I do not like being encumbered by purses or diaper bags and am quite resourceful while on the go. I usually only carry a zippered plastic bag of baby wipes, two diapers and pacifiers unless I am planning for an excursion lasting more than six to eight hours. (I nurse, so no bottles.) My money, keys and my driver's license
(when I have one--still no birth certificate nearly a year later!!) go in a pocket.
I wrap babies in light layers so they can be dressed or undressed according to the weather changes or transition in and out of shelter. A onsie, light blankets, extra socks, etc can be tucked under the car seat cover into one of the plastic wells for storage. You can also tuck blankets or tees beside baby's hiney.
In winter weather for my small babies, I use a
carseat cover that will unzip when I am in the car or indoors.
Many of my babies did not like pacifiers and there is nothing more unsettling than driving with a screaming newborn out of reach in the backseat of your car. I learned that if I kept a pacifier in my bra, it would carry my scent and baby was more likely to take it. After a while, I learned this was also a good place for a spare as my babies drop theirs quite often.
The handle of a rounded, blunt fork or spoon will make the perfect sized baby spoon while in a restaurant.
You can give your baby small quantities of drink by capturing it in your straw by placing a finger over one end and putting it in their mouth. 1-1 1/2 inches is usually enough at at time. Baby will grab ahold of the straw so get two or three--one or two for them to hold and one to give drink through.
A large, thick napkin will double as a bib.
One large cloth napkin can be used to secure an
older baby's waist to a regular chair. I learned this in Colonial Williamsburg. You should make sure baby is comfortable and NEVER leave baby unattended! Fold it into a triangle and tie to either side of the chair. If it is a spindled chair, you may be able to tie another one from the back to the spindles under the seat to keep baby from slipping out. This is how mothers did it before high chairs. Again, if you do this, you need to stay right with your baby.
If you forgot or ran out of baby wipes and there isn't a bathroom nearby, you can use paper napkins from your car and the heavy condensation off of a drink to clean baby with. In emergencies, we have used the melted ice from a drink.
A t-shirt, piece of newspaper, etc can be hung over and the window rolled up for shade.
I mash cooked meats, vegetables and fruits on my plate with my fork (or fingers) to feed my babies who are on solids. This is much less messier than the jarred baby foods that end up from ear to ear.
I do mash up raw fruits like bananas with a fork but only ones I have peeled and handled myself to avoid bacteria that could be harmful to baby.
If you want to feed babies jarred baby food, there are
infant feeders available from Sassy. This keeps baby cleaner while dining out. I have taken out the strainer for the very fine, watery foods. This lets baby get more with less suction and they do not seem to get as frustrated as easily.
Contrary to some women's thinking, you do not need to carry the house around with you while you are out with baby. Carrying less means less I have to keep up with, less to carry, pack and unpack and allows me to freely enjoy my trip. I am able to leave the house in just a few minutes for normal errands. My babies are well cared for without all of the "luggage!" Works for me! Maybe one or two of my ideas will work for you too.
Around the house, I:
...buy the regular applesauce, apple juice, white grape juice for my babies. There is a significant cost savings. The texture of the applesauce is thicker than the level one baby foods so some babies may not be able to swallow this well.
...buy the cheap packages of cookies in the store, not the baby type cookies for my babies who are well on their way to eating. The baby eats very little of it anyway and it saves money over the pricey baby food brands. If you are concerned about allergies, you should check the labels before you try this. Because of the cost savings, I don't feel so bad when I have to pick the partially uneaten cookie up off the floor and throw it to the dog!
...put baby to bed around 9 and then get them out at my bedtime at 11 for a feeding. When small, they learn to "sleep nurse" and this tops them off so I can sleep longer myself.
...feed my babies store bought refrigerated yogurt which contains more food than the shelved baby food jars of pureed fruit mixed with "yogurt." It's also fresher and the live bacteria helps fight diaper rash.
Never feed your baby any unpasteurized foods like honey or raw milk. Microbes that might not affect you or your older children can
kill your infant.
