babywearing while grocery shopping!

[hrsmom]

I don't know how anyone gets through grocery shopping without wearing their baby! I've gone twice now, both times I forgot whatever I was using at the time. The first time was several weeks ago, and I thought, "how the heck am I going to do this? Oh yeah, I can put her in the cart." It didn't even cross my mind at first! So I put her in the cart, and she didn't really care for it. We alternated between being in the cart and me holding her, and it worked out ok. Yesterday was the second time, and she actually did like the cart. She had a little look of amusement on her face the whole time, very cute. But the thing is, you can't just park your cart, walk away from it, and get what you need! You have to have your cart with you, because your baby is in there!!! Anyway, it's ten thousand times easier babywearing, for me anyway!

[ryansma]

YES!! I always wore ds1 at the store. Now he rides and I wear ds2. It makes for a fun trip with both of them right there.
I don't know how people do it any way else either. They have the BIG carts where more than one kiddo can ride but they are huge and look like a PITA.

[*MamaJen*]

It's easier babywearing fo' sho. DS is almost 15 months, so I usually bring my ergo and sort of let him pick between the sling and the cart. But it's easier when he's in the sling and I don't have to worry about watching the cart as I pick out tomatoes or whatever.
He's my little extrovert and he does enjoy sitting in the cart and flirting with other shoppers, though.

[lifeguard]

I canNOT stand those HUGE carts with the plastic cars on the front. They block up the whole aisle & the kids never seem to actually sit in them anyways. Erggh - things like that if they didn't have them no one would miss them but because they're there you know the kids will ask for them! (rant done)

I always use the sling - works great for grocery shopping - I agree, I like that I can walk around more freely. However he recently a little sitting man & he looks so proud & happy if I put him in the seat in the cart. I push the sling in all around to give him a little more support & he just holds on looking around in awe.

[claddaghmom]

DD refused the sling and wanted to sit in the cart. So I bought her a cute cart cover with toys.

Now, a month later, she is absolutely in love with the hotsling and will stay in it for hours. Literally.

[Biscuits & Gravy]

I always wore DS1 for shopping, even when he was old enough to sit in the cart. Sometimes he'd ride in the cart, but he'd end up in the sling so it was pretty pointless. Now I wear DS2 and DS1 rides. I would not be able to shop without babywearing!

[pixiepunk]

Originally Posted by lifeguard

I canNOT stand those HUGE carts with the plastic cars on the front. They block up the whole aisle & the kids never seem to actually sit in them anyways. Erggh - things like that if they didn't have them no one would miss them but because they're there you know the kids will ask for them! (rant done)

I always use the sling - works great for grocery shopping - I agree, I like that I can walk around more freely. However he recently a little sitting man & he looks so proud & happy if I put him in the seat in the cart. I push the sling in all around to give him a little more support & he just holds on looking around in awe.

OK, i totally have to disagree with you there. it might not be important if you only have one kid, but i have three. and with a regular cart, if either i want them all to be in the cart because they're running around like crazy *or* they want to ride instead of walking after we've been in the store for a while, those things are the *best*. my baby's always on my back, but if i put my 3 year old in the cart seat and my 5.5 yo in the body of the cart, there's nowhere to put my actual groceries! they also keep my kids happy and distracted so there's not nearly as much "are we done yet" whining going on, and it keeps them out of the aisles so they're not grabbing every thing off the shelves. so those car carts have saved my life on many occasions. they are huge and hard to maneuver, but totally worth the hassle IMO.

but having said that, my littlest one is always on my back. even as they get older and want to start of in the cart, they never make it through the whole excursion that way. in fact i recall times when i only had two kids when my little one was happy riding in the cart and my then 3 yo DD1 would want to ride on my back babywearing is a life saver in soooo many situations!

[calpurnia]

do you all have cars to carry your groceries home in? that's where i struggle. either i wear her on my front, which is super uncomfortable these days, & i can carry the groceries in a backpack, or i wear her on my back, & can only manage to carry about two carrier bags home. we go grocery shopping a lot.

[Raene]

This thread was making me laugh. DH is a cashier and about 95% of the customers do have their babies in slings. It drives DH crazy b/c they put one thing at a time on the belt and it takes FOREVER and holds up the line.

Not saying don't wear your baby, b/c I'm definitely a baby-wearer, but if you can put em on your back instead of the front the cashiers might be happier

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by calpurnia

do you all have cars to carry your groceries home in? that's where i struggle. either i wear her on my front, which is super uncomfortable these days, & i can carry the groceries in a backpack, or i wear her on my back, & can only manage to carry about two carrier bags home. we go grocery shopping a lot.

Get a shopping basket on wheels. Might be called a "shopping trolley". Get one with large wheels so that you don't have to worry about cracks in the pavement and to make dealing with stairs easier.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by Raene

This thread was making me laugh. DH is a cashier and about 95% of the customers do have their babies in slings. It drives DH crazy b/c they put one thing at a time on the belt and it takes FOREVER and holds up the line.

Either there are people in front of me, and I start unloading the cart while the cashier's still dealing with the other people, or the store's empty enough that the cashier shouldn't fuss about me taking a bit more time. And yes, I know they get time from the moment they scan the first item, but they can see how fast I'm unloading when I put the first item on the conveyor and hold off on scanning the first item.

[AnnR33]

With 3 kids I didn't have any choice but to wear the baby in a carrier when I shopped. It was so much easier. I always used a mei tai and he almost always fell asleep.
It got to be such a habit that once when DH had the baby and i was with the older 2 kids at the store my 6 yr old looked at me with a look of horror and said "mommy, where did you forget the baby!?" LOL Obviously, the baby was a pretty much a fixture to my body

Now that the youngest is 4 I love the car carts though! It keeps him busy and the shopping trip goes much faster. We rarely go during busy times though so we never have issues with blocking the isles or anything.

[Drummer's Wife]

my kids love those car shopping carts or the target ones that hold 2-3 kids. I, personally, despise them because they are really hard and akward for me to push. I always tell them no unless DH is with us; then he has to push them.

But I love wearing my youngest on my back while grocery shopping. It makes it sooo much easier. I think when you have more than one kid, a good carrier is very helpful. If I can talk the 4 yo into riding the the front of the cart, it's even better. Then I only have the two older ones roaming around.

oh, and I don't often unload the contents of the cart myself but we shop at Albertson's the huge majority of time, where you push it right up and walk around to the side to pay. I guess somewhere like Target, we load... but I tend to have plenty of helpers or DH will do it so babywearing has never been an issue (plus DS is on my back).

[hrsmom]

I don't usually shop where I have to unload my own cart, either. As it turns out. I think that might be a regional thing, too, because I remember one time putting my full basket (not cart, but basket, ) on the conveyor belt and got a funny look from the checker. Or maybe I didn't understand the look because I was in a different part of the country. Who knows! I don't think I've been in a situation yet where it took awhile to unload. That'll probably happen next week now!

[soxthecatrules]

FWIW...In our neck of the woods nobody wears a sling (at least in public)....I've seen maybe 2 in the last 6 months. plus me....that makes 3. Babywearing is just not common everywhere. Now during the annual music/art festival then you'll see more. But definitely not in everyday life. People go grocery shopping all the time and function quite well. I guess maybe its more common in some areas than others?

[*MamaJen*]

Originally Posted by Raene

This thread was making me laugh. DH is a cashier and about 95% of the customers do have their babies in slings. It drives DH crazy b/c they put one thing at a time on the belt and it takes FOREVER and holds up the line.

Ooh, ooh, I figured that one out. I put the produce in the front, and that stalls the cashier. By the time he's got all the produce codes entered, it usually gives me time to get the rest of the stuff on the belt.
Is there a pat-your-own-head smiley?

And where does your DH work that 95 percent of the babies are in slings? It must be Whole Foods or a co-op or something, right?

[Ruthie's momma]

Yes, I totally agree! Babywearing has always made grocery shopping a breeze, for me. DD will gladly ride on my back (in the sling). As a young babe, she would ride in the front and usually sleep.

Today, the grocery store was especially busy and my list was especially long. We were in the store for well over an hour and my DD was totally content, the entire time. In fact, she made sure to point out other babies who were not so content by exclaiming, "baby cry! awwww"

[mrs*kewpie*pie]

i love babywearing while shopping also....although i'm the almost the only person i've ever seen doing it here

[yarngoddess]

I always BW in the store (any store) because my kids run crazy- especially my 2 yr old. He's psycho in stores- he's super sweet, but he just explodes in a store!

As for the cashiers getting crabby I've had that- and I promptly told her if I was too slow she could come help! Then I complained to the manager and she got into trouble. I don't put up with them being jerks, because it's their job to ring up the groceries- and if someone is having a hard time, they are SUPPOSED to help! (not saying that pp's husband is that way- just in general) I've dealt with that in 3 states- and it's always the same mentality "HURRY UP, you are slowing down the line" well, I could care less.....

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by calpurnia

do you all have cars to carry your groceries home in? that's where i struggle. either i wear her on my front, which is super uncomfortable these days, & i can carry the groceries in a backpack, or i wear her on my back, & can only manage to carry about two carrier bags home. we go grocery shopping a lot.

You could get a wagon (usually they are cheap on craigslist). Then use it for groceries and your LO can use it to ride in later on!