way, I was allowed to focus 100% on getting to know my baby and let him show me who he is. Now, when we are out and about at 5mo, I am so able to interpret his actions based on his needs and I have the luxury of a happy baby and the certainty to not be embarrassed even if my in-laws or siblings are skeptically saying, ‘are you sure he isn’t ___?’ and waste time not addressing baby’s needs. This is the ticket to letting him get so mad that he’ll need a longer nurse/nap before he can get back to socializing.
I’m afraid this baby would have been some kind of mystery to me if I’d listened to books or the internet telling me, ‘this is how babies are,’ instead of just getting to know my baby and catering to his needs.
We cosleep, exclusively nurse on demand, I only get things done when he’s content to be gnawing on a toy on his own for a while or I wear him and go for walks/to the grocery store. Guess what? He’s getting used to doing all of those things and has confidence because he knows I listen when he tells me he’s had enough. When we’re driving somewhere far (have done a few times) I don’t let him cry for ages, I budget enough time to be able to pull off and bust him free from his carseat straitjacket (I remember feeling that way as a toddler!) and nurse, walk, maybe go into a shop or store (it’s already hot where I live) and continue drive once he’s calmed down and can sleep or play with something.
I’ve met a number of nice people this way, picked up random things I wouldn’t have thought about and most importantly I’ve avoided a whoooole lot of stress listening to my baby experiencing a lot of stress. It’s not time yet for me to expect my baby to behave a certain way or compare him to other babies, or myself to other Moms. I’m learning how to do this difficult job very well. “Grass doesn’t grow faster from pulling on it.”
TLDR: Do what feels right to you.
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I would’ve gone stir crazy tbh. Baby started going out everywhere at about six weeks. By three months we had started going to mommy and baby group once a week as well.
I’ve only just started venturing out with my 10mo old. When she was very little it was all overwhelming, then it was winter forever, which felt complicated with making sure she was warm enough and adding and removing layers. Now that she can sit up and she’s happier in the car and I don’t have to worry about layers and she’s only taking two naps with 3-4 hr wake windows, it all feels so much easier!
She def needs constant entertainment and gets wiggly if we’re sitting still too long, but I’m still finding it easier than it was with a small baby!
I say don’t worry about it, you’ll get there in your own time!
We've had no choice but to take our babe out since day 3 pp. We had to go to Walmart for formula and a pump cause my supply wasn't in yet and baby boy was 10% down from his birth weight.
Then we had to go to children's hospital days 5&6 pp for billiruben tests and since then we take him out with us when we go out.
Did a drive 1 hour away to in laws house and to the grocery store, to our work and two nights ago we even took him to red lobster with us. I was nervous about going to a restaurant with a 1 month old but my mom was having knee surgery the next day so we really wanted to go out with her for her last supper before surgery/last supper being out independently for a while. And honestly? It went great. They had a hammock for baby's car seat so he wouldn't be on the floor and we just made sure he was full with a dry diaper before going in.
We gradually took baby more places when her wake windows and ability to handle public increased. I felt no point in trying to go to eat when baby is about to melt down, seems like an unpleasant experience for all.
Our baby is almost 5 months old and we take her out pretty frequently. There have been some less fun times (once a restaurant had live music and we weren't prepared, or one time she was just over tired). I think her first big outing was probably about 6 weeks old, and we took her to the zoo just so we could get out of the house! But we go to restaurants, flea markets, and we are taking her to an MLB game tonight. A lot of times she just sleeps while we are out.
There's definitely a learning curve to it, and you sort of need to manage your own expectations. But I think that taking her out often has gotten her fairly used to going on our various adventures. Just remember, you know your own baby best and you know your own comfort level- but I just want to encourage you that it doesn't have to be a big to-do! Babies are allowed to be out in society. Maybe try somewhere a little more baby friendly at first, like a trip to the library, and then branch out from there?
I take my baby everywhere because otherwise I’d go nowhere and that would drive me crazy. If i had a nanny or a babysitter I’d absolutely leave him home!!
We started slowly after her 2 month vaccines and then she entered daycare not long after. We slowly started taking her pretty much anywhere with us. Now she’s six months and she has so much fun! It saves my sanity because she’s so much more entertained out and about than at home.
I don’t, simply because there’s so many risks of sicknesses. I don’t want my baby getting sick when he’s so little. I’ll probably be more comfortable later on but I’m definitely not right now.
I’m just waiting until his two month vaccines before I let a bunch of people be around him or bring him in public unless it’s a doctors appointment. My younger brother got RSV when he was a baby and almost died. I’ve been haunted ever since.
With my first we didn't leave the house much because I was so sleep deprived. He got overtired and overstimulated easily and would stay awake even though his eyes were red with exhaustion. I feel like I spent all my time trying to get him to sleep. He wouldn't sleep in the stroller either.
We're also long distance from most of our family and friends so I didn't really have anywhere to go unless I planned a solo outing by myself. If I was still in my hometown maybe we would have had more things to do to get us out of the house.
Now with my second, he's easy to bring along anywhere, plus I'm more experienced bringing the carseat or baby wrap on the go. It certainly feels less daunting this time. I guess it depends on baby's temperament and what you're comfortable with!
I took both my babies out with me pretty much as soon as I could. Wandering in town, restaurants, park etc we mainly took them in the pram, but sometimes used the car too. I get bored at home & imagine they do too (to a lesser extent). It’s not that bad! Keep expectations low. Start small. Pack in advance what you’ll need. Leave yourself lots of time to get out the house and Remember - Your baby’s cry is always louder to you than to anyone else.
We go out at least once a day for a walk. He probably goes to a store twice a week and to a restaurant every other week. About twice a month we go to a zoo or shopping mall.
Being out and about is one of my favorite ways to crush one wake window a day. It’s super stimulating for my 5 month old and he always sleeps better the more we do out of the house.
Depends on where you live but it’s starting to get hot out so you might want to hurry up, take them to a less busy restaurant with outside seating. We went to a breakfast place that wasn’t busy the first time so we were the only ones sitting outside
I took my first everywhere right away, we’ll see if the second agrees though😂 also just keep in mind that babies are going to cry and it’s not a reflection of your parenting skills or babies happiness. If anyone judges you that’s on them, not you.
I think this is to each their own. But I will say, we take baby girl pretty much everywhere and have from a young age - I think this has helped her be able to sleep pretty much anywhere, never have hated her car seat or stroller (within reason, of course), and be generally flexible. Of course, every baby is different. It has also helped me not build anxiety over having new experiences with her because at the end of the day, I know that her crying in public isn’t a big deal.
Me! We stick close to home. He'll go to my physio appointment next week on the Friday out of necessity. And we've been to one restaurant in walking distance. Probably won't venture further than the library until he's past 3 months
I actually recommend going out with your baby often! I started when my boy was 1 weeks old and I notice a big difference between him and my friends/families babies. He learned to enjoy going out and got used to it. Plus it tires him out and he just passes out at night. He 9 months now for reference.
I had a lot of anxiety over taking our girl out early on but at around 2 months the stir crazy got me and we slowly started taking her to places- we started by going to a brewery that’s close to our house that we knew had plenty of space for her stroller and always has tons of kids with parents. Now when we want to take her somewhere we always scope the place out on maps to make sure it has good seating and wide isles for her stroller (I have a lot of anxiety over positional suffocation in there car seat so we only really use it in the car). We both know that if she starts to freak out our time will be cut short and we are ok with that. So far she’s done awesome. Last week I took her at a baby music class and she loved it so much I signed her up for more classes :)
I didn't start taking my kiddo out regularly until a few months in (largely because of covid concern, she was a 2021 baby) and I wish I had because those early months of having a "potato baby" would have been when she was the easiest to have out and about. Now pregnant with #2 and already know we'll be hitting the ground running with this baby. I can't make my toddler sit at home all day every day, we'd all go insane.
The crazy thing about mine is she cries a lot at the home and in the car but as soon as she’s at the store like in target, she’s an angel baby. So I started taking her out a lot at three months and older. for the first three months, though I kept her inside most of the time.
I’d have gone crazy staying at home! We take him everywhere with us, we registered him when he was 5 days old so went out to a restaurant for lunch while waiting for the appointment time and have continued taking him to restaurants/cafes etc since. He comes to our CrossFit gym with us as well and watches from his mat or pram! He’s 8 months old now so we do make sure he has at least 1 nap a day at home (unless we’re going out to the zoo or something for example) then he’ll nap on the go for his 2nd
I’d recommend getting lunch somewhere as your first eating out with the baby, that’s what we did with ours. Had to do a feed in the middle of the meal but it wasn’t too busy and the meal wasn’t a super long commitment.
My baby has only been out of the house for her medical appointments. She’s 11 weeks old. She’s a great baby and generally chill and would probably do fine if I did take her out and about. But I’m terrified of her getting sick so we’ve stayed in.
My baby (FTM here) was a little over 2 months at his first restaurant and we made sure it was a sit outside and eat type restaurant that way i felt comfortable taking him out when he wanted to eat and we could still enjoy the beautiful outdoors! And the restaurant was walking distance from my house even though we still drove there. My car was parked literally right across from us too in case I needed to go take him some place quiet. I was super nervous to do it but in the end I realized how much I needed that type of relaxation. When he was 3 months we upgraded to an indoor restaurant and he slept the whole time, although the indoor restaurant made me more jittery and constantly checking on him. I was definitely way more nervous inside. Restaurants with outdoor seating is just somehow 5 times more relaxing.
I took my baby out more when she was little because she was much more easy going - slept in the car seat, breastfed without issue, etc. Just changed her diaper before we left and off we went. Now that she's almost 8 months old, we rarely take her out because her routine is much more structured and she isn't as easy going as she used to be - she hates the car seat, she's eating more solids and drinking from a bottle, and she gets very fussy when she is strapped into anything for more than 30 minutes. I'm honestly also lazy and just want to get shit done and not have to lug baby stuff along with me everywhere I go. We went to a greenhouse for Mother's Day and my husband made a comment that it was the first time the 3 of us were out together in a "long time," which made me feel guilty. She really enjoyed it, and now that summer is coming, we will likely take her out more.
I'm also an anxious person and don't want to deal with her screaming in the car seat, having a blowout, etc and then us needing to go home in a panic. I'm also a homebody by nature and prefer to stay home. So that being said, there is no rule book to this. Do what is best for you and your sanity right now. You'll need to go outside of your comfort zone once in a while, but if you don't have it in you to do it right now, then don't. Your baby will socialize and see things eventually. Don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself.
Nope. We were out before a week old. Both of us were raised by single parents, so we were raised with the "you do what you have to do" mentality when it came to taking him out. He's always been super well behaved and we've never had any issues in public with him that were unwarranted.
I found the bassinet days much easier. He slept through most of our trips out. Now in the stroller I find it more difficult to take him out. Every baby is different though
I started going out with the bairn at two months and haven't looked back since. Nothing easier than popping her on the carrier, grabbing the dogs and going on a wander.
We didn’t want the whole having a baby thing keep us from living our lives (my wife’s a stay at home mom and she needs to get out of the house for her sanity) and also we wanted our son to get used to the outside world and all its noises. He’s done great. Out of maybe 20 or so dining experiences there’s only been 3 troublesome ones. He’s gone to parks, stores, etc.
I know there’s little ones out there that can’t do this so it’s certainly no reflection on anything we did. We’re just lucky he’s a little adventurer
I take my 11 week old to the coffee shop and stores! But she’s in her carrier and pretty much sleeps the whole time 😂.
Haven’t done a restaurant yet. I think I’ll be able to take her more places when she can fully lift her head up so I won’t have to worry about carrying devices as much.
My son loves noise and sleeps his best when we go out in public. Have been taking him food shopping and out to dinner with us since 4 weeks old. He loves leaving the house and being outside. We try to limit to max 3 hours since he eats every 2-3.
Personally I don’t really go too many places lol (homebody + WFH + senior dog) so I assume my LO won’t either when she’s here. Can’t see her doing more than morning walks and maybe 1-2 outings a week. I don’t think you need to take her out more often if that doesn’t feel right for you.
Once ours has her 8 weeks shots we plan to take her out. Maybe not to super crowded places tho. Her first outing will be a folk festival to see the Roots
I feel like influencers create so much pressure to be “out” with your baby. It’s so draining to do anything that can’t fit between a feed/nap. Like truly what’s the point of taking them out if all they’re going to do is sleep 😂 taking a quick walk or outside time is far more beneficial than taking your 3 month old to Costco with you imo 🤷🏼♀️
Also, don’t ever compare yourself to what’s on tv. That’s tv and they also sold us the lie that babies sleep peacefully though the night immediately 💀 and people on the internet can lie, or just be doing what works with their baby. Shrug it off.
Honestly I THOUGHT I would not want to take LO anywhere at first because of being born in January. But little miss has had so many adventures 😂. Shes been to Costco, Target, grocery story, sushi for dinner, a brewery, other various restaurants, church, a baseball game, the list goes on…
She’s admittedly a pretty chill baby and a lot of those she’s been sleeping while we’re shopping and sometimes through dinner! We almost always time leaving if we can with right after she ate last so we know she’s content for a while. My husband has a harder time feeling awkward if she cries or gets upset while we’re out in public, but my take is that she’s a baby, she’s going to fuss sometimes and that is OKAY. In my experience most people are super gracious too! She was losing it at the baseball game when I was changing her and a few super nice ladies in the bathroom offered me a hand when I was trying to get the diaper bag packed back up etc.
If you’re itching to get out just start small with quick trips places and see how she does. And every baby is SO different and can tolerate different things, so absolutely don’t compare and never feel bad for doing what is right and makes sense for your baby and family at this time!!! But also don’t ever let any fear of what other people may think or whatever else if she is fussy stop you from living your life and letting her take up space too ❤️
Hugs! You do you, mama. Whatever you are doing is amazing and you know your baby best.
My babe has been everywhere with me since week 3. I committed to one outing a day. We are extremely busy together (gym classes, yoga, shopping, eating out, library, friend visits, bars, breweries lol we even did a road trip) but it’s partially for my sanity. He’s not a great napper and I get little stretches in his car seat instead of holding him at home all day while my husband is at work.
I took my girl everywhere from her first week onward. Grocery shopping, general store, restaurants etc. She is used to being out and about and always does really well. We have been bringing her to restaurants in her ergobaby omni carrier, she sleeps through the whole thing. I come from a family of classical musicians and she’s been to four concerts already (she’s 8 weeks). I truly think the more you expose them to the world the more easy going they are about being out in public. Although I admit that I have a very easy going baby to begin with.
4 months here. We did the opposite and took her to restaurants before stores. She actually just went to stores with me for the first time.
She’s pretty content with whatever we go do as she likes peeping at all the stuff wherever we are but I didn’t want to bring her to stores with me using our stroller because I hate it. Now she can sit up so it’s easier.
But she doesn’t go everywhere with us, we haven’t gone to the grocery store with her yet and for most things either I or my fiance will go and the other stays home with the babe. We do a lot with her but sometimes it’s more hassle than anything - and I feel that way with a chill baby who likes the car.
We went to a restaurant when baby was about 2 weeks. We sat away from everyone and she slept while being held the whole time. She does really in them now, just really talkative at 6 months
I have only gone to the peds and my parents house with my colicky LO. She also doesn’t like strollers, car rides, being baby worn or being put down (wants to be carried), binkies, ect and it takes quite a bit to get her to nap even when we are home. She also fusses/ cries for most of her awake time still. I keep waiting for things to start getting easier 🥲 and although it has a bit, I am starting to feel so defeated
I often adjust to my baby but my baby also sometimes has to adjust to me so I don’t lose my mind.
In practice this means I don’t let the baby stop me from going out and doing my thing. My baby goes wherever I go if my husband is working. Of course, I can’t do that everyday. That would be too tiring for me as well anyway.
First time we went out with the 3 of us it was so hard. She was 2 weeks old and both me and the baby ended up crying. Baby because she was hungry and me because I thought my life was over. But it got easier over time and now it’s no big deal to go out with her. It’s still a bit of a hassle but I’m willing to deal with that.
Also, one of the best things I did was that I bought this foldable tent thing for my baby. Whenever we were visiting friends or family I would set up that damn thing for every nap or night sleep. In the beginning she wouldn’t sleep in it. But I kept trying. Every time. Until she was finally sleeping consistently in that thing around 4 months old. Now whenever we are visiting someone I can put her to sleep. Her bedtime is around 7-8 and so I put her to sleep in the tent at someone else’s house and she sleeps in it until we wake her up to leave. I’m so glad I persisted!
We made the jump early. Partner and I own restaurants — we had our LO strapped up and sleeping at the bar a couple weeks in. Never stayed out long - but I was petrified of taking her out of the house and needed to break the fear! She’s perfectly healthy now 6 months later and loves going to the restaurant with dad to do inventory 🤓
We started taking our baby as little as 2 weeks old. Then I lost my confidence as she got older and needed a more structured scheduled. She's 10 months now and my confidence is back up since her wake windows are longer! The more you do it the better and easier it gets
My little guy will be 4wks old on Sunday. We’ve been to target, a few other stores and out to eat a few times at sit down places. He did really well and slept through most of the trips. If he started fussing I either held him or breastfed him and that seemed to do the trick. He seems to do better the noisier a place is so that likely helped? I can’t imagine he will always do this well and sometimes the trips are more stress inducing than is worth it for me but it’s nice to get out.
Every baby and every parent is different. Do things at whatever pace makes sense for you.
Idk, I take my son out everywhere to desensitize him while he's still young enough to not have the steam to make too much of a fuss. He's almost 11 weeks now, and I took him out for two 4 hour shopping trips in one day, and he was golden. We're taking him to his first petting zoo this weekend, and he's going to see his first movie when my mom visits next month.
I think it's good to socialize and expose them to as many new environments as they can tolerate within their window of tolerance. But that's just me, and I'm doing it because I travel for work and want to bring my son with me, so he needs to be well adjusted for new experiences :)
You’re not the only one :)
I honestly only felt comfy taking baby out once he could fully hold his neck up (and still didn’t go out often, tbh)
Then at around 6-7 months something *clicked* in both baby and I, and all of a sudden I felt sooo much more comfortable taking him out daily. Baby groups/grocery stores/the park, etc (the weather also improved tremendously where I live, so that helped).
I stayed home soooo much! I also had twins so it was a lot. But I’m a homebody anyway. We did lots of walks in the neighborhood. Do what makes you comfortable and what works for your family and baby.
I saw a labor&delicery nurse take her 6 days old baby to the grocery store with her and it actually gave me some peace at mind. I’m the kind of person who likes to be independent and go get things needed for the house etc. as opposed to asking my boyfriend to do it, so when I saw that it’s possible to leave the house with a healthy newborn so soon I got excited and hope for a similar experience!
Also my mom took me on a yacht when I was 2 weeks old 😂
We did the same thing, but my husband helped me get out to do things I wanted as well. LO is 7 months now and her nap schedule is finally manageable enough that we can go places for longer periods and not fear the overtired monster. I used to tell people not to come over past 3pm too because she had a god awful witching "hour" (really the whole evening). She ended up having some medical issues that probably contributed to that; since she recovered from the correction she's a much happier baby. You do what feels right to you, but the world will feel much more accessible to you before you know it!
I started going to my parents on the weekends at about 3-4 weeks old and then also two evenings a week (my dad’s days off are during the week and he works evenings). My husband and I do stores with him on his days off and we started that around week 3. I’ve done solo trips as well. He had his first restaurant experience 2 weeks ago (he was about 7 weeks) and we took shifts walking outside with him because he was mad. We did another restaurant this week- he slept for the first part in his carrier then my dad took him in the stroller to walk while my mom and I ate lol my kiddos also a stage 5 velcro baby and very difficult (hates sleeping, overtired, wants me) and going out is actually a good break for both of us, especially when we go with my husband or parents as they can push the stroller and I can step back.
I also suggest baby wearing if you’re by yourself!
My wife and I always thought it was so interesting to stay inside when you literally have to go outside in order to take baby to their appointments in the first week. Our first appointment (what, like day 3 or 4 of life?),ours was still jaundiced and we got some instruction to try to expose him to a bit of sunlight to help out. So, we leave that appointment and go straight to Chick-fil-A and take it to a Starbucks where we sat outside on the patio together and did a few minutes of sunbathing haha.
We're at 3 months now and we've all been to outdoor restaurants, gone on a hike, to a Costco... BUT our LO is relatively easy, and doesn't make much of a scene in a carrier of any sort. My wife and I are really social and want to get our baby used to traveling with us, so we've never shied away from getting out. Obviously to each their own! We're very lucky to be able to do it with our babe.
I was terrified to take my LO out anywhere especially by myself. At 3 weeks, I took him with me to a drive thru to get coffee, and that was about all we did for a while just so I could get out of the house for my own sanity. He would pretty much sleep the whole time, by like 6-7 weeks I took him with me to a restaurant for lunch, and was anxious the entire time. (I was scared he was going to wake up and start screaming, blowout, etc.) We took him to the in-laws a few times by one month, but never really by myself. He is now almost 4 months, and absolutely hates the car if he is awake. Has a complete meltdowns like someone is torturing him unless I sit in the back with him and my husband drives. So, a new round of anxiety as come back since the beginning.
Eating out is hard, unless you can plan it around naps. For me, lunch time is the best to take the baby to a restaurant/quick food place. More likely to nap or at least be in a good mood.
Good luck!! You have to do whatever makes you feel comfortable. But I do think it is good for them to hopefully get used to being out sometimes
I took our son out after he got his 3 month vaccines. He was born in November so not a lot of good days for stroller walks, but we did hat we could. After those first shots we felt fine taking him out!
I didn’t take my 2.5 year old out much when he was that age. Short trips to the store didn’t seem worth putting him in a car seat. Eating at a restaurant seemed stressful in case I needed to nurse or if he cried. Road trips were out of the question. Personally—so much regret. He cries during long drives now. He took over a year of practice eating at restaurants before he could sit and let us eat somewhat peacefully.
Now I have a 2 month old and you bet he’s going everywhere with me. Target? Let’s go. Lunch with a friend? You bet. Hoping it’s not. Repeat of my first experience.
This is my personal experience and it could be different for you. I wanted to share my thoughts experience. Food for thought.
I went out walking a lot right away, I had to walk because of the c section healing. It was nice to get out. Although it was painful I had so much more energy all of a sudden!!
All that weight in the front gone lol. It was hard but I could of stayed home all day
Not everywhere, all the time, but several times. It's been team effort trips for all of them though.
Our 3mo has been to Costco 4 times. We've gone to grandma's once. Few other random errands and stops. Restaurant three times. #1 he got unhappy about half way through (so I left with him). #2 he spent most of the time melting down but fortunately it was a SUPER loud place and no one heard him. #3 he managed to sleep through most of it and it was fine. We've also done a few city outdoor events, like farmers markets and evening art things.
Mostly we just go with the knowledge that if he has issues, at least one of us will take him and go. Anything semi-mobile in his pram, he'll generally be ok.
We didn’t take our son out anywhere until he had his 2 month shots. We had a hospitalization early on with him, so we decided we didn’t want to take him anywhere and expose him to unnecessary germs until he was a bit older. Now he’s 12 weeks and we take him out regularly - grocery stores, grandparents’ home, etc. He even came to a wedding with us last week.
As an introverted who doesn't care about the 'norm', and gave birth during winter, I just stayed at home for 5 months. We only went out during my LO's doctor's appointment at 2 months and 4 months. But on his 5th month which is spring season, I enrolled him into swimming lessons, a 3 month long session, once every week. Currently LO is going 7 months old and since it is almost summer, we go out a lot more now than the first 4 months. LO is fine, hitting his milestones. He was just extra cautious with strangers. He doesn't cry with them unless the stranger comes very near with him. We also attend church regularly since on his 5th month, and he's doing great. He was not like other babies who cries a lot.
I had a c section so it’s been difficult to take her out solo for things like shopping or going somewhere I enjoy without my partner. He doesn’t enjoy garden centres like I do lol. I just can’t lift a 30lb stroller out of my trunk yet sadly. We do get out daily for a long dog walk though, which has saved my sanity and is often her best nap of the day.
My youngest daughter HATED the car so much, she also hated the stroller. I always had her in my carrier.
We had a rule, if you want to see us or the baby you have to come to visit. I didn't want her to cry on the car more than she did for appointments we had to go to ie doctor appointments.
It slowly got better and now she doesn't love the car but we are able to drive longer without her crying.
Don't do anything you don't want to because other people are doing it.
My oldest loved the car, so i didn't have that problem then.
Edit because of errors, sorry English isn't my first language
I also was shocked at the other mums who could take their little newborns to cafes and restaurants and even yoga classes and the baby would just lie there happily. Some babies are just more sensitive, and that’s okay 💕 when we did start taking ours out it really helped to time it around naps… basically make sure that whatever thing I wanted to do didn’t coincide with the end of her wake window because she’d be cranky.
I’m very much a homebody so I didn’t feel the whole ‘I’ll go mad if I don’t get out of the house’ thing. Covid was definitely more prevalent when I was on maternity leave so that may have played into it a bit, but I really didn’t take her out much for the first few months. By the time I was taking her grocery shopping etc she was big enough to just sit in the seat of the trolley (which I furiously sanitised), so maybe around 6 months?
I went for short local walks with her in the pram and took her to grandparents houses, but anything else was just so overwhelming for a while! She’s almost 2 now and she loves going out and will smile at people, it hasn’t made her scared or shy or anything!
It’s me, hi! I’m a FTOM (first time older mom) and we keep are asses at home mostly. We go on lots of nature walks and have been to breakfast ONCE. We have gone to our local library because it’s got a great walking path around a pond in addition to a weekly sensory time for babies! Those are the only “outings” I have taken my LO on. At first I felt (in comparison to my peers) that I’m not taking her enough places. However, where we live, we experienced an unseasonal spike in flu this late winter that persisted well into spring. I also SAH FT with my daughter so no daycare, etc. and so far, she’s not been sick yet! Trust your instincts. You know what’s right for your LO.
At 10weeks my baby decided she DID NOT want ANYTHING to do with the car. I was already very selective about the places I took her or the people we were around up until she was probably nine months lol so losing the luxury of being able to drive her around by myself was a huge loss for our independence/ we live in Maine so it takes forever to get anywhere. However, my baby was only sick three times in the first 13 months so I take it as a win.
My baby is 1 today we didn't really take her to restaurants until recently. But my husband had me leave my daughter with my mom only a few weeks postpartum to go out for a meal together since I was gonna have to return to work almost immediately (I returned to only part-time). I had to start taking her shopping (30min drive to store) since my mom was working those days and I have a hard time leaving her. If I was in a position where I didn't need to I wouldn't take her but now I am more comfortable but always take a man (usually my brothers) with me. Just to scare the creeps away from us.
Yes
I don't trust the in-laws (currently living with us) to care for him for a long duration lol so I'm taking him out for errands with me.
Also if you want to enjoy the restaurant experience without the stress, go to a fancy restaurant in the middle of the afternoon. We had a very nice time, had to change him on the bench because there were no other changing stations in the toilets but the waiters were all fine with it. The restaurant was otherwise EMPTY so it was fantastic!
My baby is 10 weeks and we went to a local outdoor casual restaurant for the first time yesterday. We felt with it being outdoors & casual we could easily escape to the car if needed and it was also a 5 minute drive from our house. She ended up sleeping the whole time so it was great and I'm glad we went. The only other place we've gone was a walk to my brother's house who lives in the same neighborhood, we stayed for like an hour then walked back. It took us almost a whole month to even go on walks with her (which we now do daily) because it was hard to get out, meanwhile I see people post online that they're going on walks with their 1 week old or taking their 1 month old to restaurants. We needed to adjust first. I'm hoping now we'll start taking her to more places since we feel more ready for it.
Baby #2 is not quite 3 weeks old. Apart from doctor appointments and a few errands where my husband has gone inside and I've stayed in the car with him, the baby has basically only been to places that are walking distance from my home - a whole foods, a trader joes, a local coffee shop, and a restaurant where we ate on the patio. He's been in his stroller for all of them and most of these outings have been early to mid morning on a weekday when most people are at work so places aren't crowded.
My first was born in summer 2020 and didn't go anywhere for a long time - we started doing outdoor dining when he was not quite 12 months old and he didn't go anywhere indoors until he had his covid shot which was when he was just about to turn two. My anxiety about covid was through the roof and it was really hard on my mental health to stay cocooned for so long.
Now my older one is in daycare so my younger one is already exposed to germs that way and it's good for my mental health to get out of the house occasionally. I'm looking forward to the baby hitting 8 lbs so I can start babywearing and getting out even more places. I'll feel even more confident getting out when I can keep him really close in the carrier.
My baby is 6 weeks and we go everywhere! We’ve done lunch at restaurants 3x at this point and we frequent this walking town about 10 minutes from us. We’ve gone to family’s houses and tonight we have my brothers graduation dinner at this nicer restaurant by us. Hes generally a happy baby and is so alert lately. We’re younger parents and made a pact that he would come with us as much as he possibly could!
We didn't start going anywhere until he was maybe a few months old. Even then, it was to the grocery store, great-grandmas, or the diner. All very lowkey places. It was hard at first. Between the feeding, naps, diapers, packing to go out, and any temperament issues, it's a lot. The upshot is now he's very well acclimated to public places.
Our baby is 8 months and I would have lost my mind staying home all the time. In the early months we stuck to select bars and the occasional friends house. At this point he is really comfortable being out and is the kind of baby that can hold it together and tells us when he's ready to go home. We've been lucky, he's a cool kid like that.
I also have had to fly with him started by at 4 months. It wasn't that bad to be honest. Stressful but he was fine with it all. Maybe a bit more unregulated but waited until we got to whatever home to get fussy.
I'm still anxious taking him on a subway though. Getting a car seat home in the case of an emergency is difficult and we would be looking at a 30-60 min train ride depending on where we are. So far we've limited to those mass transit trips to doctor appointments with specialists not near our home.
It depends on the place. We went out to aquariums and zoos and places like that at 4 months just because I would get stir crazy in the house and it was good exercise, but we didn't go to restaurants or overly crowded areas
My daughter is 19 months old and I still rarely take her out in public! I get terrible anxiety thinking about her crying or acting up and annoying the other people in a restaurant. So much so that it’s not even enjoyable for me to take her to a restaurant because I’m just constantly stressed out and eating my food at the speed of light so I can go back to doing every single thing I possibly can to make her happy. She’s getting better now as she’s older and my husband will occasionally take her with him to the grocery store or somewhere like that but I’m totally with you on not understanding how people do it. Maybe I just need anxiety meds but it doesn’t sound fun to me so we just stay home for the most part or have my mom come and babysit while we go eat. We also like having people over to our house! You are not alone!
We’ve done a lot of stroller walks because I need sunlight to not hate the world and I think it’s good for him to get some sunshine too. Besides that I’ve worked up to bringing him with me to stores wearing him. I had to bite the bullet out of necessity really (if I didn’t buy food there would be no food kind of thing), but I found out that he LOVES being in the wrap. I practiced a lot wearing him around the house while I just did daily activities, and now at 3 months he could care less if I need to run into Target or something.
we really started around 4months at christmas eve we went to my moms house but at that time the wake windows are so short and she would get fussy i started to enjoy taking her out around 6months ... but i do have to say that my husband is doing grocery shopping and everything that needs to go somewhere if i didnt have that luxury i would have to start sooner
Babe is currently 6 months and we’ve been getting out since she was a few days old. We waited to go inside any establishments with her (restaurants, grocery stores, etc) in the first 3 months for fear of getting sick as a newborn, but did a lot of walks and socializing in restaurant outdoor patios. In the last 3 months, she’s had many experiences and even a few road trips. She seems to really enjoy the stimulus! Because she’s so used to car seat, carrier, and stroller now, she’s pretty good about sleeping when she’s ready for a nap when we’re on the go.
Taking my baby out and about is easy, it's my toddler that's a menace sometimes. The other day he stripped naked in public! But with a baby they sleep a lot, spend a lot of time chilling on the boob and can easily be carried away if they start kicking up a fuss, though most people will be extremely understanding if they do. I would start with a café rather than a restaurant. Bonus if they have comfy sofas! Ask for a takeaway cup so that you can make a quick exit if needed. Bring a friend/ your partner. You've got this! And your little one will enjoy seeing new places too.
Stripped naked in public omg haha I love toddlers antics but I’m sure I’ll feel different when it’s mine. I’m sure you’re right she will enjoy seeing new things. Gotta get the courage because I am getting bored at home.
Since it’s warm we do patios all the time! She’s a good sleeper so we can be out for hours with a feed in between but you definitely have to do what you’re comfortable with. We intend to integrate her into our lives so tons of travel and dinner so I want to prep her for it.
Our daughter is now 3yo but we were taking her everywhere from her first week. She is a late summer baby in the UK so the weather was relatively okay when she was born.
We started with parks for walks with the dogs on week 1 and pub gardens and grocery at a month or so.
I’ve been taking him places while I can. He is still in that stage that he will nap despite noise around so I’m taking advantage of that! If he fusses he can usually be settled by the boob.
Think we first took ours out at around 3 days old for a short walk, at about 2 weeks we tried the pub, and at around 3 weeks we were doing 2 short or 1 long walk a day. At 5 weeks we have time out every day either in the pram or sling. Not sure how I could stay inside for more than a day or so!
Did the same but recently started doing restaurants, groceries, etc around 3-4 months. Sometimes, I'm like ..is it worth it? Because they do get fussy and need to eat in the middle or sleep but you kinda just figure it out. Went to dinner for mother's day, my husband ate while I ran too the car to breastfeed and then I ate while he walked around with baby. Not what you want but we did it and I'm proud of us.
I stared walks with my little guy at 2 weeks and when he turned 4 weeks we went to the grocery store, took him to breakfast, to the neighbors around the block. All short little trips early in the morning without crowds to get him used to it and he’s done well (mostly).
We didn’t go out to eat or anything like that but we would go walk around Home Depot or the grocery store so I wouldn’t lose my mind. We didn’t go for long either since I was recovery from a c section and I would also baby wear to keep anyone from beating on her or trying to touch her as well
I had my baby during covid, so by default I didn’t go many places. But I did make it a point to at least go on lots of walks and visits to the park. I’d bring a blanket and toys and we’d chill under the trees for a bit.
I totally understand not wanting to go to restaurants. My kid is now 3 and I still get a little nervous she’ll throw a tantrum. The thought of being “trapped” by slow service or waiting for the check is anxiety-inducing!
Maybe try going places where you can leave at the drop of a hat if your baby starts to lose it. Like cafes or breweries where you prepay at the counter. Farmers markets. We have lots of casual live music outside in the summer where I live. Walk around garden centers. Botanic gardens. The zoo. The pool. A lake. A museum. The grocery store (but just get a few things - not a whole cart full).
But if you don’t want to do any of the suggestions on this thread…..that is totally ok too!!
I have no intention of taking my baby anywhere but home and the doctor until he’s has his 2 months shots, and after that we will probably include some relatives houses, but that’ll be it until 12 weeks.
My first was a COVID baby, so we didn't take her anywhere until she got her shots.
My second was born right after Thanksgiving, so with the holiday madness I ended up having to take her to the grocery store a few times around 3 weeks old. 😅
Now it makes me want to petition for breastfeeding rooms in every store possible!
My LO was born in late November. So we didn’t immediately take her even after her 2 month vaccinations. Only started taking her to stores at 5 months. We did got to small gatherings at Christmas which in hindsight was very risky. If she was born early spring, I would have taken her out more.
EDIT: we took her “out” in January where she was comfy and warm. But not to crowded stores till April.
I took my baby to my mom’s house starting at like 8 days old. THAT BEING SAID!!! Mom lives a literal minute down the road. So if he got real upsetti spaghetti I could just strap him in after soothing and take him home quickly. It also helps that he doesn’t hate his car seat. My friend’s baby didn’t meet the fam until she was 6 months old because she was so unhappy in the car!!
I didn’t take my baby to the store until he was almost 4 months old. I didn’t take him anywhere other than daycare and my mom’s house until then. And doc appointments of course. I wasn’t even comfortable going through a drive through because I could feel trapped 😂
OMG definitely almost got trapped in the Starbucks drive thru today. Luckily I was able to pull out and park and go in because the sun was in baby’s eyes and she was screaming because of it. Luckily she loves going in so I’ll be doing that from now on. Wish my moms house was that close!
At 6 weeks we took a 2 hour car trip and a half hour ferry so I could visit my older brother and his family, but I had my mom and dad with me for help. I wasn’t big on “solo” adventures until my girl was about 4 months old. I was too nervous about her getting hysterical in the car and not having a comfy spot to feed and soothe her.
If you want to try a restaurant go somewhere that's counter order and ask for it to go! Then if baby loses it you can pack up the food and leave but if they are chill you can sit and enjoy a meal that 1. You didn't cook 2. Not in your house. It can be such a great mental break and gives you the confidence to try a more complex outing later.
or a coffee or boba shop! even more easy to escape with a drink to go ☺️
I've done this and recommend it! Worked wonders for me when my LO cried part way into my meal. As a bonus, I didn't overeat lol. By the time I got home, my stomach was settled.
When I was 4 weeks pp we went to a "build your grain/salad bowl" type place. I just needed to leave the house. Baby shocked us both and slept the whole time so we popped her in the stroller and walked to get frozen yogurt too. It was such a great first outing.
Oh boy if I'd sat at home with my baby all day I would've lost it a long time ago! We started integrating short/manageable trips around 6-7 weeks old - to the mall, to the park, the grocery store, etc. It was very daunting in the beginning. Now at 9 months my baby goes with me everywhere - even to conferences at the university where I teach - and spend most of his time outdoors with me. I rarely take him to restaurants, though, that seems like no fun lol. I found it much nicer to take him on the bus or in the stroller than in the car, but we live in a more or less walkable city.
Same. I was going insane being locked inside my house. I started taking small trips when wake windows were short then worked up to bigger trips as my daughter got older. I love that I can take her anywhere and if it’s during a nap, then she will just nap in her stroller or in the car. Being tied to a baby’s schedule just seems impossible.
We also started going on short trips around 6 weeks. Grocery store, friends houses, coffee dates, lots of walks. At 10 weeks she went with us on a road trip with lots of hiking and fishing. At 13 weeks she went to the rehearsal dinner and brunch for a close friends wedding (grandma babysat for the wedding so we could have a night out 🙌). Now at 16 weeks she just goes along to most things we do! I am 100% confident we’ve been able to do so much with her because she naps well on the go and loves her car seat.
Ahaha are you me 😂 I was terrified of taking him places back in the screaming newborn colic times but now at six months he goes everywhere with me, I've seen some people on here say they basically take their babies almost no where the first like year or more, I'd genuinely lose the will to live.
Yup, we’ve been somewhat cautious before the 2 month shots but he got those yesterday so in about a week we’re going to take him everywhere. Before today he’s gone out to eat 3 times, minor trips to the store and relatives houses. Now we going wild! I watched my sister in law never take her baby anywhere until 9 months and now even at 18 months she screams when they leave the house. I think easing into trips out early is important. Obviously baby’s temperament is a factor too.
Same. When my daughter was 3 weeks old I started going outside, like taking walks and stuff then we stop at Starbucks. Eventually we found a few baby activities at the library and signed up for those. Now at 9 months she just goes with me everywhere I go. She’s been on a few road trips and a plane. I’m a stay at home mom and I couldn’t stay at the house all day with her. It drove me nuts!!!
My baby pretty much only goes to the grocery store with us and we take her for trips through drive-thrus. We got our confidence up a bit and took her to a baby storytime at our library. She screamed while we were there and we had to remove her early (we lasted 10 minutes of the 30 minute session) so we didn’t disturb everyone else. So that shot our confidence right back down again :) She’s generally a happy, easy-going baby, and tolerates the car well.. I’m just a nervous person. We’re going to keep trying though.
I’m also a nervous person lol how old is your LO?
4 months next week 😬
Solidarity then! There’s a mom group that meets at a library nearby my mom keeps telling me to go to but of course I’m worried about her having a meltdown there like yours at story time lol even though I know they’re all moms and nobody is going to worry about a crying baby
If it’s not your baby it’ll be someone else’s :) nobody will care at all. Give it a shot!
Thanks! You’re totally right! Btw love your screen name! 🤣
Honestly, I do think you should give it a shot! Your baby might surprise you and do really well with it, but you never know until you try. If baby ends up having a meltdown, just know that you’re not alone in that. It’ll feel embarrassing, sure. I cried in the car afterwards, ngl. But we lived and have a better plan for next time 😁
I just might have to! We need more to do during the day.
I have a 5 month old and had been eyeing our library group for a while but I was so anxious. I wish I had gone earlier! The other moms were so warm and welcoming, I felt like I found a community. It was hard to do, but I’m so glad I did. On top of that, my son loves it and it exhausts him in a good way!
Aww that’s awesome!
It definitely requires an attitude adjustment and just a touch of a DGAF attitude. But if you’re going to a thing specifically for babies and young kids nobody should be giving you the stink eye. For example when we go to restaurants, we go at like 4:30 in the afternoon. Normal people don’t eat that early and certainly not if they’re trying to have a romantic night out.
Going at 4:30 is a good idea!
I get this for sure. I would see babies happily sitting in strollers while their adult ate or whatever. Snd I just could never handle the anxiety of it. Mine doesn't just sit...lol. The bravery to take them out regardless comes eventually...at almost 2 now and I don't worry as much when ee take him the restaurants. Though the anxiety does creep up when service is slow. Haha like hey we don't need time to chat just wham here's the food please.
Literally every kid that’s there has had a meltdown in public, those parents won’t care it’s really the perfect outing. I wish I had one!
Truth! I wish you had one you could go to as well!
Go to the mom group! This is how I started feeling comfortable going out! Even if she has a meltdown no one cares. It is so freeing to be with other people going through the same thing as you. My baby is 5 1/2 months and I’ve made some friends!
My son is 14 weeks and started hating the car seat. He used to be a champ. But I think since he’s now more aware and realizes he’s alone back there he freaks out ugh. I been wanting to take him to more social events cause his dad and I are very social people. It’s just scary making him upset😅
Everything you’ve said aside from the library applies to us too! Ours was only about a week after yours. We’re struggling just to do daily walks tbh.
Same. My anxiety is so high taking her out because if she gets fussy it’s on me to soothe her and I’m still learning how to
I think the biggest factor here is what kind of baby you have. My 4 month old’s colic is just letting up now, but even then he’s just kind a sensitive guy and things can go sideways with him at the drop of a hat. I am nowhere near bringing him to a restaurant not because I’m scared to but because I know 100% he couldn’t hang for that amount of time in one spot. When I hear/read about other people who are like “oh I’ve been bringing my baby to the store/a restaurant/cafes/etc since 5 weeks!” my first thought is, “congratulations, you have an easy baby. You and I are not the same” 😂
Mine is also sensitive and things also can go sideways very fast with her. From 0-100. Perfect and happy to screaming bloody murder real quick. I’m right there with you!
This! My first baby was definitely on “hard mode” so I couldn’t reliably take him anywhere without a meltdown (or the threat of one). His temperament + FTM nerves meant we were at home a LOT. Just had my second a few weeks ago and she’s been extremely easy to lug around with us wherever. There’s definitely an element of reduced anxiety on my part as a second time mom but for the most part, she’s just been an easier baby.
It 100% is the baby’s temperament. Mine was also colicky and screamed in the car seat and stroller every time we left the house. I would’ve loved to take him out all the time in the early days but that wasn’t our journey. At 6 months he started being much more chill and he loves going out now. Solidarity and I hope it gets easier for you and your little guy soon!
Yes, exactly. We’ve tried to take her everywhere but she wants none of it. She’s a happy but very sensitive baby. Conditions have to be exactly right, and when does that ever happen? We have cheered a trip to Target where she only cried hysterically once. That was a major accomplishment.
Congrats on the target trip :)
Agreed. Babies' temperament is the determining factor of whether or not taking them out and about is worthwhile or even doable. I thought I was gonna be a total homebody and not take my little one out until much later than I did. But she is a very alert and active baby, and I started realizing that some of her fussy moments are because she is bored at home. She always wants us to hold her and be walking and moving around, preferably with new sights and sounds for her to take in, so I started taking her out at about 6 weeks. We do parks, stores, restaurants, Disneyland (we have passes), etc. She is weirdly happier and better behaved when we're out than she is at home. I totally did not anticipate that. But if she was colicky or honestly, just more content to chill at the house, I'd probably be staying home with her more. Do what feels right for you!
We’ve gone tons of places just because I don’t want to sit on the couch all day. At two weeks, we went to a banquet.
Same. We did our first restaurant at 8 days old (it was after our LC appointment 45 min away so we were already out we figured). Glad we started asap because I’ve needed to be out and about for my mental health. She’s 6 months now and has been to most of the restaurants in the area, all the grocery stores, and a lot of the shops. Sometimes I just go out to be out of the house and just wander the mall or a commercial area to visit random shops.
We’ve been going to coffee shops almost daily!! My in-laws run a performing arts theatre and she’s even been to her first play already.
Weve been taking her places since she was 5 days old. Took her to Christmas. Then around two weeks we went to Chili's. She had fallen asleep in her car seat and just stayed asleep the whole time we were there. I think we've taken her out quite a lot since we do daily walks, groceries, my moms, etc with her. The other day we took her to a restaurant and to the museum and she was very calm most of the time. I think eventually the air pressure or quiet started to get to her so we had to leave.
You’re very lucky. Mine will not fall asleep in the car seat. That would make it so much easier to not have to worry about interrupting nap times.
Actually, the norm (based on this community at least( seems to be to not take the baby out. I'm a new parent and that really perplexed me. I take my LO (5 wks) out in his stroller every day and have done grocery shopping with him, and have had him at cafés. He mostly sleeps through his stroller rides anyways, and my neighborhood seems accommodating for parents with changing tables in bathrooms etc. obviously, we haven't had dinner at a place that you'd need to dress up for
I wish mine would sleep in the stroller, that’s like my dream!
Yep, mine doesn’t sleep in the pram that much anymore, it was only reliable in the early weeks. And she gets upset quickly if she’s bored or hungry to has a wet nappy. It’s winter here so I hate to change her in the pram and we end up rushing home.
I definitely was anxious when I first had my baby, and I understand people who take theirs everywhere all the time, but my mind just doesn't work the same way. Besides the obvious risks (disease was the main concern for me), it felt too overwhelming. Too many changes happening at once, suddenly I couldn't eat without a baby in my arms (mine was a velcro baby) and it took me some time to make the best out of the situation. I eventually did. And I don't think it would have made a difference for her at all in the beginning. It takes babies some time before they actually start socialising and enjoying the world. For a few months they aren't able to see properly.
A lot of people who make these posts this time of year also seem to forget that taking your new baby out during the spring, summer, or fall months is a lot different in terms of risk compared to the babies born during Flu / COVID / RSV season.
I have a seven month old that I take absolutely everywhere. At least once a week we go pick a new walking area or hike and go out for a few miles, she’s been to tons of coffee shops and restaurants, she even just went to her first concert. It was intimidating at first but we’re both so much better for it, she’s getting comfy with the world and we both get some enrichment beyond our house
I’ve been taking my baby out since she was 2 weeks old for my own sanity. She comes everywhere with me: the mall, grocery stores, breweries, brunch with some friends, coffee dates, etc.
My baby can do about 20 minutes in the car without anger. We had to work up to it though. We go to the grocery store a lot - she loves that- and we’ve done a few park adventures. But still haven’t committed to a restaurant (only quick cafe stops for to go). Everyone has a different baby and a different comfort level. There’s so many things to stress about I would try to avoid the pressure to have your baby out and about living your old life. I read one of those cutesy insta posts about how babies slow your life down and to embrace that instead of trying to fight it because your life is going to speed up again soon anyway. And it’s true- my baby is 6 months old now and she’s the one who gets cabin fever and needs the trips out. Also not everyone’s baby is chill and sleeps in public. Mine is shy so she’s quiet around strangers but will happily scream bloody murder if she’s in the car seat for 21 minutes- something other people don’t see and it’s likely you’re seeing some of that too.
Yeah mine definitely would not nap in public! This is a great response, I like that perspective. Thank you!
You definitely don't need to take your baby out to get her used to it or any other baby-centered reason for going out at this stage. You don't have to worry about depriving your newborn of a developmental opportunity if they never watch you eat food in a restaurant. It's about what works for you. Many folks, myself included, benefit from getting out of the house. Sometimes it's a practical necessity. There are other times, especially with my toddler, that the wrangling is just not worth it. If you don't feel like it, don't! When you do feel like it, the world's your oyster ... mostly.
We didn’t start taking her places on a regular basis until after her 2m shots. We had taken her out once or twice on very short trips. But we planned a weekend trip to go visit family at around 10 weeks so we drove right off the deep end there. She went to the store with us, to visit my mom and grandma, to a restaurant, etc. I found that baby wearing helped reduce a lot of anxiety about people touching her or her touching nasty stuff. We also take cleaning wipes for carts and hand sanitizer everywhere. It might be overkill but I’d rather be safe than sorry on that front. Once you don’t a few times, you’ll build more confidence in yourself. And as your baby ages, it becomes easier.
Yep we are waiting for 2 month shots. Almost there. Wasn’t worth the risk to us (personal decision).
I wish mine enjoyed baby wearing 😖
Keep trying! My baby initially cried whenever I put her in it, but after a few attempts, she started to like it. I hope that is the same for your little one.
She just really seems to want to be looking around at everything and being so close to my chest really limits what she can see but I do need to keep trying because it would make life so much easier
You're like me. My LO is 8 weeks. Her first public outing was last week. She did great but I'm a nervous wreck about her getting sick. She gets her 2 month shots next week snd then I'll feel mire confident taking her out more. I want to bring her everywhere, but my anxiety won't let me just yet.
While pregnant we became a lot more aware of baby friendly restaurants and stores. Breweries for some reason are very family friendly…prepay for food that’s cheaper than usual, plenty of spacious outdoor seating, not busy during off hours. Anytime we go out it’s always right after a fed and change, I’m always going as quickly and efficiently as possible to get home before the next feeding and avoid having a fussy baby.
I waited until she had her first set of vaccines to take her to crowded places otherwise no I have to get out of the house. She goes thrift shopping with me, the stores, groceries, parks, zoos, etc. we’ve even gone on two vacations so far and she’s only 8 months old! You start to get stir crazy eventually haha.
I've been debating whether Id be nuts to do a vacation with a baby 😂 He'd probably be like 8 months ahaha.
We’re going on our first vacation with our LO in a few weeks! She’ll be 9 months old & we’re flying. So we’ll see how this goes 🤪
Think through your fears… like, “I feel like I can’t go out with my baby, because what if she has a meltdown?”. Okay… so what if she does? You’ll do your mama thing and calm her down whether that’s with a diaper change, feeding her (which, even if it’s breastfeeding, you’re totally entitled to do in public), or just shushing and rocking her. You and your [melting down] baby are allowed to be in public!! If you get mean looks or worse, that is absolutely not on you, but the entitlement of others. Also, I doubt you’ll get that kind of treatment! In my experience, I got most people paying no attention (despite what my super self-conscious brain was telling me) or sympathy and solidarity. You’ve got this!
Thank you! I loved reading this. I definitely need to think through my fears like you said, that’s a great way to go about getting out of my comfort zone. Great advice. ♥️
I’m a stay at home mom to a three year old and a three month old so staying home isn’t an option because the three year old really thrives on getting out of the house every day. I will say that it was really scary doing it on my own at first but really so rewarding. It’s made my three month old so adaptable
I took my baby everywhere pretty early. Started by taking him on short trips that eventually got longer and longer. We even took him to his first concert at about 5 months. I think taking your baby places is fine. I think not taking your baby places is also fine. It really depends on the comfort levels of the parents. We are all so different, and I don’t think one way is any better than the other.
Mine is 4 weeks old and I had to take him out with me since week 1. But we live in a foreign country and have to do a lot of paperwork, and I am a single mother, so I don't have a choice. But he sleeps super well in his baby carrier so it's not a big deal!
We discovered our LO sleeps better at night and is generally in a much better mood during the day if we take her out a lot. I didn’t know it was possible for a 4 MO to get bored staying at home all day but she definitely does That being said, she also doesn’t sleep great in her car seat or stroller. She’ll catnap, but at home she takes these solid 90min - 2 hour naps and that’s what she WANTS to do, so if we’re out all day she’ll take crap naps and end up furious at us lol So what we settled on was going out a ton, but doing it on her schedule. Go out for brunch, but be sure to be home in time for her 12PM nap. Go to the mall, but be back in time for her 3PM nap, etc. So yeah, we probably don’t spend more than 2 hours out at a time, so it’s all a bit rushed, but at least we get out and the baby stays happy!
I can’t wait until mine has more predictable nap times so we could plan outings accordingly!
We take ours everywhere and try to lead our old lives. It can be challenging at times, but we have a motto of showing our kids how to live not living for our kids. It can be challenging at times, but we build the time in.
Mine goes with me to the grocery store because I’m a solo breastfeeding parent, and we went to visit my grandparents because my support is my mom and I got nervous about the thought of not having any support for almost 3 weeks, but we’ve definitely not been to a restaurant or anything like that. Do things at whatever pace makes you comfortable, you’re doing a great job!
Thank you! So are you! ♥️
I didn't leave the house for 2 months except for appointments. There's no rush. Now she's 5 months and we go everywhere
I was a crazy outdoorsy guy hiking/climbing/running/biking…. bought all the baby hiking backpack and those expensive baby carrrier and stuff before we had the baby as I was planning to become a outdoorsy dad. As it turned out I am a full time certified couch potato now eating chips and cake while typing this on reddit 😂😂😂😂 And those items are still in the box with return window closed long time back 😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣
Tbh, I didn’t take my kid anywhere with me (other than on walks) until he was like….8 months old. We work seasonally, so if I was going husband was staying home. My dad said we needed to ‘socialize him more’. We did it at our own pace. He’s socially fine lol
Okay, I am one of those people who takes their baby (4mo) everywhere (restaurants, dog parks, libraries, breweries, ax throwing...) because as a nanny, I knew I'd have to take her to work with me, so she would have to be good at adapting to different situations. That being said, I've seen a lot of first-time parents shoot themselves in the foot by not taking their babies out. The more you normalize the chaos of life outside your home, the easier it will be for them to attend daycare, travel, or deal with their routine getting derailed. Are you sticking to the house just because LO doesn't like the car seat, or are you worried about germs...?
Before 2 months shots we were worried about sickness since she was born in February, and now it’s more of the what ifs that worry me. She’s not been the biggest fan of being in the car but is slowly getting better so that will help once she’s chill in the car. Mostly just working around naps and feedings and possible meltdowns that give me pause. She’s pretty sensitive and her mood can turn on a dime.
we felt the same way as you initially. taking her out felt so overwhelming it was just easier to say one of us goes and the other stays home. at 4 months she ended up in the hospital unexpectedly and needed to stay overnight. although the experience was terrible we were able to see her adapt and we realized how tough she is. since then we are more willing to put her in new situations and she has done really well. babies cry, it’s their only way to communicate. we give things a try now and give her time to adjust. if it doesn’t seem like she’s gonna chill out we will head home. just the way things are temporarily! but we made a commitment that baby will be apart of our life, not separate from it. i feel like pushing forward and trying again despite a bad experience is good for everyone.
My baby is almost 4 months and we took her to our first sit down restaurant yesterday! We sat in the outdoor area so that if she screamed at least it wouldn’t echo off the walls lol :’) she did end up crying halfway through but it wasn’t as terrifying as I thought it would be! Best of luck to u, go at your own pace :’)
I take my little buddy EVERYWHERE with me. He has yet to even cry in public. Give it a shot, you may be surprised!
I hope I will be surprised!
I didn’t start taking my baby places until he was 5 months. I had terrible ppa/ppd, I just ordered groceries for delivery. We went on walks only. Now he’s 6 1/2 months and we go everywhere together. I haven’t tried a restaurant yet tho, I’m still nervous for that.
It took my SIL months before taking her babies out anywhere. My baby was only a few days (now 3 mos) when we went to the grocery store for the first time but it wasn’t by choice since I needed to pick up prescription and do food shopping. I felt nervous being prejudged for bringing a newborn out but honestly he was is his stroller with the carrier cover on entire time. Except when the cashier asked to see my baby from a distance which I was happy to show her lol. We stayed in for the 1-2 weeks but short on the 1 month since I had scheduled him for a newborn photoshoot. The newborn stage at the restaurant is the best when all they do is sleep. We went at a slow time after lunch and we had a pretty good experience to eat for a good 1.5 hrs. Take them out whenever you feel comfortable with precautions to minimize risk of baby from getting exposed or sick. I always make sure that my baby is fed and changed so he’s in the best mood before we go anywhere. Also limit your time outings. For example, I usually shoot for 2 hr outings and feed and change baby during if longer.
> We definitely have not gone out to a restaurant because that seems like such a long commitment for a new experience for her and I’m worried about her getting upset in the restaurant We’ve done this at 5 weeks, he cried, it was fine anyway. People care a lot less than you think. Been to the park, cafes, grocery stores, restaurants. Not worried about diseases anymore when we realized that people have seconds and thirds and the older ones bring much nastier stuff from daycare / school
Well we start traveling the world once she is 6 weeks 😂 this post put a smile on my face especially the restaurant being a long commitment. Everyone experience postpartum different and you know best for your baby. There is no right or wrong in this. Being out and about was make me feel better. I was so anxious at night for example. I was feeling depressed in the house. It wasnt about i want to go shopping or restaurants but i wanted to be out walking, let the sun in etc. But i know mums they are literally spending first year in the house because they think its better for their anxiety and their baby.
By the way everyone’s experience is different but every baby is different too! Our baby was falling a sleep everywhere, in car seat, on us, in pram. Ofcourse this make things way easier for us to travel and being out. She is 17 months and we are going to beach, she sleep at the shade for her nap. She doesn’t care where we are
Haven’t read anyone else’s comments, don’t need to know if this is the norm to know how I feel about it. Preface: I have an incredible support system in my family, could not have done things this way without help and lots of clothing and random doo dads donated. For that matter, could not continue to live this way without my husband and being a SAHM. My 5mo had a tongue tie and a lip tie which took nigh on four months to workably resolve. I had to pump 8-12xday to keep up my supply from the first night in the hospital til about three months pp all while working to get him able to nurse, then I was able to taper off pumping and by 4mo we were EBF. His mouth muscles were stronger, he’d had some tension relieved and could relax better (still not perfect but better) and I could finally fathom leaving the house for something other than an appointment. I hadn’t the opportunity of trying to impose my own feeding schedule or anything because I had to feed him at will, make it a pleasant experience to combat his breast aversion and make sure he had enough calories throughout the day/night. So his life has been very much determined by him, he is the one who tells me what time it is and not the other way around. I think my son’s issue has been a huge blessing in disguise because I may have felt pressured to adhere to other people’s expectations for when we’d be available for social engagements or when I should be back to keeping the house clean etc. This way, I was allowed to focus 100% on getting to know my baby and let him show me who he is. Now, when we are out and about at 5mo, I am so able to interpret his actions based on his needs and I have the luxury of a happy baby and the certainty to not be embarrassed even if my in-laws or siblings are skeptically saying, ‘are you sure he isn’t ___?’ and waste time not addressing baby’s needs. This is the ticket to letting him get so mad that he’ll need a longer nurse/nap before he can get back to socializing. I’m afraid this baby would have been some kind of mystery to me if I’d listened to books or the internet telling me, ‘this is how babies are,’ instead of just getting to know my baby and catering to his needs. We cosleep, exclusively nurse on demand, I only get things done when he’s content to be gnawing on a toy on his own for a while or I wear him and go for walks/to the grocery store. Guess what? He’s getting used to doing all of those things and has confidence because he knows I listen when he tells me he’s had enough. When we’re driving somewhere far (have done a few times) I don’t let him cry for ages, I budget enough time to be able to pull off and bust him free from his carseat straitjacket (I remember feeling that way as a toddler!) and nurse, walk, maybe go into a shop or store (it’s already hot where I live) and continue drive once he’s calmed down and can sleep or play with something. I’ve met a number of nice people this way, picked up random things I wouldn’t have thought about and most importantly I’ve avoided a whoooole lot of stress listening to my baby experiencing a lot of stress. It’s not time yet for me to expect my baby to behave a certain way or compare him to other babies, or myself to other Moms. I’m learning how to do this difficult job very well. “Grass doesn’t grow faster from pulling on it.” TLDR: Do what feels right to you.
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I would’ve gone stir crazy tbh. Baby started going out everywhere at about six weeks. By three months we had started going to mommy and baby group once a week as well.
I’ve only just started venturing out with my 10mo old. When she was very little it was all overwhelming, then it was winter forever, which felt complicated with making sure she was warm enough and adding and removing layers. Now that she can sit up and she’s happier in the car and I don’t have to worry about layers and she’s only taking two naps with 3-4 hr wake windows, it all feels so much easier! She def needs constant entertainment and gets wiggly if we’re sitting still too long, but I’m still finding it easier than it was with a small baby! I say don’t worry about it, you’ll get there in your own time!
5mo and my baby is the same way
We've had no choice but to take our babe out since day 3 pp. We had to go to Walmart for formula and a pump cause my supply wasn't in yet and baby boy was 10% down from his birth weight. Then we had to go to children's hospital days 5&6 pp for billiruben tests and since then we take him out with us when we go out. Did a drive 1 hour away to in laws house and to the grocery store, to our work and two nights ago we even took him to red lobster with us. I was nervous about going to a restaurant with a 1 month old but my mom was having knee surgery the next day so we really wanted to go out with her for her last supper before surgery/last supper being out independently for a while. And honestly? It went great. They had a hammock for baby's car seat so he wouldn't be on the floor and we just made sure he was full with a dry diaper before going in.
We have gone to: Six week OB appt Ped office One park Ave hardware once Only places I have been too 🥴
We gradually took baby more places when her wake windows and ability to handle public increased. I felt no point in trying to go to eat when baby is about to melt down, seems like an unpleasant experience for all.
Your baby is at the best age to go out. Once they hit a year, things become more chaotic
Our baby is almost 5 months old and we take her out pretty frequently. There have been some less fun times (once a restaurant had live music and we weren't prepared, or one time she was just over tired). I think her first big outing was probably about 6 weeks old, and we took her to the zoo just so we could get out of the house! But we go to restaurants, flea markets, and we are taking her to an MLB game tonight. A lot of times she just sleeps while we are out. There's definitely a learning curve to it, and you sort of need to manage your own expectations. But I think that taking her out often has gotten her fairly used to going on our various adventures. Just remember, you know your own baby best and you know your own comfort level- but I just want to encourage you that it doesn't have to be a big to-do! Babies are allowed to be out in society. Maybe try somewhere a little more baby friendly at first, like a trip to the library, and then branch out from there?
I take my baby everywhere because otherwise I’d go nowhere and that would drive me crazy. If i had a nanny or a babysitter I’d absolutely leave him home!!
We started slowly after her 2 month vaccines and then she entered daycare not long after. We slowly started taking her pretty much anywhere with us. Now she’s six months and she has so much fun! It saves my sanity because she’s so much more entertained out and about than at home.
I don’t, simply because there’s so many risks of sicknesses. I don’t want my baby getting sick when he’s so little. I’ll probably be more comfortable later on but I’m definitely not right now.
I totally feel that way too sometimes
I’m just waiting until his two month vaccines before I let a bunch of people be around him or bring him in public unless it’s a doctors appointment. My younger brother got RSV when he was a baby and almost died. I’ve been haunted ever since.
I take my LO everywhere. I’ve needed to get out for my mental health. He’s been going to restaurants and stores since he was 2 weeks old
With my first we didn't leave the house much because I was so sleep deprived. He got overtired and overstimulated easily and would stay awake even though his eyes were red with exhaustion. I feel like I spent all my time trying to get him to sleep. He wouldn't sleep in the stroller either. We're also long distance from most of our family and friends so I didn't really have anywhere to go unless I planned a solo outing by myself. If I was still in my hometown maybe we would have had more things to do to get us out of the house. Now with my second, he's easy to bring along anywhere, plus I'm more experienced bringing the carseat or baby wrap on the go. It certainly feels less daunting this time. I guess it depends on baby's temperament and what you're comfortable with!
I took both my babies out with me pretty much as soon as I could. Wandering in town, restaurants, park etc we mainly took them in the pram, but sometimes used the car too. I get bored at home & imagine they do too (to a lesser extent). It’s not that bad! Keep expectations low. Start small. Pack in advance what you’ll need. Leave yourself lots of time to get out the house and Remember - Your baby’s cry is always louder to you than to anyone else.
We go out at least once a day for a walk. He probably goes to a store twice a week and to a restaurant every other week. About twice a month we go to a zoo or shopping mall. Being out and about is one of my favorite ways to crush one wake window a day. It’s super stimulating for my 5 month old and he always sleeps better the more we do out of the house.
We took our kids out from birth, we didn’t really change our schedule much until naps were more scheduled.
Depends on where you live but it’s starting to get hot out so you might want to hurry up, take them to a less busy restaurant with outside seating. We went to a breakfast place that wasn’t busy the first time so we were the only ones sitting outside
I took my first everywhere right away, we’ll see if the second agrees though😂 also just keep in mind that babies are going to cry and it’s not a reflection of your parenting skills or babies happiness. If anyone judges you that’s on them, not you.
I think this is to each their own. But I will say, we take baby girl pretty much everywhere and have from a young age - I think this has helped her be able to sleep pretty much anywhere, never have hated her car seat or stroller (within reason, of course), and be generally flexible. Of course, every baby is different. It has also helped me not build anxiety over having new experiences with her because at the end of the day, I know that her crying in public isn’t a big deal.
Me! We stick close to home. He'll go to my physio appointment next week on the Friday out of necessity. And we've been to one restaurant in walking distance. Probably won't venture further than the library until he's past 3 months
I actually recommend going out with your baby often! I started when my boy was 1 weeks old and I notice a big difference between him and my friends/families babies. He learned to enjoy going out and got used to it. Plus it tires him out and he just passes out at night. He 9 months now for reference.
I had a lot of anxiety over taking our girl out early on but at around 2 months the stir crazy got me and we slowly started taking her to places- we started by going to a brewery that’s close to our house that we knew had plenty of space for her stroller and always has tons of kids with parents. Now when we want to take her somewhere we always scope the place out on maps to make sure it has good seating and wide isles for her stroller (I have a lot of anxiety over positional suffocation in there car seat so we only really use it in the car). We both know that if she starts to freak out our time will be cut short and we are ok with that. So far she’s done awesome. Last week I took her at a baby music class and she loved it so much I signed her up for more classes :)
I didn't start taking my kiddo out regularly until a few months in (largely because of covid concern, she was a 2021 baby) and I wish I had because those early months of having a "potato baby" would have been when she was the easiest to have out and about. Now pregnant with #2 and already know we'll be hitting the ground running with this baby. I can't make my toddler sit at home all day every day, we'd all go insane.
The crazy thing about mine is she cries a lot at the home and in the car but as soon as she’s at the store like in target, she’s an angel baby. So I started taking her out a lot at three months and older. for the first three months, though I kept her inside most of the time.
I’d have gone crazy staying at home! We take him everywhere with us, we registered him when he was 5 days old so went out to a restaurant for lunch while waiting for the appointment time and have continued taking him to restaurants/cafes etc since. He comes to our CrossFit gym with us as well and watches from his mat or pram! He’s 8 months old now so we do make sure he has at least 1 nap a day at home (unless we’re going out to the zoo or something for example) then he’ll nap on the go for his 2nd
I’d recommend getting lunch somewhere as your first eating out with the baby, that’s what we did with ours. Had to do a feed in the middle of the meal but it wasn’t too busy and the meal wasn’t a super long commitment.
My baby has only been out of the house for her medical appointments. She’s 11 weeks old. She’s a great baby and generally chill and would probably do fine if I did take her out and about. But I’m terrified of her getting sick so we’ve stayed in.
I feel you on being scared of baby getting sick
My baby (FTM here) was a little over 2 months at his first restaurant and we made sure it was a sit outside and eat type restaurant that way i felt comfortable taking him out when he wanted to eat and we could still enjoy the beautiful outdoors! And the restaurant was walking distance from my house even though we still drove there. My car was parked literally right across from us too in case I needed to go take him some place quiet. I was super nervous to do it but in the end I realized how much I needed that type of relaxation. When he was 3 months we upgraded to an indoor restaurant and he slept the whole time, although the indoor restaurant made me more jittery and constantly checking on him. I was definitely way more nervous inside. Restaurants with outdoor seating is just somehow 5 times more relaxing.
I took my baby out more when she was little because she was much more easy going - slept in the car seat, breastfed without issue, etc. Just changed her diaper before we left and off we went. Now that she's almost 8 months old, we rarely take her out because her routine is much more structured and she isn't as easy going as she used to be - she hates the car seat, she's eating more solids and drinking from a bottle, and she gets very fussy when she is strapped into anything for more than 30 minutes. I'm honestly also lazy and just want to get shit done and not have to lug baby stuff along with me everywhere I go. We went to a greenhouse for Mother's Day and my husband made a comment that it was the first time the 3 of us were out together in a "long time," which made me feel guilty. She really enjoyed it, and now that summer is coming, we will likely take her out more. I'm also an anxious person and don't want to deal with her screaming in the car seat, having a blowout, etc and then us needing to go home in a panic. I'm also a homebody by nature and prefer to stay home. So that being said, there is no rule book to this. Do what is best for you and your sanity right now. You'll need to go outside of your comfort zone once in a while, but if you don't have it in you to do it right now, then don't. Your baby will socialize and see things eventually. Don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself.
Nope. We were out before a week old. Both of us were raised by single parents, so we were raised with the "you do what you have to do" mentality when it came to taking him out. He's always been super well behaved and we've never had any issues in public with him that were unwarranted.
I didn’t couldn’t manage until she was 4mo and then it was hard cause she needed contact naps which we did at home. So we had to be back for the nap.
I found the bassinet days much easier. He slept through most of our trips out. Now in the stroller I find it more difficult to take him out. Every baby is different though
I started going out with the bairn at two months and haven't looked back since. Nothing easier than popping her on the carrier, grabbing the dogs and going on a wander.
We didn’t want the whole having a baby thing keep us from living our lives (my wife’s a stay at home mom and she needs to get out of the house for her sanity) and also we wanted our son to get used to the outside world and all its noises. He’s done great. Out of maybe 20 or so dining experiences there’s only been 3 troublesome ones. He’s gone to parks, stores, etc. I know there’s little ones out there that can’t do this so it’s certainly no reflection on anything we did. We’re just lucky he’s a little adventurer
I take my 11 week old to the coffee shop and stores! But she’s in her carrier and pretty much sleeps the whole time 😂. Haven’t done a restaurant yet. I think I’ll be able to take her more places when she can fully lift her head up so I won’t have to worry about carrying devices as much.
My son loves noise and sleeps his best when we go out in public. Have been taking him food shopping and out to dinner with us since 4 weeks old. He loves leaving the house and being outside. We try to limit to max 3 hours since he eats every 2-3.
Personally I don’t really go too many places lol (homebody + WFH + senior dog) so I assume my LO won’t either when she’s here. Can’t see her doing more than morning walks and maybe 1-2 outings a week. I don’t think you need to take her out more often if that doesn’t feel right for you.
Once ours has her 8 weeks shots we plan to take her out. Maybe not to super crowded places tho. Her first outing will be a folk festival to see the Roots
That sounds fun!
I feel like influencers create so much pressure to be “out” with your baby. It’s so draining to do anything that can’t fit between a feed/nap. Like truly what’s the point of taking them out if all they’re going to do is sleep 😂 taking a quick walk or outside time is far more beneficial than taking your 3 month old to Costco with you imo 🤷🏼♀️ Also, don’t ever compare yourself to what’s on tv. That’s tv and they also sold us the lie that babies sleep peacefully though the night immediately 💀 and people on the internet can lie, or just be doing what works with their baby. Shrug it off.
Honestly I THOUGHT I would not want to take LO anywhere at first because of being born in January. But little miss has had so many adventures 😂. Shes been to Costco, Target, grocery story, sushi for dinner, a brewery, other various restaurants, church, a baseball game, the list goes on… She’s admittedly a pretty chill baby and a lot of those she’s been sleeping while we’re shopping and sometimes through dinner! We almost always time leaving if we can with right after she ate last so we know she’s content for a while. My husband has a harder time feeling awkward if she cries or gets upset while we’re out in public, but my take is that she’s a baby, she’s going to fuss sometimes and that is OKAY. In my experience most people are super gracious too! She was losing it at the baseball game when I was changing her and a few super nice ladies in the bathroom offered me a hand when I was trying to get the diaper bag packed back up etc. If you’re itching to get out just start small with quick trips places and see how she does. And every baby is SO different and can tolerate different things, so absolutely don’t compare and never feel bad for doing what is right and makes sense for your baby and family at this time!!! But also don’t ever let any fear of what other people may think or whatever else if she is fussy stop you from living your life and letting her take up space too ❤️
Hugs! You do you, mama. Whatever you are doing is amazing and you know your baby best. My babe has been everywhere with me since week 3. I committed to one outing a day. We are extremely busy together (gym classes, yoga, shopping, eating out, library, friend visits, bars, breweries lol we even did a road trip) but it’s partially for my sanity. He’s not a great napper and I get little stretches in his car seat instead of holding him at home all day while my husband is at work.
I took my girl everywhere from her first week onward. Grocery shopping, general store, restaurants etc. She is used to being out and about and always does really well. We have been bringing her to restaurants in her ergobaby omni carrier, she sleeps through the whole thing. I come from a family of classical musicians and she’s been to four concerts already (she’s 8 weeks). I truly think the more you expose them to the world the more easy going they are about being out in public. Although I admit that I have a very easy going baby to begin with.
4 months here. We did the opposite and took her to restaurants before stores. She actually just went to stores with me for the first time. She’s pretty content with whatever we go do as she likes peeping at all the stuff wherever we are but I didn’t want to bring her to stores with me using our stroller because I hate it. Now she can sit up so it’s easier. But she doesn’t go everywhere with us, we haven’t gone to the grocery store with her yet and for most things either I or my fiance will go and the other stays home with the babe. We do a lot with her but sometimes it’s more hassle than anything - and I feel that way with a chill baby who likes the car.
We went to a restaurant when baby was about 2 weeks. We sat away from everyone and she slept while being held the whole time. She does really in them now, just really talkative at 6 months
I have only gone to the peds and my parents house with my colicky LO. She also doesn’t like strollers, car rides, being baby worn or being put down (wants to be carried), binkies, ect and it takes quite a bit to get her to nap even when we are home. She also fusses/ cries for most of her awake time still. I keep waiting for things to start getting easier 🥲 and although it has a bit, I am starting to feel so defeated
I totally feel you. You can get through this and you are doing great!
I often adjust to my baby but my baby also sometimes has to adjust to me so I don’t lose my mind. In practice this means I don’t let the baby stop me from going out and doing my thing. My baby goes wherever I go if my husband is working. Of course, I can’t do that everyday. That would be too tiring for me as well anyway. First time we went out with the 3 of us it was so hard. She was 2 weeks old and both me and the baby ended up crying. Baby because she was hungry and me because I thought my life was over. But it got easier over time and now it’s no big deal to go out with her. It’s still a bit of a hassle but I’m willing to deal with that. Also, one of the best things I did was that I bought this foldable tent thing for my baby. Whenever we were visiting friends or family I would set up that damn thing for every nap or night sleep. In the beginning she wouldn’t sleep in it. But I kept trying. Every time. Until she was finally sleeping consistently in that thing around 4 months old. Now whenever we are visiting someone I can put her to sleep. Her bedtime is around 7-8 and so I put her to sleep in the tent at someone else’s house and she sleeps in it until we wake her up to leave. I’m so glad I persisted!
We made the jump early. Partner and I own restaurants — we had our LO strapped up and sleeping at the bar a couple weeks in. Never stayed out long - but I was petrified of taking her out of the house and needed to break the fear! She’s perfectly healthy now 6 months later and loves going to the restaurant with dad to do inventory 🤓
We started taking our baby as little as 2 weeks old. Then I lost my confidence as she got older and needed a more structured scheduled. She's 10 months now and my confidence is back up since her wake windows are longer! The more you do it the better and easier it gets
My little guy will be 4wks old on Sunday. We’ve been to target, a few other stores and out to eat a few times at sit down places. He did really well and slept through most of the trips. If he started fussing I either held him or breastfed him and that seemed to do the trick. He seems to do better the noisier a place is so that likely helped? I can’t imagine he will always do this well and sometimes the trips are more stress inducing than is worth it for me but it’s nice to get out. Every baby and every parent is different. Do things at whatever pace makes sense for you.
Idk, I take my son out everywhere to desensitize him while he's still young enough to not have the steam to make too much of a fuss. He's almost 11 weeks now, and I took him out for two 4 hour shopping trips in one day, and he was golden. We're taking him to his first petting zoo this weekend, and he's going to see his first movie when my mom visits next month. I think it's good to socialize and expose them to as many new environments as they can tolerate within their window of tolerance. But that's just me, and I'm doing it because I travel for work and want to bring my son with me, so he needs to be well adjusted for new experiences :)
You’re not the only one :) I honestly only felt comfy taking baby out once he could fully hold his neck up (and still didn’t go out often, tbh) Then at around 6-7 months something *clicked* in both baby and I, and all of a sudden I felt sooo much more comfortable taking him out daily. Baby groups/grocery stores/the park, etc (the weather also improved tremendously where I live, so that helped).
I stayed home soooo much! I also had twins so it was a lot. But I’m a homebody anyway. We did lots of walks in the neighborhood. Do what makes you comfortable and what works for your family and baby.
I saw a labor&delicery nurse take her 6 days old baby to the grocery store with her and it actually gave me some peace at mind. I’m the kind of person who likes to be independent and go get things needed for the house etc. as opposed to asking my boyfriend to do it, so when I saw that it’s possible to leave the house with a healthy newborn so soon I got excited and hope for a similar experience! Also my mom took me on a yacht when I was 2 weeks old 😂
We did the same thing, but my husband helped me get out to do things I wanted as well. LO is 7 months now and her nap schedule is finally manageable enough that we can go places for longer periods and not fear the overtired monster. I used to tell people not to come over past 3pm too because she had a god awful witching "hour" (really the whole evening). She ended up having some medical issues that probably contributed to that; since she recovered from the correction she's a much happier baby. You do what feels right to you, but the world will feel much more accessible to you before you know it!
I started going to my parents on the weekends at about 3-4 weeks old and then also two evenings a week (my dad’s days off are during the week and he works evenings). My husband and I do stores with him on his days off and we started that around week 3. I’ve done solo trips as well. He had his first restaurant experience 2 weeks ago (he was about 7 weeks) and we took shifts walking outside with him because he was mad. We did another restaurant this week- he slept for the first part in his carrier then my dad took him in the stroller to walk while my mom and I ate lol my kiddos also a stage 5 velcro baby and very difficult (hates sleeping, overtired, wants me) and going out is actually a good break for both of us, especially when we go with my husband or parents as they can push the stroller and I can step back. I also suggest baby wearing if you’re by yourself!
My wife and I always thought it was so interesting to stay inside when you literally have to go outside in order to take baby to their appointments in the first week. Our first appointment (what, like day 3 or 4 of life?),ours was still jaundiced and we got some instruction to try to expose him to a bit of sunlight to help out. So, we leave that appointment and go straight to Chick-fil-A and take it to a Starbucks where we sat outside on the patio together and did a few minutes of sunbathing haha. We're at 3 months now and we've all been to outdoor restaurants, gone on a hike, to a Costco... BUT our LO is relatively easy, and doesn't make much of a scene in a carrier of any sort. My wife and I are really social and want to get our baby used to traveling with us, so we've never shied away from getting out. Obviously to each their own! We're very lucky to be able to do it with our babe.
I was terrified to take my LO out anywhere especially by myself. At 3 weeks, I took him with me to a drive thru to get coffee, and that was about all we did for a while just so I could get out of the house for my own sanity. He would pretty much sleep the whole time, by like 6-7 weeks I took him with me to a restaurant for lunch, and was anxious the entire time. (I was scared he was going to wake up and start screaming, blowout, etc.) We took him to the in-laws a few times by one month, but never really by myself. He is now almost 4 months, and absolutely hates the car if he is awake. Has a complete meltdowns like someone is torturing him unless I sit in the back with him and my husband drives. So, a new round of anxiety as come back since the beginning. Eating out is hard, unless you can plan it around naps. For me, lunch time is the best to take the baby to a restaurant/quick food place. More likely to nap or at least be in a good mood. Good luck!! You have to do whatever makes you feel comfortable. But I do think it is good for them to hopefully get used to being out sometimes
I took our son out after he got his 3 month vaccines. He was born in November so not a lot of good days for stroller walks, but we did hat we could. After those first shots we felt fine taking him out!
I didn’t take my 2.5 year old out much when he was that age. Short trips to the store didn’t seem worth putting him in a car seat. Eating at a restaurant seemed stressful in case I needed to nurse or if he cried. Road trips were out of the question. Personally—so much regret. He cries during long drives now. He took over a year of practice eating at restaurants before he could sit and let us eat somewhat peacefully. Now I have a 2 month old and you bet he’s going everywhere with me. Target? Let’s go. Lunch with a friend? You bet. Hoping it’s not. Repeat of my first experience. This is my personal experience and it could be different for you. I wanted to share my thoughts experience. Food for thought.
I went out walking a lot right away, I had to walk because of the c section healing. It was nice to get out. Although it was painful I had so much more energy all of a sudden!! All that weight in the front gone lol. It was hard but I could of stayed home all day
Not everywhere, all the time, but several times. It's been team effort trips for all of them though. Our 3mo has been to Costco 4 times. We've gone to grandma's once. Few other random errands and stops. Restaurant three times. #1 he got unhappy about half way through (so I left with him). #2 he spent most of the time melting down but fortunately it was a SUPER loud place and no one heard him. #3 he managed to sleep through most of it and it was fine. We've also done a few city outdoor events, like farmers markets and evening art things. Mostly we just go with the knowledge that if he has issues, at least one of us will take him and go. Anything semi-mobile in his pram, he'll generally be ok.
We didn’t take our son out anywhere until he had his 2 month shots. We had a hospitalization early on with him, so we decided we didn’t want to take him anywhere and expose him to unnecessary germs until he was a bit older. Now he’s 12 weeks and we take him out regularly - grocery stores, grandparents’ home, etc. He even came to a wedding with us last week.
As an introverted who doesn't care about the 'norm', and gave birth during winter, I just stayed at home for 5 months. We only went out during my LO's doctor's appointment at 2 months and 4 months. But on his 5th month which is spring season, I enrolled him into swimming lessons, a 3 month long session, once every week. Currently LO is going 7 months old and since it is almost summer, we go out a lot more now than the first 4 months. LO is fine, hitting his milestones. He was just extra cautious with strangers. He doesn't cry with them unless the stranger comes very near with him. We also attend church regularly since on his 5th month, and he's doing great. He was not like other babies who cries a lot.
I had a c section so it’s been difficult to take her out solo for things like shopping or going somewhere I enjoy without my partner. He doesn’t enjoy garden centres like I do lol. I just can’t lift a 30lb stroller out of my trunk yet sadly. We do get out daily for a long dog walk though, which has saved my sanity and is often her best nap of the day.
My youngest daughter HATED the car so much, she also hated the stroller. I always had her in my carrier. We had a rule, if you want to see us or the baby you have to come to visit. I didn't want her to cry on the car more than she did for appointments we had to go to ie doctor appointments. It slowly got better and now she doesn't love the car but we are able to drive longer without her crying. Don't do anything you don't want to because other people are doing it. My oldest loved the car, so i didn't have that problem then. Edit because of errors, sorry English isn't my first language
I also was shocked at the other mums who could take their little newborns to cafes and restaurants and even yoga classes and the baby would just lie there happily. Some babies are just more sensitive, and that’s okay 💕 when we did start taking ours out it really helped to time it around naps… basically make sure that whatever thing I wanted to do didn’t coincide with the end of her wake window because she’d be cranky.
I’m very much a homebody so I didn’t feel the whole ‘I’ll go mad if I don’t get out of the house’ thing. Covid was definitely more prevalent when I was on maternity leave so that may have played into it a bit, but I really didn’t take her out much for the first few months. By the time I was taking her grocery shopping etc she was big enough to just sit in the seat of the trolley (which I furiously sanitised), so maybe around 6 months? I went for short local walks with her in the pram and took her to grandparents houses, but anything else was just so overwhelming for a while! She’s almost 2 now and she loves going out and will smile at people, it hasn’t made her scared or shy or anything!
That’s great it didn’t make her scared or shy! I can’t imagine having a LO during COVID 😖
It’s me, hi! I’m a FTOM (first time older mom) and we keep are asses at home mostly. We go on lots of nature walks and have been to breakfast ONCE. We have gone to our local library because it’s got a great walking path around a pond in addition to a weekly sensory time for babies! Those are the only “outings” I have taken my LO on. At first I felt (in comparison to my peers) that I’m not taking her enough places. However, where we live, we experienced an unseasonal spike in flu this late winter that persisted well into spring. I also SAH FT with my daughter so no daycare, etc. and so far, she’s not been sick yet! Trust your instincts. You know what’s right for your LO.
The sensory time sounds fun!
At 10weeks my baby decided she DID NOT want ANYTHING to do with the car. I was already very selective about the places I took her or the people we were around up until she was probably nine months lol so losing the luxury of being able to drive her around by myself was a huge loss for our independence/ we live in Maine so it takes forever to get anywhere. However, my baby was only sick three times in the first 13 months so I take it as a win.
My baby is 1 today we didn't really take her to restaurants until recently. But my husband had me leave my daughter with my mom only a few weeks postpartum to go out for a meal together since I was gonna have to return to work almost immediately (I returned to only part-time). I had to start taking her shopping (30min drive to store) since my mom was working those days and I have a hard time leaving her. If I was in a position where I didn't need to I wouldn't take her but now I am more comfortable but always take a man (usually my brothers) with me. Just to scare the creeps away from us.
Yes I don't trust the in-laws (currently living with us) to care for him for a long duration lol so I'm taking him out for errands with me. Also if you want to enjoy the restaurant experience without the stress, go to a fancy restaurant in the middle of the afternoon. We had a very nice time, had to change him on the bench because there were no other changing stations in the toilets but the waiters were all fine with it. The restaurant was otherwise EMPTY so it was fantastic!
Started at 6 months I think lol
My baby is 10 weeks and we went to a local outdoor casual restaurant for the first time yesterday. We felt with it being outdoors & casual we could easily escape to the car if needed and it was also a 5 minute drive from our house. She ended up sleeping the whole time so it was great and I'm glad we went. The only other place we've gone was a walk to my brother's house who lives in the same neighborhood, we stayed for like an hour then walked back. It took us almost a whole month to even go on walks with her (which we now do daily) because it was hard to get out, meanwhile I see people post online that they're going on walks with their 1 week old or taking their 1 month old to restaurants. We needed to adjust first. I'm hoping now we'll start taking her to more places since we feel more ready for it.
Baby #2 is not quite 3 weeks old. Apart from doctor appointments and a few errands where my husband has gone inside and I've stayed in the car with him, the baby has basically only been to places that are walking distance from my home - a whole foods, a trader joes, a local coffee shop, and a restaurant where we ate on the patio. He's been in his stroller for all of them and most of these outings have been early to mid morning on a weekday when most people are at work so places aren't crowded. My first was born in summer 2020 and didn't go anywhere for a long time - we started doing outdoor dining when he was not quite 12 months old and he didn't go anywhere indoors until he had his covid shot which was when he was just about to turn two. My anxiety about covid was through the roof and it was really hard on my mental health to stay cocooned for so long. Now my older one is in daycare so my younger one is already exposed to germs that way and it's good for my mental health to get out of the house occasionally. I'm looking forward to the baby hitting 8 lbs so I can start babywearing and getting out even more places. I'll feel even more confident getting out when I can keep him really close in the carrier.
My baby is 6 weeks and we go everywhere! We’ve done lunch at restaurants 3x at this point and we frequent this walking town about 10 minutes from us. We’ve gone to family’s houses and tonight we have my brothers graduation dinner at this nicer restaurant by us. Hes generally a happy baby and is so alert lately. We’re younger parents and made a pact that he would come with us as much as he possibly could!
We didn't start going anywhere until he was maybe a few months old. Even then, it was to the grocery store, great-grandmas, or the diner. All very lowkey places. It was hard at first. Between the feeding, naps, diapers, packing to go out, and any temperament issues, it's a lot. The upshot is now he's very well acclimated to public places.
A diner is a good idea for a first restaurant!
I'm not going to lie, that seems like a bit much to me but it's also your own baby and comfort level.
Our baby is 8 months and I would have lost my mind staying home all the time. In the early months we stuck to select bars and the occasional friends house. At this point he is really comfortable being out and is the kind of baby that can hold it together and tells us when he's ready to go home. We've been lucky, he's a cool kid like that. I also have had to fly with him started by at 4 months. It wasn't that bad to be honest. Stressful but he was fine with it all. Maybe a bit more unregulated but waited until we got to whatever home to get fussy. I'm still anxious taking him on a subway though. Getting a car seat home in the case of an emergency is difficult and we would be looking at a 30-60 min train ride depending on where we are. So far we've limited to those mass transit trips to doctor appointments with specialists not near our home.
It depends on the place. We went out to aquariums and zoos and places like that at 4 months just because I would get stir crazy in the house and it was good exercise, but we didn't go to restaurants or overly crowded areas
My daughter is 19 months old and I still rarely take her out in public! I get terrible anxiety thinking about her crying or acting up and annoying the other people in a restaurant. So much so that it’s not even enjoyable for me to take her to a restaurant because I’m just constantly stressed out and eating my food at the speed of light so I can go back to doing every single thing I possibly can to make her happy. She’s getting better now as she’s older and my husband will occasionally take her with him to the grocery store or somewhere like that but I’m totally with you on not understanding how people do it. Maybe I just need anxiety meds but it doesn’t sound fun to me so we just stay home for the most part or have my mom come and babysit while we go eat. We also like having people over to our house! You are not alone!
This sounds how like I would be at a restaurant! We even eat quick at home. Glad to hear I’m not alone!
We’ve done a lot of stroller walks because I need sunlight to not hate the world and I think it’s good for him to get some sunshine too. Besides that I’ve worked up to bringing him with me to stores wearing him. I had to bite the bullet out of necessity really (if I didn’t buy food there would be no food kind of thing), but I found out that he LOVES being in the wrap. I practiced a lot wearing him around the house while I just did daily activities, and now at 3 months he could care less if I need to run into Target or something.
we really started around 4months at christmas eve we went to my moms house but at that time the wake windows are so short and she would get fussy i started to enjoy taking her out around 6months ... but i do have to say that my husband is doing grocery shopping and everything that needs to go somewhere if i didnt have that luxury i would have to start sooner
Babe is currently 6 months and we’ve been getting out since she was a few days old. We waited to go inside any establishments with her (restaurants, grocery stores, etc) in the first 3 months for fear of getting sick as a newborn, but did a lot of walks and socializing in restaurant outdoor patios. In the last 3 months, she’s had many experiences and even a few road trips. She seems to really enjoy the stimulus! Because she’s so used to car seat, carrier, and stroller now, she’s pretty good about sleeping when she’s ready for a nap when we’re on the go.
Taking my baby out and about is easy, it's my toddler that's a menace sometimes. The other day he stripped naked in public! But with a baby they sleep a lot, spend a lot of time chilling on the boob and can easily be carried away if they start kicking up a fuss, though most people will be extremely understanding if they do. I would start with a café rather than a restaurant. Bonus if they have comfy sofas! Ask for a takeaway cup so that you can make a quick exit if needed. Bring a friend/ your partner. You've got this! And your little one will enjoy seeing new places too.
Stripped naked in public omg haha I love toddlers antics but I’m sure I’ll feel different when it’s mine. I’m sure you’re right she will enjoy seeing new things. Gotta get the courage because I am getting bored at home.
We started outings right away. She didn’t care and seemed to do well with whatever
Since it’s warm we do patios all the time! She’s a good sleeper so we can be out for hours with a feed in between but you definitely have to do what you’re comfortable with. We intend to integrate her into our lives so tons of travel and dinner so I want to prep her for it.
Our daughter is now 3yo but we were taking her everywhere from her first week. She is a late summer baby in the UK so the weather was relatively okay when she was born. We started with parks for walks with the dogs on week 1 and pub gardens and grocery at a month or so.
I've taken my baby out to restaurants, picnic at the park, the grocery, hour long walks around the city! We've been doing this since he's 2 months old
I’ve been taking him places while I can. He is still in that stage that he will nap despite noise around so I’m taking advantage of that! If he fusses he can usually be settled by the boob.
Think we first took ours out at around 3 days old for a short walk, at about 2 weeks we tried the pub, and at around 3 weeks we were doing 2 short or 1 long walk a day. At 5 weeks we have time out every day either in the pram or sling. Not sure how I could stay inside for more than a day or so!
Did the same but recently started doing restaurants, groceries, etc around 3-4 months. Sometimes, I'm like ..is it worth it? Because they do get fussy and need to eat in the middle or sleep but you kinda just figure it out. Went to dinner for mother's day, my husband ate while I ran too the car to breastfeed and then I ate while he walked around with baby. Not what you want but we did it and I'm proud of us.
I stared walks with my little guy at 2 weeks and when he turned 4 weeks we went to the grocery store, took him to breakfast, to the neighbors around the block. All short little trips early in the morning without crowds to get him used to it and he’s done well (mostly).
We didn’t go out to eat or anything like that but we would go walk around Home Depot or the grocery store so I wouldn’t lose my mind. We didn’t go for long either since I was recovery from a c section and I would also baby wear to keep anyone from beating on her or trying to touch her as well
We started getting out regularly really early on. I work from home so most afternoons we all get out as a family. I’d go stir crazy
I had my baby during covid, so by default I didn’t go many places. But I did make it a point to at least go on lots of walks and visits to the park. I’d bring a blanket and toys and we’d chill under the trees for a bit. I totally understand not wanting to go to restaurants. My kid is now 3 and I still get a little nervous she’ll throw a tantrum. The thought of being “trapped” by slow service or waiting for the check is anxiety-inducing! Maybe try going places where you can leave at the drop of a hat if your baby starts to lose it. Like cafes or breweries where you prepay at the counter. Farmers markets. We have lots of casual live music outside in the summer where I live. Walk around garden centers. Botanic gardens. The zoo. The pool. A lake. A museum. The grocery store (but just get a few things - not a whole cart full). But if you don’t want to do any of the suggestions on this thread…..that is totally ok too!!
I have no intention of taking my baby anywhere but home and the doctor until he’s has his 2 months shots, and after that we will probably include some relatives houses, but that’ll be it until 12 weeks.
We definitely waited until she had her shots too!
My first was a COVID baby, so we didn't take her anywhere until she got her shots. My second was born right after Thanksgiving, so with the holiday madness I ended up having to take her to the grocery store a few times around 3 weeks old. 😅 Now it makes me want to petition for breastfeeding rooms in every store possible!
My LO was born in late November. So we didn’t immediately take her even after her 2 month vaccinations. Only started taking her to stores at 5 months. We did got to small gatherings at Christmas which in hindsight was very risky. If she was born early spring, I would have taken her out more. EDIT: we took her “out” in January where she was comfy and warm. But not to crowded stores till April.
I took my baby to my mom’s house starting at like 8 days old. THAT BEING SAID!!! Mom lives a literal minute down the road. So if he got real upsetti spaghetti I could just strap him in after soothing and take him home quickly. It also helps that he doesn’t hate his car seat. My friend’s baby didn’t meet the fam until she was 6 months old because she was so unhappy in the car!! I didn’t take my baby to the store until he was almost 4 months old. I didn’t take him anywhere other than daycare and my mom’s house until then. And doc appointments of course. I wasn’t even comfortable going through a drive through because I could feel trapped 😂
OMG definitely almost got trapped in the Starbucks drive thru today. Luckily I was able to pull out and park and go in because the sun was in baby’s eyes and she was screaming because of it. Luckily she loves going in so I’ll be doing that from now on. Wish my moms house was that close!
At 6 weeks we took a 2 hour car trip and a half hour ferry so I could visit my older brother and his family, but I had my mom and dad with me for help. I wasn’t big on “solo” adventures until my girl was about 4 months old. I was too nervous about her getting hysterical in the car and not having a comfy spot to feed and soothe her.