Running errands with the LO

SJSLA · April 2014

Up until now outings with DD have been minimal, only to the dr's office, friends or family houses; and always with DH helping me. Unfortunately now that DH is back to work and will be traveling across country for a few days at a time, the thought of running errands alone seems daunting. As a ftm, I'm very green when it comes to how you manage grocery shopping with the LO, or making a quick stop at the post office. Do you put the carseat on the shopping cart or use a carrier? What are your tips for running errands with your LO? Thanks!

blue_elle · April 2014

Just get out and do it! The first few times will take longer than you expect, but the more I got out with DS, the more comfortable I was with it. Now it's NBD to throw him in the car and run to the store.

sugarland726 · April 2014

It's so much easier for me to run errands with the baby than my 3 year old. Carry him in the car seat for a quick one like the post office. Use a stroller for longer ones like the mall. Time it with naps and eating schedules. Pack a diaper bag and do the crucial errands first so that if LO melts down and you need to head straight home, you've done the errands you had to do.

worleygirl · April 2014

Park near the cart corral. Trust me on that one

Carmlvsjose · April 2014

Mine won't sit in the car seat for long, so the mall and grocery store are times that I wear her.

bnik · April 2014

Some stores have car seat carriers attached to the carts so i use those. I never set his carrier on the cart by itself. I do set the whole carrier in the cart though. If I need a few things I bring in the stroller and put my items in the bottom of the stroller

Hmvbaby14 · April 2014

We go out everyday just to get out and run errands for our business. The post office I carry the car seat (which is only getting heavier!!!). I try to park as close to a cart corral thingy as possible. If I know I'll be in the grocery store for 30+ minutes I wear him, otherwise I put the car seat in a cart. Levi does really well out and about now, but there are still times when I'm approaching the limit with him. I always make sure he's fed and changed and try to make it part of our normal routine.

Kristinfm · April 2014

Mobi wrap! My LO hates the car seat and I hate lugging it around, so we both love the mobi wrap. As others have said, once you get out a few times it will become much easier.

BABYROSEJEANS17 · April 2014

SO has been away traveling so it's been DS & I. Instead of going to the supermarket with DS our grocery store has the option of online ordering where I can drive and pick it up myself or they can deliver. I pick it up because it's cheaper and it gets us out of the house. I've made attempts to Target but it winds up with him having a meltdown which is because he passes out in the car and doesn't like being woken up (I don't blame him). Other than that he does well and I had to suck it up and do it.

MarkandAbbi · April 2014

I baby wear and find it so easy. Don't click the car seat to the top of a shopping cart as it can cause them to become top heavy and flip over. I have seen this a few times as I worked Loss Prevention for a major corporation. Reviewing video watching a cart flip with a kid in a car seat is heart wrenching!
Start with short trips until you get more comfortable with it all!

brittanydec2012 · April 2014

I carry him in his carseat when making short stops in & out at places such as the post office. Going to the grocery store is fairly frequent for me and quick trips so I just plunk his car seat in the middle of the cart (our small town grocery store has large, Cosco size carts). If we are in the city and at a Walmart when I know I'll be spending more time and need more space in cart I wear him in my carrier. Trust me the more you get out and about the easier it is. We are out everyday, have been since week 1. So many people couldn't believe I was out with LO that early but it seriously was easy when all he did was sleep and now he doesn't mind it, it's his normal.

SandFHasse · April 2014

I always put him in the carrier and throw DD in the shopping cart. I have successfully learned how to carry both through the parking lot when DD doesn't feel like walking.

tahloulah10 · April 2014

I've been taking her out since a couple weeks old and it really is freeing to know that you can do it by yourself.

If it's a short trip/errand, I'll bring her inside in the car seat. If it's grocery shopping or a long trip, I wear her in the K'Tan.

lmills730 · April 2014

Like others said, quick errand (5-10 min), I bring the car seat. The ergo is my lifesaver for anytime longer than that. Plus it's much easier to get around with than a heavy and bulky car seat.

housewifebecomesher · April 2014

You can do it! As PP said, take your time and be calm. Try going somewhere where you don't have to "do" anything so you can see how LO does first. I like walking the mall because I can keep her in the stroller, there are elevators, and I know the bathroom will have a changing table. I find that places are so slow early on a weekday morning that if she cries, I don't feel like she's bothering anyone. Our BRU has a mothers room where there is tons of space to change diapers and rockers if you need to nurse. It was a good place to start too. The more you do it the better you will feel. I still haven't "graduated" to the grocery store but plan to baby wear when I do. Good luck!

MiaMyPuggle · April 2014

I used to use a stroller and the mommy hook with reusable bags....don't overload the bags bc I did and DS's stroller would tip...I couldn't leave it go! That was the umbrella stroller, tho....I guess I wasn't planning on loading up with groceries....I was prob hungry.

It's daunting at first, but it's second nature in no time...it's easy with two once you master one. Just fake it til you make it!

ababymaybe · April 2014

I put the car seat in the cart (not on top). Now that it is getting warmer I will try baby wearing some. But in -30 or -40, I'm not messing around taking him out of his cozy car seat!

It does limit how many groceries fit in the cart, but I just go more often to compensate.

housewifebecomesher · April 2014

MiaMyPuggle said:
I used to use a stroller and the mommy hook with reusable bags....don't overload the bags bc I did and DS's stroller would tip...I couldn't leave it go! That was the umbrella stroller, tho....I guess I wasn't planning on loading up with groceries....I was prob hungry.
It's daunting at first, but it's second nature in no time...it's easy with two once you master one. Just fake it til you make it!

This is a good idea!

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