Conquering Outings with Your Baby
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Getting out of the house with a newborn can be pretty intimidating. I vividly remember the first time I drove my daughter alone in my car. Although we were just going to the grocery store 5 minutes from our house, it felt weird to all the sudden be responsible for taking another little human with me everywhere I went. Overtime, outings have gotten easier. Now with our second baby I feel like I have a pretty good system down for running my errands or spending the day out of the house. So, if you’re a new mom or expecting a baby soon, here are my top tips for leaving the house with your baby.
Time Your Errands Around Wake Windows and Feedings
Figuring this out truly saved my sanity. The biggest thing here is to follow your baby’s wake windows. If you don’t know about wake windows yet, please research this!! Knowing your baby’s wake windows will not only help you time your errands but also make your days go smoother in general.
I find it easiest to run my errands after a feeding and during my newborn’s nap times. If you’re going to be out for the entire day, then be flexible to allow for stops to feed and let your baby stretch every few hours.
Over Prepare
I always find it better to over prepare with a baby than under prepare. I never like to be out and think, “I really wish I had X.” This means bringing more diapers than you think you’ll need, packing an extra outfit, etc. When preparing to go out, consider if you’ll need a stroller or baby carrier. A baby carrier will not only take some of the physical burden off of you, but also allow you to be hands free. I prefer the Solly wrap for the newborn stage and have been loving the Wildbird Aerial carrier for when baby gets a bit bigger.
Be Flexible
Cannot stress this enough! Simply have realistic expectations for you and your baby. And sure, this is easier said than done. Just go out with the mindset that you may not get everything accomplished that you want to, your baby might cry or scream in the middle of the store, or you might have to eat your lunch in the car while your baby nurses. When you set more realistic expectations for your day life gets a lot easier because your not so caught off guard when these things do happen. Notice I said “when” not “if” :).
If you’d love a full guide to Conquering Outings with Your Baby - an example schedule, more on wake windows, what to pack, etc., check out my Baby Prep Course where I’ve included a guide on this exact topic as a bonus to everything else you’ll need to know as a first time mom.
