How do you leave the house with a newborn?

Are you talking about leaving with or without the newborn?

4 replies

Leaving with! Sorry 😅 that would have been helpful info to give 🙈

You sort of just have to dive in and do it! The first time might be a mess. Screaming, crying, odd looks, you fumbling around because you don't know where things in the diaper bag are... but it'll be a good first lesson and every time you go out it gets easier and you get more confident!

I make sure everything is ready the night before. Pram in car if using car if not pram ready to go . Clothes out ready for baby . Changing bag ready. Clothes for me ready. Then in the morning you just have to get yourself and baby fed Clothes and everything is already to go. X

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Good idea!!! Thank you ☺️

Honestly it really helps. Makes leaving so much easier. I've gone as far as getting anything I need for breakfast out and you do it with bottles if you're formula or expressing get it all ready then roll out of bed , get ready, get baby ready and eat . DONE!! xx

The more you do it, the easier it gets! I had a very fussy first child and being out with him was always easier than I expected. Wearing him in a fabric sling was key. Could you try that? He could nap then and be close to me.

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That sounds great! Thank you 😊

Get the changing bag ready the night before so you know you don’t have to worry about it on the day. What time is your appointment, I used to always try and make them for early morning so I knew by afternoon we’d be home and settled! Don’t worry if this is one of your first times leaving the house it really does get easier x

Try to have everything ready the night before so bag packed with nappies, wipes, changing mat etc. Pram up and ready by the front door, clothes laid out for you both! Then hopefully when it's time to go it's just a case of trying to get a feed in before you leave! Good luck :)

You can do it! Just go for it. You might well find the pram calms them so they sleep a bit longer then at home. I have fed my baby on the bus, on park benches, in doctors waiting rooms. Don’t be shy, it is your right and people are so understanding. Also I find when I’m out people are so willing to help. People will offer to push pram off the bus if you have to carry baby or even hold baby if you are struggling with bags etc. Accept help and go with the flow you will do great 😊

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This actually makes me feel better ☺️ thank you x

You could also practise by going on little walks at specific times, give yourself a time to leave at and stick to it. Your baby will for sure not stick to your schedule but you'll be used to adapting by then. At this age they need to eat, sleep and be changed so if you have what he needs for all 3, you're good to go out ☺️

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Definitely going to try this this week! Thank you x

It seems impossible at first but honestly it gets easier the more you go out. Honestly, no, a newborn can’t be given a routine, especially if your EBF. You’ll be fine though, just focus on your bub and pretend no one else is there 💕

I feel you! My baby boy is 3 weeks old too and I was STRESSING about leaving the house for my appointments too becasue similar to you he is cluster feeding like mad at the minute and I am exclusively breast feeding and don't feel confident feeding in public atm becasue I am using nipple shields which makes it more awkward. The way I have managed to do it so far (with no meltdowns yet!) Is: . Change and then feed him approx. 45 mins before leaving (he takes about 30 mins per feed) . Get everything ready beforehand (bag, Ch aging stuff, outfit changes etc) . Then when he's finished all I literally have to do is burp and then put him in the pram. . I also make sure to pack an emergency dummy but haven't had to use it yet Ive found the fresh air and the pram motion plus probably background noises makes him sleep the whole time! And then once we get back home he makes up for it by cluster feeding again 🤣 Maybe do a few practice runs before your appointment and just go on a short walk around the block too :)

It honestly gets easier! I used a carrier/sling suitable for newborn as it soothes them. I also used a dummy when he was screaming in the pram. I sat down on benches to feed him with a cover (sometimes even without).

My best advice is to just get out and do it - make sure he’s fed and changed just before you leave, and then just keep your fingers crossed. Everyone knows that babies cry, and anyone that judges you can bore off! Good luck :) x

Aim to leave 15 minutes earlier than you need to… so if there is a poopcident or boobergency you don’t get flustered or rushed. I’d advise a baby carrier/sling for the first trip as I find the pram a bit of a pain. The movement of walking puts my little girl to sleep whenever we are out. The fact you are EBF means you already have most of what a newborn needs on you so you just need to pack nappies (1 for each hour you will be out plus 1 extra is what I do) my baby carrier has a pocket I slide them in to and I’m good to go!

Pack the bag the night before. Aim to get there at least 30 mins early. Realise that you’ll have to randomly stop what you’re doing to feed. That might mean you stop mid getting ready to go out, when you get there, part way though the journey etc.

My first born was the exact same way, I totally agree with prepping everything the night before, give yourself extra time in case he needs an extra feed etc, and maybe look into if he could have reflux. We thought our son just was colicky, turns out he had severe reflux and as soon as he started meds he was a totally new baby

Oh I've been there girl!! Wear a stretchy wrap saved my life in the early days xx

Sling was the only way we could get out and baby happily slept in it, just try to offer a feed just before leaving and then offer again before leaving the doctors office or wherever you’re going. I must say I often started getting ready to go hours before I needed to leave, got baby’s outfit ready and at hand, did any personal hygiene/make up way in advance whenever I had a chance (IF I had the chance at all), got myself dressed but often was shirtless until last minute so feeding would be easier 😅 honestly though the more you do it tge more you work out what works for you. I also found that my newborn didn’t really care too much being woken up, just fell back asleep in the sling.

Hey . You can do it , you may be surprised that baby will sleep a bit longer when out and be more settled wjth all the white noise etc that’s what j found hope it works for you x

I remember having to go to my day 5 checkup with my newborn and being so scared about it. It was totally fine! Everyone feels that way to begin with! The great thing about BF is you already have almost everything she needs. I had to feed mine during the appointment because he wouldn't stop crying, then I fed him again in the waiting room on the way out 😅 people are very kind when you have a tiny baby. And your baby is NOT crying as loud as you think. You'd be amazed how little others notice. Good luck, you'll be okay!!

My boy had it and when I put him in buggie he like it and he would sleep longer x

Can you get a partner/parent/friend to go with you to the appointments? I’m stressed about this too and am getting my partner to come with me to my first appointment next week. Just the first one for the extra support and to see how it goes, then I will go from there 😊 I have been out alone with my little one a few times, but just on walks and to the grocery store. X

You really need to look into a tongue tie, what those look like and look at your baby. This is how it started for my baby with a tongue tie. They eat constantly bc they can’t consume it as fast as normal bc their tongue is tied down. Mine wasn’t colic but I let him nurse constantly. Message me if you have questions. So many babies get diagnosed and told you just have to live with colic when a simple tongue tie revision is the solution. You need ti go to someone who is educated on that subject and most likely it’s not your pediatrician. You can fb group tongue tied babies to learn more and even tongue tie (state) to find a provider in your state. It is usually a dentist and don’t go to anyone that says they need to sedate baby.. simple numbing cream is all that’s needed with a laser revision!

It definitely gets easier. Try and be packed the night before and ready to grab the changing bag to go. I would give yourself a good 15 mins early wiggle time too The first few times may be tough but you can do this!

Can you bring the baby with you and just breast feed him when you need. I had a patient come in for an appointment a bit ago and she had her babe on the boob for the whole appointment and also in the waiting room. Nobody minded. It's expected behaviour from a newborn. Most healthcare clinic areas have a breastfeeding room available you can use if your uncomfortable feeding Infront of people.

You might find he sleeps better in the pushchair/pram xx

I spent the first month of my baby's life with him on my breast, so I just carried him while latched everywhere I went. It was July, so a good bit warmer, but you could certainly do the same with a blanket wrapped around you. Some people might frown, but at the end of the day, that's what titties are for. 😄

I still find going out anywhere stressful and mine is 3 months now. I had a panic attack the first time we went on public transport longer than 15 minutes so I'm glad I had my partner with me for support. I find I need to plan to get the early train/bus so if I'm late getting out of the house I'm not actually late and I don't stress about that. And if I am late late I just message ahead to the person I'm meeting - they are always understanding. I take a bottle of pumped milk with me in case I'm somewhere I can't easily feed her (a crowded bus/train where I can't get a seat, or on the train platform, for instance - I've also fed her in her pram whilst pushing it when she was screaming but I didn't have time to find somewhere to sit and feed her. I always try to feed her just before we leave, when we get to our destination, before we leave our destination and before we head off home. I find it helps me to have a plan for where to feed her (so I'll research cafes near the appointment venue).

Put them in a sling or carrier if you can, it will help them sleep through whatever you need to do. And I would also advise you to get used to whipping your boob out in public, you can just take care of your baby wherever you are. I found it very freeing once I decided that I (and a well packed nappy bag) was all my baby needed and I could care for her anywhere. Made me feel less shut in and stuck at home. Other people will just have to suck it up if it causes them some minor inconvenience 🤷‍♀️

I haven't taken baby anywhere for an appointment since he was 6 days old so can't comment on that but I have been out for meals. I went for lunch with a friend when he was 5 weeks old and cluster feeding so I just fed him whilst I was eating and noone batted an eye. I had the owners ask how old he was and a waitress came over for a close look at LO whilst he was feeding. Noone was phased by that or the crying before the feed. I've been out for a dinner with my partner and all his extended family, none of them, the waitress or the other customers were bothered about me breastfeeding. I don't cover him with anything whilst I'm feeding as I don't think it's fair on him. It gets easier the more you do it. I've got his jabs on my own with him next week and I'm just going to carry him as it's only a short walk and he's going to need the comfort of being close to me afterwards. I've always got the nappy bag filled and ready to go so I'm not stressing about that. He will be fed and changed before I leave.