So, how do you garden with a baby?

ejgballerina

I'm trying to think of logistics here.  I adore gardening.  Last year I was still pregnant, so I was miserable, but still able to do it.  How do you garden having a baby?  Just wait until DH has time to watch the baby inside, garden in small increments while LO naps or during the last bit of daylight when LO goes to bed, put a sunhat and sunscreen on LO and bring the exersaucer or pack-n-play outside?  Or a little bit of all the above?  I guess it's something I never thought about and wondered how you all did it!

laura&dan05

Last year dd was pretty young so I'd put her in the stroller to play or sleep while I did yard work.  If I just had to water things I'd wait until she was napping inside or I'd carry her in the Bjorn. 

The few times I've attempted yard work this year I just bring out a blanket and some toys and set her up in a shady spot to play. If we don't have a shady spot I put sunscreen on her.  Hannah is not so sure about the grass on her bare feet or legs so she tends to stay on the blanket which works out great for me. Lol!  Or sometimes I wait until she's napping and then go outside to work in the yard.

muppet.fan

We've had a couple nice weekends so far and I've been preparing my flower beds and pots. I pulled a p-n-p out onto our deck, but she didn't like being contained. The exersaucer went over a little better. But then I just spread a blanket out near me with some toys. E hates being on the grass so I didn't have to worry about her crawling too far off the blanket!

RoxBride

Last year DD wasn't mobile, so I put her out in her bouncey seat or exersaucer with a big old portabel umbrella (from Big Lots) over her.

This year, I garden while she playsin the backyard with her water table.

hannah&ben

I spread a blanket out on the grass for henry and give him a bunch of toys (works really well because he hates the grass so he stays on the blanket or I just work outside in the morning during his early nap (usually his longest nap) and take the monitor with me.

mrsolsenk12

So far, we haven't done much since it is still early here (as you know) but some of the prep work we have done. We have brought out a blanket and some toys but unlike a lot of these other kids, Hayden doesn't mind the grass so I have to keep an eye on him as well. Once I get ready to plant my flowers (in a few weeks) I will try to do more while he is napping if possible.

keg

I don't garden much (darn shady out of control yard!), but we've had luck doing some outside stuff by putting DDs in the double stroller and parking them near what we're doing.  They are pretty entertained watching us plus if we're in the front yard we live on a pretty busy street so they can watch the traffic. 

LVBlvd

Her afternoon nap! Lately I have needed that time to sleep myself, so I might have to bring her pack n play outside and find some shade.

GypsyEsq

I didn't read all the responses but I can tell you what's been working for me -- back carries.  I've put DD in a ruck on my back and that's allowed me to garden/clean beds/prune much more effectively than anything else we tried.  I'd love to toss her in the pack-n-play with the toys but inevitably she wants out and then I'm covered in soil and if I'm wearing her she seems more content and is being held anyway so it's a good compromise I guess as far as she's concerned.  I also get one heck of a squat workout.