Going to parties with a baby

If you’re not ready to leave your baby with a sitter just yet, going to a friend’s house and socialising with a new baby in tow is actually incredibly easy. In the early days your little one will spend a lot of time asleep, so you can pop your baby down and enjoy the evening, but you’ll have your baby with you if you start to worry.

Ring the host

“Phone whoever is throwing the party and ask about what’s happening during the evening,” advises Lucy. “This way you’ll know how late it will go on, if there’s room for your baby to sleep, and if needs be, there’s space in the fridge for expressed breast milk.”

Pack for the night

“Don’t panic, if, when you load up the car for a night out, it looks like you’re going for a month,” says Lucy. “If you’re staying overnight you’ll need a few changes of baby clothes, your baby monitor, a travel cot or Moses basket and bottles if necessary, so it might look like a lot.”

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Dress to impress

Deciding what to wear to a party after you’ve recently given birth is never easy, but if you’re breastfeeding it can be more difficult. Choose a flattering dress, so you can discreetly fold it down without feeling uncomfortable. A wrap dress is an ideal choice for glamour and practicality.

Try this

Got an iPhone? Download the free Toilet Finder app, which shows you where the nearest loo is, if you’re out and your baby needs changing.