There are no hard and fast medical rules about how long to wait before bringing your newborn out, you should largely rely on your instincts to do so.

However, public places like the mall, cinemas or airplanes, could expose your newborn to infections. Some doctors advise parents to wait until their babies are at least 6 to 8 weeks old before venturing out as this is when their immune system starts becoming stronger.

Parents are advised to start by bringing their newborn to less-crowded places such as parks (open air) and around the neighbourhood (less crowded in general) before venturing into packed malls.

When going out with your newborn, make sure to take these precautions:

• Make sure your baby’s vaccinations are up-to-date.
• Avoid bringing your newborn out when he is sick as his immunity system will be weakened.
• Ask friends and family to wash their hands before handling or carrying your baby.
• Make sure to dress baby appropriately when bringing him out. If you are bringing him to colder places such as the cinema or the mall, dress him in warmer clothing and pack a baby blanket.
• As much as possible, keep your baby out of direct sunlight. Newborns have delicate skin and exposing them to the sun at such an early stage in life can increase their risk of developing skin cancer in the future. Try to bring an umbrella or shade to cover baby.

Photo: IMG Image

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