Bringing Low Birthweight baby for walks?

Bumbleroot

Hey Guys,

I am a new mom to a 2 week old beautiful baby girl who was a low birthweight baby at 4lbs 7oz.
She was in Special Care Baby Unit in hospital for ten days but is home now & doing great.
When discharged the nurses said it was ok to bring her out for short walks as long as she was well wapped up to keep her warm as she had trouble regulating her temperature in the 1st few days as she has no fat layers yet. But then the public health nurse said not to bring her out for a week or two till she gains a bit of weight.
I just feel a bit confined to the house now as I was in hospital for the last 5 weeks of pregnancy with IUGR & now I can't even leave the house & the weather is so nice at the moment.
What do people thing would it do any harm to bring her for a short walk eg just for half an hour or should I do as PHN said & hold off for a while?

Thanks

January

Ring the midiwves in your maternity hospital and ask them. To be honest I'd take their advice over my PHN's any day. Once she is wrapped up warm, she should be ok. Just check the back of her neck to make sure she's not too warm.

eimsRV

Congrats on the birth of your daughter. My little girl was born the exact same weight, and like your daughter spent time in the special care unit and also icu. When she was discharged it was Feb and we were told that we should bring her out for walks, just to make sure she was wrapped up well and to avoid places where they are crowds to reduce the risk of catching anything.
I walked with her and i think it did us both good.

Bumbleroot

Thanks Guys,
I think we'll try a little walk to the park today sure it's hotter outside than inside today.
Exactly the nurses in SCBU said to avoid places like the supermarket & to limit visitors but said walks were ok as long as she was kept warm.

Thanks for the advice.

hairyfairy00

Hey Bumbleroot, my daughter was 3lb 13oz when she was born and was in SCBU for 3 1/2 weeks. The nurses told me the same about bringing her out for a walk, luckily the weather was fantastic when she came out of hospital (end of May) and i was able to bring her down to the Volvo Ocean Race. Take advantage of the sunny weather while you can
If you're worried about her being too hot or cold just feel her chest and or her belly, that'll give you a good indication on how she's doin. If you're anything like me you'll be doing this every 5 mins!

Hope all goes well with your first big outing

Bumbleroot

Ah hairyfairy she must have been tiny, I'm still getting used to how small ours is. has she gained much weight since?

We ventured for a walk yesterday about 20 mins but I spent the whole time checking to see how hot she was, according to the thermometer it was 25 degrees outside. I just had a cardigan & hat on her & brought 3 blankets but in the end I had to take all the blankets off her as she was roasting. Over protective mother or what!
I'll derinately bring her out again but maybe wait till the evening time as it's soooo hot at the moment.

hairyfairy00

Sinéad was weighed in August and she was 11lb 13oz, exactly 8lb up on her birth weight, can't believe she'll be 5 months at the end of the Sept! You'll be surprised how fast they can catch up with other babies, i can still put 0-3 months clothes on her but she starting to out grow most of them!

One cellular blanket folded in half should do for your baby (thats the same as 2 blankets) especially if you have a sufficient amount of clothing on her.
Your confidence will grow in the next few weeks when it comes to taking her out,it's good for her and it's good for you also! I was in hospital for 3 weeks because of pre-eclampsia and had bad cabin fever, even if you walk to the end of your street with the baby it will make all the difference.

Good luck again

Here's a pic of Sinéad when she was 1 day old and in the I.C.U


And here she is yesterday

Bumbleroot

Ah hairyfairy she's absoultely beautiful she seems to have really thrived. Best of luck with her.