what to do with baby when you need to do other things?

amother

Sun, Apr 18 2010, 12:02 am

what do you do with baby when you need to go to the doctor, go shopping, run errands, make phone calls, etc?

how do you schedule an appt with say, pulling a tooth out, if you don't know what to do with the baby when you go?

if you are in a store and need to go to the bathroom, what do you do with the baby while you're in the bathroom?

if you need to wheel a shopping cart in the store, then how do you wheel the stroller at the same time?

if other people are around and you need to breastfeed, what do you do?

flowerpower

Sun, Apr 18 2010, 12:08 am

This is probably your first kid, right?

I find that infants are usually the easiest to carry around. I take my baby everywhere and really don't find it hard at all. The only time I can't take her usually is when I have work meetings.
When I go to the supermarket, I wheel the stroller and shopping cart and then I park by each aisle the cart and wheel just the stroller up that aisle. When the kid is like five months he goes in the front of the cart and the stroller gets parked somewhere.
If I need to use the restroom then I take the baby stroller along or ask someone whom I can trust to keep an eye on it for a second.
If I need to nurse an infant, I find a quiet spot and cover myself up.
My friend lives near the dentist so she is nice to watch the baby when I have an emergency visit.
I also schedule my times to the appointments or outings. If the baby takes a ten am nap then I schedule it for then and feed right before.
It is good to have a babysitting that takes drop ins and you can really trust just in case you might need her.

BeershevaBubby

Sun, Apr 18 2010, 12:09 am

amother wrote:

what do you do with baby when you need to go to the doctor, go shopping, run errands, make phone calls, etc?

Take them with me, take them with me, take them with me, wait until nap time.

amother wrote:

how do you schedule an appt with say, pulling a tooth out, if you don't know what to do with the baby when you go?

Feed the baby right before I get into the chair. Or I'd hire a babysitter. Or find someone to go with me (which would be a good idea anyway if I'm having a tooth pulled).

amother wrote:

if you are in a store and need to go to the bathroom, what do you do with the baby while you're in the bathroom?

Wheel the stroller into the handicapped stall and do what I need to do. I've also been known to park the carriage right outside the stall with a wheel under the door and take the baby and my bag into the stall. Sit baby on bag and do my business. Wash my hands and any part of baby that touched the walls or floor.

amother wrote:

if you need to wheel a shopping cart in the store, then how do you wheel the stroller at the same time?

Either buy a little and use the stroller as a cart or put the baby in the seat and leave the carriage at the front of the store... Or wear the baby and push the cart. what's so hard about that?

amother wrote:

if other people are around and you need to breastfeed, what do you do?

Breastfeed discreetly. Go to the nursing area and nurse, find a quiet out of the way spot and breastfeed.

Mama Bear

Sun, Apr 18 2010, 12:53 am

Quote:

what do you do with baby when you need to go to the doctor, go shopping, run errands, make phone calls, etc?

If it's a friendly kind of doctor and all youre doing is getting checked out, I take the baby along and bring him into the room. If it's a bigger deal like a gyn appt which requires traveling and concentration, I take along somoene or leave with a babysitter. shopping and errands are no problem, I take baby along. phone calls? Hold or nurse baby while making calls or wait til baby is napping.

Quote:

how do you schedule an appt with say, pulling a tooth out, if you don't know what to do with the baby when you go?

Dental appts are a tough one, since youre incapacitated when on the dental chair and can't do anything if baby begins crying. This one calls for a babysitter. I hate doing it Sad

I have a dentist appt on Monday iyh and am already dreading leaving m toddler witha babysitter. he doesnt do well at sitters.

Quote:

if you are in a store and need to go to the bathroom, what do you do with the baby while you're in the bathroom?

If I am in my friendly neighborhood grocery or pharmacy, I leave him right outside the door, and try to find someone to keep an eye on him. if I'm in a place outside my neighborhood and don't know anyone or trust anyone, I find a handciapped stall. If my child is old enough to stand I just take him inside with me.

Quote:

if you need to wheel a shopping cart in the store, then how do you wheel the stroller at the same time?

With newborns it is a problem. I guess I'm lucky that our supermarket is small and safe and friendly and I can leave the stroller near the checkout counter with the baby (who is usually sleeping) and I know the checkout people and customers will keep an eye out. Once they can keep their heads up and sit with little support, like at 4-5 months, I put the baby in the front of the shopping cart, supported by a folded-up box that I ask for at the register. Once they can sit, they simply go in the front of the shopping cart.

good luck!

Quote:

if other people are around and you need to breastfeed, what do you do?

Depends on the situation. I always had a bottle on hand for such emergencies. If I was at a bus, an all-ladies gathering etc I'd cover up and nurse. If I wasn't, I'd try to find a spot with a closed door to go to. When all else failed I gave a bottle.

Last edited by Mama Bear on Sun, Apr 18 2010, 1:12 am; edited 1 time in total

Inspired

Sun, Apr 18 2010, 4:57 am

amother wrote:

what do you do with baby when you need to go to the doctor,

Depends what kind of doctor, if I need to be examined or not. Either wear him, bring someone along to hold him or leave him with someone.

Quote:

go shopping. run errands,

Bring the baby in a carrier

Quote:

make phone calls, etc?

If its an important call where I need to pay attention (not just shmoozing with a friend I do it while nursing or baby sleeping.

Quote:

how do you schedule an appt with say, pulling a tooth out, if you don't know what to do with the baby when you go?

Last few times I had dental work done my teenage son came along and wore the baby while I was being worked on (I scedulesd the appt. for the evening when he was home). If it was my first child I would do the same I'd just have to bring along a friend or something.

Quote:

if you are in a store and need to go to the bathroom, what do you do with the baby while you're in the bathroom?

Same as I do while walking around the store- wear the baby.

Quote:

if you need to wheel a shopping cart in the store, then how do you wheel the stroller at the same time?

I generally don't use a stroller for the baby.

Quote:

if other people are around and you need to breastfeed, what do you do?

What people? Where am I? Usually I just nurse, completely covered.

Isramom8

Sun, Apr 18 2010, 5:55 am

What others said - hold the baby, mostly. When I had regularly scheduled things to do that a particular baby made very difficult, I arranged for child care - with one baby twice a week when I went to work out , with another baby once a week while I grocery shopped .

If I have to, I nurse outside with a custom-made large nursing shawl. Once I sat in a cashier's empty chair.

Try to find a supermarket that has shopping carts with attached infant seats. Go early to make sure to get one. I wanted to buy my own but the company laughed at me. It may be possible to secure your own carseat onto the shopping cart, but please make sure it won't fall. You can also wheel your baby around and gather a few items at a time, dumping them in armfulls into your shopping cart parked near the cashier or security guard. I did it with one baby, but couldn't manage supermarket shopping with two not yet walking. Another option I chose was to wear my baby in a carrier just for supermarket shopping.

RachelEve14

Sun, Apr 18 2010, 5:59 am

I had to get a tooth pulled (actually 2) when Rivka was 2 months old. I wasn't expecting it or I would have brought a sitter with me. The receptionist watched her. I had to listen to her cry to eat. At some point the dentist's father came in and held her. When I came out she was sound asleep on his forearm. When I needed another tooth pulled, I scheduled it for when dh was home.

The other stuff, just take the baby with. Use a sling to shop, you get by.

Mommeeeeeeee!

Sun, Apr 18 2010, 11:04 am

At least for the first few months, it's easier to take along an extra person when going places with a baby, at the very least so you can use the restroom if necessary. Or you can just keep outings short and close to home. Grocery shopping you can either assign dh until baby is a little older, or go often but only for a few things at a time so you can carry them while pushing a stroller, or put in the stroller basket until you get to checkout. If your baby is too small to sit with support and it's wintertime, you can take along an extra blanket, fold it a few times and put it in the shopping cart seat as a lining, then put have the baby lying down flat across the seat - the bulky snowsuit and folded blanket ensure they are well padded and comfortable. Mine have fallen asleep that way. But it's spring now so I guess that wouldn't help you, unless you live in Australia.

ray family

Sun, Apr 18 2010, 3:05 pm

I have never once left my kids w/ a babysitter.
nor do I live in the same country as my parents to leave my kids w/ them
and my husband learns/works full time.
where I go my kids go (oh and I didn't send my oldest to gan until he was over 3)
that means to the dr (inc. obgyn- I sat them down w/ books, paper and crayons and did my thing), kids always come along shopping, usually I carry a sling on me- this way I can easily "hold" the baby if s/he needs comforting. I also use it if I need the restroom.
as for nursing I nurse whenever the baby needs to be nursed. I try to find a store w/ a fitting room or the like but I have been known to sit down on a bench outside and nurse (covered of course)

I don't see why your baby should stop you from doing other things.

the world's best mom

Sun, Apr 18 2010, 4:51 pm

ray family wrote:

Obviously, your kids are not like my ds. If I would take him with me to any appointment, he would be out the door every time I blinked- when he had a cardiologist appointment, he was able to open the exam room door, so we had to lock him in. And a carrier did NOT comfort him as a baby- he screamed non-stop. Luckily, I live near my family and not too far from my in-laws so I leave him when I know I won't be able to take care of him myself. I've never hired a sitter, though.

Considering his extra plaeasant personality, I have worn and held him many times while using the bathroom, and I have nursed him in the strangest of places. It's the only way to survive with a kid like him. My older dd was a similar toddler, but instead of just running away, she used to hurt everyone in sight. These are not kids who belong at appointments with me.