my husband is really picky about taking our 4 mth. old around alot of people in public places. He worries because of the wintery flu season and all, and says the baby needs to build up his immune system more. How long did you all wait before taking your babies out around strangers? I hear about some people who have taken their little ones out when they were just a few days old. I mean don't get me wrong , we do take the baby to relatives houses and we always have company at our house so he is around people. and we have gone to walmart a few times with him but that is about it. I want to take him out more but I do agree with my husband. He works in a hospital so I guess maybe thats why he is just being more cautious I guess.
I never took any of my kids out to malls and crowded places when they were that small. They do need to be exposed to a certin amount of germs to build up resistance, but at 4 months they also haven't had all of their immunizations. Some people take their babies everywhere and don't seem to concerned, but my thinking has always been why take the risk in the winter when so many more illnesses are going around and there are many more people inside because it's cold out...so i just never took the risk, in my opinion it's not worth it,you or i could handle the flu or a really bad cold, but your baby can't handle it so well.
I was the exact same way. I was so scared of him catching something. I hated it when strangers just came up and started touching him everywhere. However, I knew that they didn't mean any harm. I was just one of those up tight new moms. However, that does change over time. Now, at 11 months, I love taking him places so that he can interact with different people. However, the weather does play a big part...if it's very cold or raining I don't take him unless I just have too.... If I were you I definantly wouldn't take him out to TOOOO many places but walmart and stuff is fine. Just use your mommy judgement!!
Last edited by littleone314; 02-13-2004 at 08:50 AM.
I'm extra careful 'cuz my baby was born with a some problems and spent the first month in the hospital. I take him to the mall, shopping -- but I avoid crowds, use lots of the antibacterial hand wash. When I go to the clinic I sit far far away from everyone else, avoid going near anyone in case they're germy. We did NOT sit on santa's lap because I was afraid that the other children may have had germs -- RSV Virus and others can remain on surfaces for several hours.
Be thankful your husband wants to take caution on exposing your baby to germs in public places.
I raised 5 children and never took them out into crowed places until they were older. I did not put them in church nurseries until they were 2 years old. Our peditrician did not want the children to catch childhood diseases before age 2.
When you do have to take the baby out, be sure and drape a blanket over to avoid exposure to other people's germs. Many people like to get close to babies but when they are draped with a light blanket, they can't. The light cotton recieving blankets loosely draped over them is perfect.
My husband and I have taken Austin out in public since he was 9 days old. We do however hold him pretty close when people are looking at him because we had this experience at 9 days old. We went to a friends house and Austin was 9 days old and had an eye infection. It was only my friend and her mom so it was no big deal. Well my friends uncle came over and he says "ohhhhhhh, he's got stuff in his eye". He proceeded to take his finger and wipe Austins eye. I turned myself around so Austin was no where near him and told him he had an eye infection. I went and washed austins eye. But just be aware that people do tend to touch but all I do is keep Austin close to me and if they go to touch I turn. But it's all up to you, use your mommy opinion. If you feel comfortable bringing him out in public, do it, if you don't, don't do it!
it really depends on the season for me with winter there is flu and cold and the RSV virus...my daughter was born in winter and we didn't take her out until she was 2 weeks old and even then we made sure she was bundled and held away from ppl my son was born in spring and I took him out about 1 week old and my youngest daughter was born in summer and well unfortanutly I had to bring her out withing 3 days cuz my MIL is phyco and she took it good but I could have used the rest......but then I worry about the heat
My son was born last Feb. I live about 40 mins east of Toronto. When he was a month old the whole SARS thing started. I don't know if any of you had to deal with that but I wouldn't leave my house. When my husband came home from work I use to make him go straight to the washroom and wash before going near the baby. I was scared to death. I wouldn't let people come over to see the baby if they had been in Toronto and I have family from there so I felt kinda bad but I was scared and they all understood. One day I had to go into town and I was in a store with the baby and a women came up to see the baby and she touched his face, I snapped on her. I feel bad now but I just don't think people have any right going up and touching somebody else's child. I think it's wrong. I would never do that. So I understand it is scarey when they are really young. He is just over a year now and we go everywhere together it's great. You slowly grow out of it. You just kinda start doing more slowly with them as time goes by. Take Care Everyone.
i took my daughter out when she was only 4 days old, and she is 4 months now and we pretty much take her everywhere, but i am very cautious, i sanitize the bar on the grocery cart, and my hands constantly, and my daughter was born in october so when the flu season hit i stopped going out for about a month, but i really started to lose it, i went crazy cleaning and sanitizing, people stopped visiting...and it just got really bad, but then i realized she is a child she will be ok and children need some exposure to germs, and by not getting some there immune system gets weak since there is nothing to fight...but i am still very sanitary when in public, but like someone else already said you just have to use your own jugement....
