Baby stays home for 8 weeks?

[jrmasm]

So my husband told me last night that a coworker of his posted on FB recently that she is so happy that her baby is almost 8 weeks old and they can finally leave the house. He asked another coworker (also has a young child) if the baby was sick and the he was told no, this is standard procedure for newborns now.

Our kids are 9 and 17 and we both think this is nuts.

So, is it now recommended for healthy, full term infants to be kept at home for 8 weeks after birth?

 

[Missy29]

Maybe I'm a horrible parent but I took my ds out the day we left the hospital, it was just to my in laws but still. 8 weeks seems pretty excessive to me.

 

[Janepod]

So my husband told me last night that a coworker of his posted on FB recently that she is so happy that her baby is almost 8 weeks old and they can finally leave the house. He asked another coworker (also has a young child) if the baby was sick and the he was told no, this is standard procedure for newborns now.

Our kids are 9 and 17 and we both think this is nuts.

So, is it now recommended for healthy, full term infants to be kept at home for 8 weeks after birth?

My pediatrician recommended that, back in 2005. I thought it was crazy, but I did it. He was always healthy but that may be circumstantial.

I even put off his baptism til he was about 9 weeks old. My dad was so furious; he wanted to have him baptized privately at home in the meantime.

It didn't affect our lifestyle at all, luckily. I would just do my grocery shopping, gym, etc. in the evening when my husband got home from work. No big deal.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

They don't have to be quarantined for 8 weeks. You just have to use discretion. The exception is premies or babies with compromised immune systems.

Sounds like that parent is either over-protective, misinformed, or a whackadoo.

 

[Meriweather]

DDIL is pregnant and she was told 4 weeks.....heck baby will go to day care at 6 weeks, so she needs to get out in the world a little before that.

I took my first one out at 10 days............she survived!!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I've never heard of that for a normal healthy baby. I was never told to not to go out with the baby until they were a certain age.
I could see it in the winter when the flu bug is around but not in the summer.

When my son was 2 days old, he had his first trip to Home Depot.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Ten years ago my pediatrician told me six weeks. And to never let a smoker hold him without having them wash their hands and face thoroughly and change their clothes.

I honestly don't remember if I took him out before six weeks, but I do know that at 7 weeks, we took him to a family function. I was a nervous wreck - he was passed around so much I was afraid he'd either be dropped, get RSV, or be sore from being handled so much.

I'd say whatever makes the new mother feel comfy is ok.

Wanted to add, my son was born at the end of November, so maybe that's why I was given that advice.

 

[SpartanMommy]

I took DD out for walks soon after she was born, but waited until she was 3 or 4 weeks take her to the grocery store or out to dinner with us. 8 weeks seems a little bit much, but I do think it is important to limit their exposure when they are very young.

 

[Bren's Mom]

I don't recall what they told me.

But my ds was born at 34 weeks at a little over 5lbs. Was discharged after 1 week in the hospital. And the next day I took him to a funeral repast. (It's a long story, but it was important I be there.)

I did ask people not to touch his face or pick him up.

And he was born during RSV season.

I did ask everyone to wash their hands when they came to visit, and expected people to use good judgment and not come by if they were sick, but other than that I just went about our lives.

I think not leaving the house for 8 weeks is excessive.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I've never heard of that and I don't plan on doing that when my daughter is born. You have to take your newborn to the doctor within the first week or so after they are born, and that's probably one of the most germy places you could be.

I plan on using discresion--no sick people holding the baby, they have to wash their hands, and I also plan on wearing her in a baby carrier as much as possible when we are out-and-about to discourage people from reaching out to touch her.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

It was ten years ago but my daughter went to her first basketball game when she was 6 days old.

 

[jennyjinx3]

No I did not do this with any of my three, in fact the day after my youngest was born she was walked up to the school and taken to the park!!

 

[Lorelei Lee]

You're kidding, right?

I must have been a terrible mother.

We went to my parents' house for Thanksgiving dinner when my older one was 2 weeks old. My younger daughter was born in July, and was at a NYC street fair when she was 10 days old.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Don't the babies have a couple doctor's visits already before 8 weeks? My kids are 13 and 10, so it's been a while, but I thought we went to doctor like 2 days after being home, then at a month or something like that. Certainly there's not many places worse than a doctor's waiting room!

And I'm thinking I might have been able to do it with the first one, but certainly not the second. Keeping a 2-year-old locked up at home for 8 weeks because their new sibling can't go out? Boy, that would set the stage for some major sibling rivalry!!!

 

[jrmasm]

You're kidding, right?
I must have been a terrible mother.

We went to my parents' house for Thanksgiving dinner when my older one was 2 weeks old. My younger daughter was born in July, and was at a NYC street fair when she was 10 days old.

Nope!


My husband was so funny. He couldn't believe it.

 

[mom2rtk]

LOL, I think that's actually funny.

I would have gone NUTS being cooped up for 8 weeks with a baby. Maybe these people have more family support than I did, but no way could we have done that. I had other kids to pick up and take to school, sporting events to attend, shopping to be done. I wore my 3rd baby a lot and she was a real trooper being carted all over creation for the very early days.

 

[FayeW]

DDIL is pregnant and she was told 4 weeks.....heck baby will go to day care at 6 weeks, so she needs to get out in the world a little before that.

I took my first one out at 10 days............she survived!!

That makes me so sad.

 

[goodeats]

What about people with more than one kid?DD2 was at the park at 4 days old with DD1. I kept her covered in the ergo and the weather was mild. No regrets!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

That makes me so sad.

Please don't start on that. Some women have to go back to work at 6 weeks.

 

[shoney]

When I had my first, my DH took 2 weeks off. Towards the end, we got bored....hopped in the car and drove to Lancaster PA. We stayed overnight, went shopping, went to dinner....even stopped and did the QVC tour on the way home!

(2 old ladies did have something to say about how they never would have brought a newborn out!)