I was lurking on twitter today, an often occurrence when I am too tired to chat, and I ran across a conversation amongst some of the mommas on when they took their brand new baby out in public for the first time. I will honestly say I was very excited to hear others opinions on what I feel is a hotly debated topic.
I am pretty low-key parent. I am not a germaphobe at all and really do not understand the fuss about keeping life sterile with new babies. As my ob said minutes after delivery "his days of sterile living are over". And let me preface this with I mean full term babies. Preemies are a game changer and I cannot speak to that style of parenting at all. But, me, I wasn't worried at all about public places with EJ. Honestly, I was more worried about me freaking out because I don't do cooped up well. I am very go, go type of person and being told I need to stay inside for 6 or 8 weeks is enough to make me batshitcrazy. Just ask my husband mid-February when I have it deemed it too cold to leave for weeks which means I have been at home for days on end. I am many things and nice and sane are not them.
I was pleasantly surprised to read women after women announce they left for the first within a week of their little one's birth. I took a brutal chastising from a few members of my family for taking EJ out to a very late lunch when he was 6 days old, aka we were the only ones there and he was tucked away in my sling. Which meant not a single person could touch him and you could not see him unless I showed you his sweet self. I needed the fresh air and life outside of my inlaws (yes we were living there at the moment) which meant venturing into public.
Since then I have taken note of what others have done simply because I wondered if I was weird. I can say that one thing I have notice which each additional child parents seem to care less and less. I even had one friend tell me of another who stopped for a Margarita with her husband and freshly baked baby # 4 on the way home from the hospital. Hysterical! I guess I just believe that life goes on and things need to get done. I am pretty sure I am not going to be able to pause life for 2 months come August and quite frankly I have no desire to do so. But, that is why I must have summer babies, no flu season for me. I am also the obnoxious person that follows up every person who questions me on my thoughts with you know some people take public transportation home from the hospital right? And to me that is about as germy as you can get.
3 comments:
Not strange at all. Here come the comments about what an awful parent I am, but we took our 4 week old baby (who was technically minus 3 weeks since he was 7 weeks early) to a wedding with us. We both were in it (I with a restructured bridesmaid gown), and I carried that baby on my with a moby wrap so tight, no one even knew he was there.
Like so much "motherhood," you have to do what's right for you and your family. And just be vigilant about sticky fingers wanting to grope your baby. :)
I know, deep inside, that with #2 I will be a lot less freaked out/paranoid/omg don't touch that than with Bella.
We took Miller out a LOT when she was young because Darren had a lot of restaurant business at the time, so we ate out quite often. I'd rather take the kiddos to places when they're young and mostly just sleep in the carrier...it's not like they're coming into contact with that many germs (unless someone is coughing or sneezing on them, which is unlikely). I'd say you have about 3 months before they start to wake up and say, "Hey! Hold me now or I'll scream my head off the whole dinner," so you better take advantage of it.
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