Pregnancy: Third Trimester Community

I don't know how long it will be until you're able to be up and about, but your pediatrician may have something to say about how soon your baby will be out and about. I've heard some say the pedi said once you're out of the hossy, baby is good to go and then I've heard of other pedis not wanting the baby exposed to the general population until he/she is two weeks old.

I am currently recovering from my c-section. I had my son on March 5th and we were out and about a week later. I would take very short walks with him and our first excursion was to his 1 week dr appointment. It really all depends on how you feel after the c-section if you do end up having one. With my first son it took me about 2 weeks, but that c/s was also an emergency so I credit that to my longer healing time. At almost 3 weeks post surgery I am feeling great and just started driving again and picking up my 14 month old son!

I would tell your DH about a week to 2 weeks, depending on how you are feeling!

The general rule of thumb is not to be out and about with baby for 4wks. My pedi didn't even let us go to a restaurant. You just expose them to big bad world of germs and some pedi's feel its best to let it wait a bit.

I had an emergency section with DD and it was awhile before I felt like being around anyone.

I would tell DH the ballpark figure of 2 weeks. At 2 weeks, you will be leaving the house for your postpartum checkup and LO's 2 week check up. However, you may be up to going out before then. (My pedi has us bring the newborn to the office within 24-48 hours of being discharged for a check-up, so that is an outing).

With both of my DDs, I had c-sections (one emergency, one planned). Both times, I was going crazy being stuck in the house. With both, we went out to eat/run an errand at about 1 1/2 weeks. I just made sure to keep them in their infant seat and not let people get too close.

I have seen it recommended that you keep them out of church nurseries and daycares for 6 weeks. So, if you go to church, you would want to keep your LO with you.

As far as YOU go, that's a wait and see on how you feel (I've only had vaginal births so I can't help as far as sections). As far as the baby goes, it depends on where you're going. I'm always fine taking my babies somewhere within a week of delivery. It's not a place where people are all hovering over her or touching her. Taking a walk at the park, running to the store where I keep her near me or covered, etc. I wouldn't do a restarant within a week. Plus side is we're not having our babies during the sick months. Just tell DH that, just like him, you've never had a baby before either so you have no clue how you'll feel! Tell him to be patient.

I'm curious if there is some event or outing in particular that he is concerned about missing? It just sounds like he is overly antsy about a specific time frame for recovery. Your answer is perfectly fine. You won't know how your body will respond until you are on the other side and some days will be better than others. Particularly with a c-section, you have to be careful not to overdo it too soon. You can actually slow down your recovery and start bleeding all over again if you do too much. Just listen to your body and take your time. There is no prize for being out and about after a week vs. two or three.

He asked me because the employees at his work were bugging him and wanted to know when they would get to see the baby. The managers he works with are friends more or less and are free to stop and visit by the house.... but that is not appropriate for the rest of his 'lower' employees (they are mostly teenagers with a few older people thrown in.... but there are a lot of younger girls, and of course babies are cute... so they want to see him)

I also have a birthday party I have to attend in July for my nephew. . . but the only people there are family. I feel comfortable letting family handle the baby but I will not let my husbands 50 employees hand him around. IF we stop by and visit his work I will probably leave the baby in the stroller or hold him myself and have a "look but don't touch" policy.

It depends on the type of outing. My DS was born premature (5 weeks) and in the middle of RSV/FLU season (february) so we were given strict intructions to basically quarentine him until he was 8 or 9 weeks old....which got us to the end of RSV season. Premies do NOT need to get RSV...well any newborn for that matter will be in the hospital if they get it. So we just kept to ourselves the first 2 months...went on walks, car rides, he went to the doctor a few times and then when he turned 2months they gave us the all clear (mind you he would have been 3 weeks old had he not been premature). So I would say 3-4 weeks of being a little extra careful for a fullterm baby is pretty standard from what I am hearing from my mom friends. It's not that you can't get out and do things but passing the baby around and letting everyone handle him/her in those first few weeks is risky as far as germs go. They have little to no immune system at first and anything they get is pretty serious. If this one is "on time" I will prob stick to walks in the stroller and car rides the first 3-4 weeks and then start the grocery shopping and church going once she is about a month old. It's a good idea to keep a thin blanket drapped over the carseat when your out to discourage random strangers to stick their hands on their face and the babies hands...which will inevitatbly be in the babies mouth in 2 seconds. Also, when people cough or sneeze close by the blanket can kind of offer a barrier. Once my DS was 3 months old and older this stuff didn't cross my mind as much. Also when you "wear" the baby in a carrier people are a little more hands off because they feel like they are invading your space a bit if they get in the baby's face.

A look but don't touch policy is prob best for the 50 employees when you do decide to go. But family is generally receptive to being asked to wash hands and not hold the baby if they aren't feeling well etc. so your family or any visitors that come to the house should be fine. We had people at the house from day 1 but they didn't come unless they were well and washed their hands or used hand sanitzer before holding him.

Again..this is based off our pediatrician who was worried because he was premature and had immature lungs they are prob a lot less worried with term babies, but I will still be cautious the first 3-4 weeks or so.

You can take your baby out and about as soon as you are able to move -- might be one week, might be two. BUT -- by "out and about" I mean for short walks, or to the doctor, or to grandma's house, etc. Taking Baby out to visit people is not a great idea.

Your baby's immune system is just not strong enough at one or two weeks old. I'd keep visits confined to family, or a few close friends. When inviting people to the house, it is best to keep the number of visitors small. If you go out to visit people other than family, or if you go to your DH's work, I'd seriously wait a month to do that. Give your baby time to develop a little more immunity to the world. (Because frankly, you can have a "look but don't touch" policy, but you'll be enforcing it as people grab at and touch and kiss your baby anyway -- many people feel a new baby is public property, and the safest way to get them not to touch is to not go until he is a month old when it won't matter as much!)

DH and I took DD out when she was like 7 days old...We just went out to eat I was going stir crazy in the house. We covered her up with a blanket and went in between lunch time and dinner on a week day so we knew it wouldn't be crowded. Plus it was a place that we go to a lot and are well known so they made sure to keep people away from our table! My suggestion to you is not to let everyone and their mothers hold your baby there are too many illnesses that go around and it could be devastating for a baby to catch some of them. I let people look at DD from a distance and plan on doing the same with Lilyanna..