**GOING OUT AFTER THE BIRTH**

GOING OUT AFTER THE BIRTH This was me at my babyshower 72 hours postpartum. . Never had a baby shower with any of my others and always wanted one, so when Sienna-Rai was born earlier than expected, I decided I still wanted to go ahead with it as my sister and mum had put a lot of effort into planning it all. It would be a good opportunity for family to meet the baby too I thought. "I'll be ok, it's not like it's my first child, I can manage" With previous children I had spent most of the first week at home recovering so venturing out this early was new to me. . So there I was, baby in arms, 3 days after giving birth surrounded by family and friends but utterly exhausted. If you look closely you can see the tiredness in my eyes! I hadn't anticipated on having feeding issues either so that made it all a little harder but my baby played ball, she slept throughout it all and after a couple of hours we all went home to rest. . When you venture out after the birth is totally up to you. As long as you are feeling well enough to go out and neither you or your baby have a medical condition which would make venturing out risky, theres no need to stay at home for weeks on end unless you want to of course! In some cultures, mothers stay home for up to a month after having their babies. . Getting fresh air is beneficial for both you and baby. When you do venture out with your newborn, ensure baby is not in direct sunlight and be prepared with a change of clothes and plenty of nappies!