EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
First Years (0-2)
|
||||
|
I remember well the first time my husband and I took our new baby on his first big public outing. As we reminisced recently about that day, two things came to mind: the Sling and the Nasty Old Lady. At about the age of 2 months, we felt our infant son, Logan, was finally ready to go outside of the house with us somewhere, other than the pediatrician’s office for a check-up or a quick walk to the corner in the stroller. Logan had been born premature, he was still very little although healthy, and he was born in September. That meant that when it was time for his big public debut, it was mid-November. Cold and flu season were approaching, so we had to be cautious about exposing him to germs. This is where the Sling came in. We bought one of those fabric slings that the parent wears over his or her shoulder and around the torso, with the baby tucked comfortably inside. The close quarters resemble a womb for the infant, and, indeed, once we jostled Logan into position in the sling, he curled up snugly against me and fell sleep. The sling is nice because it protects your baby from airborne germs and the elements. Before we took Logan out, I had tried it at home to make sure it was safe and secure. The sling was awesome. So my husband and I packed up the boy and the sling and drove about 40 minutes from our house in Ventura to a large indoor swap meet in the western San Fernando Valley. All went well that day, except for the Nasty Old Lady. A pair of older, nice-looking ladies came up to see the baby. One of the women curiously pulled open my sling to get a better peek at Logan and tried to reach in to touch him. I considered this a no-no. Most new parents out in public with a tiny baby don’t want total strangers handling their infants during flu season, and I think it’s rude to touch someone’s infant without asking first. I politely told the woman, “Feel free to look but please don’t touch the baby, he’s very tiny.” To which she replied, “Well, maybe the baby should stay at home.” She walked off, leaving me too stunned to reply. I fumed for the rest of the day, wondering how many people think new moms with infants should stay home with their babies until who knows when. I’m glad we went to the swap meet. We had fun (new parents should have lives, too). There is no specific time frame for that first public outing, although pediatricians recommend new parents wait until baby is at least 4 weeks old. Six weeks is better. Parents have to consider germ exposure, which means generally not allowing too many people especially strangers to handle the baby, especially during flu season. For moms, the timing depends upon when they feel lively enough and when they have adequately recovered from a Cesarean if they had one. Breastfeeding moms may want to consider their baby’s eating schedule. I felt comfortable on the outing because I was with my husband. We had the protective sling, a stocked diaper bag, and extra clean clothes for the baby. You will enjoy the trip more knowing your baby’s needs are covered and that you won’t be stuck with a dirty baby and no extra diapers. You might try a front carrier for your baby. This keeps him snuggled close while leaving your hands free, but carriers have minimum weight requirements, so check the labels. Many can accommodate infants around 8 pounds, but infants will have to face you since they don’t yet have the head control to safely face out. As soon as your baby can hold up his head, he can face out, but remember that he will be more exposed to the elements that way. Still another option is placing baby in a carriage with a hood. No matter how your baby travels on that first outing, feel confident and enjoy the time out. After all, it’s a big world for him to see! And never let the dumb comments of strangers keep you at home. After all, those nosy strangers were once babies. Longtime journalist Amy Bentley lives in Temecula with her family. |
||||
RSS Subscribe
Digg This ArticleSEARCH THE SITE
