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Your Newborn's First Outing

Sweet Pea is but a few days (or weeks) old. You haven't seen the outside world since your trip home from the hospital. But you are a little intimidated by the thought of leaving the safety of your love nest with Precious. Not to worry! With a little advanced preparation and a stroller will have you and baby expanding the boundaries of family fun time beyond the living room.

As crazy as this sounds, your first excursion with baby is a new experience for both of you so take it easy. Don't dive right in and take Love Bug to your favorite 5-star restaurant. In fact, don't even plan on an extended shopping excursion at the mall or an involved trip to the grocery store. You have many, many years to squeeze in these experiences. Weather permitting, a short walk around the neighborhood or at a nearby park is a wonderful choice for your baby's first outing.

Babies love being outdoors in nice weather. Strolling under a canopy of leaves and hearing bird calls beats the latest and fanciest sound-n-lights infant stimulation gizmo around. The fresh air will be great for you and also minimizes exposure to all the germs in confined indoor spaces.

Keep It Short
When babies are young, they transition from awake time to nap time to feeding time quite frequently, so don't count on being able to engage in one activity uninterrupted for very long.  Plan on going out right after a nap, a diaper change, and a feeding. Although it may seem that as soon as you are ready for an outing, your baby is not, don't despair. If your diaper bag is packed in advance, you will be able to load up at a moment's notice. Even just a few minutes of a successful jaunt will be a boost of confidence for you and therapeutic for you both!

Be Prepared for the Elements
Remember that a baby's skin is one-sixth the thickness of the average adult's so they are much more sensitive to heat and cold. Pick a nice day that isn't too extreme in temperature. The general rule is to dress Junior in 1-2 more layers warmer than you find comfortable. Bring an extra blanket too, in case it gets chillier during the outing or to use as a sunshade. Don't forget to protect your baby's sensitive skin and eyes from the sun too.
 
Be Prepared for Bodily Functions
Babies bring boundless joy into your life and what else? Oh yes, poop and pee! Again, being outside minimizes the stink factor and if you have a stroller seat that fully reclines, a quick diaper change is a breeze. If not, the diaper pad and blanket will do just fine on a grassy knoll. Just seal up the doozy in the zip lock bag you remembered to bring with you.

Be Prepared for Feedings
Whether you are nursing or formula-feeding, the kid's gotta eat, right? Infants are notorious for the intensity and volume of their "How can you let me starve this way?!" cries. Even though it sounds like torture, you probably have about 10 minutes leeway before she gets really hungry! The great thing is, babies don't care where they are as long as a nipple of some sort makes it into their mouths in relatively short order… a café, a park bench or the back seat of your car are all acceptable feeding locations. If you are breastfeeding, an easy-access nursing bra is a must and the extra blanket or burp cloth will preserve your modesty.

The Organized Diaper Bag for Short Excursions
• diapers, 1 for every 30 minutes you plan on being out (less for older babies)
• wipes
• gallon-sized zip lock bag
• pacifier (if your baby takes one)
• changing pad, regular or a few disposable
• blanket
• burp cloth
• if you are bottle feeding, formula and a bottle

About the Author
Ria Sharon is a writer, mom and business owner. She is the editor of Best Baby Strollers, providing parents with helpful advice when selecting a stroller from among top brands like Bugaboo and Peg Perego.