Get Out of the House with a New Baby

This outing is perfect for beginners. Gather your baby and go to your favorite outdoor breakfast venue. Pack a journal, a trashy magazine, or a pile of thank-you notes and head to a cafe. Park the stroller right next to you and breathe in the fresh air. Before you leave, buy some baked treats for dessert tonight. C'est magnifique!

If it's raining, this outing is even better. You need to get out of the house, and your new favorite coffee shop is a place you can sit for an hour or two and just be proud that you went somewhere on your own. Yes, you can take the baby out in the rain or snow. Your mother surely took you. Go on! That hot chocolate has your name written all over it.

At this point in your baby's development, you have about 5 more months to enjoy cafe culture. And for your sake, we hope some of this time falls in the warmer months! Once your baby crawls, she won't be so tolerant of your fondness for people watching or spacing out, so live it up now.

Thanks to Heather Gibbs Flett and Whitney Moss, authors of The Rookie Mom's Handbook.

Find more activities for new moms in The Rookie Mom's Handbook: 250 Activities to Do With (and Without!) Your Baby.