restaurant with baby?? - Page 3

[braidmama]

We don't have a bucket seat either. We've had a convertable carseat from day 1 and have taken ds out to eat with us lots of times. We have a beco carrier but I find it kind of awkwardly shaped for sitting and ds also, like your lo, doesn't like to be in carriers like that when i'm not on the move. What has usually worked for us to to have him in the cradle carry of a ring sling (we have a large zolowear so it has lots of extra fabric to cover up with!) and I nurse him discreetly while I'm at the table. If you position it properly no one can tell or see that you're nursing. Of course it also depends on your baby. Ds is almost 7 months and really is kind big for that carry now and would prefer to be up looking around. He's also really high-needs/fussy (we thought colic at the beginning and anxiously awaited its end but....it never happened...). Good luck and have fun! I'm sure you'll find something that works for you!

[SubliminalDarkness]

Inevitably, if I was sitting down, DS2 would want to nurse. So that's how we got through meals(at home and at restaurants). I just held him in one arm and nursed and sort of leaned my body a little sideways towards the table and ate.

[Greenmama2]

Originally Posted by mom2happy

We eat out a lot. I hold her or wear her.
Believe me, this time will go by so fast. Before you know it the baby will be sitting up and just when you figure out what to do with her, she'll start walking- that's the next challenge to going out.

At that age I just wore both of mine (now 4 & 17 months) or held them & ate with one hand (it's a skill you master quickly ) I loved eating out with such a little baby. No 2 in particular would usually just sleep through the whole thing or wake for one feed & nod off again
Do it now before she starts walking. Dinner out with a toddler, now that a whole different story!

[Blessed1]

Thanks girls!

An update:
We finally went to a restaurant with our LO and I used all the wonderful advice you all shared!
I recruited my sister and brother-in-law so we could play "pass the baby" if she got fussy. lol
We also asked for the check with our food and we paid the bill ahead of time (awesome idea!).
I brought a chew toy to keep her busy and we held her facing the table. She reached for our food and was very curious! lol But it kept her occupied.
Baby did great...a little fussy but for the most part she was okay. I knew she was getting tired so we kinda ate quickly and we did pass the baby around.
I also ordered my dessert first just in case we had to leave early

Thanks for all the confidence ladies! Now, if I can master breastfeeding in public, there would be no stopping me!! lol I still nurse in the car .

[Shanesmom]

My hubby and I LOVE going out to eat and our baby has not slowed us down a bit!!

mostly I try to plan well. Before we go out I nurse him for as long as he'd like. With a full tummy and the motion and rumbling of our diesel truck, he'd be out like a light and sleep in his car seat for the duration of our meal.

When this doesn't work however, hubby and I simply take turns holding and playing with him. Good times!!

[P.J.]

We have been going out to eat with our baby since he was maybe 8 weeks old. He's 5 months now and still can't sit up unassisted. What we do is take turns holding and entertaining him while the other one eats. DS will not just sit idly by while we eat, so often the one who's holding him has to get up and make a little tour of the restaurant with him to keep him occupied. Definitely not as fun as going out to eat just DH and I, but it does work. I also usually BF him at some point (depending on the restaurant with a cover) and if the timing is right he'll fall asleep and nap on my lap. Eating then is hard, but I can sip on my drink and enjoy uninterrupted conversation.

[violet_]

We take turns if necessary, or let her sleep in the stroller. Loud places seem to lull her best, as it's background like white noise. Go for noisy, family-friendly. We went to a loud one last night and a noisy diner today and she slept well.

If you don't have a stroller or bucket seat, but don't want to wear her, would she sit in a Bumbo? There are usually a bunch on Craigslist, and even new are a lot cheaper than a bucket.

The other advice about getting the check early is good.

[sk8boarder15]

We have a 6 week old and often take turns holding him or use a pikkolo carrier, we can't fit in a booth while wearing him. We've also eaten out at the mall, where we can let him sleep in the stroller.

[sageowl]

This is about the time I started venturing out more too (4-5 mos). 

Yep, you will be skipping the high chair for now.  Car seats are kinda tricky unless you are planning on placing them on the floor anyway--I never felt too good about putting it up on a chair or booth seat since the babe could rock in his by this age, so I didn't go that route either.  It's hard NOT to spill food on a baby in a front carrier, so that's basically out. 

For me, the babe-in-the-lap routine was the easiest at that age.  Mine liked being in my lap, so that's what we did.  Anything I couldn't eat holding him in my lap would wait until someone else could take a turn holding him.  It wasn't the easiest thing to pull off, but it worked well enough.