Anyone else feel like it's a struggle to get baby out and about?

[ajay003]

I mean more so in a social aspect.

The virus that shall not be named (why can't we talk about it here??) is unfortunately still alive and thriving and I find I'm trying to balance this invisible line of "Do I take baby out to see the world? Or play it safe and keep him within these four walls even longer?"

For not being out much, he LOVES seeing people! He always smiles at others and is very interested in whatever it is someone is doing. A big people watcher lol. He'll furrow his little eye brows, deep in thought and you can just tell he's trying to warp his head around what he's seeing.

Why is that person doing that, with that thing?

Anyways, I was super looking forward to taking him to a puppet show at the local library. Age group is 0 months to 2 years, he's 9 months so it would perfect for him. I know seeing puppets would probably blow his little baby mind haha.

But

"The virus that shall not be named", seems to be back. Where I live, it always makes a come back during the typical flu season, so Fall to late winter.

I would feel like the worst mom ever if he got sick and with the current Tylenol shortage.. I mean, heck...

I also feel bad that he hasn't been able to enjoy the outside world in a normal, carefree way and I worry about how it'll impact his development with basically only ever seeing either me (mom) or Daddy.

that's all, it just kinda sucks.

P.S thank you for all of your responses it's nice to know that I'm not alone in my worries! I think we'll still go to that awesome puppet show, just with some precautions in mind.

 

[armouryellow]

@ajay003 Ontario, Canada resident here. Ontario sort of took COVID seriously, but my baby was born at the end of April and by then most people had given up and taken the “We’re all gonna get it so may as well stop trying” approach. I have a close friend with long COVID who recently stopped being able to eat tomatoes because they taste rotten, and my MIL had a COVID-related stroke and is now bedridden, so I am still taking it seriously.

I do recognize that having my baby exclusively indoors is also not good for her, so I have taken the following approach. I waited until she got at least her 2 month shots (because there’s no point in adding fuel to the fire with other illnesses) before going to places that weren’t family. After 2 months we went swimming (wide open space, less likely to be up in someone’s face, easy to swim away from close talkers, etc.), library programs (typically in big rooms and not usually full), parks (outside), and shopping (I mask up, but it’s not like people are, thankfully, shoving their face into her car seat).

Once she hits 6 months, she’ll be old enough to actually do things, so we’ll be attending playgroups, music groups, and play dates. We’re not gonna be idiots about it, so if I ever feel sick we won’t go out, etc. At 6 months she’ll also be eligible for the COVID shot here, so with our doc’s recommendation we’ll be getting her that. Obviously this won’t prevent her from getting it, but it’s a nice added barrier.

Then, when she goes to daycare all bets are off because it’ll be a Petrie dish there, but she’ll be at least a year old then and have her shots, so I’ll be less concerned.

Yes, COVID is here to stay, yes, we can’t stay inside all the time, but I’m not going to go out of my way to be reckless about it. It sucks. It sucks hard, but I do think there exists a balance for parents who have these struggles.

 

[eliwu]

@armouryellow Hey, also Ontario here and my boy was born at the beginning of April. Did your doctor say how long (if any amount of time) to wait between regular 6 month vaccinations and the covid shot?

 

[armouryellow]

@eliwu No. That was going to be my next question to her, but we had to reschedule my daughter’s 4 month shots due to a scheduling error and my doc was on vacation for those, so we just saw the nurse at that appointment.

 

[southmirchi]

@armouryellow We were recommended 2 weeks just incase there was a reaction you would know what caused it. However a friend of ours took her baby the same day as their 6 month shots.