Taking a newborn out for Thanksgiving

[bumbershoot]

I just birthed a child last Monday. DH is already back at work. I'm sleep deprived and sick.

Stay home.

 

[kelleyrn2000]

I agree with the pp, RSV season is here already. All you or your DH has to say is that you are sick, exhausted, and the baby's doctor recommends keeping the baby home, and you resting. If anyone else has a problem, so be it. The health of you and your baby are more important than being with the extended family at this time.

 

[marcyinPA]

Ok, because you asked for honesty and I'm in a mood tonight....

Your DH is being a jerk. You are all sick, and you JUST HAD A BABY. Honey, your needs come first right now! If you want to stay home, you stay home. And your DH should be TOTALLY supporting you on this one!! In fact, he should be cooking your dinner on Thanksgiving too!

I hope you all feel better soon!!!

 

[minkydog]

I will have a 10 day old for Thanksgiving this year

Anyway me and DH are having this huge disagreement over our holiday plans. I don't want to do anything. I feel we should stay home and celebrate with just the 5 of us. Both DS's are sick with colds, sore throats, etc... as are DH and I, so it's bad enough that the baby is exposed to our germs. I feel like taking her to a family gathering with 20 people is not the smartest thing to do at the height of cold and flu season.

DH wants to go to family dinner. He says I have a sickness and it's ridiculous to not go places for fear of getting sick. Well, what if the baby ends up in the hospital with RSV or something terrible, then was stupid family dinner worth it?I don't know why I don't get a break. I just birthed a child last Monday. DH is already back at work. I'm sleep deprived and sick. Am I being unreasonable about Thanksgiving?

I'm not saying you're going to change my opinion, but honesty is appreciated.

For what it's worth, I agree with you. NO WAY would I be attending a THankgiving dinner less than 2 weeks post-delivery. And I would NOT be exposing a newborn to a bunch of relatives either. You're right, this is RSV season! Anyone who has been through that with a newborn will tell you it's a terrible thing. I'm a peds nurse, worked in NICU/PICU for over 10 years. There were times in the winter when our entire 28 bed unit was filled with nothing BUT babies with RSV.

Honestly? You're husband is being a jerk. Tell your husband to go to the family dinner. Leave you and the sick kids at home. And I'd fix the kids hot dogs and beans and watch Christmas videos, too. At their ages, they could probably care less about Thanksgiving traditions and would much rather stay home and play with their toys, read some books and get their naps on time.

 

[2BigKIdz]

Congratulations! Our pediatrician recommended we not take our son anywhere except to his checkup appt for the first 2-3 weeks unless absolutely necessary, so we didn't. I completely understand how you feel and I would not want to take him around a big group of people either. I am a complete germ phobe anyway but my husband is not so we butt heads from time to time about things like this.

 

[NewCrew42]

I would stay home if I were you.

 

[hambirg]

I am not one of those germaphobe types. . .and I still NEVER took any of my newborns anywhere until they were at least 2-3 weeks old. You are not being dumb or overreacting. . .you are being smart! Let your DH go. .and maybe the older kiddos if they are feeling up to it. But you and baby need to stay home.

 

[*JoGo*]

Congratulations!

STAY HOME!!!

My niece is 4weeks old today and my SIL is not taking her to the big thanksgiving dinner. Too many people, too many germs, too much to deal with.

At 10 days postpartum, you aren't even supposed to be driving yet, you're to be staying home, resting as much as you can, and settling in with your new baby. You're already sick, and if you over-do it, you will become even more sick plus the added postpartum risks of over extending yourself.

He needs to realize, if you were hospitalized, who would take care of the kids? If the baby was hospitalized, who would take care of the others? ALSO, everyone's sick already! Does he really want to be the one that brought their SICK KIDS to thanksgiving?

If the older ones are feeling up to it, he can take them. It's his family. But you & newborn stay home.

 

[sunnyday123]

For what it's worth, I agree with you. NO WAY would I be attending a THankgiving dinner less than 2 weeks post-delivery. And I would NOT be exposing a newborn to a bunch of relatives either. You're right, this is RSV season! Anyone who has been through that with a newborn will tell you it's a terrible thing. I'm a peds nurse, worked in NICU/PICU for over 10 years. There were times in the winter when our entire 28 bed unit was filled with nothing BUT babies with RSV.

Honestly? You're husband is being a jerk. Tell your husband to go to the family dinner. Leave you and the sick kids at home. And I'd fix the kids hot dogs and beans and watch Christmas videos, too. At their ages, they could probably care less about Thanksgiving traditions and would much rather stay home and play with their toys, read some books and get their naps on time.

This 100 times. There is no way in heck I'd be passing my 10 day old baby around to relatives, whether or not I was sick.

 

[superme80]

STAY HOME!!!!! It is completely unfair of him to expect you to go to a big family dinner with sickness in your home and a newborn. Tell him to go and show off pics. Congrats on the new baby and I hope your kids get well real soon!

 

[Mermaid02]

As far as you , your dh and older kids having a cold- that wouldn't stop anyone in our family from attending Thanksgiving. This is Maine, it's November and a cold is no big deal. BUT the baby is BRAND NEW, and you are exhausted. You and the baby stay home, let your dh take the older kids and lots of pics. They can bring you a plate for later! You can spend the day snuggling your newborn and watching Christmas movies (or football if you prefer!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[penn19]

I will have a 10 day old for Thanksgiving this year

Anyway me and DH are having this huge disagreement over our holiday plans. I don't want to do anything. I feel we should stay home and celebrate with just the 5 of us. Both DS's are sick with colds, sore throats, etc... as are DH and I, so it's bad enough that the baby is exposed to our germs. I feel like taking her to a family gathering with 20 people is not the smartest thing to do at the height of cold and flu season.

DH wants to go to family dinner. He says I have a sickness and it's ridiculous to not go places for fear of getting sick. Well, what if the baby ends up in the hospital with RSV or something terrible, then was stupid family dinner worth it?

I don't know why I don't get a break. I just birthed a child last Monday. DH is already back at work. I'm sleep deprived and sick. Am I being unreasonable about Thanksgiving?

I'm not saying you're going to change my opinion, but honesty is appreciated.

This happened to me. 13 years ago today as a matter of fact. Baby was 2 days old for Thanksgiving. No way did I want him around all the cousins etc...who were in fact sick. "but it would be ok" said my MIL.
Me and the baby stayed home. My husband took the other 2 and went to his moms. The first of a few times that I realized my husband did place me too high on his priority list......but thats a whole nother thread.
Do what you think is right. You will never forgive yourself if the baby does develop RSV. One of my kids did. Not from going to anyones house mind you, just got it. Stay home.

 

[Rora]

You just had a baby 10 days ago? You have a 4 yr. old and a 1 yr. old that are already sick? You & your DH are sick as well?

And Thanksgiving is the day after tomorrow??

No - I don't think you're being unreasonable at all.. Who wants to go out when they're not feeling well (having given birth just 10 days ago), having 2 little ones sick already, and mingle with 20 other people??

"Mom" and the kids would be staying home.. End of story..

Hope all of you feel better soon!

This!!

Hope your family feels better and congrats on the little one!

 

[NHdisneylover]

I would stay home because you are sick.
However, if you wake up feeling well tomorrow (and you are enough recovered from giving birth to sitting around--not sure how that went) I would go. Meaning, I would not be hesitating just because the baby is 10 days old. You are not talking about a concert with hundreds of people--just an extended family gathering.

Both of my kids were out to pretty public areas younger than that. DD was at a mall on and restraurant on New Year's Eve, so she would have been 5 days old. DS was at a VERY busy restaurant (where his big sister wanted to o for her birthday) when he was 4 days old, and then we popped into the (again very busy) mall to pick up one day after Christmas bargain at the Disney Store since we were so close. I am pretty sure he was at McDonald's for a MOMs club playdate before he was 10 days old too (that pesky big sister again). They were both extremely healthy babies and toddlers. The doctor's never told me to shelter them and I didn't

 

[happygirl]

This won't be very popular but I think kids build up immunity by being around people. I think if hte other kids are sick then they baby should be okay, Happy Thanksgiiving to you

 

[Wishing on a star]

Both DS's are sick with colds, sore throats, etc... as are DH and I, so it's bad enough that the baby is exposed to our germs. I feel like taking her to a family gathering with 20 people is not the smartest thing to do at the height of cold and flu season.

DH wants to go to family dinner. He says I have a sickness

I don't know why I don't get a break. I just birthed a child last Monday. DH is already back at work. I'm sleep deprived and sick. Am I being unreasonable about Thanksgiving?

You want honesty???
You don't get a break because your your husband has some serious issues.

Let me guess - this dinner is at his family's... your inlaws... right.

You have two sick children, have just given birth and are trying to care for a newborn baby, yourself, and two sick children... and your husband tells you that you have a sickness (psychological/mental illness)...

No way, no how, would I consider going.

Tell your husband, do as he pleases....
But you and your children will not be attending Thanksgiving this year.

 

[Wishing on a star]

"but it would be ok" said my MIL.
Me and the baby stayed home. My husband took the other 2 and went to his moms. The first of a few times that I realized my husband did place me too high on his priority list......but thats a whole nother thread
....
Stay home.

I think somebody just nailed it....

 

[robinb]

I wouldn't go just for the reason you are all sick, not because you just had a baby. I was always out and about with my kids as newborns.

I agree. My DD was out and about as a newborn. BUT the OP's whole family is sick. No reason to stress yourself over being at a big family dinner when you are all sick. Call your local grocery store and arrange for one of those "Instant Thanksgiving" dinners and stay at home!

 

[finsup]

Take it from a mom who has dealt with RSV 3x's~STAY HOME!!!!! So not worth it. Our youngest, was hospitalized at 6 weeks, 11 mons & 19 mons with it. The common cold is SO dangerous to a baby. DD still has chest issues every fall & becomes very ill.

 

[Polyluvr]

Let your DH take the older 2 and go~ You stay home with the new baby~ Congrats BTW


On the sublect of taking a newborn out~ I never took my babies anywhere but to the Dr's till they were @ least 4 months old.
All those people breathing on them and attempting to touch them~ No thanks.

And my MIL Freaked that I didn't wait till they were @ least 6 months old