Somewhere in the 6-8 weeks after I had my baby, my mom brought up this horrifying idea.
“You should go out somewhere.”
What was she, insane? Some of you may think I’m the crazy one. What’s the big deal about taking your baby to the grocery store or target? Well, let me explain.
What if she cried?
What if she pooped?
What if my stitches burst while I’m walking slowly around the store?
What if we get in a car accident?
What if the apocalypse happens and fire rains down from the sky destroying life as we know it?
I should be home for all of those things. To you seasoned mothers (also known as a mom of 2 or more), know that life must go on after the birth of an infant. Us newbies, however, are perfectly fine letting the fridge be empty and the shampoo run out.
Truthfully, my mom was right. I did need to leave the house for my own sanity and at some point, people were going to stop doing things for me. It was time to learn how to have a baby AND still function as a member of society. I’ll admit I did a lot wrong those first few trips. They took longer, I almost cried a few times, my baby DID cry a few times. In the end, we survived it all and now we’re pros at errands. If you are a new mom (or about to be) and like me, have zero experience in babies then here are a few tips for you to make outings easier!
1. In the very few first weeks- just don’t do it.
Seriously, let someone else handle it. You have enough problems as it is.
2. Invest in a Travel System
Carseats were my mortal enemy when it came to baby planning. I don’t understand them at all. What I do understand is my carseat clicks into the base of my stroller. For some reason, it didn’t occur to me I had this ability until I saw another mom doing it. (We’ll call it postpartum brain fog!) On my next trip, I packed mine up, thus making shopping much easier as I could put the baby in the stroller straight from the car and use the storage compartment underneath to hold my items.
3. Take Someone With You
Obviously, no one is going to agree to outings every few days with you for the rest of your life but in those first few trips ask someone to tag along. You’ll feel better knowing there are two hands on deck, plus you’ll get a little adult time.
4. Set Yourself Up for Success
I know this one sounds silly. Why would you NOT go when you think it’s going to be successful? Still things sneak up so plan your outing the day in advance. Go ahead and make your list and gather up anything you need to bring with you. If possible, go when your baby is fresh from a nap and has recently been fed. Park as close to a return cart stall as possible and get that errand accomplished like the mission that it is!
5. Only go 1-2 Places in One Outing
When your baby is eating/napping every hour or so it can make outings difficult. I used to be a once a week, all day-type errand girl. When my baby was a newborn, we’d go one place every day. Avoiding a huge crying fit (lets be honest, from either of us) was, and still is, my main goal of an outing. I always tried my darnedest to be home by food or nap time.
6. Realize it Won’t Always go as Planned
No matter how well you plan your trip or how often you gone, it’s going to go wrong at some point. On my first solo trip out with my daughter she wanted to be fed, threw up, and managed to have a blow out diaper. I wish I was kidding but the scars from the memory are real. As scared as I was about her crying in public, I quickly realized people are kind. They don’t get mad like I for some reason thought they would and they were always willing to help me finish up so we could get out of the store quickly. Still, there will be times when you have to jump ship. If your baby starts wailing in the first five minutes at the grocery store and won’t stop, go ahead and abandon that cart (apologize on your way out) and text your husband to pick up fast food on his way home from work. You can always try again tomorrow.
Being a new mom can come with a lot of anxieties and taking your baby out in public is definitely one of them. Keep reminding yourself that one day they will be able to sit up in the cart seat. One day they will stay awake for more than 2 hours. One day taking them places will be your favorite part of the day due to their wonderment at the world. In the meantime keep the outings short and sweet and enjoy being a part of society again, even if it’s only for an hour.
