Getting Out with Your New Baby

4. Bring your stroller inside and practice: Do a trial run set up the night before. Take a "stroll" with your baby around the living room. Rehearse attaching the detachable the sun umbrella and/or stroller awning.

5. Do a test run on your own: Be on the lookout for safe sidewalks. Check out the local coffee shop and park. Could you comfortably nurse there? Who has room for your stroller? Where are the other moms meeting?

6. Check the weather report the day of your outing: Blustery winds, sudden drops in temperature, and chilly rain can ruin even a short walk.

7. In the beginning, set your sights low: Forget about spending the day at the mall, stopping at the post office, picking up a coffee, or making a quick deposit at the bank. Congratulate yourself with each new step you take, whether it's up and down the driveway or around the block.

8. Be malleable: As you get to know your baby's temperament, preferences, and schedule, the best routine will emerge. A 20-minute, after-breakfast stroll; an hour-long afternoon excursion; or a quick jog at dusk might make your day. But be smart; even if you want to go the park and your baby's screaming, it's time to go home and try again another time.

9. Consider investing in a jogging stroller: This is essential if you prefer exercise walks or jogs. These strollers ride smoothly over even the bumpiest terrain, allowing you to workout while moving with your baby. Even a tiny infant can ride in one. Remember to secure your baby's head, and always buckle up.

Where to Go, What to Do

Oh, the places you'll go! Start by packing a book, the newspaper, stationery, stamps, address book, and pen for when your little one dozes off.

Check out your local library, coffee shop, pediatrician's office, park, the toy store—that's where the other moms are hanging out. (They're looking for new friends, too!) Soon, you'll be managing outings like a pro.

See? That didn't take so long.