FTM soon to be- few questions and need help!

[aimeeKY]

Hi Mommies!
I am very excited to be joining your group very soon! If I don't have the baby by Wednesday, I will be scheduled to be induced! :D
There is just so much I don't know and was hoping to get a few answers from you mommies......
What do you pack in your diaper bags? What did you find you can't do without? I just want to be prepared.
Also, I have 2 baby showers to go to in February and DH works everyday but Sunday and of course the showers are on Saturdays. When I mentioend I would have to bring the baby my friend said, you can't bring the baby out that early. I was shocked by that. I figured if I dressed the baby appropiately etc, I would be fine. If any of you had a January baby (or even close to that month), when did you take your baby outside around other people?
Any insight you wonderful ladies can give would be greatly appreciated!

Aimee.

[cvalentine]

In my diaper bag I have:
Diapers (of course :wink: )
Wipes
A change of clothes (including socks!)
Changing pad
Toys (which you won't need for awhile)
Burp rag
Blanket
Bottle(s)
Diaper Rash cream
Assorted medicines (Not necessary, I'm a little overprepared)

As for getting your baby out, I think as long as your baby is appropriately dressed and the car seat is covered to protect him/her from wind blowing on them and you're just going from the car to the house/store, you're good to go. Some people (usually the older they are the worse) get in this mindset mom and baby should stay cooped up in the house for a couple of months before they take the baby out in public. There are some situations when this is best, for example, baby's health, but as long as you follow good hygiene rules to avoid cold and flu germs, baby can go out pretty much whenever you feel up to it. I remember we took Emma to Wal-Mart when she was 4 weeks old and some old lady actually came up to us and said she shouldn't be out that young. Um, thanks.

Do what you're comfortable with and use common sense. Your baby will be fine. Okay, I'm stepping off the box now. :)

[proud2Bamommy]

In my diaper bag I have.... everthing cvalentine said with the exeptions of the meds. I only bring them if he's sick. I always have mylicon though. just in case and also an extra bib. Dylan is a drool machine!

I found that in the beginning I could not do without his swing. He would fall asleep in it and give me a minute to do other things. Now I can't live without his playmat and teething rings. And Lysol and clorox wipes, he sticks everything in his mouth and with a boy, pee goes everywhere in the beginning!

As for whether to take him out, I agree with cv again. I took Dylan out 3 days after he was born. Just dress him appropriatley and stay indoor as much as possible. Don't hang around sick people. You will know what to do, don't worry about it. Also, you should prob expect dirty looks from older people who expect you to keep your baby at home forever but don't worry about it. Unless your babe is extra fragile (ie, preemie, underweight, etc) you don't have to worry. If you are really concerned just ask your ped or whatever ped sees him in the hospital, they will tell you.
HTH

[wantingbabynumber2]

I also keep plastic bags for dirty clothes and toys that have been dropped on the floor. I also keep the alcohol gel for my hands and some type of clorox wipes. Plus even if breastfeeding I always had a spare bottle just in case for some odd reason I couldn't nurse.

[MommyX3]

My first outing not to my folks for Samantha born 1/13/06 was a night service at my church.. I had pumped bottles ready to go.. burp cloth, change of cloths, diapers, wipes, blanket... oh and of course a camera.. When not giving breast milk I picked up this 3divider container to premeasure 3bottles of formula.
Also I used a carseat cover that I just unzipped and buckled her into the car seat.. when zipped up it can hide the baby a bit to keep strangers hands off.

It was probaby about 8wks before I would leave her in the church nursery. With #1 it was a year, with #2 about 6mo. Funny thing the ladies who tended to the nursery, one had 6 grown kids (my age) and the other is an RN.

Hope this helps, as for the baby shower, If the guest of honor doesn't mind I'd take her.. everyone is already in baby mode..

[Preemienurse]

Thing about taking a baby out so early at this time a year is the germs floating around. In the summer, there are outdoor parties - picnics, BBQs, pool parties, etc. Those are better to take a baby to because there is fresh air and people are healtheir. In the winter, you're cooped up inside an enclosed place with people coughing and sneezing. The germs are in the air and on surfaces, so there is a bigger risk for baby to get sick. But you do what you have to do. I had my baby four days before Christmas, and yes I did bring her to family parties. I was really scared because, as a NICU nurse, I was worried she'd get a cold from someone and wind up in the hospital. But luckily she was fine. I really hope to have a summer baby next time though...

If you live in a cold area, make sure to NOT put your baby in a snowsuit before strapping him or her into the carseat. They are not safe - it's hard to get the carseat straps tight enough with all that padded clothing plus the baby can get overheated during the ride. It's better to dress the baby in a sleeper and hat, strap him or her into the seat, then cover the seat with either blankets or those Bundle Me type covers, which can be completely over the baby when outside but are easily folded down once inside the warm car so they aren't overheated.

For formula-feeding moms, there is a great product out there called "Formula One Shot Bags" made by The First Years. It's $5 for 50 bags at Target or Babies R Us. They are little baggies that have a zip-lock top that you open and put scoops of formula into - it holds up to 4 scoops (8 oz. formula). You zip them up and when you're ready to feed, the bottom of the bag tapers down into a funnel and has a tear-off tip, so you can easily pour the formula into a bottle. I fill my bottles with clean water at home and take the bags of formula with me. This way I never have to worry about the formula needing to stay cold or going bad on me, plus it's already room temperature. (Yes, you can do this with regular baggies but then you'd need scissors, or you can use those plastic divided things made for formula - but these bags are so tiny that you can even put them in your jeans pocket!)

[Asi]

Erik was born in December and I took him out the second day I was home with him. I just can't stand being at home all day. Then I ask the doctor and he said it would be OK, but we should be careful with large groups of people, because of the flu and people having a cold.

[texasred1]

Diaper Bag:
diapers
wipes
diaper rash cream
hand sanitizer
a change of clothes for baby
and an extra shirt for mom (just in case I get spit up on)
a pen
burp cltoh
little blanket (s) depends on time of year or where you're going
little wash cloths
extra bib - now that Mason is teething
If I'm going to be out where I know I can bf, I'll throw in a bigger ligthweight blanket to drap over me. If I need to bring EBM then I pack it accordingly.

As far as getting the baby out, Mason was born in the heat of the summer, so I never worried about him getting out in the cold. But we didn't go anywhere other than the pedi for the first couple of weeks. Not on purpose really, just happened that way.
I however, was a January baby and asked my mom what she did with me. She said she didn't do anything special per se.
I'll second whoever said make sure not to bundle baby up in clothing and then strap them in to the carseat. It should fit the same as it would in lightweight clothing. Put blankets over them or one of those bundle things (Cristen & Mara know what I'm talking about)

Good Luck!!!!

[prinny]

In my diaper bag I have:
Diapers (of course :wink: )
Wipes
A change of clothes (including socks!)
Changing pad
Toys (which you won't need for awhile)
Burp rag
Blanket
Bottle(s)
Diaper Rash cream
Assorted medicines (Not necessary, I'm a little overprepared)

Yup, the only thing I would add is

A nanny. :lol: :wink:

Prinn xxxx

[texasred1]

I also carry a few ziplock baggies too, big ones in case I need to put dirty diapers or dirty clothes in them.

I think someone already mentioned the baggies though...