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I have had baby home for only 5 days but I would love to take a quick trip to Publix or the mall but honestly I'm scared to. He isn't fussy unless hungry and sleeps for 4 hours at a time if I can feed him enough but...when he wants to eat it takes like 40 minutes! I just don't know if I'm ready to get out but I want to. What advice do you have and what should I not leave home without (besides the obvious).

Hi Mary --

I was the exact same way with my first one. Its hard to tell if its "too soon" to take the little one out or not. I say just go for it, and see how it goes. Worst case scenario, you have to abandon half a cart of groceries to take the little guy home and then go shopping again later.

Personally, I have found that both my girls always loved to go out. Just to look around at the world, or to look at their mommy or daddy.

Just plan a short trip, and dont do anything you can't walk away from if you need to.

I agree with Nate. With our first it was difficult because my c-section went so badly but as soon as I was up to it, we went for a quick trip to Publix. I then branched out (haha) to short trips to the mall on my own with her.
It's funny with the second, I had it all planned out (because you know with babies it so easy to stick with plans I was having another c-section and I scheduled it so Caeli would be on her spring break the following week and hubby was taking a week off. It actually did work out pretty well. He was about 2 weeks old and I was back to taking Caeli to school everyday and picking her up. I think it has a lot to do with how ready you are too. I was a lot more confident the second time around then the first. just remember....anyone who has kids has been through the being out somewhere and your child having a screaming fit or just being grumpy...so don't stress
Funny story (well it's funny now!) When Caeli was born, she had (and still has) and overactive gag reflex...in other words...she would yak if you looked at her wrong! I used to joke that they took the amphitheater area out of the mall because she barfed in it one too many times! Hang in there..it does get easier

Nate's got it...short, easy trips at first. Don't worry about what other people think...you'll get comments if you take baby out, or if you don't take him out. And if you or baby has a meltdown while out and about, well, you're neither the first nor the last! This is about you, your child and your comfort level. If you feel the need to stretch your "mom-on-the-go" wings, do it!

In addition to those tips, make sure you have a buddy with you. The first few times I went out, I took my husband, a friend or my mom with me so if I really needed help with something, I wasn't alone. But if you're feeling like you need to get out, go! Even if it's just a walk around the block, so you can get some fresh air.

I was out as soon as possible after my babies were born. Otherwise I got "cabin fever". Like Sarah said, it's definitely helpful to have someone with you. Go somewhere easy first, like the store, park, the mall, or a walk around the block. You'll feel better after getting out a bit as it helps to break up the day. But, since your body is still recovering, don't try to over do it or else you'll pay for it (I know out of experience). Before you know it, you'll be a pro at going places with a baby

I posted in another thread about going out early.

I'm so glad to hear you guys all feel the same way...i got so many dirty looks and flat out scoldings for being out with my baby. But my 83 year old grandmother would simply tell me to do what was right for my family and everything else could come into line. She's 98 now, so i guess she's got some things figured out!

I am back from Philly . I missed the kiddies SOOOOO much! I am taking today and tomorrow off from work to love them up! I agree-short trips close to home. I waited 3 weeks w/ my son. With my dauhgter we were out and about within a few days-second one always gets broken in a bit faster!

Thanks I'm going crazy just sitting around doing laundry, being a total milk cow, and changing diapers. My SIL just called so I think I'm gonna convince her to go to the mall with me and look for a nursing bra that actually fits me.

hey you can come do laundry and nurse your sweet thing all day long at my house for a change of scene!!!

i guess i got lucky. before i had my first, i had already spent several years working in a daycare but also had my nephew from the time he was around 8 months old for most weekends. i decided when he was a little older that i would take him to church with me and several other places. so i had him as a "practice baby" before i had my own. haha. when i had Ryan i decided that i wasnt going to be "held back" so when he was a week old i drove with him over 45 minutes to my moms house to spend the weekend with her so hubby could work all weekend. then i hemmoraged and had to start over...but then when he was about 3 weeks old we started going to walmart and such. im sure my first trip "alone" with him was to walmart...im always at walmart. with Lilly, it was different. i did take her to see my nephew at the hospital when he was born when she was about a month old, but other than that i didnt want to take my little preemie baby anywhere by myself! my sister was great for that...she went with me alot to walmart and such. i dont think i really went anywhere alone with her and Ryan together until my maternity leave (which was like 9 weeks) was up. except to the docs office...i did take them to the docs office by myself. they had to make sure Lilly was gaining weight and stuff. i was the same way...i got to the point where i thought staying in the house may actually kill me! haha

I went to Target with baby and hubby today and he slept the whole time...baby that is. I couldn't get him to go to sleep for me all day today and 5 min before my hubby gets home he falls asleep for 4 hours. He thinks he is the easiest baby!

Im glad you got out Mary! I swear, I was so nervous about going out by myself with her (and I am super independent!) The best thing ever was the Baby Bjorn... I could "wear" her and walk around with her and she slep while I shopped. We also used to stick her carrier directly in whatever shopping cart we used (not on the top... we put her in the buggy!) and cover her up and this deterred people from wanting to touch her.

I also had a Csection... and on my daughter's two week birthday we went to the arts festival at Cedar Key... what an overwhelming trip that involved me nursing her (under the hooter hider, one of the other best inventions of all time!) sitting on a bench in the center of town. It was overwhelming, but very enpowering... like it I could do that, I could do anything!

You should try the postpartum luncheon on Tuesdays at 11:30 at NFRMC. It would get you out of the house, meet other mom's going through what you are and the lactation nurse will be there facilitating and able to answer lot's of questions regarding breastfeeding. She is awesome. That's how I started getting out of the house with my first and I met a group of mom's. Our kids are five and we still get together weekly for playgroup. I wouldn't have made it through the last five years w/o them.