Anxiety about baby crying in public

No matter where you are, dealing with a crying baby can be stressful. But when your baby has a public meltdown, the situation can feel a lot worse.

Take a breath. The first thing you need to remember is that it’s perfectly normal for your baby to cry¹. After all, it’s their way of communicating with you. Here we take a look at some common questions about public meltdowns, and hear from other parents who are embracing how to Love Don’t Judge.

You can take your baby on their first adventure outdoors just as soon as you’re ready². If you’d like to do that, but anxiety’s starting to take hold, keep it simple. Make sure you’re feeling up to it, and don’t plan for anything too energetic or far from home. 

There might be some circumstances in which your doctor advises you not to venture out with your baby too soon³. For example if they were born prematurely.

Of course! As long as you haven’t been advised against it by your doctor, then you’re good to go.

However, the thought of taking your baby on public transportation might be making you uneasy. One of the big worries new parents have about taking their baby on public transportation is that they’ll annoy other passengers.

So, here are our top tips for helping the wheels on the bus go round and round as smoothly as possible!

• Download a travel app. This will tell you in real time exactly when your bus or train is due.
• Avoid rush hour. Nobody’s at their best at peak travel times, your baby is unlikely to be the exception!
• Plan your journey around your baby’s routine.
• Keep the essentials to hand. Put things like baby wipes and snacks within easy reach to keep noisy demands to a minimum.
• Consider whether your journey would be easier with a baby carrier.

Babies get hungry, and sometimes you won’t always be in the comfort of your own home when they need to be fed.

Let’s make one thing clear; however you choose to feed your baby, you should never be made to feel uncomfortable about doing so. In fact, if you’re breastfeeding your baby in a public place such as in a shop, on public transport or in a cafe, it’s actually illegal for anyone to ask you to stop doing so, or to leave⁴.

Unfortunately, there’ll always be people on the bus who say shush shush shush. But the fact is, babies are people too, albeit a whole lot cuter! Never be afraid to stand up for yourself. Gently remind any disgruntled passengers that the world could stand a little more love and a lot less judgement. If this approach isn’t for you, simply rise above it and ignore them.
Take everyone else out of the equation. Remember that the only opinion that matters is your baby’s. Because babies love, they don’t judge.