Nervous about taking your newborn baby out in public for the first time?! It can be a bit intimidating, but if you prepare properly, you can actually enjoy your outing.
It does not matter if you are a new mom or a veteran mother to multiple children, one thing never changes – leaving home with a newborn often feels like you are packing enough to go on a month-long holiday!
Running an errand with a newborn can seem like such a daunting task when you consider everything you need to pack to take with, but it does not have to be so overwhelming.
Babies do require quite a bit of gear, but there are ways to better manage what you take with when taking your newborn out in public.
To make these trips easier, here are some tips for taking your newborn out in public!
When Can I Take A Newborn Baby Out For The First Time?
You don’t have to wait weeks to take a baby outside. In fact, as long as you’re prepared and take precautions, fresh air can be good for both the new mom and baby.
If you do decide to go out with your newborn, it’s wise to take some precautions:
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- Make sure your baby’s vaccines are up to date.
- Avoid exposing your child to people who are sick and have symptoms like diarrhea or runny noses.
- Ask anyone who holds, touches, or feeds your newborn to wash his or her hands first. Carry hand sanitizer with you just in case.
- Make sure that your baby is appropriately dressed when you go outdoors. Not too hot
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Taking A Newborn Out For The First Time
Always Have Double Of Everything
You should always keep double what you need to when it comes to essentials. This includes diapers, wipes, changing mats, and diaper cream.
This allows you to easily pick up, pack and go when in a rush, and if you lose any when you’re out, it isn’t such a big deal.
Look for free samples and brand promotions that give you mini versions of creams and wipes, these are perfect to keep in your baby bag.
Keep A Stocked Car
We don’t realize how much time we spend in our cars, so it makes sense to always keep it stocked. Keep your baby bag, your stroller, the baby carrier, and other baby essentials in the car.
This way you will never forget them when leaving the house, and it means less time getting ready to actually get going.
Purchase A Good Baby Carrier
There are so many baby carriers on the market, it can be difficult to find the right one.
Speak to other moms and look for reviews online and choose one which you think is best for you.
A baby carrier will be your best friend when leaving the house. You don’t have to worry about packing and unpacking a pram, having both hands occupied pushing the pram, and taking ages waiting for an elevator.
A baby carrier keeps both hands free and allows your little one to be snug and close to you, which is where they will be happiest.
Don’t Pack Absolutely Everything
Before leaving the house, consider what you are actually going to need when out. If you are just popping down to the corner store, you probably will not need the bottle warmer or 3 extra blankets.
Yes, you can never be fully prepared, but there really is no reason to pack every single baby item you own if you are just leaving the house for an hour. It will make the trip tiresome and more of a chore.
Keep To Your Routine
You cannot plan each and every day, but you should try to establish a routine from as early on as possible.
Try and get your baby into a good sleep routine, and work your errands and coffee dates around this.
Taking your baby out when they should be asleep will just lead to tears and fussiness, and you will probably just wish to be back at home anyways.
Always Feed Before You Leave
It is not fair to leave your little one to cry in the backseat of the car because you forgot to feed before you left home.
If you have to wait a little bit extra to accommodate for feed time, it really is best to do so.
Whether you are bottle-feeding or breastfeeding, feeding when you are out can be stressful, especially when you have other equipment to worry about, such as a baby bag, stroller, and nursing covers.
Your baby will also be more settled if they have fed before going out.
Call Ahead To Plan Better
There are many unexpected things that could happen when you are out with your baby.
You might need to change a very dirty diaper, or you might have to sneak in a private feeding session.
You can save yourself a whole lot of trouble if you phone ahead to where you are visiting to find out if they have the facilities you need, or if you need to plan to make do without them.
Ask if there is a place to nurse in private, or if there is a baby-changing station. Knowing this will help you better decide what you need to pack, and what can be left behind.
Keep Your Baby Gear Organized
Life does not need to be more complicated, so do yourself a favor and keep your baby bag organized.
You do not want to be halfway through changing a nappy only to have to dig around the baby bag for five minutes trying to find the diaper cream. Make sure everything has its own place, and keep them there.
It is also a good idea to keep things in categories, such as diaper changing essentials together, and clothes in another compartment.
Replenish Supplies When You Get Home
You might not feel like doing it after a long trip, but you should make an effort to replenish supplies in the baby bag as you get home.
If you leave it, you might never get around to it and completely forget. This could mean you are stuck out at a store or restaurant with a crying baby, and no formula or diapers.
You will be doing yourself a great favor by ensuring that the baby bag is always replenished and stocked up properly.
Keep Things Within Reach
It can be so easy for little essentials to go missing when you need them the most, it seems to be just the way that life works!
To combat this, you should purchase little bungee cords or carabiner clips to attach to your stroller, diaper bag, or baby carrier.
This ensures that everything is always within reach and can be found easily.
This is a good idea for toys, sippy cups, sanitizers, dummy spray, and other smaller items that you might need often.
For home, you could attach these to the high chair so they don’t always land up on the floor.
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