Things to do with a newborn out of the house

Seven Activities To Do with Your Baby Newborn Outside of the House

Do you have Newborn Baby Cabin Fever? Here are some of the symptoms:

Have you organized every nook and cranny of your house?
Have you tried every new recipe in all those old cookbooks you've never read before?
Have you binged watched all seven seasons of Walking Dead and Gilmore Girls on Netflix?
Is all your laundry done? Folded. Perfectly and you're ready for more?

If you answered "yes" to any of the questions above, you are experiencing Newborn Baby Cabin Fever, and please know, you are not alone.

Though many people say that newborns need to be kept inside the house for the first few months, it simply isn't true. As a mommy, it is so possible for you to get out into the community with your newborn. Of course, always ask a professional, like your physician, what they think if you have any ounces of doubt.

Being a mom is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. It is full of joy, wonder, and hard-work. But, it does not require you to be a shut-in-lost-to-a-world-of-Netflix, baby bottles, and diapers. You can see the world and still be a good mom (just ask epic traveler and mommy Sacagawea).

Now, of course, venturing out into town with your newborn is going to be harder than when you were single, but you can do hard things, because come on, you just birthed a baby!

Before going out, load up your diaper bag with everything you could need. Blanket, milk, diapers, and wipes. You could even keep an emergency bag of these things in the car. Then, the adventure is up to you! Here are seven things to do with your new baby outside of the house.

1. Venture to a coffee shop. Coffee is a luxury, so why not treat yourself to a hand-crafted brew? Also, coffee shops are perfect for babies to sleep in carriers or to be rocked in a comfy chair. Really, a coffee shop feels cozy and warm, so it is a good place to start. Consult your doc if you aren't sure about drinking coffee while breastfeeding. If you are just wondering what others have to say there's lots of forums like on Baby Center that have related tips on this.

2. Have picnic at the park. Breastfeeding at home can be a trap in the dark. Vitamin D is super important for happy mood, breast milk, regulating immune system, and especially while breastfeeding. So take baby and have a picnic while you lay out at a park. We don't mean lay out and get burnt...just set up your sun shade or find some trees and while baby is all protected from the sun, you can enjoy a little warmth and breeze, peace and quiet. A playground with a lawn is also a great spot for laying out a cozy big blanket and spending quality time with baby. Wear your easy to nurse in tops like the ones from Bun Maternity so the bonding and breastfeeding doesn't have to stop while you are out in public.

3. Go for a walk. Nature is refreshing, and if it's warm enough, it is time to break out the stroller and take your little one for a walk. Brew yourself some tea or coffee, and take your significant other on a walk-date. The wind in the trees and crickets chirping in the thicket make for a really romantic evening. If you are near a beach walk path there's nothing like that soothing ocean sound to relax your mind and baby. Plus, you get a little exercise.

4. Visit your local farmer's market. It is less stressful than the grocery store, and is usually outside. Pack up the stroller and saunter through stalls of fresh fruit, cheeses, and salsas. The greatest thing about farmer's markets is that you don't have to buy anything, but you get to eat a lot of free samples! Pick up a bunch of locally grown flowers, some lactation boosting nuts, and a treat to eat on the spot. It is a fun and stress free experience! This are some of our favorite farmers markets in Santa Monica, Ca.

5. Meander through your local art museum. Lots of museums are free at certain times, free for kids, and military families. Quiet and calming, museums are a perfect place to take you newborn. He or she won't be woken up by sudden noises, and you get to browse the history of art in clean-cut rooms. You could even dress up in a savvy breastfeeding nursing dress and make it a date! If you are in Los Angeles, The Broad is new and pretty amazing. LACMA and the Natural History Museum, which has a great huge lawn to lay a blanket on and relax, are other good ventures.

6. Have a movie night with other moms. Though going to the movie theater is difficult right now, you don't have to miss out on the theater experience. Simply call up those fellow mom compatriots of yours and meet at a friend's house for a showing. Make it fun by buying popcorn, candy, and soda. When a baby needs a feeding, you can simply pause the movie, and get back to it later. If you are with other moms, they will completely understand, and you will not feel like an interruption at all. This is much needed for social time, friends time, girl time...something you'll be happy to get a bit of.

7. Take a sunset drive. Though you can't stay up late in restaurants or bars, you can drive to an open field, the beach, or anywhere with a nice view, and sit on the trunk of your car and watch the sunset. Precious baby could be held or sleep peacefully in his/her car seat, as you will only be a few feet away. Bring some sandwiches and goodies to snack on, and breathe in the beauty of another successful day of motherhood.

Happy exploring! You can do it, because you are amazing!

15 Fun Ideas To Get Mom And Baby Out Of The House

One of the hardest things about having a new baby is finding the time to do something--anything that will get the baby and her parents out of the house and give her parents back some of their hard-fought sanity. Whether it's nervousness on the parents behalf, or simply parents just aren't sure at what age babies can really interact with others.

New parents often feel trapped because they're told that they can't take their baby out for at least the first month of baby's life due to the amount of germs that are out in the world that could compromise a baby's immune system. But guess what? The one place that the baby is allowed to go is the doctor's office, and no place on Earth is dirtier or contains more germs than a doctor's office. So why are parents worried about going other places with their infants?

It's probably not a good idea to keep a baby who is less than 1-month-old out for too long, but new parents shouldn't have to feel like prisoners in their own homes either. Most of the ideas that follow for getting the baby out of the house are suggested for parents of children who are over a month old and who have begun to receive their immunizations so they're better protected from illnesses upon being introduced to larger groups of children and parents.

That being said, there are some ideas here that can be exercised by parents of newborns as well. Now get out there and live!

15

Visit A Pet Store

This one can be dangerous, so it's good to go when the child is very little and does not understand the fact that some people bring these animals home! Put another way, a baby can't ask for a new puppy to come home with her if she thinks they just live at the store! Pet stores are good for visiting littler animals, like fish, bunnies, and birds. (Another great place to stare at fish all day? The aquarium!)

Some pet stores host adoption events, so by all means, if parents are interested in bringing home a family pet, then these are great events to check out. The parents can introduce the baby to the dog or cat they are considering bringing home and see how each interact with each other.

Or, if adoption is not in the plans, parents can simply bring the kids by to say hi to and pet the animals (asking permission first, of course, from the animal handlers) for something to do when there's nothing to do.

14

Join A Mom Group

Check to see if there is a Mommy and Me group conducting meetups in the local area. These groups get together for everything from playdates at moms' houses to the-end-of-summer barbecues in parks.

There are even events created for just the moms to get together and defrag with each other, whether it's to enjoy a wine tasting or to pick up a new skill that is also beneficial to being a mom, like learning how to knit or sew.

What's great about the moms-only events is that these are a great way for moms to get to know the other moms in the group before introducing their children. If they find that these are the kinds of moms whose kids they don't want their own children hanging out with, then they can bow out before involving the children.

This prevents the children who don't know any better from becoming too attached to each other while Mom looks for the right moment to pack up and leave.

A lot of parents still don't know how to swim, even as adults. What better way to bond with the baby than to enroll both parent(s) and child in swimming lessons? What's great about swimming lessons is that, because many swim classes are hosted inside, parents and children alike can enjoy the pool even in the winter weather!

Swim lesson packages can differ depending upon the business offering them, and parents can opt for whichever package they feel would be most beneficial, whether it's a standard three-lesson package or perhaps more.

The younger the child when he learns how to swim, the longer he will have that very important life skill. Why not use this opportunity to turn spare time into something potentially life-saving and, at the very least, fun?

12

Start A Mom Group

If there isn't a mom's group in the local area, create one. Or if the local mom group does not seem to have any feasible options (for example, they don't meet up on weekends because they cater more to stay-at-home moms, rather than working moms), then create events within the group that other moms can respond to and that make the group more interesting.

Mom groups tend to be pretty flexible, so their members can attend or create events in which they would be most interested in participating.

For some event ideas, some moms host little get-togethers in their homes on the weekends with a common theme, like playing in the kiddie pool or sandbox, where their kids get to play as they get to know each other. Everyone brings a snack or a drink for the kiddies, which is a great way to make sure that their children can bring exactly what they like to eat or drink without offending anyone.

And, if anyone else wants to share, bonus! Other moms will host events like barbecues or games at the local park, so all the other moms have to pay for is parking and whatever snacks they want to bring.

11

Enjoy Some Backyard Fun

Parents can have just as much fun with their kiddos right in their own backyard. They don't have to spend any money when they play in the backyard, even if that money is just the gas that it takes to get to the local free park. Especially when they're really little, kids don't need a lot to make them happy. Chances are, a stick will keep them more entertained than that $25 toy they received as a Christmas present.

Don't sweat the small stuff, in this case. Dirt will inevitably end up on the baby's knees, hands, butt, and in his hair. Try to relax and let the kid be a kid. When there are so many things to look at, like bugs on the ground, planes in the air, or even a leaf floating in the wind, children don't need much more to be enthralled. Don't forget, this is all still pretty new, so every little thing is still fascinating to them.

10

Go For A Mall Walk

Moms tend to complain that they simply can't shake the baby weight and have no time to do so. A great way to get back in shape is to walk, and a great place to walk is the mall. The buildings are huge, and in good weather, moms can walk the entirety of the inside of the building and then, if they're feeling energetic, they can tour the circumference of the outside as well.

Leave the wallet at home or in the car, and take the baby window-shopping. Part of the fun of mall-walking is oohing and aahing over the goodies that stores have to offer, and leaving the wallet at home ensures that Mom will still feel just as cheerful when she leaves as she did when she walked in. Going broke on every mall walk is a sure way to sour an otherwise enjoyable activity.

9

Arrange A Play Date

Play dates differ from Mommy and Me events in that the moms who get together for play dates tend to know each other and have children that are similar in age. These play dates can alternate insofar as whose mom will be hosting, and the moms can choose to get together every week, every two weeks, every month--whatever is best for everyone's schedule.

Try not to get too crazy with the play dates, though. Sure, it's great to catch up with old friends and to watch children grow up together, but some children have schedules that are twice as busy as those of their parents! But don't worry. The children will still grow up being close to each other and socially adjusted, whether they see each other once a month or every other week.

8

Head To The Grocery Store

Going to the grocery store with a baby sounds like the last thing a parent wants to do, but it can actually be a lot of fun. The older the baby gets, and the more things he recognizes around him, the more he will want to show off and talk about every item his parents pass by or pick up.

A grocery store run is also a great way to point out things like colors and shapes to the baby, as well as teaching him things like the different fruits or vegetables he could eat.

A great way to keep the baby from having a meltdown is to let him hold the item that he is screaming for, but distract him with something else later on that was going to be bought anyway, like a package of butter for instance. Once he drops the item it can be put back without him knowing (just don't head back to the toy aisle if it can be helped!).

The baby will forget it ever even existed, and his parents can pay for the item they were going to buy anyway, rather than spoil the baby by buying him something new every time they go to the store. (Note: this becomes less effective as the baby gets older and develops his memory, but for now, run with it!)

7

Go For A Stroller Walk/Run

This is similar to the mall walk option presented above, only the baby does not necessarily need to leave the neighborhood. Some of the more energetic parents out there having strollers that were specifically made for jogging, but a regular stroller will do just fine. Get out there and enjoy that beautiful weather, and take the baby for a stroller walk or run.

This is also a great way to get a fussy baby to go to sleep. Also, like the grocery store tip, the baby's parents can point out to her all of the interesting colors, shapes, animals, etc. that exist in her neighborhood and, once she gets older, she can start pointing them out to her parents, too! Bonus points for running into a neighbor that has children that are close in age and may also be interested in joining a mommy group!

6

Take A Library Tour

A lot of parents don't know this, but their local libraries often have a ton of activities for children of all ages. For example, one local library had an incubator with chicken eggs in it, and children could come and watch the eggs to see if they would hatch while they were there. Then, of course, once the eggs did hatch, children were welcome to come and look at the baby chicks!

Many libraries host children's book readings, sometimes with light refreshments or sing-alongs. Children's book authors often stop by for visits, and there are often activities for the older children, too, like treasure hunts where they look for books of a certain theme throughout the library. And the best part of a library event is that it is usually free! How can anyone beat free fun?

5

Visit A Farmer's Market

Visiting a farmer's market is a good way to get some healthy and moderately inexpensive groceries into the refrigerator while also getting some fresh air with the baby; it's two-fold fun! Just like the grocery store, parents can point out the different colors, shapes, and sizes of the different fruits and vegetables to the baby.

And parents can feel good about giving back to their communities by shopping with small businesses.

If there are no farmer's markets in the local area, parents can also look into having fresh fruits and vegetables delivered to their homes via online providers like Golden Earthworm. No, this doesn't get the family out of the house for a bit, but it does help save them a trip when they don't want to go out.

If the weather's bad, or if the baby's in a bad mood, imagine how much easier life can be to open the door to a delivery and find a fresh food delivery sitting there, waiting to be thrown together for a meal!

4

Visit A Museum

Parents can also consider taking children out for a day at the museum. Some museums have kid-friendly sections for the older kids where they can read or engage with the items that are on display in order to learn more about how they work.

Babies, though, will get just as much enjoyment by simply looking around at the variety of things that a museum can offer, whether it's dinosaur bones (like the Museum of Natural History) or paintings (like the Museum of Modern Art).

Of course, parents of older children must keep an eye out that their children do not touch the items that they are not supposed to touch. And while museums are typically free to visit, many of them request a "voluntary donation" that may sometimes be less than voluntary and is essentially the charge of admission.

However, for the memories that are ultimately made, and the keepsake photos that are taken (when allowed) and enjoyed for years to come, the "donation" makes the trip certainly worth it, especially since a museum isn't typically the type of thing one could visit every day and see something new.

3

Visit A Petting Zoo

While babies may be too young for the "petting" part of a petting zoo, petting zoos are typically more child-friendly than regular zoos because children are permitted to get right up close to the animals. In most cases, children can feed them pellets they get from the little vending machines, but they can just enjoy looking at or talking to the animals just the same.

Plus, Mom and Dad can get some great pictures of little Billy just hanging out with a goat or lamb and send them off to Grandma and Grandpa!

A petting zoo is also a great way to get some fresh air since most of the animals are outside. It may be wiser to pick a lunch and snacks before heading to the zoo, though, since buying food on-site can be pricey, especially when bringing multiple children along.

And it never hurts to pack just because items, like pain medication, band-aids, and even an umbrella in case of an unpredicted shower.

2

Join A Postnatal Yoga Class

Here's another great suggestion for the mom who can't wait to get her pre-baby body back. And this time, she can even involve her baby! Postnatal yoga classes are often kid-friendly, allowing the baby to come along and they even incorporate exercises that baby can do right alongside Mommy!

These classes are great for moms who also want their kids to get involved in exercise too, because as the children grow, they can continue to do yoga with their parents if they're interested in doing so.

Not to exclude Dad from any activities, but sometimes dads need me-time, too. Mommy and Me classes and other events are a great way for Mom to get out of the house with the baby while allowing Dad to do his own thing, too, whether it's watching the game or going to see a movie with some friends. Never underestimate the importance of both parents being able to take a brief break once in awhile.

1

Visit A Playground

Playgrounds are one of the best ways to get the baby out of the house and socialize with other kids. Granted, infants can't do as much as the bigger kids can, but they can get a kick out of watching the big kids slide down the slide, swing on the swings, or run around and play tag with each other. (This is also a great way for moms to meet other moms and maybe even strike up playdates and Mommy and Me groups!)

Of course, the older baby gets, the more fun the playground becomes. But for now, Mom and Dad can enjoy socializing with other parents and basking in the warm sunshine. Before they know it, baby will be right up there on the slide, fighting to go down first with the other kids.

And the best thing about a playground is that, except for gas, this is yet another activity that parents and baby can enjoy for free!

Developmental classes with a newborn up to 1 month old

How to conduct developing lessons with a newborn baby up to 1 month old? During this brief period, your baby is trying to adjust to life outside of the mother's body. While he is not yet able to move independently, eat, but he can cry and smile about his feelings. Crying indicates discomfort or pain, and a smile usually appears after feeding or during sleep and means that the baby is calm.

Newborns differ from each other in terms of their level of physical activity. Some children are inactive and passive when lying on their back. Very active babies can reflexively roll over from their stomach to their back.

Different in babies and the level of muscle tone. Some children are more relaxed: they have weak muscle tone in the arms and legs. Other newborns are more tense: their arms are tightly pressed to the body, their knees are constantly bent, and their fingers are tightly clenched into fists.

The newborn is mostly asleep, periods of wakefulness are rare and short-lived. Therefore, use the time of feeding, bathing, dressing and rest for the development of the baby.

While feeding, touch your baby, stroke his head, shoulders, arms, talk to him affectionately. These touches soothe the child.
While bathing, talk gently to your baby, lightly stroke his body with your hand or a piece of soft cloth. After bathing, while the child is in a good mood, gently massage his shoulders, arms, legs, back, stomach.
When dressing or undressing the baby, changing diapers, gently touch the fingers on the arms and legs.
Take the child in your arms, gently rocking him, change the position of the body. Do not leave the baby in the same position when he lies on the bed: lay him not only on his back, but also on his side. This is very useful for the child: he will learn to move his arms and legs.
Change your tone, smile and laugh when you look at your baby. In the near future, he will help him understand your emotions and express joy.
Stimulate the development of the organs of vision. Pass a glowing toy or flashlight with a red or yellow light from side to side in front of the child.
Hang some sounding toys above the crib: a bell or a rattle would be great. Touch them so that the baby hears the sounds.
Gently shake a rattle or other sounding toy to the right and then to the left of the baby. After a while, the baby will begin to understand where the sound comes from.
Instead of a rattle, you can use various iron jars, plastic bottles, plastic boxes filled with cereals.
If you put a finger or a wooden stick in the child's hand, he will wrap his fingers around them. This is useful for developing tactile sensitivity.
Sing songs to your baby and rock him. Dance while holding your baby. Work with a newborn and give him the joy of communication from the first month of life!

Svetlana Tsyplakova

Especially for https://inteltoys.ru

To the list of articles

The joys and difficulties of a family with a newborn child: advice from a psychologist to new parents

A new person is coming into this world. Most often, this is a joyful and expected event in the life of a family. All the fears associated with childbirth are behind - the mother and child are at home. However, this happy event often becomes a test for the family. And above all for a young mother. Even if the family already has children, the period of the first year of a baby's life, especially its first months, is very difficult. All life is devoted only to caring for the baby. It seems that the former life is lost forever. Olga Nikolaeva, psychologist of the Moscow Psychological Assistance Service, gives valuable advice to parents on how to readjust, accept the situation and enter the new rhythm of life as comfortably as possible.

Groundhog Day

Life went on as usual, in a measured, habitual rhythm. With the appearance of a little man, it turns into one continuous monotonous, lasting several months, filled with feeding-washing-dressing-walking-crying-diseases-anxiety groundhog day.

For the first three months, a young mother is under constant stress and often on the verge of her physical abilities. And sometimes he involuntarily begins to compare this time with the time when there were not only difficulties in life, but also joys, pleasures, time for himself and his husband. At the peak of these experiences, she may begin to think about what was good when there was no child. There is an internal split and dissatisfaction with oneself. There is joy and happiness from the fact that the baby was born, but at the same time irritation, fatigue, because it requires so much attention.

A woman may start to reproach herself for feeling irritated towards her child, although she should only love him and rejoice in his birth. It happens that women become depressed, their feelings become dull, they cannot emotionally react to the baby, although he really needs it and instantly catches the state of the mother. In order to get his share of emotions, the child begins to behave more nervously, thus “revitalizing” the “frozen” mother.

Family support

How important it is for a mother during this period of support, attention and understanding from loved ones! With someone with whom you can share your feelings, doubts: whether the baby develops this way or not, whether everything is fine with him, whether the mother herself does everything right ... We need “free ears” who will listen, understand, give good advice. In case of depression, you also need professional help from a psychologist, and possibly a psychotherapist.

A newborn in the first months adapts to a new life outside the mother's womb. The digestive and nervous systems are especially difficult to rebuild - constipation, colic, the child often cries, seems demanding and irritable. In order to safely survive these most difficult months, without unnecessary nervousness, a woman is it is important to remember that this time will fly by quickly.

It is important not to allow yourself to compare and remember how it was before. And also - do not take everything on your shoulders. Part of the duties and care of the child can and should, if possible, be delegated to other family members, and if there are none, then ask friends, neighbors, good friends, a nanny about this. Relatives can go for a walk with the child on the street, and at this time the mother can do household chores, cook dinner, or even just relax and sleep. It is good if the father takes an active role in caring for the child, helping to wash, change clothes, put to bed and walk. This will provide an opportunity not only to unload the wife and free her from tension at least for a while, but also to educate and develop paternal feelings in oneself.

Mom's trap

It's also not easy for men during this period of family life. The period of pregnancy and childbirth for them is a time of abstinence and asceticism in terms of marital relations. The body of a woman after pregnancy and childbirth recovers for several months. And it's not just about physical condition. In addition to fatigue, stress and the need for physical recovery, there is another "trap" that young mothers can fall into.

Caresses and hugs with the baby, the joy of communicating with him when the time of the first stress passes - these are the joys that more than compensate for the exhausting first months of the baby's life. The child grows up, begins to walk, smile, recognize his mother and react to her. There is a special maternal joy in this to watch how the baby grows and develops. During this time, a special relationship develops between a mother and a child, a special connection, a special flair on both sides. No one, like a mother, understands and feels a child, and ... no one, like a child, understands and feels a mother. It is important not to completely “fall through” into motherhood, devoting all of yourself only to caring for a baby and leaving your husband or older children aside.

In such situations, husbands may feel abandoned and undeservedly forgotten. This leads to resentment, discontent, irritation, misunderstanding. Here it is important to realize who occupies what place in the family. What is first of all the spouses, their communication and mutual understanding, and only then the child. The baby, of course, is very important for both, needs care, protection and attention, but still not to the detriment of the rest of the family. The correct distribution of roles in the family will enable the spouses to maintain mutual understanding, the mother, in a series of worries about the child, set aside time for herself and try to find time for her husband.

On the way to independence

This difficult period will definitely be replaced by another when the child becomes older and more independent, will be able to take care of himself for some time. If the mother will help him in this, will bring up independence in him, this will happen by about nine months. Here, parents need to gain determination and form a “patience-hope” mechanism in a small person, when gradually, first at the level of experience, and then the mind comes the understanding that not everything in life can be obtained instantly. Sometimes you need a little more patience.

The kid always strives for development, gaining new experience. This is very clearly manifested at the age of three, when the child begins to demand independence and demonstrate his skills. To prevent this crisis from becoming another period of torment for parents, it is worth approaching it gradually, starting from early infancy. The experience of being alone with yourself in a crib or on a carpet, independent play allows the child to feel more mature, not to be afraid of solitude (after all, mom or dad is somewhere nearby - the baby knows for sure).