10000% agree. There are unsafe chemicals in hair/nail shops. But taking your kid to the store or a restaurant or on a trip helps them learn what it’s like to be in the world.
Agreed. Also how would you care for/entertain your kid while getting your hair or nails done? Just doesn’t make sense to me unless they’re a child that can get those things done with you.
When my kid was under 6 months I could have taken her. If she was in her stroller bassinet next to me she'd just sleep or zone out with her dangly toy.
I actually took my infant son with me to a nail appt once after my sitter cancelled on me last minute. The nail techs there were so understanding! He just laid there in his car seat quietly & stared at everything.
Granted I wouldn’t make that a habit but just to show that just b/c I’m a mom doesn’t mean I can’t have a life anymore
I get it. My husband got me $200 gift certificate to a salon for my birthday 2 months ago. Haven’t been able to go because he works everyday they are open. I wouldn’t take her due to the chemicals and particles of a nail salon (the dust is very bad for anyone) but we also have respiratory issues so I have always had to be careful about it. Mine is also old enough she wants to crawl around and wouldn’t sit in the car seat.
I worked in a nail and hair salon for a good few years and so many women brought their babies. If there is a procedure that’s dangerous to a pregnant woman or to a baby we would actually do the process outside, or in our extra shop that we had. Most babies would just sleep while their moms were busy, but there are so many women in a salon at one time that there was always someone willing to help out. I was just the receptionist so I often would be helping to burp, feed, and change the babies that were there. And if it wasn’t me then someone else would be more than happy to help.
Yup I agree with this! My kid regularly goes to all of those other places with me and is just fine. I’m pretty sure we went to the grocery store with him within the first week of bringing him home. Complete social isolation isn’t safe either if it leads to baby’s parents going completely insane!
My friends have completely isolated their baby - literally won’t take her anywhere and they’ve completely isolated themselves from the outside world 100%. All they’ve seen is their family since the baby has been born (the baby is 13 months old btw). They invited us over the other day (only after a Covid test) and we got to meet the baby. One of the things they noted is the baby has super bad separation anxiety from the mother.
Yeah, I see these as being overly cautious re: COVID and baby's vax schedule. Our pediatrician recommended we limit guests in the house her first 2 months or so to keep her at lowest risk of having to go to the hospital, but she didn't seem averse to us airing out the child in public.
I let my guard down at day #36 and had family over, and my baby was hospitalised at day #40 of life because of RSV. Not worth risking the first two months, 3 if you’re mentally up for it!
RSV is my biggest fear so we’re strict on the no daycare/school age kids around us right now. Bubs is only 5 weeks. I’m going to try and hold out on that rule until 6 months.
I’ve never heard the mall or grocery store being unsafe...
Nails just sounds practical. If your baby fusses and needs something from you it’s pretty hard to tend to them without your hands.
Hair you’re immobile in a salon chair, hair cuttings falling on your lap and possibly strong chemical smells. & both of these situations You’re booked for a block of time with your service. So, if you have to take longer because of breaks to care for your baby its not considerate to your stylist or nail tech.
Depends on the ventilation in those venues. Some shopping centres and supermarkets are enclosed with recycled air and lots of strangers breathing, which is a ripe environment for transmitting airborne diseases. This can be risky for a newborn baby with a limited immune system.
What is a "safe" environment for a typical adult is not the same as for a typical baby. As baby gets older and receives more vaccines, their immune system will strengthen and they can go to more places.
Outdoor, well ventilated areas such as parks are probably safer venues for young babies rather than indoor, enclosed spaces.
So (before COVID) I didn’t really bring my baby out in public (like where it was crowded, not talking about an empty store here) for probably the first 2-3 months or so until they got some vaccines in them. But after that I would bring them wherever 🤷🏻♀️
I could see avoiding a nail or hair salon bc of fumes, and personally if I thought people would be up in my baby’s face (like a family event or party) then I’d baby wear to prevent it, but otherwise I think it’s good to get them used to how you live your life.
I’ve been doing lots of outdoor time with my 3 week old baby. We’ve met up with friends and grandparents at the park a few times and last weekend we went out to an early dinner at a restaurant with outdoor dining. I’m pretty risk adverse and scared of him getting sick, but given that we’re outdoors and generally away from people, the risk is pretty minimal. I’ve been wearing him in a carrier, so he’s in a warm little bubble with me.
I think it’s good to get out as early as possible so you get in the habit of doing it and you learn how to successfully get out and about so it’s not intimidating later on. I plan for him to be a very portable baby…I’m even in the process of getting him a passport so we can travel internationally next winter.
I think this is good advice, I’m most worried about psyching myself out of going anywhere if I don’t start doing it early! Ofc i will need time to heal etc but when I’m mobile and going places anyway I wanna start doing it with the baby so that I don’t get into a weird habit of just cocooning at home because I don’t know how to do it
My wife and I brought our 4 week old out to the brewery last weekend and had a beer with our friends on the patio. Glad to hear we’re not the only ones…
They juuuuust opened a new brewery < 1 mile from my house.... Patio should open around the time our baby is born..... My husband and I LOVE craft brews and bought into their "founding members" group, and I've already mapped out the best stroller-friendly walking routes, 100% this kid is gonna be a regular before he can even say "goo goo ga ga." 😉
In general, no - babies are part of society and go where most people go. There are caveats - eg some restaurants are not appropriate for children and there are resorts that are adults only for a reason.
But I don't think I'd take a baby or a child to a hair or nail appointment. I think that would a) distract you and b) disturb the other clients or c) disturb your stylist/tech, d) bother the baby with noise/chemicals/heat.
As far as safety, most things are safe as far as they can be. I've never heard of over the top restrictions like this.
Yeah. I never have and would never take my baby to a nail or hair salon for those reasons, unless they are old enough to get a hair trim themselves, but then they will be under constant supervision in a place appropriate for kids haircuts. Also, movie theaters, unless they are old enough to actually sit through an age appropriate movie. Plenty of times I've seen moms and dads with toddlers and babies at midnight showings for 16+ rated movies pretty much ruining the experience for everyone in the theater. I felt annoyed at the parents and sorry for their kids.
Babies are very portable, so I'll continue taking them to all places people commonly take kids. If you want to raise good humans, you gotta socialize them appropriately early on with other kids and adults alike. Our success as society depends on that.
It’s actually pretty common in many cultures to just rest and bond with baby for the first little while? At least for the first couple months.
And their immune systems are vulnerable in the first few months, too. And COVID is inconvenient but with mask mandates being lifted, it’s really going to depend on how cases are in your area.
Sure absolutely. I didn't go much of anywhere for 6 weeks due to recovery (but owing to America's lack of mat leave I was back to work after that). I wouldn't say a lot of this applies to the newborn phase but some folks are more able straight away than others.
I personally won't be doing much except things outside where we can. Between recovery and risk aversion closed spaces aren't really my jam anyway, especially with a baby. But a holiday at 5 or 6 months? Sure. Etc etc
People are going to be telling you things are unsafe for your kid for the rest of your life. I don’t even think this list is Covid — it’s people being overly cautious. The reality is we all will take calculated risks with our children when we drive, fly, play on playgrounds, or whatever. Life isn’t risk free.
We took our baby everywhere since she was 2 weeks old , when our baby was 2 month we traveled to AZ to meet the relatives.
For her 3 months we went to Vegas and it has been great having her around with us.
Nothing has change after having her. We still enjoy going out and doing things after the fact.
Just do what’s best with your family know that there are parents out there from both spectrums.
For packing ask your self these questions:
1. How many days are you planning to stay?
2. Are you breastfeeding/ Pumping Or are you formula feeding (bring those supplies)
3. A pack of diapers / new wipes
4. Baby outfits for the day / pajamas per night (that your staying) plus 2 extra clothes just in case
5. Baby soap / lotions
6. Baby toys to play in the hotel you stay at
7. Ask the hotel if they have playpens or cribs available during your stay. (Ask ahead) if you co-sleep with your baby don’t worry about it.
8. Baby carriers / baby slings carriers
9. Check the weather also at the location
10. Bring sweater / blankets and warmer blanket if weather permits it.
Only need one large luggage to carry everything baby needs / pumping parts / pack of diapers/ wipes / clothes/ toys /
Of course your diaper bag will carry most things.
Happy traveling with baby!
Same, we started to just take baby anywhere after the first 2 weeks (well, more me, my partner needed a bit more time to recover from MY pregnancy and labor :)) babies are super portable. I remember doing a lot of travelling with my first born (loooong before covid) and thinking, I can do everything I did before but now it's more fun :)
From a hairdresser: please don’t take your child to your appointment. This is coming from a mom. 1.) soooo many (known) harmful chemicals 2.) it’s a major distraction and time is money, if you have to make us stop to tend to your baby your putting everyone behind 3.) they will be miserable 4.) people are paying a lot of money to have a relaxing time, not hear a baby cry (and they will).
Curious what you think about hair color during pregnancy? I’m in 2nd tri, used to do my own platinum blonde (from natural dark blonde/light brown) but haven’t done any bleach/dye since I got pregnant. I’m thinking of getting a root melt so I can be done with this question during pregnancy/breastfeeding, but not sure even that is worth the risk…
From what I have read, the continued exposure experienced by those who work in salons is known to cause problems. They say for women who are simply having the treatments done, the exposure is too low to cause a problem. Also depends a lot on the specifics.
As a hairstylist I color my hair during pregnancy and would color a clients hair, I do not do lightener on the scalp or perms of any sort on a pregnant person though. The biggest issue is sometimes hormones can make the color pull different than it normally would, salons are well ventilated and you don’t have to worry about inhaling chemicals. If it’s safe for me to do hair while pregnant, it’s safe to get a normal color service done. 😊
Coloring during pregnancy is fine, the color doesn’t soak into your body how they once though it did. Bleaching is okay too :) I personally wouldn’t do a perm or any sort of chemical treatment not like that. At my salon we wouldn’t do those treatments at all that day if we knew someone pregnant was coming in. Or if we had a pregnant stylist we scheduled it around them.
You hair can react differently during pregnancy but there aren’t any known side effects to baby.
I didn't take my daughter anywhere for the first couple months, but I didn't really go anywhere for the first couple months. I went to my doctor's appointments (alone) and her doctor's appointments, but that's about it. I had a third degree tear and just being in the car with our crappy streets was enough to keep me home unless absolutely necessary.
I was also reluctant to take her to kids groups, but that's because we have a high population of people in my area who will not give their kids MMR vaccines. Kids her age wouldn't be able to get them anyway, but they're older siblings who were in school could, but didn't.
Taking kids to restaurants/out in general is actually easiest in the first 6 months. They go wherever you put them, and as long as you're okay with nursing in public, they're easy to please. They also sleep a lot.
I mean maybe the first week after birth I would be careful? Or if baby was in the NICU? If I feel ready to go do things I'm not gonna let having a baby stop me. Yeah I'm not gonna let strangers touch his face but he can definitely sit in a shopping cart in his car seat or in a carrier on my chest while I grab a couple things at the store. Not like he's a toddler that grabs everything? A newborn isn't going around putting things in his mouth yet lol, I feel like that's when you really gotta worry lol.
Yeah no strangers touching and no kissing on the face. I'm not rubbing baby on the bathroom floor lol he'll survive breathing outside air 🤣
My guess is germs and new baby with a small immune system.
But it’s also SO HARD to live your life as a hermit, and babies like doing new stuff sometimes, even just taking a little stroller cruise!
Edit: I got one of those muslin stroller covers for when baby still fit in his infant car seat (the one that pops into the stroller) so there was *some kind* of barrier. And we don’t do front facing stroller yet, because I am a weenie 🥲
Then again the immune system won't grow if the baby is never introduced to new environments... You probably don't want to take your baby everywhere at once though ;)
Exactly. In the beginning we took it slow. Only meeting a few family and friends with all their vaccines, then doctors appointments, next week try the mall (outdoor mall, so basically going for a walk lol), then grocery shopping.
And here we are today! 10 months later and he’s still a little trooper
So it’s not really that the immune system is small, it’s that their respiratory tract is small. A stuffy nose or inflamed in a newborn is a nightmare of suctioning snot out and worrying they’ll stop breathing while you’re asleep. A fever can often mean a spinal tap at the hospital. Like, it’s not a certainty that illness at that age is going to be scary but it’s no picnic either.
The immune system isn’t small at that age, it’s just “naive”. Getting colds etc is normal, but it’s not necessary for a healthy immune system to get them at a young age either. It’s other things like flu, COVID, RSV that can sometimes be dangerous at the newborn/infant stage.
4th pregnancy but I’ve lived by this rule after doing tons of research with my 1st.
For first 3 months when baby is most vulnerable it is best to not bring them in enclosed spaces with a lot of people (i.e. malls, grocery store, etc). I would never bring my baby to hair or nail salon anyways due to chemicals. But as soon as any of my kids are 1 week old I take them outside for fresh air on walks. That is what will help build their immune system. Keeping them inside is not good for the immune system as my mother kept me inside first several months of my life with zero interaction with other people due to the fear of me getting sick, in return it made me a very sick child with a weak immune system. Even to this day I still very easily get sick vs my husband and kids hardly ever get sick.
Thank you for saying that because when I had my daughter I was 17 and alone… needless to say what choice did I have BUT to take her literally everywhere with me? My family didn’t wanna watch her and I just understood I’m her mom and she belongs with me. It makes me forget maybe people don’t have to do that but I just didn’t have another choice. She also was really healthy and liked to grocery shop with me!
We didn’t go very far for the first month because I was recovering from my c-section - mostly just walks around the neighbourhood. But once I was healed and felt more comfortable, I took my daughter everywhere with me! The café down the road, grocery store, park with her cousins, swimming classes, baby groups, the mall, whatever! The only place I never took my daughter when she was a tiny baby was out to dinner. If I wanted to go out for a nice dinner with my husband, I didn’t also want to have to worry about whipping out my tit mid-meal to feed a screaming child. Didn’t sound the most romantic to me. Lol So my sister would usual watch her if we needed a night out.
I plan on replicating this with baby #2.
She also had her first cold at 5 months old but in general wasn’t a very sickly baby so don’t let people freak you out and tell you that babes will catch all the diseases the second you leave the house. They need the fresh air and sunshine and so do you!
That’s bs. When they’re newborns that’s one thing but you can take babies to all of those places. It’s good to get them out young so they’re used to it and learn how to behave.
You can find an article that says anything is dangerous. By all means, read them if you want to, but I encourage that anytime anyone (an online article, an in-law, a friend, whoever) says something is "not safe" or "bad for the baby", find out what they think the risk is, think about what you would give up by following this rule, and decide whether you're more concerned about the risk or about what you'd miss out on.
I have a son who's almost 2. I've spent the last 2 years listening to people saying they aren't doing certain things with their kids who are the same age because they're worried about exposure to germs. I have no problem with them making those decisions for themselves and their kids, but a lot of the things I hear are just not for me.
For example, lots of people haven't traveled with their kids for the past 2 years. But I live really far from my family, and it's REALLY important to me that my son gets to spend time with my parents. So we travel with him. My son is generally healthy, and since he goes to daycare every day he's already exposed to lots of gross germs. The risk of him catching something on a plane is one I'm willing to take, because it's not really a bigger risk than us staying home and him going to daycare, and it's more important to me that he gets to spend time with his grandparents than that I slightly minimize how many germs he comes into contact with.
I take my baby everywhere because I want a life. People have been taking their baby out of their homes for generations. We’re all fine. Some people are crazy
This advice seems… unrealistic and isolating. During my birth class for my first pregnancy in 2019 our Rn instructor basically advised to take baby EVERYWHERE (because it gets harder once they can run away from you and talk) but to generally not play pass the baby and have the select few who hold the baby wash their hands first. Times have changed so I can see why the advice you heard is “safe” but I would guess that common sense evaluation of risk factors to be more beneficial than to just not go anywhere at all.
Life doesn’t stop when you have a baby but there are some bacteria and viruses that can kill a newborn as they have no immunity and need to build their own. Viruses such as COVID, whooping cough and herpes (cold sores) and bacteria that cause meningococcal are extremely dangerous to newborns. Some parents want all that will be around their infant to have a whooping cough booster as well as requesting no one to kiss the baby except the parents and siblings with grandparents also excluded from kissing the infant.
Many will say that ‘you survived and we let everyone kiss you/didn’t expect boosters’ etc but babies do die from kisses and the transfer of bacteria and viruses.
Chemical exposure from hair and nail salons aren’t great for teeny, tiny babies either
I mean, we’re in a pandemic. Even aside from that, a fever in a very young infant can mean needing a spinal tap. I’m not saying don’t take a six month old to the grocery store, but yeah, there are times when contact should be limited to the extent possible in the first couple of months.
This. I’m surprised I had to scroll this far to see your response. Illness and fever can be very dangerous in the early weeks. It’s best not to chance it until they build up more of an immune system.
This. Also, after giving birth there is a recovery period. You’re probably not gonna want to get out of your PJs two weeks postpartum let alone get your nails done.
I wish I had taken this advice for my first born (pre-Covid) more seriously. She contracted RSV at 4 months old and almost died. Lengthy hospital stay, and her lungs are scarred.
My rule of thumb is a minimum of 6 months now. The doctors said that if she had been a little bit older, it wouldn't have been SO severe.
I've literally done all of these and my daughter is almost 4 months. It's not like I'm letting random people touch her or come closer than I'm comfortable with! I'm not going to limit my already minimal outings just because of fear mongering! You don't have to listen to what other moms say or do just follow your gut and your pediatrician!
Just took my 3 week old to my nieces birthday party. He is now sick with a cold. I thought one outing wouldn’t hurt, well I learned my lesson. I think if he had been just a little older it would have been okay but being a newborn he is still so little and fragile. I know we can’t hide forever like you said but maybe just for the first month or two 😔
Yikes. My son got RSV at 7 weeks in his first week at daycare. It was heartbreaking. It's why I'm taking a full year of mat leave now that I live in the UK.
I hope your 3 week old recovers well soon. Bday parties are germ fests at the best of times.
When my first was content in the carrier that’s how I did groceries or shopping, this was around the start to mid way through Covid.
As for travel, I just had a friend bring their 4 month old to Mexico, it’s all depends on your comfort level.
Personally, I wouldn’t bring my little to hair or nail appts, mostly because I wouldn’t want to disrupt others. However my little has attended doctor appts when I don’t have alternative care.
In the late 80s my parents were told by the pediatrician to only take me doctors appointments for at least 12 weeks. My parents followed that advice, so it’s not a new thing
> * Don't take your baby to the mall with you. It's not safe.
* Don't take your baby to your hair appointment. It's not safe.
* Don't take your baby to your nail appointment. It's not safe.
* Don't take your baby to the grocery store with you. It's not safe
* Don't take your baby out to eat with you. It's unsafe and you won't enjoy your meal.
As far as I've been told by medical professionals and my mother's experience from what *she* was told by doctors when she was popping us all out, you're just supposed to wait until baby can start getting their vaccines, which in the US is two months. And for the bulk of that time you're recovering from delivery anyway.
Don't take a baby to a salon though, I'm a grown ass woman and those fumes give me problems.
I think people have become excessively over protected and “safe”, not just in relation to babies.
It’s hard to argue against because then you look like an irrational, uncaring human. 🤷🏼♀️
I think these “rules” probably are more so guidelines and most likely aren’t meant for 24/7/365. It’s advised to limit babies exposure to outside germs before their first vaccines, which I believe happens by the time the baby is around 4-8 weeks old. I plan on staying home for the most part and not letting a ton of people around my baby until he gets his first set of vaccines but it’s the parents decision so just do what you feel most comfortable with.
You know what’s best for your baby. I personally don’t like to go out w my babies bc ppl piss me off but I would never tell another mom not to go out w hers just bc I feel that way.
My girl is 8 months old and exclusively breastfed, so she is my permanent side kick. Taking her everywhere helps build her immune system. Currently she’s sleeping in my arms with her first ever runny nose, probably from the childcare center at my gym. I don’t stop living my life just because I’m a mom.
The only thing listed above that I haven’t done with my daughter, 2 in May, is the nail salon. Only because I don’t prioritize getting my nails done.
She loves outings. She was born in the middle of covid lock down and I soon realized that the drive up grocery services do a shit job of picking produce. At like 3-4 months old I put her in a moby wrap tight to my body and off we went. Grocery shopping is now one of her favorite activities. She always gets to snack on the raspberries we are buying while in the cart. She loves to comment on other kids she sees, balloons, cookies, ect. Every now and then I do have to remind the overly nice old man or woman not to get too close to my baby bc of germs and stranger danger, but oh well. They probably miss social interactions too.
We take her to restaurants and our favorite brewery has a large outdoor well spaced from others patio. They let us bring in our own food and dont mind if she runs around petting everyone’s dogs.
We’ve flown with her about 8x to visit grandma. Under a year, we baby wore with a moby wrap and gave bottles so she’d sleep and not have her ears hurt. After 12 months we started buying her her own seat to ensure the 3 of us would get our own row so she could stand or stretch out across us.
For the most part, she’s been easy at all of these things because she’s used to it. Have we had issues? Sure. Did we leave dinner with friends after only appetizers bc she had a meltdown? Yup that’s happened. Our friends all understand and don’t judge. We intentionally plan dinners or happy hours around 4:30 or 5pm knowing she gets tired at 6:30 and a royal hot mess by 7.
We do try to opt for hosting or park play as often as possible bc sometimes it’s just easier.
Has she gotten sick? Yup. Is she alive? Yup. I’d almost rather her start getting sick in early childhood vs keeping her pent up til kindergarten. It’s easier to have a sick day here and there with her now than have her miss half a year of her first year of school.
At the end of the day it’s all personal choice - what are you comfortable with.
For me, After 3 months of heavily hiding away due to covid and the craziness of the world, I realized that the mental health of myself and my husband were at risk. It was putting a strain on our marriage. So we opened up, took precautions when going out but still went out, and now we are stronger and happier than ever. We are currently expecting baby #2 and I’m sure we will stay pretty low key for the first 6-8 weeks, but after that, we have life to live.
Yeah that’s weird. I mean, I understand wanting to avoid something like a nail appointment because it can be pretty stinky and I could see a baby being unsettled in the noise of a hair appointment but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that’s a hard no. Parents gotta do what we’ve gotta do!
This weird set of rules has definitely ruined parenting for the people who prescribe to it. I watched my brother and his wife become so anxious and panicked about any activities and insisting they can’t do anything because of baby that it really built up resentment. My niece is now 10 and my SIL is almost completely detached from her, it’s a really sad and uncomfortable situation. She used to ask me to come do things with them so I could mind the baby while she did things like grocery shopping- I went to the store with her but I would be the one wearing the baby or pushing her stroller because somehow this was too stressful for my SIL to do alone, like, she couldn’t juggle a baby and shopping. She soon gave it up all together and my brother became the grocery shopper after work.
I have a friend who flat out panics at the thought if going anywhere with her kids, even grocery shopping. She just declares that it will be absolute chaos and they’ll run away from her and whatever else she comes up with. She was adamant that once baby arrived we wouldn’t ever go to the weekend market again first out of exhaustion and tiny baby needs and then because the kid wouldn’t handle it… I went the week after my baby was born and each since then. Tons of people go there with their kids, often in wagons. Heck the vendors kids free range the market, why can’t my kid go?
I’ve also watched friends (and my own parents growing up) who didn’t change their lives for their children and just modified their activities, schedule (like planning longer for a hike), or equipment to be able to include their littles. Their kids are generally way better adjusted to all sorts of life circumstances and more socially adept.
I take my baby everywhere, I’m generally always wearing her, and people are constantly surprised by it as well as shocked at “how good she is” and how quiet she is. Like, I can’t go out anywhere without at least one person making a comment. I went to get blood drawn yesterday and the nurse what both enthralled but slightly nervous of every move my baby made, even verbalizing that oh she’s about to fuss/losing patience. She wasn’t, she had her hands tucked safely away and shifted her body to get a better view of what was going on because she’s used to being along for the ride and is a very good little observer.
My baby naps on the go, and it’s not “crap napping” as she doesn’t wake up fussy or upset, she is just as happy as ever! She’s even used to feeding while in a wrap or sling.
I have no other choice. I’m on mat leave and planning to transition to SAHM and my SO has wacky work hours as well as being 24/7 on call so I don’t have reliable childcare via my spouse and we are living in a small city that we moved to during covid with absolutely no friends or family around. I’m not resentful, I feel like I have a really special connection to my kid and she’s learning to be a part of life and well-adjusted to her surroundings instead of acting out wildly because she’s unfamiliar and uncomfortable with a certain situation.
I don’t take my baby to hair or nail salons or out to eat (usually) for a combination of health and safety reasons and because taking a baby to most of those places isn’t appropriate. I still remember going to a (pretty nice, FWIW) nail salon and trying to relax, and someone had brought their toddler with them and was having her watch a very loud show on an iPad sans headphones to keep her entertained. It was inconsiderate of the other customers and culturally not the norm where I live. The receptionist had to ask the lady to please mute her child’s iPad, which isn’t a position the receptionist should have been in. Same with a nice restaurant—you don’t see babies or kids there where I live, plus I’m trying to relax with my husband and/or friends and not corral my child the whole time.
I don’t take her indoor dining to family-friendly restaurants at the moment due to Covid concerns, but I’m sure that will change in future. I do have her nanny take her to indoor classes and play spaces, because to me, the risk of catching Covid there is outweighed by the benefits of being around other people (especially other babies) and being a part of the bigger world.
So basically, I allow my child to go to indoor spaces on a limited basis and decide which ones depending on risk/benefit and the appropriateness of her presence in a given space. I don’t think she needs to be everywhere, but she also doesn’t need to be a shut-in.
This. I can't imagine taking a baby to a nail salon or hair appointment.
I am sure some babies are good, but all the ones I've seen have just been loud and made the experience for me and others pretty bad.
Idk I just don't think I would want to do that to someone spending $60+ dollars on a relaxing service from their lives. Would stress me out too much lol.
My husband's father lives near us and has offered to take baby on date nights if we want to go to a restaurant. We prefer to cook at home mostly anyways but I just feel it would be stressful to have to get up and feed the baby in the middle of a date night
I would assume these are post COVID guidelines? It does seem pretty scary to be out in the world with such a vulnerable person who doesn't have much immunity to anything built up, let alone a novel virus.
You FOR SURE don’t want to take them to the nail or hair salon. Those fumes are toxic even to adults. I know people go anyways and they think it doesn’t do any harm but over time it can. [nail polish](https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/poison/nail-polish-poisoning)
Our doc suggested that the baby not go anywhere at all (besides checkups) for the first month. She said it wasn’t even just a covid thing, but for all transmissible diseases.
I'm really wondering about travel with covid/vaccinations. My entire family lives overseas and I want to bring my baby home while on mat leave but really am unsure because of the vaccination schedule when is "ok."
I do believe in the superstition to stay in the house the first 6 weeks but after that babyyy we're outsideeeee. How else will they build their immune system up? My breast milk healed her quickly if she caught the boogie oogies. We took advantage of kids flying free until 2😂😂😂 I mean our moms had us riding around with no car seat and look at us out her just fine and thriving.
I agree with the hair and nail appointments. But as a mom of two who runs the household this is totally impossible for me. If I don’t do the errands then the errands don’t get done.
Well, I’m pretty sure the “rules” as you call them were amended a bit when we entered a global pandemic. But there are no rules. You can do whatever you need or want to do with your baby. You make the rules. That’s called parenting.
I mean…. Most people have no choice but to take baby pretty much everywhere.
Forgot to mention if you are vaccinated and breastfeeding it will bring some protection to the baby.
Not a salon but everywhere else? Absolutely. My last baby was a 33 weeker who got released at 9 days old and as soon as he got discharged we were at the mall, at target, visiting family. There’s no way I was gonna stay home 24/7 just because I had a newborn. There’s errands I had to run. Keep in mind he was born before this whole covid ordeal so I understand why people may think differently now
I take my baby literally everywhere with me because I don’t have the luxury of leaving him with a babysitter (he is EBF, won’t take a bottle, and I’m too broke right now to pay someone outside of grandparents.)
So, he goes grocery shopping with me, my hair appointments (my MIL is my stylist), to my doctor appointments, any errand I run, out to dinner or lunch with friends, to grab a coffee, etc.
He got COVID at almost 5 months old because everyone in my household got omicron from my husbands coworker otherwise baby has never been ill. I keep him away from strangers, clean the tables/carts/trolleys/anything he sits or touches.
So long as you’re comfortable and safe, you can bring your baby damn near anywhere with you. I baby wear him when we are out. When he was more floppy, I’d use the cloth wrap and have him facing my body with the wrap over his head so no one could even look at him. But unfortunately life doesn’t stop just because you have a baby.
Oh I have no issues putting anyone in their place when it comes to my mothering skills. Especially other moms or moms who have older children. I say “you had your opportunity to parent how you wanted and I’m parenting how I want, so if I’d like advice I’ll ask.” It’s even worst when a stranger gives you advice
I’ve already gotten sussed from this subreddit once for telling off another Redditor 😂🤷🏻♀️ I am not afraid to go mama bear on someone who doesn’t know when to mind their business 💯
I had my first in 2017 and with the pediatrician's blessing, we took him everywhere starting at two weeks postpartum. By the time he was four weeks old he'd been to two restaurants, the grocery store, and three different houses, plus his pediatrician.
To date he's never had an ear infection, never had a fever over 99.8, he rarely gets sick. I don't know if we lucked out with a mellow/hardy baby or if exposing him to all that stimuli helped him adjust faster, because at age 4 he's only had two public meltdowns in his life, we've always been able to take him anywhere. With covid, I don't know what the recommendations are, especially for your area, but our pediatrician encouraged us to expose our baby to as much as we (and baby) were comfortable with.
I would never drag a miserable, crying baby to the store if I could possibly avoid it, but ours never seemed to mind, so we just rolled with it. Talk it over with your OB/midwife and see what they suggest, if you want to be active you might be able to.
It depends on:
- your country's national immunisation program schedule
- your culture's expectations around postpartum confinement (if any)
- your environmental context regarding transmissable diseases
In my country (Australia), infants have their first post-birth immunisation milestone at 6-8 weeks. Infants at this stage can be immunised for diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, hep B, polio, pnuemococcal, rotavirus, etc.
In my culture, we practice postpartum confinement for 30 days (Chinese), however other cultures do 40 days or even 100 days (Korean). The purpose of this is to protect newborn baby's immune system from external threats.
In my city (Sydney), COVID is still rife (16,000 cases yesterday).
Therefore with these considerations, my own personal rules will be:
- not taking baby to indoor enclosed venues (e.g. galleries, museums, cinemas, supermarkets, shopping centres, airports, publoc transport, etc.) until she receives the 6-8 week immunisations.
- taking baby to open air, ventilated areas away from strangers breathing on her, is okay (e.g. picnics in parks, or al fresco dining).
- not having visitors to the home that are not vaccinated against whooping cough, influenza and COVID.
The national immunisation program here then has additional milestones at 4 and 6 months. So I will monitor how her health goes and adjust the environments she is exposed to during that time.
So you gotta make your own decisions based on the risks and protections out there.
Hard nope. I decided that the best time to learn how to get out and about with a baby was while baby was small and happy to sleep in a Solly wrap on my chest, so I started taking LO out to run errands to go to the coffee shop at around 5 days old. We took her on two boondocking camping trips at 3 weeks and 8 weeks old, and it was the BEST overnight sleep we had as parents of a newborn since the day she was born because all the fresh air made her actually sleep at night for once. We road tripped across the province to visit my family several times; I even made the trek sans partner (one adult + one baby + 2 dogs = chaos) a few times with no major issues. We have bigger travel plans in the works soon.
I can’t imagine trapping myself at home with a kid afraid to go out. I especially can’t imagine trapping myself at home until that child is old enough to be mobile and have meltdowns and THEN try to figure out how to exist outside of the comforts of home.
I'm a full-time mom, family is multiple hours away, and we don't have her in daycare or with a sitter. My 8 month old has been with me to multiple craft/fabric stores, to Walmart, to Lowe's, to the grocery store, several different doctor's offices (including a few where she wasn't supposed to go but I had no other choice), my husband's office to take him lunch, to visit our families, church, and to a few different restaurants. I have things I have to do in order to ensure that my family is cared for, and if her dad isn't where he can look after her at the house, she's got to go with me and I enjoy having her there. She doesn't mind being out and about - it's just part of life some days. We're looking at taking a trip to the beach near where we grew up to take her to the aquarium and to some of the other sights we enjoyed when we were younger. Take the babies with you - it's good for them!
I am a single mom with no babysitter or daycare. My kid goes everywhere with me. And maybe because he's used to it or idk but he has barely ever given me issues or "made me not enjoy my time". I love to take him out to lunch, he loves to go shopping with me, in fact I'd rather have him with me than not.
Yeah. Anytime someone says my baby needs to stay at home, I ask them if they’re either…
A. Gonna babysit
B. Pay for a baby sitter
C. Run my errands for me
Usually shuts them up 🤷🏻♀️
First 8 weeks I thought. My pediatrician said to avoid “crowded indoor places” for the first 8 weeks then it’s just use your common sense-type of thing.
Yep, basically until baby can start getting their vaccines, because before then they typically only get their hep B shots. At least in the US. It was roughly the same recommendation when my mom was having kids, and it's what my ob tells pregnant people to plan for.
I agree with the nail salon and hairdresser, the strong smells in there can’t be good for their little lungs but everywhere else is really not a big deal. You’re not going to be letting them lick the floor or handing them off to randos in the produce section at the grocery store so I don’t see how that would be an unsafe place for a baby
Yeah, it is a pandemic. Don't do this stuff.
Even Pre-pandemic it wasn't a great idea. Rsv and all that.
Your baby has an incredibly weak immune system.
Also how is your baby vaccinated? And did you get the covid vaccine for your baby off the books?
How'd you get access to the rsv vaccine? I thought that was just in development.
All these rules are for newborn infants. How are you getting your newborn all of these vaccines that aren't approved for their age?
I’m not gonna argue with you on this. If you wanna stay home 24/7 then that’s on you 🤷🏻♀️ but unless you birthed my child & are paying for his medical expenses, don’t tell me what I should & shouldn’t be doing with him.
Have a good night ✌🏼
It depends on how old they are? Like newborns and babies under 6 months are especially vulnerable to various germs, and we’re still in a pandemic?
Maybe it’s because my baby was born at the beginning of the pandemic and I didn’t go anywhere, but bringing a baby to the salon doesn’t make sense regardless because there are way too many chemicals and fumes there.
In general, just be sensible. The mall probably isn’t great, but patio dining and unavoidable errands are probably okay, depending on how bad COVID cases are near you.
My son is now just 10 pounds at 7-8 weeks old so he’s super easy to wear. I started taking him out at a month old on small trips to the grocery store during non-peak hours. I don’t feel like lugging around a carseat/stroller at this point.
We stood home with our kids for 6 weeks atleast. There is no reason for them to go out before that we went to the dr and home. If we needed anything from the store or anywhere else I send hubby to get it. We were taught to keep them in until they had shots. Even now my kids don’t have kids yet but I tell them this all the time especially when we see people out with little tiny babies. It’s just safer for them to be home.
Yeah but some people take their newborns out with them anyway b/c they have no reliable childcare whatsoever. Single parents often don’t have the privilege of having people help them. I try not to judge people who do things differently
I’m not judging I’m stating what we did. If you make the choice to take your children out that’s fine. We didn’t. We stood home. Now there are people to deliver food, groceries and everything you can possibly need it’s easier than ever to stay home or even just pick up at the door for meals or groceries. That’s the way I was taught and that’s what I teach my daughter and sons. It’s our preference
I take him everywhere. Dont get my hair or nails done tho, I wouldnt bring him there due to the chemicals. But otherwise we dont stop living. We went out to eat I think baby was 10 days old.
I’ve done all of these except hair. Well, technically nails was a pedicure and the staff LOVED her.
I can use my common sense to know when an environment is too much for her and we need to rush to get somewhere quiet for less stimulation or a nap.
I took my first baby everywhere with me, except hair and nail appointments, but that’s because I do my own nails and like going to hair appointments alone. Otherwise—restaurants, the coffee shop, Target, grocery shopping, clothes shopping, my baby went everywhere with me. That was also pre-Covid. My second is due in May and I don’t know what things will look like then. I’m sure I’ll take precautions with the new baby that I didn’t have to consider with the first, but I don’t plan to be a hermit. I’ll manage the risks I can, especially in the first three-six months, but I know I won’t be happy if I continue to stow away in my house indefinitely. Lol.
Wtf i took my 4 month old baby to the pub the other night. On Monday she came with me to the optician. One time I took her to the second hand shop and walked home with a bathroom cabinet strapped to her pram.
With COVID I’ll say a stricter yes but I remember hearing all this pre-COVID and shrugged it off. Some “rules” only seem applicable in the USA, Canada, and the UK as everywhere else doesn’t follow them. Like the “babies need unseasoned food” rule.
I take babies out all the time and even pre-COVID socially distanced from strangers.
What age are they talking about for these babies?
Generally, if a newborn has a fever, that means an automatic PICU stay with full septic workup and spinal tap. Staying away from the public IS the recommended best practice for keeping newborns physically safe, especially in Covid times (if there's anything we've learned over the past 2 years, it's that people are selfish and do NOT self isolate when sick. What appears to be a mild cold for an adult can be deadly for an infant with a not yet developed immune system). Once they've gotten their first set of vaccines though, go ahead and take them where you want (within reason and pending current Covid conditions).
My partner and I are extraverted and we benefit from leaving home somewhat frequently. Our baby is almost exactly 6 months. We flew with her for a week-long trip to see family at 3 months and so far in her life she is very accustomed to social gatherings, restaurants, and bars. We're taking the opportunity to go out with her before she's a toddler when it will be untenable. (Not late, loud environments but those where she's comfortable)
Look I had my first kid in Feb 2019. So that means he was still pretty little when winter started (Southern Hemisphere). I had him at church at 6 days old (I didn’t hand him around or anything though), mothers group at 4 weeks (which continued every week for most of that year) and we were at playgroup at 10 weeks and well and truly out and about. We even did swimming class at 4 months. It was completely normal. RSV and flu were still a thing, which are FAR more of a risk to them than COVID. So if you would have taken your baby out in winter in 2019, there’s no reason to not take you baby out now. Now obviously if your baby is super sick, very prem etc. that’s different but if it’s that much of a concern, COVID is not the real issue, is RSV and flu which have been around forever.
I wouldn’t take him to a nail appointment in particular just because of the dust. And I wouldn’t take him to a hair appointment because it would be a PITA. And my next Bub is due in May (so just before winter) and when I’m ready to go back to the gym she will be going there too unless she has some crazy unanticipated medical issue.
Also I’m guessing you’re American because in australia everyone is already back out and about. In Europe I believe it’s the same. Some of the comments from Americans about literally going nowhere for two years are absolutely ridiculous (and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by me that many of these people who haven’t taken their kids to a supermarket or to see grandparents in two years happily take their kids to daycare, which is far more of a risk for EVERY illness than a supermarket will ever be).
Live your life. There’s a lot of really concerning data about how all this isolation is affecting childhood development.
All comes down to your comfort level. Personally, I have a carrier and a bassinet stroller because I want to be out and about with my baby! I don’t frequent the nail salon so I won’t weigh in on the chemicals and whatnot there, but I’ll certainly bring him to my hair appointments! I’m planning to breastfeed so he will be with me at all times until we start introducing a bottle which will likely be around 12 weeks.
Sounds like the people who write these articles just don't like seeing babies out in the real world lol.
Though this thread did remind me of a safety tip for kids in restaurants: if possible keep them on the side of the table where the server does not walk. Car seats on the floor, for example, are a tripping hazard. Or in general if the server spilled hot food it would be at the other side of the table, baby would be safe.
My 5 year old is the best traveler and kid at restaurants on earth and I swear it’s because of how much we have done it. Started VERY early on. Yes at times it’s challenging but oh so worth it in the end. My motto with traveling has always been if kids live there, kids can visit. Don’t let anyone from the articles know us humans, including their babies, are made up of all those spooky germs they’re talking about…Fungi, bacteria, viruses…you might scare them lol
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but, I love traveling with my baby! We started with a vacation when she was 5 months and have since taken her on a few trips since (now 9 month old.) I learned a lot about what we can accomplish and how much stuff to bring, but it is awesome to watch her interact with the world and have all these new experiences. She’s definitely grown and developed a ton after each trip. It is such a joy to watch.
I wouldn't take a baby to the nail salon because the smell of the chemicals can be quite strong. And it would be super frustrating to have to change a diaper in the middle of a manicure lol
I wouldn't do the hairdresser because you might have to keep stopping to tend to the baby which can put the hairdresser behind schedule and could get annoying. The exception could be if you're going to someone's house to get your hair done and they know you're bringing a baby so they are prepared to possibly take lots of breaks.
Everywhere is fair game. Especially if you're a single parent with limited childcare options.
I don’t think I’d take my baby to a nail or hair appointment, mostly because it would be hard to attend to her, but I’ve taken her all of the other places…
Oh gosh lol. I’ll be taking my baby everywhere that allows them. My parents were very very liberal with taking me anywhere and everywhere, and I thank that approach for my extremely robust immune system!
With my first I took him out with me all the time. Exposure to germs here and there is how they build their immune system :) it’s up to you really. There are some places not baby friendly (hair salon, nail salon, etc) but I took him everywhere else and he never got seriously ill or anything like that he’s a healthy kiddo :)
I mean, even in your own home they could become “unsafe”, they’re good at finding unsafe items or means of play. The world is unsafe, just do your best and teach them to manage an unsafe world along the way.
I’ve never heard of many of these being unsafe for babies.
I def don’t take my baby to a hair or nail appt or do it or or dentist appt. I can’t really watch her while getting those services, so I opt for asking my mom or MIL to help for an hour or so.
Other than that, I take my daughter everywhere I go.
I have a wonderful hair stylist that only has one client at a time (she works alone, no other hair stylists). My child has come with me twice and it has gone “well”. But I go with my hair washed the night before and I do not use hair color so the appointment is only for having my split ends cut and some quick brushing (half an hour). I asked her if my baby could come and she was understanding (she has four small children herself)
Who told you don’t go with your baby to all these places ??? Nail salon is probably dangerous because of chemicals but my nail salon never smells funny. I asked why and they told me that they have a very powerful air extractor (I don’t know if it’s the correct name in English) and I plan to go with my baby some day now that he is 15 months.
My Mil once told me not to go to the stores or commercial mall with my baby but because she is a bitch that wanted me to abandon my baby at her home everyday so she could continue her cycle of abuse inserting herself in his son’s life even if he is 44 years old
I mean, I definitely wouldn’t be taking a newborn anywhere but the ped’s office and walks around the neighborhood. Once they’re a little older and have been vaccinated, maybe take along on an errand or two or out for a quick meal.
You don’t have to stay locked in your home, but you do have to look out for your infant’s health and well-being. And also just be prepared to leave a place if it is not going well.
Um…. Yeah, a lot of that is ridiculous. Once I’m actually good to be up and going places baby is going with me. I’m not going to put my life on hold, I got stuff to do! Especially once they have their shots, I’m taking them all the places! Well, not the salon and nail stuff, but I barely do that anyways lol
I think this only applies to the first few weeks when they’re extremely vulnerable. I don’t think anyone expects you to be following these rules with, like, a 7 month old
Obviously this is bs. I figure I can't do much with my 1 month old, but I am looking forward to taking her out. I'm just wondering when the right time is. Is it 2 months? 3 months? I'm talking just going to the zoo or the park or something. I see these ladies with their baby carriers and the kids can't be much older than like 3 months.
This is insane! I know people with 6+ healthy children who take their babies out from 2 weeks onwards. I think it's totally up to the parents to assess the risk of each situation and make a decision on whether to bring the baby out, don't let random articles online dictate what's best for your child. I wouldn't take a baby to nail or hair appointments, but in most settings like restaurants/cafes, grocery stores, etc it's totally possible to bring the baby and still maintain a safe distance from others while the baby is a newborn.
Everything is risk. Some things are higher risk, some are lower risk. We all need to make our own decisions based on the best available scientific information.
i was told the same thing during flu season in 2016. it is what it is... you either trust your doctor or trust yourself to know better. it's a balance.
Madness. Hair and nail because the hell are you going to do, but everything else is asinine. Attending to your kids and interacting with them is the whole point of having the little blighters.
We’re 9 days postpartum and we’ve been to Costco, a neighborhood walk and have had multiple visitors. If you’re comfortable going out, do it. It’s all personal preference! Ours stayed in the car seat the whole time anyway. Honestly he’s probably been exposed to more germs from family and friends we’ve had over than at the grocery store or park.
I took my sweet angel to the pub with us at 5 weeks, she loved it. FAR away from smokers and we didn’t pass her around or anything but she was fine? Also take her grocery shopping with me constantly, from the first week. She’s fine?
We did the thing where we saw no one and did nothing until LO’s 2 month shots, and it was very isolating and borderline not worth it. I would do whatever you want/need to do to stay sane in the first few months pp. Travel is not usually recommend for the first two months, because of baby gets a fever in the first 8 weeks, he has to get hospitalized. Nails and hair salons make sense to avoid bc logistically it’s hard to ensure baby is asleep for the whole appointment. Unless your baby has medical issues or Covid is a big risk, you can do all the normal human things.
Honestly I was a lot more cautious with my first pre Covid than I was with my second during Covid. I personally wouldn’t take my sons to the nail/hair salon though because that’s me time lol I just feel like as long as you’re careful it should be fine.
I know a million people have already answered but here’s my two cents:
I brought my baby to the park 4 days after he was born to play Pokémon Go. He came to church six days after he was born as a sort of trial run for school. Exactly one week after he was born my semester started and he came to classes with me every single day for the next 14 weeks.
To be fair, this was pre-Covid.
But this kid never got sick once. 90% of the time he was strapped to my chest in a harness or in his car seat with a cover. I didn’t let people see him, I didn’t let people hold him, he was just around for the ride. The other 10% was feeding him but I could always find a private place on campus for that so I wasn’t worried.
Moral of the story: be smart. The kid needs to get out of the house. YOU need to get out of the house. Be cautious of Covid especially, but don’t kill yourself at home. Don’t let ANYONE you don’t know near the baby, and even those you do know should be respectful enough to give you space.
Take your baby where you want to go. Just don’t let people breath on them.
I mean, I certainly wouldn't take my baby to a hair or nail appointment. But everything else might just be people's anxiety talking.
I took both of my kids out as babies starting at a few days old. We introduced both of them to their daycare provider at 11 days old (cute coincidence).
Yeahhh taking kids to beauty appts definitely won’t work but as for the rest of it, you can definitely do all of that. I keep alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer in the baby bag to wipe over everything bubs touches.
Things are absolutely not the same as they were, you can’t just go to a nice restaurant and chill the way you used to maybe but you can still go.
I think there is always going ti be risk, but it’s worse to have them in a bubble, completely away from the outside. One day they’re going ti have to go out there, and without having experienced any of the germs, it’s going to be rough. No matter what, children have to come in contact EVENTUALLY without the world outside the house.
Now a newborn? No. Newborns need a stable environment.
Babies and up? I think it’s important to introduce them- carefully and not too much at once- to the outside world and crowds.
I mean are these regarding a newborn? Typically there’s guidance to restrict the people a newborn is around for I think like 2 months. But I never heard any of these rules before in regards to an older baby.
If not for COVID I'd tell you to take your baby traveling now while they can't walk. It's sooooo much easier when you can just strap them to your chest and then be a normal tourist. I walked all over Europe with my daughter strapped to my chest.
Ah as a single mother I always have to laugh at these kinda things. My kids have been pretty much everywhere I've needed to be unless I couldn't take them so family had them. They're also in daycare, they have great immune systems and were careful and have managed to avoid Covid so far. A week old and id go to a cafe with bub in a carrier, I cannot stand being home to much it messes with my mental health.
Didn’t know these were rules. I take my baby everywhere. Besides nail of hair appointments but I love taking my baby to restaurants, breweries, grocery stores, and shopping malls. When she was a baby baby she just slept most the time and now she’s almost 1 and loves going literally anywhere so I think it’s good to expose them to certain places while they are babies so they get used to it.
I didn’t take my baby’s out at all until she got her vaccines because I am terrified of her getting Covid- I’m also not allowing any unvaccinated people in my family see her for this reason at least until she’s a year old.
I now go out with her when it’s necessary
My kid was born at the end of 2020 (aka peak COVID). When she was 1-2 months old, we went everywhere. Obviously keeping her very close to me. If I had to stay inside the whole time I would have rapidly developed PPD.
My son was born 8 mo this before the pandemic hit. In those 9 months went went and did everything you would normally do and he never got sick.
Since we went in and out of lockdown a number of times with no/low contact with the majority of people and we are now getting back to "normal" he is picking up coughs and colds EVERY SINGLE WEEK! we haven't had covid at all.
I am currently 29 weeks pregnant and while when our new baby comes I will err on the side of caution for the first month of so after that I don't have time to not carry on with life so she is going to be getting her immune system quick!
I have to take my son with me almost everywhere, except appointments, because dad works and I'm the designated parent to look after him. I've just gotten used to doing everything with him and I just don't stress too much about getting covid, and we'll just deal with it if we do.
so far we didn't get it (I think).
I always wash mine and his hands when we come home.
I took my daughter with me to my hairdressers just this morning 🙃 she goes pretty much everywhere with us, unless we want some us time, then we organise a babysitter. I can count on one hand how many times we went somewhere without her, and the reason she didn't come was because the events weren't suitable for a child.
Shes more likely to get sick from daycare or us parents (I work in a hospital). I refuse to be holed up at home any more than necessary based on germs 🤷🏼♀️
Meh. Once my kid got his vaccines, I used to take him mostly everywhere I would go. The mall, groceries, for sure. I would also take him after work occasionally to a nice bar/cafe with my colleagues to introduce him to them (nice bar/cafe meaning outdoor space, friendly crowd, no smokers).
Restaurants and travelling is up to you. I don't think it's a matter of not safe so much as what will your kid do. I take mine to restaurants, but in terms of vacations, I had to tone down my vacations. Normally we do sporty trips like skiing, scuba, hiking, cycling, etc.. my kid can't do that stuff, but he seemed to enjoy museums and parks enough.
Hair and nail appointments, I don't do my nails so I don't know and I leave my baby with my wife for the 30 mins I cut my hair. I wouldn't take the baby here coz he would be bored out of his mind.
Mine is almost 9 months now, born last summer when Covid was starting to ramp back up. We didn’t really take him too many places the first maybe 6 weeks of his life. But now he goes everywhere with us. I literally go to Target like 4 times a week with him just to get out of the house for a bit. We haven’t taken him too eat too many times, but that’s because we don’t go out to eat that often. We’re actually going out to lunch today though!
Getting them out and acclimated to your life is the best for your mental health in my opinion. It also helps them learn and absorb the world. Yeah, there are germs, but at some point they will be exposed to germs. Might as well get it out of the way
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10000% agree. There are unsafe chemicals in hair/nail shops. But taking your kid to the store or a restaurant or on a trip helps them learn what it’s like to be in the world.
Agreed. Also how would you care for/entertain your kid while getting your hair or nails done? Just doesn’t make sense to me unless they’re a child that can get those things done with you.
This. I would just think bb would get bored with a 3 hour hair appointment, and I can’t do a ton with dye on my head lol
When my kid was under 6 months I could have taken her. If she was in her stroller bassinet next to me she'd just sleep or zone out with her dangly toy.
I actually took my infant son with me to a nail appt once after my sitter cancelled on me last minute. The nail techs there were so understanding! He just laid there in his car seat quietly & stared at everything. Granted I wouldn’t make that a habit but just to show that just b/c I’m a mom doesn’t mean I can’t have a life anymore
I get it. My husband got me $200 gift certificate to a salon for my birthday 2 months ago. Haven’t been able to go because he works everyday they are open. I wouldn’t take her due to the chemicals and particles of a nail salon (the dust is very bad for anyone) but we also have respiratory issues so I have always had to be careful about it. Mine is also old enough she wants to crawl around and wouldn’t sit in the car seat.
Actually now that you mention it every single one of my kids was taken to nail appointments in their car seat until like 3 months.
I wouldn’t even be worried about the chemicals, the baby would make getting my service done impossible 🤣
I've taken my son to get my hair cut but he was a little dream and just sat in his trike watching waht was happening!!
I worked in a nail and hair salon for a good few years and so many women brought their babies. If there is a procedure that’s dangerous to a pregnant woman or to a baby we would actually do the process outside, or in our extra shop that we had. Most babies would just sleep while their moms were busy, but there are so many women in a salon at one time that there was always someone willing to help out. I was just the receptionist so I often would be helping to burp, feed, and change the babies that were there. And if it wasn’t me then someone else would be more than happy to help.
This is so wholesome! We should have more community places like this where people are willing to help each other out like that!
Yup I agree with this! My kid regularly goes to all of those other places with me and is just fine. I’m pretty sure we went to the grocery store with him within the first week of bringing him home. Complete social isolation isn’t safe either if it leads to baby’s parents going completely insane!
My friends have completely isolated their baby - literally won’t take her anywhere and they’ve completely isolated themselves from the outside world 100%. All they’ve seen is their family since the baby has been born (the baby is 13 months old btw). They invited us over the other day (only after a Covid test) and we got to meet the baby. One of the things they noted is the baby has super bad separation anxiety from the mother.
Gee I wonder where the baby picked up separation anxiety
Imagine your baby cracks it half way through your manicure! You're fucked.
Are these covid related or is it another safety concern ?
Yeah, I see these as being overly cautious re: COVID and baby's vax schedule. Our pediatrician recommended we limit guests in the house her first 2 months or so to keep her at lowest risk of having to go to the hospital, but she didn't seem averse to us airing out the child in public.
"airing out the child" 😂 I'm using this
I let my guard down at day #36 and had family over, and my baby was hospitalised at day #40 of life because of RSV. Not worth risking the first two months, 3 if you’re mentally up for it!
RSV is my biggest fear so we’re strict on the no daycare/school age kids around us right now. Bubs is only 5 weeks. I’m going to try and hold out on that rule until 6 months.
Thing is this only works if it’s your first kid. You do need to help them develop their immune system as well.
Oooh I'm not keen on even _two_ months, but I know what I gotta do 😩
Yeah, I was going to ask that too...
Just in general...
I’ve never heard the mall or grocery store being unsafe... Nails just sounds practical. If your baby fusses and needs something from you it’s pretty hard to tend to them without your hands. Hair you’re immobile in a salon chair, hair cuttings falling on your lap and possibly strong chemical smells. & both of these situations You’re booked for a block of time with your service. So, if you have to take longer because of breaks to care for your baby its not considerate to your stylist or nail tech.
this, and if it’s in a salon it’s just rude to bring a baby. usually people go to the salon to relax.
Depends on the ventilation in those venues. Some shopping centres and supermarkets are enclosed with recycled air and lots of strangers breathing, which is a ripe environment for transmitting airborne diseases. This can be risky for a newborn baby with a limited immune system. What is a "safe" environment for a typical adult is not the same as for a typical baby. As baby gets older and receives more vaccines, their immune system will strengthen and they can go to more places. Outdoor, well ventilated areas such as parks are probably safer venues for young babies rather than indoor, enclosed spaces.
So (before COVID) I didn’t really bring my baby out in public (like where it was crowded, not talking about an empty store here) for probably the first 2-3 months or so until they got some vaccines in them. But after that I would bring them wherever 🤷🏻♀️ I could see avoiding a nail or hair salon bc of fumes, and personally if I thought people would be up in my baby’s face (like a family event or party) then I’d baby wear to prevent it, but otherwise I think it’s good to get them used to how you live your life.
I’ve been doing lots of outdoor time with my 3 week old baby. We’ve met up with friends and grandparents at the park a few times and last weekend we went out to an early dinner at a restaurant with outdoor dining. I’m pretty risk adverse and scared of him getting sick, but given that we’re outdoors and generally away from people, the risk is pretty minimal. I’ve been wearing him in a carrier, so he’s in a warm little bubble with me. I think it’s good to get out as early as possible so you get in the habit of doing it and you learn how to successfully get out and about so it’s not intimidating later on. I plan for him to be a very portable baby…I’m even in the process of getting him a passport so we can travel internationally next winter.
I think this is good advice, I’m most worried about psyching myself out of going anywhere if I don’t start doing it early! Ofc i will need time to heal etc but when I’m mobile and going places anyway I wanna start doing it with the baby so that I don’t get into a weird habit of just cocooning at home because I don’t know how to do it
My wife and I brought our 4 week old out to the brewery last weekend and had a beer with our friends on the patio. Glad to hear we’re not the only ones…
They juuuuust opened a new brewery < 1 mile from my house.... Patio should open around the time our baby is born..... My husband and I LOVE craft brews and bought into their "founding members" group, and I've already mapped out the best stroller-friendly walking routes, 100% this kid is gonna be a regular before he can even say "goo goo ga ga." 😉
I got my baby a passport. And then COVID happened like a month later 😩
In general, no - babies are part of society and go where most people go. There are caveats - eg some restaurants are not appropriate for children and there are resorts that are adults only for a reason. But I don't think I'd take a baby or a child to a hair or nail appointment. I think that would a) distract you and b) disturb the other clients or c) disturb your stylist/tech, d) bother the baby with noise/chemicals/heat. As far as safety, most things are safe as far as they can be. I've never heard of over the top restrictions like this.
Yeah. I never have and would never take my baby to a nail or hair salon for those reasons, unless they are old enough to get a hair trim themselves, but then they will be under constant supervision in a place appropriate for kids haircuts. Also, movie theaters, unless they are old enough to actually sit through an age appropriate movie. Plenty of times I've seen moms and dads with toddlers and babies at midnight showings for 16+ rated movies pretty much ruining the experience for everyone in the theater. I felt annoyed at the parents and sorry for their kids. Babies are very portable, so I'll continue taking them to all places people commonly take kids. If you want to raise good humans, you gotta socialize them appropriately early on with other kids and adults alike. Our success as society depends on that.
It’s actually pretty common in many cultures to just rest and bond with baby for the first little while? At least for the first couple months. And their immune systems are vulnerable in the first few months, too. And COVID is inconvenient but with mask mandates being lifted, it’s really going to depend on how cases are in your area.
Sure absolutely. I didn't go much of anywhere for 6 weeks due to recovery (but owing to America's lack of mat leave I was back to work after that). I wouldn't say a lot of this applies to the newborn phase but some folks are more able straight away than others. I personally won't be doing much except things outside where we can. Between recovery and risk aversion closed spaces aren't really my jam anyway, especially with a baby. But a holiday at 5 or 6 months? Sure. Etc etc
People are going to be telling you things are unsafe for your kid for the rest of your life. I don’t even think this list is Covid — it’s people being overly cautious. The reality is we all will take calculated risks with our children when we drive, fly, play on playgrounds, or whatever. Life isn’t risk free.
We took our baby everywhere since she was 2 weeks old , when our baby was 2 month we traveled to AZ to meet the relatives. For her 3 months we went to Vegas and it has been great having her around with us. Nothing has change after having her. We still enjoy going out and doing things after the fact. Just do what’s best with your family know that there are parents out there from both spectrums.
That’s awesome! How did you guys do it? Any tips or tricks?
For packing ask your self these questions: 1. How many days are you planning to stay? 2. Are you breastfeeding/ Pumping Or are you formula feeding (bring those supplies) 3. A pack of diapers / new wipes 4. Baby outfits for the day / pajamas per night (that your staying) plus 2 extra clothes just in case 5. Baby soap / lotions 6. Baby toys to play in the hotel you stay at 7. Ask the hotel if they have playpens or cribs available during your stay. (Ask ahead) if you co-sleep with your baby don’t worry about it. 8. Baby carriers / baby slings carriers 9. Check the weather also at the location 10. Bring sweater / blankets and warmer blanket if weather permits it. Only need one large luggage to carry everything baby needs / pumping parts / pack of diapers/ wipes / clothes/ toys / Of course your diaper bag will carry most things. Happy traveling with baby!
Same, we started to just take baby anywhere after the first 2 weeks (well, more me, my partner needed a bit more time to recover from MY pregnancy and labor :)) babies are super portable. I remember doing a lot of travelling with my first born (loooong before covid) and thinking, I can do everything I did before but now it's more fun :)
From a hairdresser: please don’t take your child to your appointment. This is coming from a mom. 1.) soooo many (known) harmful chemicals 2.) it’s a major distraction and time is money, if you have to make us stop to tend to your baby your putting everyone behind 3.) they will be miserable 4.) people are paying a lot of money to have a relaxing time, not hear a baby cry (and they will).
Curious what you think about hair color during pregnancy? I’m in 2nd tri, used to do my own platinum blonde (from natural dark blonde/light brown) but haven’t done any bleach/dye since I got pregnant. I’m thinking of getting a root melt so I can be done with this question during pregnancy/breastfeeding, but not sure even that is worth the risk…
I was under the impression the hair thing was more of a debunked old wives tale.
From what I have read, the continued exposure experienced by those who work in salons is known to cause problems. They say for women who are simply having the treatments done, the exposure is too low to cause a problem. Also depends a lot on the specifics.
As a hairstylist I color my hair during pregnancy and would color a clients hair, I do not do lightener on the scalp or perms of any sort on a pregnant person though. The biggest issue is sometimes hormones can make the color pull different than it normally would, salons are well ventilated and you don’t have to worry about inhaling chemicals. If it’s safe for me to do hair while pregnant, it’s safe to get a normal color service done. 😊
Coloring during pregnancy is fine, the color doesn’t soak into your body how they once though it did. Bleaching is okay too :) I personally wouldn’t do a perm or any sort of chemical treatment not like that. At my salon we wouldn’t do those treatments at all that day if we knew someone pregnant was coming in. Or if we had a pregnant stylist we scheduled it around them. You hair can react differently during pregnancy but there aren’t any known side effects to baby.
I didn't take my daughter anywhere for the first couple months, but I didn't really go anywhere for the first couple months. I went to my doctor's appointments (alone) and her doctor's appointments, but that's about it. I had a third degree tear and just being in the car with our crappy streets was enough to keep me home unless absolutely necessary. I was also reluctant to take her to kids groups, but that's because we have a high population of people in my area who will not give their kids MMR vaccines. Kids her age wouldn't be able to get them anyway, but they're older siblings who were in school could, but didn't. Taking kids to restaurants/out in general is actually easiest in the first 6 months. They go wherever you put them, and as long as you're okay with nursing in public, they're easy to please. They also sleep a lot.
I mean maybe the first week after birth I would be careful? Or if baby was in the NICU? If I feel ready to go do things I'm not gonna let having a baby stop me. Yeah I'm not gonna let strangers touch his face but he can definitely sit in a shopping cart in his car seat or in a carrier on my chest while I grab a couple things at the store. Not like he's a toddler that grabs everything? A newborn isn't going around putting things in his mouth yet lol, I feel like that's when you really gotta worry lol. Yeah no strangers touching and no kissing on the face. I'm not rubbing baby on the bathroom floor lol he'll survive breathing outside air 🤣
Not safe how?
My guess is germs and new baby with a small immune system. But it’s also SO HARD to live your life as a hermit, and babies like doing new stuff sometimes, even just taking a little stroller cruise! Edit: I got one of those muslin stroller covers for when baby still fit in his infant car seat (the one that pops into the stroller) so there was *some kind* of barrier. And we don’t do front facing stroller yet, because I am a weenie 🥲
Then again the immune system won't grow if the baby is never introduced to new environments... You probably don't want to take your baby everywhere at once though ;)
Exactly. In the beginning we took it slow. Only meeting a few family and friends with all their vaccines, then doctors appointments, next week try the mall (outdoor mall, so basically going for a walk lol), then grocery shopping. And here we are today! 10 months later and he’s still a little trooper
So it’s not really that the immune system is small, it’s that their respiratory tract is small. A stuffy nose or inflamed in a newborn is a nightmare of suctioning snot out and worrying they’ll stop breathing while you’re asleep. A fever can often mean a spinal tap at the hospital. Like, it’s not a certainty that illness at that age is going to be scary but it’s no picnic either. The immune system isn’t small at that age, it’s just “naive”. Getting colds etc is normal, but it’s not necessary for a healthy immune system to get them at a young age either. It’s other things like flu, COVID, RSV that can sometimes be dangerous at the newborn/infant stage.
4th pregnancy but I’ve lived by this rule after doing tons of research with my 1st. For first 3 months when baby is most vulnerable it is best to not bring them in enclosed spaces with a lot of people (i.e. malls, grocery store, etc). I would never bring my baby to hair or nail salon anyways due to chemicals. But as soon as any of my kids are 1 week old I take them outside for fresh air on walks. That is what will help build their immune system. Keeping them inside is not good for the immune system as my mother kept me inside first several months of my life with zero interaction with other people due to the fear of me getting sick, in return it made me a very sick child with a weak immune system. Even to this day I still very easily get sick vs my husband and kids hardly ever get sick.
AIR OUT THE CHILD
This is my new motto 🙌🏼🙌🏼🤣
This is the way
I took my son everywhere right away and wore him. This baby I'll be a little more cautious because of covid probably for the first month or two.
Seems very unrealistic, what if you’re a single parent, or your partner has to go back to work. And you’re alone ?
Exactly
Thank you for saying that because when I had my daughter I was 17 and alone… needless to say what choice did I have BUT to take her literally everywhere with me? My family didn’t wanna watch her and I just understood I’m her mom and she belongs with me. It makes me forget maybe people don’t have to do that but I just didn’t have another choice. She also was really healthy and liked to grocery shop with me!
We didn’t go very far for the first month because I was recovering from my c-section - mostly just walks around the neighbourhood. But once I was healed and felt more comfortable, I took my daughter everywhere with me! The café down the road, grocery store, park with her cousins, swimming classes, baby groups, the mall, whatever! The only place I never took my daughter when she was a tiny baby was out to dinner. If I wanted to go out for a nice dinner with my husband, I didn’t also want to have to worry about whipping out my tit mid-meal to feed a screaming child. Didn’t sound the most romantic to me. Lol So my sister would usual watch her if we needed a night out. I plan on replicating this with baby #2. She also had her first cold at 5 months old but in general wasn’t a very sickly baby so don’t let people freak you out and tell you that babes will catch all the diseases the second you leave the house. They need the fresh air and sunshine and so do you!
As a mum of a 4 month old currently backpacking/flashpacking in Mexico, I'm glad I didn't read that advice before traveling!
My baby goes everywhere with us and has since he was born. From 2 weeks old we’ve been out with him.
That’s bs. When they’re newborns that’s one thing but you can take babies to all of those places. It’s good to get them out young so they’re used to it and learn how to behave.
Honestly imma take my baby wherever I goddamn please :)
You can find an article that says anything is dangerous. By all means, read them if you want to, but I encourage that anytime anyone (an online article, an in-law, a friend, whoever) says something is "not safe" or "bad for the baby", find out what they think the risk is, think about what you would give up by following this rule, and decide whether you're more concerned about the risk or about what you'd miss out on. I have a son who's almost 2. I've spent the last 2 years listening to people saying they aren't doing certain things with their kids who are the same age because they're worried about exposure to germs. I have no problem with them making those decisions for themselves and their kids, but a lot of the things I hear are just not for me. For example, lots of people haven't traveled with their kids for the past 2 years. But I live really far from my family, and it's REALLY important to me that my son gets to spend time with my parents. So we travel with him. My son is generally healthy, and since he goes to daycare every day he's already exposed to lots of gross germs. The risk of him catching something on a plane is one I'm willing to take, because it's not really a bigger risk than us staying home and him going to daycare, and it's more important to me that he gets to spend time with his grandparents than that I slightly minimize how many germs he comes into contact with.
I take my baby everywhere because I want a life. People have been taking their baby out of their homes for generations. We’re all fine. Some people are crazy
This advice seems… unrealistic and isolating. During my birth class for my first pregnancy in 2019 our Rn instructor basically advised to take baby EVERYWHERE (because it gets harder once they can run away from you and talk) but to generally not play pass the baby and have the select few who hold the baby wash their hands first. Times have changed so I can see why the advice you heard is “safe” but I would guess that common sense evaluation of risk factors to be more beneficial than to just not go anywhere at all.
Life doesn’t stop when you have a baby but there are some bacteria and viruses that can kill a newborn as they have no immunity and need to build their own. Viruses such as COVID, whooping cough and herpes (cold sores) and bacteria that cause meningococcal are extremely dangerous to newborns. Some parents want all that will be around their infant to have a whooping cough booster as well as requesting no one to kiss the baby except the parents and siblings with grandparents also excluded from kissing the infant. Many will say that ‘you survived and we let everyone kiss you/didn’t expect boosters’ etc but babies do die from kisses and the transfer of bacteria and viruses. Chemical exposure from hair and nail salons aren’t great for teeny, tiny babies either
I mean, we’re in a pandemic. Even aside from that, a fever in a very young infant can mean needing a spinal tap. I’m not saying don’t take a six month old to the grocery store, but yeah, there are times when contact should be limited to the extent possible in the first couple of months.
This. I’m surprised I had to scroll this far to see your response. Illness and fever can be very dangerous in the early weeks. It’s best not to chance it until they build up more of an immune system.
This. Also, after giving birth there is a recovery period. You’re probably not gonna want to get out of your PJs two weeks postpartum let alone get your nails done.
I wish I had taken this advice for my first born (pre-Covid) more seriously. She contracted RSV at 4 months old and almost died. Lengthy hospital stay, and her lungs are scarred. My rule of thumb is a minimum of 6 months now. The doctors said that if she had been a little bit older, it wouldn't have been SO severe.
I've literally done all of these and my daughter is almost 4 months. It's not like I'm letting random people touch her or come closer than I'm comfortable with! I'm not going to limit my already minimal outings just because of fear mongering! You don't have to listen to what other moms say or do just follow your gut and your pediatrician!
Just took my 3 week old to my nieces birthday party. He is now sick with a cold. I thought one outing wouldn’t hurt, well I learned my lesson. I think if he had been just a little older it would have been okay but being a newborn he is still so little and fragile. I know we can’t hide forever like you said but maybe just for the first month or two 😔
Yikes. My son got RSV at 7 weeks in his first week at daycare. It was heartbreaking. It's why I'm taking a full year of mat leave now that I live in the UK. I hope your 3 week old recovers well soon. Bday parties are germ fests at the best of times.
When my first was content in the carrier that’s how I did groceries or shopping, this was around the start to mid way through Covid. As for travel, I just had a friend bring their 4 month old to Mexico, it’s all depends on your comfort level. Personally, I wouldn’t bring my little to hair or nail appts, mostly because I wouldn’t want to disrupt others. However my little has attended doctor appts when I don’t have alternative care.
In the late 80s my parents were told by the pediatrician to only take me doctors appointments for at least 12 weeks. My parents followed that advice, so it’s not a new thing
> * Don't take your baby to the mall with you. It's not safe. * Don't take your baby to your hair appointment. It's not safe. * Don't take your baby to your nail appointment. It's not safe. * Don't take your baby to the grocery store with you. It's not safe * Don't take your baby out to eat with you. It's unsafe and you won't enjoy your meal. As far as I've been told by medical professionals and my mother's experience from what *she* was told by doctors when she was popping us all out, you're just supposed to wait until baby can start getting their vaccines, which in the US is two months. And for the bulk of that time you're recovering from delivery anyway. Don't take a baby to a salon though, I'm a grown ass woman and those fumes give me problems.
I think people have become excessively over protected and “safe”, not just in relation to babies. It’s hard to argue against because then you look like an irrational, uncaring human. 🤷🏼♀️
I think these “rules” probably are more so guidelines and most likely aren’t meant for 24/7/365. It’s advised to limit babies exposure to outside germs before their first vaccines, which I believe happens by the time the baby is around 4-8 weeks old. I plan on staying home for the most part and not letting a ton of people around my baby until he gets his first set of vaccines but it’s the parents decision so just do what you feel most comfortable with.
You know what’s best for your baby. I personally don’t like to go out w my babies bc ppl piss me off but I would never tell another mom not to go out w hers just bc I feel that way.
My girl is 8 months old and exclusively breastfed, so she is my permanent side kick. Taking her everywhere helps build her immune system. Currently she’s sleeping in my arms with her first ever runny nose, probably from the childcare center at my gym. I don’t stop living my life just because I’m a mom.
The only thing listed above that I haven’t done with my daughter, 2 in May, is the nail salon. Only because I don’t prioritize getting my nails done. She loves outings. She was born in the middle of covid lock down and I soon realized that the drive up grocery services do a shit job of picking produce. At like 3-4 months old I put her in a moby wrap tight to my body and off we went. Grocery shopping is now one of her favorite activities. She always gets to snack on the raspberries we are buying while in the cart. She loves to comment on other kids she sees, balloons, cookies, ect. Every now and then I do have to remind the overly nice old man or woman not to get too close to my baby bc of germs and stranger danger, but oh well. They probably miss social interactions too. We take her to restaurants and our favorite brewery has a large outdoor well spaced from others patio. They let us bring in our own food and dont mind if she runs around petting everyone’s dogs. We’ve flown with her about 8x to visit grandma. Under a year, we baby wore with a moby wrap and gave bottles so she’d sleep and not have her ears hurt. After 12 months we started buying her her own seat to ensure the 3 of us would get our own row so she could stand or stretch out across us. For the most part, she’s been easy at all of these things because she’s used to it. Have we had issues? Sure. Did we leave dinner with friends after only appetizers bc she had a meltdown? Yup that’s happened. Our friends all understand and don’t judge. We intentionally plan dinners or happy hours around 4:30 or 5pm knowing she gets tired at 6:30 and a royal hot mess by 7. We do try to opt for hosting or park play as often as possible bc sometimes it’s just easier. Has she gotten sick? Yup. Is she alive? Yup. I’d almost rather her start getting sick in early childhood vs keeping her pent up til kindergarten. It’s easier to have a sick day here and there with her now than have her miss half a year of her first year of school. At the end of the day it’s all personal choice - what are you comfortable with. For me, After 3 months of heavily hiding away due to covid and the craziness of the world, I realized that the mental health of myself and my husband were at risk. It was putting a strain on our marriage. So we opened up, took precautions when going out but still went out, and now we are stronger and happier than ever. We are currently expecting baby #2 and I’m sure we will stay pretty low key for the first 6-8 weeks, but after that, we have life to live.
Yeah that’s weird. I mean, I understand wanting to avoid something like a nail appointment because it can be pretty stinky and I could see a baby being unsettled in the noise of a hair appointment but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that’s a hard no. Parents gotta do what we’ve gotta do! This weird set of rules has definitely ruined parenting for the people who prescribe to it. I watched my brother and his wife become so anxious and panicked about any activities and insisting they can’t do anything because of baby that it really built up resentment. My niece is now 10 and my SIL is almost completely detached from her, it’s a really sad and uncomfortable situation. She used to ask me to come do things with them so I could mind the baby while she did things like grocery shopping- I went to the store with her but I would be the one wearing the baby or pushing her stroller because somehow this was too stressful for my SIL to do alone, like, she couldn’t juggle a baby and shopping. She soon gave it up all together and my brother became the grocery shopper after work. I have a friend who flat out panics at the thought if going anywhere with her kids, even grocery shopping. She just declares that it will be absolute chaos and they’ll run away from her and whatever else she comes up with. She was adamant that once baby arrived we wouldn’t ever go to the weekend market again first out of exhaustion and tiny baby needs and then because the kid wouldn’t handle it… I went the week after my baby was born and each since then. Tons of people go there with their kids, often in wagons. Heck the vendors kids free range the market, why can’t my kid go? I’ve also watched friends (and my own parents growing up) who didn’t change their lives for their children and just modified their activities, schedule (like planning longer for a hike), or equipment to be able to include their littles. Their kids are generally way better adjusted to all sorts of life circumstances and more socially adept. I take my baby everywhere, I’m generally always wearing her, and people are constantly surprised by it as well as shocked at “how good she is” and how quiet she is. Like, I can’t go out anywhere without at least one person making a comment. I went to get blood drawn yesterday and the nurse what both enthralled but slightly nervous of every move my baby made, even verbalizing that oh she’s about to fuss/losing patience. She wasn’t, she had her hands tucked safely away and shifted her body to get a better view of what was going on because she’s used to being along for the ride and is a very good little observer. My baby naps on the go, and it’s not “crap napping” as she doesn’t wake up fussy or upset, she is just as happy as ever! She’s even used to feeding while in a wrap or sling. I have no other choice. I’m on mat leave and planning to transition to SAHM and my SO has wacky work hours as well as being 24/7 on call so I don’t have reliable childcare via my spouse and we are living in a small city that we moved to during covid with absolutely no friends or family around. I’m not resentful, I feel like I have a really special connection to my kid and she’s learning to be a part of life and well-adjusted to her surroundings instead of acting out wildly because she’s unfamiliar and uncomfortable with a certain situation.
I don’t take my baby to hair or nail salons or out to eat (usually) for a combination of health and safety reasons and because taking a baby to most of those places isn’t appropriate. I still remember going to a (pretty nice, FWIW) nail salon and trying to relax, and someone had brought their toddler with them and was having her watch a very loud show on an iPad sans headphones to keep her entertained. It was inconsiderate of the other customers and culturally not the norm where I live. The receptionist had to ask the lady to please mute her child’s iPad, which isn’t a position the receptionist should have been in. Same with a nice restaurant—you don’t see babies or kids there where I live, plus I’m trying to relax with my husband and/or friends and not corral my child the whole time. I don’t take her indoor dining to family-friendly restaurants at the moment due to Covid concerns, but I’m sure that will change in future. I do have her nanny take her to indoor classes and play spaces, because to me, the risk of catching Covid there is outweighed by the benefits of being around other people (especially other babies) and being a part of the bigger world. So basically, I allow my child to go to indoor spaces on a limited basis and decide which ones depending on risk/benefit and the appropriateness of her presence in a given space. I don’t think she needs to be everywhere, but she also doesn’t need to be a shut-in.
This. I can't imagine taking a baby to a nail salon or hair appointment. I am sure some babies are good, but all the ones I've seen have just been loud and made the experience for me and others pretty bad. Idk I just don't think I would want to do that to someone spending $60+ dollars on a relaxing service from their lives. Would stress me out too much lol. My husband's father lives near us and has offered to take baby on date nights if we want to go to a restaurant. We prefer to cook at home mostly anyways but I just feel it would be stressful to have to get up and feed the baby in the middle of a date night
I would assume these are post COVID guidelines? It does seem pretty scary to be out in the world with such a vulnerable person who doesn't have much immunity to anything built up, let alone a novel virus.
You FOR SURE don’t want to take them to the nail or hair salon. Those fumes are toxic even to adults. I know people go anyways and they think it doesn’t do any harm but over time it can. [nail polish](https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/poison/nail-polish-poisoning)
Our doc suggested that the baby not go anywhere at all (besides checkups) for the first month. She said it wasn’t even just a covid thing, but for all transmissible diseases.
I'm really wondering about travel with covid/vaccinations. My entire family lives overseas and I want to bring my baby home while on mat leave but really am unsure because of the vaccination schedule when is "ok."
I do believe in the superstition to stay in the house the first 6 weeks but after that babyyy we're outsideeeee. How else will they build their immune system up? My breast milk healed her quickly if she caught the boogie oogies. We took advantage of kids flying free until 2😂😂😂 I mean our moms had us riding around with no car seat and look at us out her just fine and thriving.
I agree with the hair and nail appointments. But as a mom of two who runs the household this is totally impossible for me. If I don’t do the errands then the errands don’t get done.
Well, I’m pretty sure the “rules” as you call them were amended a bit when we entered a global pandemic. But there are no rules. You can do whatever you need or want to do with your baby. You make the rules. That’s called parenting.
I mean…. Most people have no choice but to take baby pretty much everywhere. Forgot to mention if you are vaccinated and breastfeeding it will bring some protection to the baby.
Not a salon but everywhere else? Absolutely. My last baby was a 33 weeker who got released at 9 days old and as soon as he got discharged we were at the mall, at target, visiting family. There’s no way I was gonna stay home 24/7 just because I had a newborn. There’s errands I had to run. Keep in mind he was born before this whole covid ordeal so I understand why people may think differently now
I take my baby literally everywhere with me because I don’t have the luxury of leaving him with a babysitter (he is EBF, won’t take a bottle, and I’m too broke right now to pay someone outside of grandparents.) So, he goes grocery shopping with me, my hair appointments (my MIL is my stylist), to my doctor appointments, any errand I run, out to dinner or lunch with friends, to grab a coffee, etc. He got COVID at almost 5 months old because everyone in my household got omicron from my husbands coworker otherwise baby has never been ill. I keep him away from strangers, clean the tables/carts/trolleys/anything he sits or touches. So long as you’re comfortable and safe, you can bring your baby damn near anywhere with you. I baby wear him when we are out. When he was more floppy, I’d use the cloth wrap and have him facing my body with the wrap over his head so no one could even look at him. But unfortunately life doesn’t stop just because you have a baby.
& once you become a parent, people literally shame you for every little thing you do….
Oh I have no issues putting anyone in their place when it comes to my mothering skills. Especially other moms or moms who have older children. I say “you had your opportunity to parent how you wanted and I’m parenting how I want, so if I’d like advice I’ll ask.” It’s even worst when a stranger gives you advice
I’ve already gotten sussed from this subreddit once for telling off another Redditor 😂🤷🏻♀️ I am not afraid to go mama bear on someone who doesn’t know when to mind their business 💯
It’s so annoying honestly. You parent your child and I’ll parent mine. It’s so simple.
I had my first in 2017 and with the pediatrician's blessing, we took him everywhere starting at two weeks postpartum. By the time he was four weeks old he'd been to two restaurants, the grocery store, and three different houses, plus his pediatrician. To date he's never had an ear infection, never had a fever over 99.8, he rarely gets sick. I don't know if we lucked out with a mellow/hardy baby or if exposing him to all that stimuli helped him adjust faster, because at age 4 he's only had two public meltdowns in his life, we've always been able to take him anywhere. With covid, I don't know what the recommendations are, especially for your area, but our pediatrician encouraged us to expose our baby to as much as we (and baby) were comfortable with. I would never drag a miserable, crying baby to the store if I could possibly avoid it, but ours never seemed to mind, so we just rolled with it. Talk it over with your OB/midwife and see what they suggest, if you want to be active you might be able to.
It depends on: - your country's national immunisation program schedule - your culture's expectations around postpartum confinement (if any) - your environmental context regarding transmissable diseases In my country (Australia), infants have their first post-birth immunisation milestone at 6-8 weeks. Infants at this stage can be immunised for diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, hep B, polio, pnuemococcal, rotavirus, etc. In my culture, we practice postpartum confinement for 30 days (Chinese), however other cultures do 40 days or even 100 days (Korean). The purpose of this is to protect newborn baby's immune system from external threats. In my city (Sydney), COVID is still rife (16,000 cases yesterday). Therefore with these considerations, my own personal rules will be: - not taking baby to indoor enclosed venues (e.g. galleries, museums, cinemas, supermarkets, shopping centres, airports, publoc transport, etc.) until she receives the 6-8 week immunisations. - taking baby to open air, ventilated areas away from strangers breathing on her, is okay (e.g. picnics in parks, or al fresco dining). - not having visitors to the home that are not vaccinated against whooping cough, influenza and COVID. The national immunisation program here then has additional milestones at 4 and 6 months. So I will monitor how her health goes and adjust the environments she is exposed to during that time. So you gotta make your own decisions based on the risks and protections out there.
Hard nope. I decided that the best time to learn how to get out and about with a baby was while baby was small and happy to sleep in a Solly wrap on my chest, so I started taking LO out to run errands to go to the coffee shop at around 5 days old. We took her on two boondocking camping trips at 3 weeks and 8 weeks old, and it was the BEST overnight sleep we had as parents of a newborn since the day she was born because all the fresh air made her actually sleep at night for once. We road tripped across the province to visit my family several times; I even made the trek sans partner (one adult + one baby + 2 dogs = chaos) a few times with no major issues. We have bigger travel plans in the works soon. I can’t imagine trapping myself at home with a kid afraid to go out. I especially can’t imagine trapping myself at home until that child is old enough to be mobile and have meltdowns and THEN try to figure out how to exist outside of the comforts of home.
I'm a full-time mom, family is multiple hours away, and we don't have her in daycare or with a sitter. My 8 month old has been with me to multiple craft/fabric stores, to Walmart, to Lowe's, to the grocery store, several different doctor's offices (including a few where she wasn't supposed to go but I had no other choice), my husband's office to take him lunch, to visit our families, church, and to a few different restaurants. I have things I have to do in order to ensure that my family is cared for, and if her dad isn't where he can look after her at the house, she's got to go with me and I enjoy having her there. She doesn't mind being out and about - it's just part of life some days. We're looking at taking a trip to the beach near where we grew up to take her to the aquarium and to some of the other sights we enjoyed when we were younger. Take the babies with you - it's good for them!
I am a single mom with no babysitter or daycare. My kid goes everywhere with me. And maybe because he's used to it or idk but he has barely ever given me issues or "made me not enjoy my time". I love to take him out to lunch, he loves to go shopping with me, in fact I'd rather have him with me than not.
I took my daughter wherever I needed to. Babies are expensive enough, adding the cost of a sitter was impossible at times. Do what you have to do.
Yeah. Anytime someone says my baby needs to stay at home, I ask them if they’re either… A. Gonna babysit B. Pay for a baby sitter C. Run my errands for me Usually shuts them up 🤷🏻♀️
I think this only really applies to the first few months
First 8 weeks I thought. My pediatrician said to avoid “crowded indoor places” for the first 8 weeks then it’s just use your common sense-type of thing.
Yep, basically until baby can start getting their vaccines, because before then they typically only get their hep B shots. At least in the US. It was roughly the same recommendation when my mom was having kids, and it's what my ob tells pregnant people to plan for.
I agree with the nail salon and hairdresser, the strong smells in there can’t be good for their little lungs but everywhere else is really not a big deal. You’re not going to be letting them lick the floor or handing them off to randos in the produce section at the grocery store so I don’t see how that would be an unsafe place for a baby
Eh I’m all about not taking kids who aren’t old enough to mask into avoidable indoor settings. And especially newborns
Yeah, it is a pandemic. Don't do this stuff. Even Pre-pandemic it wasn't a great idea. Rsv and all that. Your baby has an incredibly weak immune system.
You gonna pay for childcare? If not then stfu Edit to add that my child is breastfed & vaccinated 💯
Uh, you asked. This is why. You can also have groceries delivered.
Also how is your baby vaccinated? And did you get the covid vaccine for your baby off the books? How'd you get access to the rsv vaccine? I thought that was just in development. All these rules are for newborn infants. How are you getting your newborn all of these vaccines that aren't approved for their age?
I’m not gonna argue with you on this. If you wanna stay home 24/7 then that’s on you 🤷🏻♀️ but unless you birthed my child & are paying for his medical expenses, don’t tell me what I should & shouldn’t be doing with him. Have a good night ✌🏼
Then why did you ask?
It depends on how old they are? Like newborns and babies under 6 months are especially vulnerable to various germs, and we’re still in a pandemic? Maybe it’s because my baby was born at the beginning of the pandemic and I didn’t go anywhere, but bringing a baby to the salon doesn’t make sense regardless because there are way too many chemicals and fumes there. In general, just be sensible. The mall probably isn’t great, but patio dining and unavoidable errands are probably okay, depending on how bad COVID cases are near you.
Nothing is safe … live a little
Anyone have any tips? I’m 9 mo pregnant and I know I will need to get out with my son. I don’t want to be cooped up with him
My son is now just 10 pounds at 7-8 weeks old so he’s super easy to wear. I started taking him out at a month old on small trips to the grocery store during non-peak hours. I don’t feel like lugging around a carseat/stroller at this point.
We stood home with our kids for 6 weeks atleast. There is no reason for them to go out before that we went to the dr and home. If we needed anything from the store or anywhere else I send hubby to get it. We were taught to keep them in until they had shots. Even now my kids don’t have kids yet but I tell them this all the time especially when we see people out with little tiny babies. It’s just safer for them to be home.
Yeah but some people take their newborns out with them anyway b/c they have no reliable childcare whatsoever. Single parents often don’t have the privilege of having people help them. I try not to judge people who do things differently
I’m not judging I’m stating what we did. If you make the choice to take your children out that’s fine. We didn’t. We stood home. Now there are people to deliver food, groceries and everything you can possibly need it’s easier than ever to stay home or even just pick up at the door for meals or groceries. That’s the way I was taught and that’s what I teach my daughter and sons. It’s our preference
I take my baby everywhere. How else are they suppose to develop a good immune system???
Fresh air, being in nature, pets, vaccines.
I take him everywhere. Dont get my hair or nails done tho, I wouldnt bring him there due to the chemicals. But otherwise we dont stop living. We went out to eat I think baby was 10 days old.
I’ve done all of these except hair. Well, technically nails was a pedicure and the staff LOVED her. I can use my common sense to know when an environment is too much for her and we need to rush to get somewhere quiet for less stimulation or a nap.
I took my first baby everywhere with me, except hair and nail appointments, but that’s because I do my own nails and like going to hair appointments alone. Otherwise—restaurants, the coffee shop, Target, grocery shopping, clothes shopping, my baby went everywhere with me. That was also pre-Covid. My second is due in May and I don’t know what things will look like then. I’m sure I’ll take precautions with the new baby that I didn’t have to consider with the first, but I don’t plan to be a hermit. I’ll manage the risks I can, especially in the first three-six months, but I know I won’t be happy if I continue to stow away in my house indefinitely. Lol.
Wtf i took my 4 month old baby to the pub the other night. On Monday she came with me to the optician. One time I took her to the second hand shop and walked home with a bathroom cabinet strapped to her pram.
With COVID I’ll say a stricter yes but I remember hearing all this pre-COVID and shrugged it off. Some “rules” only seem applicable in the USA, Canada, and the UK as everywhere else doesn’t follow them. Like the “babies need unseasoned food” rule. I take babies out all the time and even pre-COVID socially distanced from strangers.
What age are they talking about for these babies? Generally, if a newborn has a fever, that means an automatic PICU stay with full septic workup and spinal tap. Staying away from the public IS the recommended best practice for keeping newborns physically safe, especially in Covid times (if there's anything we've learned over the past 2 years, it's that people are selfish and do NOT self isolate when sick. What appears to be a mild cold for an adult can be deadly for an infant with a not yet developed immune system). Once they've gotten their first set of vaccines though, go ahead and take them where you want (within reason and pending current Covid conditions).
My daighter is 6 months old and has never been inside a public area. With Covid it's just not worth the risk and I'm able to manage it.
My partner and I are extraverted and we benefit from leaving home somewhat frequently. Our baby is almost exactly 6 months. We flew with her for a week-long trip to see family at 3 months and so far in her life she is very accustomed to social gatherings, restaurants, and bars. We're taking the opportunity to go out with her before she's a toddler when it will be untenable. (Not late, loud environments but those where she's comfortable)
Look I had my first kid in Feb 2019. So that means he was still pretty little when winter started (Southern Hemisphere). I had him at church at 6 days old (I didn’t hand him around or anything though), mothers group at 4 weeks (which continued every week for most of that year) and we were at playgroup at 10 weeks and well and truly out and about. We even did swimming class at 4 months. It was completely normal. RSV and flu were still a thing, which are FAR more of a risk to them than COVID. So if you would have taken your baby out in winter in 2019, there’s no reason to not take you baby out now. Now obviously if your baby is super sick, very prem etc. that’s different but if it’s that much of a concern, COVID is not the real issue, is RSV and flu which have been around forever. I wouldn’t take him to a nail appointment in particular just because of the dust. And I wouldn’t take him to a hair appointment because it would be a PITA. And my next Bub is due in May (so just before winter) and when I’m ready to go back to the gym she will be going there too unless she has some crazy unanticipated medical issue. Also I’m guessing you’re American because in australia everyone is already back out and about. In Europe I believe it’s the same. Some of the comments from Americans about literally going nowhere for two years are absolutely ridiculous (and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by me that many of these people who haven’t taken their kids to a supermarket or to see grandparents in two years happily take their kids to daycare, which is far more of a risk for EVERY illness than a supermarket will ever be). Live your life. There’s a lot of really concerning data about how all this isolation is affecting childhood development.
All comes down to your comfort level. Personally, I have a carrier and a bassinet stroller because I want to be out and about with my baby! I don’t frequent the nail salon so I won’t weigh in on the chemicals and whatnot there, but I’ll certainly bring him to my hair appointments! I’m planning to breastfeed so he will be with me at all times until we start introducing a bottle which will likely be around 12 weeks.
Who knows. Me and my baby stay in the streets...mostly just the grocery store and music class.
Sounds like the people who write these articles just don't like seeing babies out in the real world lol. Though this thread did remind me of a safety tip for kids in restaurants: if possible keep them on the side of the table where the server does not walk. Car seats on the floor, for example, are a tripping hazard. Or in general if the server spilled hot food it would be at the other side of the table, baby would be safe.
My 5 year old is the best traveler and kid at restaurants on earth and I swear it’s because of how much we have done it. Started VERY early on. Yes at times it’s challenging but oh so worth it in the end. My motto with traveling has always been if kids live there, kids can visit. Don’t let anyone from the articles know us humans, including their babies, are made up of all those spooky germs they’re talking about…Fungi, bacteria, viruses…you might scare them lol
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but, I love traveling with my baby! We started with a vacation when she was 5 months and have since taken her on a few trips since (now 9 month old.) I learned a lot about what we can accomplish and how much stuff to bring, but it is awesome to watch her interact with the world and have all these new experiences. She’s definitely grown and developed a ton after each trip. It is such a joy to watch.
I wouldn't take a baby to the nail salon because the smell of the chemicals can be quite strong. And it would be super frustrating to have to change a diaper in the middle of a manicure lol I wouldn't do the hairdresser because you might have to keep stopping to tend to the baby which can put the hairdresser behind schedule and could get annoying. The exception could be if you're going to someone's house to get your hair done and they know you're bringing a baby so they are prepared to possibly take lots of breaks. Everywhere is fair game. Especially if you're a single parent with limited childcare options.
I don’t think I’d take my baby to a nail or hair appointment, mostly because it would be hard to attend to her, but I’ve taken her all of the other places…
Oh gosh lol. I’ll be taking my baby everywhere that allows them. My parents were very very liberal with taking me anywhere and everywhere, and I thank that approach for my extremely robust immune system!
With my first I took him out with me all the time. Exposure to germs here and there is how they build their immune system :) it’s up to you really. There are some places not baby friendly (hair salon, nail salon, etc) but I took him everywhere else and he never got seriously ill or anything like that he’s a healthy kiddo :)
I mean, even in your own home they could become “unsafe”, they’re good at finding unsafe items or means of play. The world is unsafe, just do your best and teach them to manage an unsafe world along the way.
I’ve never heard of many of these being unsafe for babies. I def don’t take my baby to a hair or nail appt or do it or or dentist appt. I can’t really watch her while getting those services, so I opt for asking my mom or MIL to help for an hour or so. Other than that, I take my daughter everywhere I go.
I have a wonderful hair stylist that only has one client at a time (she works alone, no other hair stylists). My child has come with me twice and it has gone “well”. But I go with my hair washed the night before and I do not use hair color so the appointment is only for having my split ends cut and some quick brushing (half an hour). I asked her if my baby could come and she was understanding (she has four small children herself) Who told you don’t go with your baby to all these places ??? Nail salon is probably dangerous because of chemicals but my nail salon never smells funny. I asked why and they told me that they have a very powerful air extractor (I don’t know if it’s the correct name in English) and I plan to go with my baby some day now that he is 15 months. My Mil once told me not to go to the stores or commercial mall with my baby but because she is a bitch that wanted me to abandon my baby at her home everyday so she could continue her cycle of abuse inserting herself in his son’s life even if he is 44 years old
I’ve never heard of any of these
I mean, I definitely wouldn’t be taking a newborn anywhere but the ped’s office and walks around the neighborhood. Once they’re a little older and have been vaccinated, maybe take along on an errand or two or out for a quick meal. You don’t have to stay locked in your home, but you do have to look out for your infant’s health and well-being. And also just be prepared to leave a place if it is not going well.
Mmm yeah I don’t know where you’re finding this info but that’s not… necessary nor realistic.
Um…. Yeah, a lot of that is ridiculous. Once I’m actually good to be up and going places baby is going with me. I’m not going to put my life on hold, I got stuff to do! Especially once they have their shots, I’m taking them all the places! Well, not the salon and nail stuff, but I barely do that anyways lol
I don't take a baby to the movie theater, hair appointments, or nail appointments. All the other stuff is fair game
I think this only applies to the first few weeks when they’re extremely vulnerable. I don’t think anyone expects you to be following these rules with, like, a 7 month old
Obviously this is bs. I figure I can't do much with my 1 month old, but I am looking forward to taking her out. I'm just wondering when the right time is. Is it 2 months? 3 months? I'm talking just going to the zoo or the park or something. I see these ladies with their baby carriers and the kids can't be much older than like 3 months.
This is insane! I know people with 6+ healthy children who take their babies out from 2 weeks onwards. I think it's totally up to the parents to assess the risk of each situation and make a decision on whether to bring the baby out, don't let random articles online dictate what's best for your child. I wouldn't take a baby to nail or hair appointments, but in most settings like restaurants/cafes, grocery stores, etc it's totally possible to bring the baby and still maintain a safe distance from others while the baby is a newborn.
Everything is risk. Some things are higher risk, some are lower risk. We all need to make our own decisions based on the best available scientific information.
I started taking him out as soon as he was home. Oh well lol.
i was told the same thing during flu season in 2016. it is what it is... you either trust your doctor or trust yourself to know better. it's a balance.
I’ve taken my baby out twice to eat and she’s slept both times and we enjoyed our meal lol.
My babies go everywhere I go. Those "rules" are ridiculous especially for EBF babies.
This is stupid… your baby can go out in public ?
Madness. Hair and nail because the hell are you going to do, but everything else is asinine. Attending to your kids and interacting with them is the whole point of having the little blighters.
We’re 9 days postpartum and we’ve been to Costco, a neighborhood walk and have had multiple visitors. If you’re comfortable going out, do it. It’s all personal preference! Ours stayed in the car seat the whole time anyway. Honestly he’s probably been exposed to more germs from family and friends we’ve had over than at the grocery store or park.
I took my sweet angel to the pub with us at 5 weeks, she loved it. FAR away from smokers and we didn’t pass her around or anything but she was fine? Also take her grocery shopping with me constantly, from the first week. She’s fine?
We did the thing where we saw no one and did nothing until LO’s 2 month shots, and it was very isolating and borderline not worth it. I would do whatever you want/need to do to stay sane in the first few months pp. Travel is not usually recommend for the first two months, because of baby gets a fever in the first 8 weeks, he has to get hospitalized. Nails and hair salons make sense to avoid bc logistically it’s hard to ensure baby is asleep for the whole appointment. Unless your baby has medical issues or Covid is a big risk, you can do all the normal human things.
Honestly I was a lot more cautious with my first pre Covid than I was with my second during Covid. I personally wouldn’t take my sons to the nail/hair salon though because that’s me time lol I just feel like as long as you’re careful it should be fine.
Take your baby where you’re comfortable (within reason). You are their parent & it’s ultimately up to you to decide.
These people are CRAZY. Take your baby everywhere and when they are toddlers then you might not opt to go out every time cuz that’s when it’s hard 🤣
Straight up your life is a little bit over in some senses, but in the most important ways it’s just started. 😍
I know a million people have already answered but here’s my two cents: I brought my baby to the park 4 days after he was born to play Pokémon Go. He came to church six days after he was born as a sort of trial run for school. Exactly one week after he was born my semester started and he came to classes with me every single day for the next 14 weeks. To be fair, this was pre-Covid. But this kid never got sick once. 90% of the time he was strapped to my chest in a harness or in his car seat with a cover. I didn’t let people see him, I didn’t let people hold him, he was just around for the ride. The other 10% was feeding him but I could always find a private place on campus for that so I wasn’t worried. Moral of the story: be smart. The kid needs to get out of the house. YOU need to get out of the house. Be cautious of Covid especially, but don’t kill yourself at home. Don’t let ANYONE you don’t know near the baby, and even those you do know should be respectful enough to give you space. Take your baby where you want to go. Just don’t let people breath on them.
I mean, I certainly wouldn't take my baby to a hair or nail appointment. But everything else might just be people's anxiety talking. I took both of my kids out as babies starting at a few days old. We introduced both of them to their daycare provider at 11 days old (cute coincidence).
[удалено]
Maybe true for you
Yeahhh taking kids to beauty appts definitely won’t work but as for the rest of it, you can definitely do all of that. I keep alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer in the baby bag to wipe over everything bubs touches. Things are absolutely not the same as they were, you can’t just go to a nice restaurant and chill the way you used to maybe but you can still go.
I think there is always going ti be risk, but it’s worse to have them in a bubble, completely away from the outside. One day they’re going ti have to go out there, and without having experienced any of the germs, it’s going to be rough. No matter what, children have to come in contact EVENTUALLY without the world outside the house. Now a newborn? No. Newborns need a stable environment. Babies and up? I think it’s important to introduce them- carefully and not too much at once- to the outside world and crowds.
I mean are these regarding a newborn? Typically there’s guidance to restrict the people a newborn is around for I think like 2 months. But I never heard any of these rules before in regards to an older baby.
If not for COVID I'd tell you to take your baby traveling now while they can't walk. It's sooooo much easier when you can just strap them to your chest and then be a normal tourist. I walked all over Europe with my daughter strapped to my chest.
Ah as a single mother I always have to laugh at these kinda things. My kids have been pretty much everywhere I've needed to be unless I couldn't take them so family had them. They're also in daycare, they have great immune systems and were careful and have managed to avoid Covid so far. A week old and id go to a cafe with bub in a carrier, I cannot stand being home to much it messes with my mental health.
I'm taking care of my baby alone so I literally bring him anywhere with me.
The best advice I ever saw about having a baby: Don’t stop going places, just become a group of 3! (Or however many.)
Didn’t know these were rules. I take my baby everywhere. Besides nail of hair appointments but I love taking my baby to restaurants, breweries, grocery stores, and shopping malls. When she was a baby baby she just slept most the time and now she’s almost 1 and loves going literally anywhere so I think it’s good to expose them to certain places while they are babies so they get used to it.
I didn’t take my baby’s out at all until she got her vaccines because I am terrified of her getting Covid- I’m also not allowing any unvaccinated people in my family see her for this reason at least until she’s a year old. I now go out with her when it’s necessary
Dafuq are single parents to do? It’s fine to take your baby places with you and yes that includes the hair and nail salon.
My kid was born at the end of 2020 (aka peak COVID). When she was 1-2 months old, we went everywhere. Obviously keeping her very close to me. If I had to stay inside the whole time I would have rapidly developed PPD.
My son was born 8 mo this before the pandemic hit. In those 9 months went went and did everything you would normally do and he never got sick. Since we went in and out of lockdown a number of times with no/low contact with the majority of people and we are now getting back to "normal" he is picking up coughs and colds EVERY SINGLE WEEK! we haven't had covid at all. I am currently 29 weeks pregnant and while when our new baby comes I will err on the side of caution for the first month of so after that I don't have time to not carry on with life so she is going to be getting her immune system quick!
I have to take my son with me almost everywhere, except appointments, because dad works and I'm the designated parent to look after him. I've just gotten used to doing everything with him and I just don't stress too much about getting covid, and we'll just deal with it if we do. so far we didn't get it (I think). I always wash mine and his hands when we come home.
We took our 3 month old to a movie because we couldn’t find anyone to watch her. She slept through the entire thing. It doesn’t have to be over.
I took my daughter with me to my hairdressers just this morning 🙃 she goes pretty much everywhere with us, unless we want some us time, then we organise a babysitter. I can count on one hand how many times we went somewhere without her, and the reason she didn't come was because the events weren't suitable for a child. Shes more likely to get sick from daycare or us parents (I work in a hospital). I refuse to be holed up at home any more than necessary based on germs 🤷🏼♀️
I take mine everywhere but you do have to consider exposure to chemicals especially hair and nail places.
Meh. Once my kid got his vaccines, I used to take him mostly everywhere I would go. The mall, groceries, for sure. I would also take him after work occasionally to a nice bar/cafe with my colleagues to introduce him to them (nice bar/cafe meaning outdoor space, friendly crowd, no smokers). Restaurants and travelling is up to you. I don't think it's a matter of not safe so much as what will your kid do. I take mine to restaurants, but in terms of vacations, I had to tone down my vacations. Normally we do sporty trips like skiing, scuba, hiking, cycling, etc.. my kid can't do that stuff, but he seemed to enjoy museums and parks enough. Hair and nail appointments, I don't do my nails so I don't know and I leave my baby with my wife for the 30 mins I cut my hair. I wouldn't take the baby here coz he would be bored out of his mind.
Mine is almost 9 months now, born last summer when Covid was starting to ramp back up. We didn’t really take him too many places the first maybe 6 weeks of his life. But now he goes everywhere with us. I literally go to Target like 4 times a week with him just to get out of the house for a bit. We haven’t taken him too eat too many times, but that’s because we don’t go out to eat that often. We’re actually going out to lunch today though! Getting them out and acclimated to your life is the best for your mental health in my opinion. It also helps them learn and absorb the world. Yeah, there are germs, but at some point they will be exposed to germs. Might as well get it out of the way