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Wirral University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Wirral University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

When to go out

Give your baby time to adjust to your home temperature, we recommend waiting about four to seven days depending on your baby’s weight and the time of the year, e.g. summer or winter, this will depend on their weight as well, please ask your Community Neonatal Nurse or Health Visitor for advice.

Obviously in the summertime you may only need to wait a few days.

Make the first few outings short, try not to visit many crowded areas where your baby could be exposed to a lot of smoke or infections form others. e.g. Baby clinics, GP waiting rooms, crowded shopping areas etc.

Avoid damp, foggy or bitterly cold frosty days if you can, journeys in the car from one warm environment to another are ideal.

Make sure your car is safe, there are many car safety seats on the market suitable for small babies, a folded blanket under your baby’s bottom is often all that is needed to ensure the snug fitting of the safety straps (you should only be able to put one finger under the safety strap for a safe fit.) Also a rolled blanket around your baby’s head and sides will keep their head upright and prevent rolling.