When can I take my new baby out in public? I’m afraid he’ll catch a cold—but I need to run errands. What should I do?

There is really no specific guideline on when you can bring your newborn out. Most propose that once your baby is out of the hospital, it is fine to bring him/her out if you feel up to it. The only thing to note would be to avoid large, crowded, enclosed places with poor ventilation. For such places, it will be good to wait till your baby is six to eight weeks, when her immune system is better developed. These places increase her exposure to airborne germs that could be dangerous for her immature immune system. Bringing her out for walks in the parks will be great. Hence, it depends on where you had to go to run your errands. If it involves going to crowded places, it may be better if you could find someone to help look after your baby while you go out. If the places you have to go are open-air areas which is not crowded, you can bring your baby along. Ensure that he/she is in a good mood (after a feed or had her diapers changed) and also get ready the supplies needed for the “outing” (pack the diaper bag!). As much as possible, avoid contact with others. Keep a hand sanitizer on you and sanitizer yourself as and when needed. In all, a guide would be after six weeks if you need to go to places that will increase her exposure to virus and germs. Otherwise, going to parks and having a walk around the neighbourhood is good for baby at any age.