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

[allproblemsdie]

@ajay003 I think it's totally normal to be worried - especially with covid which you don't have much experience with! Please don't feel bad that it gets the best of you from time to time, it's 100% okay to feel how you're feeling. If today it seems impossible, try again tomorrow. That was my mantra... still is whenever I get overwhelmed with the weight of keeping another human alive.

 

[godisworking]

@ajay003 It really is a bummer! My girl is 4 months and people wanna carry her so bad, im talking my really close friends! and they haven’t really been able to because I really don’t want her to get the you know what.

 

[jasonmoorrey]

@ajay003 My son is almost 6 months which means almost old enough for the shot. I’ve interacted with a few parents at the local park but everything else has been familial, if that. I actively look forward to his vaccines now because it means he’s that much closer and safer interacting with other humans.

 

[skyes]

@ajay003 Don't worry about development too much, before about 2 pretty much all baby needs is mom and dad (and/or whoever else is their immediate caregiver)

 

[gplatale]

@ajay003 My second child was born in June 2020. Height of everything. We kept away, we kept him in, until it became too much and he needed to socialize and grow. He is in preschool now, my eldest in grade school, and we are exposed regardless. Mental health wise I can’t stay locked in my home forever. My newest baby is 4 months old. After over two years into a pandemic we got COVID a few weeks ago. Thankfully it was just a fever for the whole house before dispersing. We got it from my single mother friend in a private setting, not just out and about.

I’m not downplaying COVID, but I recognize we can’t also stay locked up forever. Especially my toddler and my preteen. Especially when I’m done maternity leave I work from home, so staying isolated is not it for me. So we take mitigated risks and make choices based on the comfort level of our family. We get fully vaccinated as we can and try to live life as we need to outside of that.

 

[rhianne]

@ajay003 I’ve worked in an elementary school (before covid and now) and got covid while I was pregnant. I was SO careful too, it made me furious. Fully vaccinated, always 6 feet away, KN95 at all times. It was like a bad cold and I feel lucky that’s all it felt like.

My son is now 4 months and I’m still surrounded by covid everyday and now he’s at daycare. When he was a newborn I was ultra cautious. Everyone who met him before 3 months was immediate family, vaccinated, and had to wear a mask. He still was exposed to covid but didn’t get sick luckily.

I’m not saying I’m not still careful and mindful, but it’s made me see that as hard as I try it’s out there and I can only do so much to stop it. There’s risk no doubt, but if him or I ever want to explore or see dear friends and family we have to do so with some risk.

At the end of the day do what YOU are comfortable with. Take small steps and know you aren’t a bad mom either way.

 

[lostsoul619]

@ajay003 I think that you all should still go. Just be extremely careful. Is there anyway you could find out how many people will be there? if it is too many people I wouldn’t go. I keep my daughter in a lot and I think it has made her scared of other people besides the people she lives with.

 

[irmagm6649]

@ajay003 We have honestly taken our baby everywhere since probably 5 weeks old and over the summer to several large family gatherings and social events. We were just careful at first from getting to close to many people.

Infants aren't particularly known to be affected by that and I feel it's important for her to get used to people. She also in general has started loving going places and being in the cart at stores seeing all the stuff going on. Maybe if there was a big outbreak again or I lived in a city it would be different but I dislike the idea of keeping my child away from social interaction more.

 

[sgtmattkind]

@ajay003 I feel the same way! I plan to get my baby out while the weather is pretty so we can stay outdoors and avoid crowds. I was apprehensive about my family even seeing her, as I have 3 siblings who teach in the public school system, so asked a nurse for advice about the situation, and she said to just do a health check before anyone gets close to the baby. Are you sick? Have you been around anyone who is sick? Did you wash your hands? If they can truthfully answer those questions correctly, then it's probably okay for them to come near the baby. So maybe you could do some limited socializing with people to can trust to also have your baby's health as a top priority. Hope that helps!

 

[sherry4glorifythelord]

@ajay003 I think there are worse illnesses he could catch. Right now covid is spreading by it's not the same illness it was before. It's your choice whether you are willing to accept the risk.
As for me, we can't vaccinate babies here but, with doctors approval, we went to a wedding, traveled, and we are seeing friends. She is going to daycare and she's almost 6 months old now

 

[bjwilson1971]

@ajay003 I don't really have an answer, because the situation can vary so much from location to location.

But some safe people watching activities could be going to a park or playgrounds and watch older kids play (outdoors). That is something my baby loved doing.

At 9 months (or maybe earlier) I had her in the baby swing at the park (she loved it and still loves it). That's a great location to people watch from. You can always wipe the swing down first if you are worried.

I also let her sit in the sandbox and play with the sand, let her balance along different objects in the playground (this really depend on what's available by you) and tried the slide (while holding her).

If it's cold - bundle up.

Right now (she is 13 months) we still go to the park on our day off work/daycare and spend a lot of time in nature. Looking at the leaves turning, picking wild berries (I realise this might not be possible everywhere), saying the colors of different things we find in nature, etc.

 

[ajay003]

@bjwilson1971 These are fantastic ideas, thank you!

 

[joannsmith]

@ajay003 UK here, so a bit different, don't think we're vaxing babies, and there are different strains etc

But in case this eases your mind a little bit, my little one had covid at just shy of 4 months, she had a high temp for 24 hours and slept terrible, but what baby does at that age!? Otherwise she was fine, she was happy and playful. We got it from the Drs when she got her jabs, it was the only place we went! We used baby paracetamol to bring her fever down.

She's currently got a cold from a group we go to and honestly that's worse than covid, she is now snotty and grumpy. Illness effects different people in different ways but if I'm being honest I preferred when she had covid!

I've had to realize she's going to catch bugs throughout her life and we are going to have deal with it, I won't stop worrying but one day she'll step out into the world and catch all the nasty bugs kids spread! I am not looking forward to puke and chickenpox but all I can do is prep with medicine and cuddles at the ready

 

[trusaders]

@ajay003 I feel you. We had our twins in October last year and they were 11 weeks early. After a long stay in a NICU with them, and immunecompromised preemies, we were very cautious. It’s been hard on everyone, and I can see the difference in their personalities when they get socialization outside of their parents when we’ve had family stay with us for visits… they’re happier, friendlier, less fussy… heck, they sleep better!

I’m in Nova Scotia, Canada and we did SO WELL with COVID up until recently, and now everyone is getting it, and our hospitals are getting overwhelmed.

We’ve tried to get them out to outdoor events and meet ups with friends, take them out to playgrounds to watch kids play, and take them to big open spaces with high ceilings. It’s not sufficient and I really struggle to make a balanced choice about what is best for them.

 

[kikirip]

@ajay003 I’ll be honest. I’m not really thinking about the virus at all, besides staying home if I feel sick and being extra cautious around elderly family.

I take my baby out all the time. It’s been great watching her experience the world and it’s also saved my mental health. I’m very extroverted and If we have a full day at home alone I am so exhausted by the end of it.

 

[dcddings]

@ajay003 I'm with you too!

We try to do outdoor events with people as much as possible to help minimize risk.

 

[lunafate]

@ajay003 YES YES AND YES!! I am so worn out by the time we actually get into the car to go anywhere I'm ready to turn off the car and walk back inside and go take a nap.

 

[blazed1]

@ajay003 Please continue to take it seriously. My 18 month old is in the hospital right now because he’s having trouble breathing. Dad brought it home from work

 

[abiesbaby]

@ajay003 Yes! I feel so bad about it too. LO is 1.5 and it occurred to me he’s never seen a fire truck or a train. We just dont go out anywhere. I’m hopeful that my therapist can talk me down out of some of the fear I feel about going out.

 

[sweetkatka]

@ajay003 U.K. here and baby has been out since she was 2 weeks old. We don’t vaccinate babies here so… Under 11s are no longer offered a jab.

Not something I worry about.