Baby stays home for 8 weeks?

[Cindy B]

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.

I took my son with me to the grocery store after about a week. We also went to a Christmas party 10 days after he was born!

He is now 18 and completely fine.

 

[Wendy31]

Any mother who is able to stay home for so long must be caring for their first born. By the time my number 3 came into the world, he was carted everywhere, all the time from the get-go! I would avoid crowds if I could, but life happens, and you do what you have to do So different from when I (so-cautiously) had my first! All three ended up fine.

I actually stayed home longer w/ our younger DS (#3) than I did w/ older DD & DS.

I think, though, that I had a touch of postpartum anxiety which contributed to my feeling like I couldn't take DS out anywhere.

And, as soon as I started feeling a little more like myself & was ready to start venturing out w/ DS, the H1N1 epidemic started.

Younger DS was born in July, & I really didn't stop feeling stressed & worried about taking him out until the following spring.

We went places, but I avoided crowds & didn't take him to church until he was about 6 months old.

We had to go to an out-of-town wedding in November, & I was a wreck.

 

[Jaya]

This was 42 years ago, but I had to fly with mine home from the hospital when she was seven days old. She survived that.....

 

[fairestoneofall]

my Ped recommended we not put our newborns in the nursery until they'd had their first set of shots. but she never said not to leave the house completely.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Married to a pediatrician here. The recommendation (which keep in mind comes down from the AAP and any board certified ped is only doing their job when they pass along recommendations) is to keep babies out of crowds and limit exposure as much as possible for the first 8 weeks. This is not because of vaccinations, but because prior to 8 weeks a baby can't regulate infection and the risk of meningitis is higher. If a baby under 8 weeks develops a fever of greater than 100.4, a full sepsis workup is needed, which involves a spinal tap and IV antibiotics.

My DW happens to be the head of pediatrics at the hospital by us, which means she is aware of every admission and it happens far too often because families didn't want to put their lives on hold.

Day care at 6 weeks is a necessity for many. Hitting up the mall in February at three weeks because you have cabin fever is just irresponsible. As with every other parenting decision that comes after those first 8 weeks, it's about making good judgement calls.

 

[Aliceacc]

Married to a pediatrician here. The recommendation (which keep in mind comes down from the AAP and any board certified ped is only doing their job when they pass along recommendations) is to keep babies out of crowds and limit exposure as much as possible for the first 8 weeks. This is not because of vaccinations, but because prior to 8 weeks a baby can't regulate infection and the risk of meningitis is higher. If a baby under 8 weeks develops a fever of greater than 100.4, a full sepsis workup is needed, which involves a spinal tap and IV antibiotics.

My DW happens to be the head of pediatrics at the hospital by us, which means she is aware of every admission and it happens far too often because families didn't want to put their lives on hold.

Day care at 6 weeks is a necessity for many. Hitting up the mall in February at three weeks because you have cabin fever is just irresponsible. As with every other parenting decision that comes after those first 8 weeks, it's about making good judgement calls.

You bring up a number of great points.

The OP mentioned "leaving the house" and that's what a number of us were reacting to. I agree that it's all about good judgement-- going to grandma's as opposed to going to the local elementary school play during flu season. It's all about taking the advice of those doctors you trust, and of exercising that good judgement.

I've seen newborns in places that made me wonder what the parents were thinking. But I think that an in-home quarrantine is probably taking it to the other extreme.

 

[Sabeking]

I honestly don't remember my ped saying much about this; but I don't remember what I had for lunch the day before anymore

We were in church three days later!

 

[momto3gr8boys]

You bring up a number of great points.

The OP mentioned "leaving the house" and that's what a number of us were reacting to. I agree that it's all about good judgement-- going to grandma's as opposed to going to the local elementary school play during flu season. It's all about taking the advice of those doctors you trust, and of exercising that good judgement.

I've seen newborns in places that made me wonder what the parents were thinking. But I think that an in-home quarrantine is probably taking it to the other extreme.

Oh, I agree. There's no reason a baby can't "go out", it's just smarter to go for a walk in the park or around the block than to go to a store, etc. The baby goes out to go to the doctor's office several times before 8 weeks and that's probably the worst place to go .

I was just trying to clear up some misinformation on the whole "they need to be vaccinated" thing before going into public and just point out that many many little babies endure 4 day hospital stays at a young age unnecessarily. With precaution that can sometimes be prevented (and sometimes not...grandma may be the sick one and the 20 people in the supermarket are fine). There's always a bit of luck in all this stuff too!

 

[crayon3448]

Had my baby this past October and nothing was mentioned to me about not going anywhere and I didn't ask. We went out to eat and shopping when she was less than a week old. I did have the flu shot a few weeks before I delivered though.

 

[Poohforyou]

Our neighbors, who have an 8 month old, we're told to avoid allowing a lot of people to touch their son until about 8 weeks old. Taking a baby into public shouldn't be an issue. It's all the people who start touching the baby that's a problem.

OP, perhaps the couple misunderstood what they were told. I don't see the big deal though or something you should make fun of. They're new parents. If they felt better keeping their baby away from public places and people who don't understand boundaries I don't see the big deal.

 

[ORMom2Four]

My youngest, twins, just turned 3.

We were not told they could not go out in public One of our girls was even in the NICU and came home on an apnea monitor. We just took the monitor with us when we took them out.

Even if we *were* told that, there is no way we would take that advice!

 

[aprilgail2]

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.

.

My Dr told me to make sure smokers put on fresh clothes and washed their hands if I wanted them to go near the baby. I really don't know anyone that smokes anymore but I certainly wouldn't let someone that smoked near her anyway.

 

[DeluxePrincess]

I never really wanted to take my newborns anywhere, but nobody ever told me not to. I vividly remember taking my DD to the supermarket when she was less than a month old.

 

[Talking Hands]

My first child was a preemie and I didn't take her out until she was a month old. We went to church and she was in the church nursery. She was in the infant room in her own separate crib, with 2 others babies who were twins and shared a crib. Since there was a pediatrician who oversaw all the nursery and preschool areas I was not concerned in the least. My second was at the church nursery at 1 week.
My grands didn't go to the nursery until 2 month and 6 weeks. Different church but same set up. We do have a mother/baby area at the back of our current church but because I am involved in the worship service using that room wasn't an option.

 

[kandb]

My son was born in February and was full term. My cousin was getting married and was having a small reception in a restaurant. Our pediatrician said not to take my son to it. My husband stayed home with my son and after I was glad I did not bring him. Better to be safe then sorry. Our pediatrician isn't overly cautious either.

 

[iheartdisney]

My Dr told me to make sure smokers put on fresh clothes and washed their hands if I wanted them to go near the baby. I really don't know anyone that smokes anymore but I certainly wouldn't let someone that smoked near her anyway.

Gosh, if that were the case, my husband would never be allowed near his own children.

 

[MomofKatie]

I took DD out at 3 days old- DH was painting our entire newly-purchased home and needed lunch. We went to Jersey Mike's. She was fine.

My mom flew in to see DD when she was 8 days old, and the entire extended family (me, DH, DD, my mom, DH's parents, DH's grandma, and DH's aunt and uncle) went to a very popular local restaurant for dinner.

DD lived through it.

 

[mamacatnv]

We went to a chinese restaurant on our way home from the hospital with DD. She was 2 days old, the next morning we took her to a soccer fest with DS and then we went shopping, the following day we took her to church.
We were never told to keep either kid quarantined, they were out and about from the onset.

 

[dogluva]

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?

I went to church on the way home from the hospital because my oldest daughter was reading. Of course she was my sixth baby so pretty much anything goes! I was never told by my kids doctors to keep them home or keep them away from people, even the ones born in November, December and January. To be honest, I just did what I had to do and didn't give it much thought. They were all healthy.

 

[DeniseinNS]

all 3 of my kids were out places within a week. With my youngest between 3-7 days she was at a restaurant, walmart, a furniture store, grocery store. I see no reason to stay in the house for weeks if the baby has no health issues. I just didn't let strangers touch them.