Inevitably, there comes a time when you want to leave the house with your newborn(s). After a few weeks of shielding them from all the sun, wind and rain, the babies must make their outdoor debut and face the elements.

This may bring some anxiety. What about germs? Viruses? The plague!

All natural stuff for parents to go through. Your prized creation is leaving the safety zone you’ve carefully created.

Well, to help work through those feelings, I’ve made a list (yes, another list!) of what you’ll need to survive that first trip out of the house.

There are many places you could leave the house to visit, so I’ll keep the list related to a generic trip. Let’s call the list, The Kid Bag:

• Bottles of milk. I’ve written about breastfeeding before, so this might not be necessary for those who breastfeed. But even if you are, you might get caught in a situation where it’s not possible. Always have a back-up plan. Maybe you’ll get caught on a crowded bus, or stuck in heavy traffic. It’s always better to stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.

• Diapers. Babies love to use the bathroom. It’s one of three things they do when they are small — and they’re good at it. It’s almost an art form, all the different colours and smells. Always have some diapers ready just in case duty calls. Trust me, you don’t ever want it to be too late.

• Headwear. Especially in a place such as Bermuda, hats are essential to keep those UV rays off your baby’s little head. The bigger the better. In fact, try and go for that Sunday church service look (or cricket hat for boys) to get as big a hat as possible. Think of how much you can embarrass them with pictures when they get older.

• Extra change of clothes. In Bermuda, fashion is everything. If your baby changes clothing halfway through an outing then they’ll fit right in with the rest of us (also possibly because they might sweat through the first outfit).

• Information cards. Age. Gender. Sleep patterns. Eating patterns. You’ll be asked all of these questions dozens of times when you first start leaving the house. It’s fun but also adds about an hour or more on to your travel time, depending on where you’re going. If that seems a little cold, then make a sign that fits on your back with all the information on it, people will appreciate it. Maybe 30 people came up and talked to you without the sign but think of the introverts. They’d be happy with the information, too.

That should be enough to complete the basics for your first trips out. You might need three people to carry all the stuff but I’m sure you’ll manage.