would you take a 2.5 week old to a restaurant?

[Deleted]

popular lunchtime place, at lunchtime.

my friend was like "i can't wait to see O!  when can i meet him?"  and i'm like "i'd love to see you!  how about lunch?"  blah blah blah she's not available until next week, and has now suggested (by text) meeting at a lunch place like 20 minutes away from my house (close to our office; she's my friend-friend, but we also work together). 

further background information:
-she has a baby herself.  who is vaccinated and stuff.

-she always runs late to lunchtime meetings, or tries to change the meeting time at the last minute (normally not bothersome since it's always work related and i've done the same to her).

-she asked me if i was going to bring O to our office halloween party (for kids) held last week, when he was under 2 weeks old, and i was like "no, he's just too little and unvaccinated for me to feel comfortable bringing him around all of those people."

-she's the same one who asked to buy my "kate spade diaper bag" off of me in a weirdo text message that made me all wtf, but was totally sweet and pleasant when i declined.  so texting is a weird medium for communicating with her; she's inherently a nice person.

-i have a germy almost 4 year old, which i recognize.

[liverandonions]

I brought my daughter out, but she stayed in the carseat asleep the whole time and no one touched her.

[luckyval]

Sure, leave him in the car seat and he'll be fine

[eddy]

Of course

I was out and about right away. Otherwise I would have gotten a touch of the crazy.

[Deleted]

Yes.

[jane6672]

My sister drove an hour (each way) with her 2.5 week old and 2 year old to have lunch with my brother (who ended up being 1.5 hours late, btw).

I was there to assist, but it actually went really well. Newborn slept the whole time.





* I thought she was insane when she told me the plan, though.

[daisybuchannan]

I was taking my 3 week old out to coffee/lunch with girlfriends. I would try and go at less busy times, really for my own sanity. If someone tried to touch him or something weird I would've had no issue telling them not to.

Go, and have fun. I have no clue how people stay in until the vaccinations.

[melodramatic26]

yes. But we took both kids out really early.

My bff apparently won't take her baby out and I don't get it. I miss having a newborn that you can just transport anywhere. They sleep All.The.Time. Having a 1yr old and 3yr old that can make going out to eat a chore all it's own, I really miss sleeping baby time.

[Deleted]

FUCK YES. I was climbing the walls after 5 days home and not able to drive. That meal out was like sweet, sweet freedom. Even though I was still within inches of DD and the meal was blah.

[julez]

Based on the second to last bullet, I suspect that perhaps you're looking for a reason NOT to go to lunch with this friend. If that's the case, then I'd say not taking your 2 week old to a restaurant is a good excuse.

If not, well... based on having a germy 4 year old at home, you're probably fine taking him out to a restaurant. I'd like to think that people who are truly super duper sick probably aren't eating out anyway. But really, I'd rather be parked on the couch and have someone bring ME food 2 weeks pp.

[TrudyCampbell]

We went out to dinner with our 1 week old. I was so desperate to get out of the house. It was probably a bad idea, but whatever.

[eddy]

Also wear him in a sling if you don't want to pass him around. easy peasy

[mssue]

Definitely. Started taking my daughter out a week after she was born. She stayed in the car seat the whole time.

[eddy]

Oct 28, 2013 10:20:21 GMT -5 melodramatic26 said:

yes. But we took both kids out really early.

My bff apparently won't take her baby out and I don't get it. I miss having a newborn that you can just transport anywhere. They sleep All.The.Time. Having a 1yr old and 3yr old that can make going out to eat a chore all it's own, I really miss sleeping baby time.

Right I am selfish

Germs, smerms

I wanted to take advantage of the time when they did nothing but lay there like a little lump. HAPPY HOUUUURRR.

[ax2]

Yep, sure would.

[Deleted]

okay. i was torn between like "yay, tacos!!!" since she suggested my favorite local taco chain and "omigah, GERMS."  L was born during flu season and there was an outbreak so bad right around the time she arrived that everyone except spouses were banned from the maternity ward.  so i'm on high alert.

the halloween party was a different story. i KNEW there would be unwanted baby touching there. hell, i'd probably have to have beaten SWHM off with a stick. (BTW: my work friend is keeping me appraised of SWHM's antics while i'm out. apparently she dressed as hello kitty in scrubs (?!?!?) for halloween and renamed herself "shawntell" for reasons unbeknownst to anyone).

[jayded]

I was out and about pretty quickly after having ds. I did try and leave him in his car seat to avoid random people wanting to touch him.

[melodramatic26]

Oct 28, 2013 10:21:33 GMT -5 eddy said:

Oct 28, 2013 10:20:21 GMT -5 melodramatic26 said:

yes. But we took both kids out really early.

My bff apparently won't take her baby out and I don't get it. I miss having a newborn that you can just transport anywhere. They sleep All.The.Time. Having a 1yr old and 3yr old that can make going out to eat a chore all it's own, I really miss sleeping baby time.

Right I am selfish

Germs, smerms

I wanted to take advantage of the time when they did nothing but lay there like a little lump. HAPPY HOUUUURRR.

we invited her and her husband out to dinner with us last night (like the 4th time we invited them to go out with us) and her husband told us that "they can't really take him out, because of him needing to sleep".

My husband told him "that's why those carrier car seats are awesome. Your kid will be better behaved than ours". But yeah, they still declined.

[Deleted]

Definitely.

[Deleted]

This is going to be the best part of maternity leave for #2. Big sis in daycare or school and mom at the mall with a kid who doesn't grab everything off the racks and scream for chicken strips at the top of its lungs. Glorious!

[Deleted]

Yes, just be prepared that your friend may be late or cancel. Have some pumped milk if you aren't comfortable or able to breastfeed at the restaurant (unless you are doing formula).

I always liked getting out. In hindsight, it was super easy with the baby. The 18-month old is way harder!

[Jalapeñomel]

Pedi told me not to take the baby out to places with a lot of people until he's at least a month old (RSV risk and I think because he's a preemie).

But I know that lots of people take newborns out and about fairly early on.

[Deleted]

i'll just do that thing where i pull the shade of the car seat over his head.

[daisyheadmaizie]

I would. I had both of my kids out right away. I needed to get out of the house, especially after my second.

[Deleted]

i appreciate the reality check you guys.

[cleo29]

definitely. I would just leave him in the seat and not let the kids get too close to him. LIke maybe they can touch his foot, but even that I would just have them keep their distance.

yay to getting out and good meal!

[iamgrace]

Absolutely.

[Deleted]

Have fun! I'm all excited for you, which is so lame that I'm actually ashamed of myself.

[janegold]

Do it! I've been out with a less than week-old (not mine!) to dinner before. The baby slept the whole time.

[sharknado]

I love lunch