Do you have an umbrella stroller? That's what I put my daughter in as I'm not coordinated enough to eat with one hand at the restaurant and she's still too young to sit up in the high chair. We've had no problems with restaurants. They usually sit us at a corner table and pull out a chair or a corner booth and the stroller goes at the head of the table.
Going out to eat with SN toddler
What kind of seating do you use when you go out to eat with your SN toddler? Gwen has finally outgrown her infant seat, which is what we normally sit her in when we go out to eat, and she isn't sitting, so we can't use a highchair, and I am not coordinated enough to hold her while I try and eat, so I am not exactly sure what I can do. We don't eat out often, maybe once or twice a month, but I don't particularly want to stop going out until she learns to sit. So, does anyone have any advice as to where she could sit? Thanks.
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This may or may not be a solution for you, but I have had friends do this with their kids. My ds didn't have that particular problem {thankfully}. So here are a couple of the things that they have done. One, starting at home {for the practice} literally asking/taking a thick phone book and some kind of strap and sitting the child on the phone book then strapping them under the armpits to the chair. Some kids don't mind this some kids do. Some parents mind this, so take it or leave it as you will. Another suggestion is those poratble/travel plastic booster seats that have a tray on them. This gives your child the harness between the legs to keep them from slipping out, and also the support of the sides to keep them from falling over. Those seats can be placed on regular chairs and pushed up against the table. You put their food on their tray and you are good to go. I know that lots of people tell you that if your child can't sit up by themselves they can't be in a high chair, but if you roll up a few receiving blankets and stack them up on each side and push the tray in as far as you can with a blanket in the space between the tray and you dc then you can use a high chair and you will also be helping them to practice sitting {I did use that one on ds}. Gotta train those muscles to work! With a big bib, you can't really tell if the child can sit on their own or not. You are Mommy though and know what is best for you and your child. Hopefully my suggestions will at least let you know that there are alternatives to holding your precious one on your lap and trying to pretend you are an octapus. Best Wishes!
I bought a padded strap cover type thing,it can be used in a regular chair(straps the child to the seat),a high chair(I found it to only fit the restuarant type),and a shopping cart.The straps are very wide and padded,they wrap around the baby and the high chair so that the child doesn't fall over.I used this with my ds for quite a while,when we went out to eat and also in shopping carts.I know I bought it at Babies R Us.I looked online at a couple of stores but I cannot find it.I found it near the highchairs,and it was about $20.I hope I explained it ok.HTH!
Lisa
Lisa
My oldest is not SN, but she is very spirited. When she was a toddler we would bring her high chair with us out to eat. I found a Peg Perego highchair at a thrift store and they fold very nicely to put in the trunk and carry easily. She felt more secure and grounded in her own chair and it was easy to keep her contained. Most of the time we just didn't go out to eat though! Carryout!
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Darshani
Darshani
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