Local outings with baby
Baby will have to fit into your daily life routines, which will involve local outings to the shops, bank, doctors etc. Specially planned outings for baby wil also be enjoybale chances for him to discover new people and places, developing his senses and social skills.
Planning your outings
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It's always worth spending a little time planning how you're going to get to your destination, what you need for the journey, where you're going to feed your baby when you get there and how you're going to change him. Until you feel confident, take your partner or a friend along with you. An extra pair of hands to share the load, and an ally to share the novelty and possibly any problems, will make any trip with your baby more enjoyable.
When you're out and about, you'll need to make sure that there's somewhere that you can feed your baby in peace, especially in the first months when your baby won't have settled into a predictable feeding routine. You'll have to change your baby as well, so try to find out if there's a nearby department store or public convenience with a mother and baby room you can use. There should be a work-top at waist height for easy changing, which will save you having to change your baby on the floor, or even worse, on your lap. In the summer, it's fun to sit in a nearby park to feed your baby.
Using a baby sling
Slings are one of the most convenient methods of carrying a baby as well as one of the oldest. They hold your baby securely against your chest so that you and your baby have the security of being close to each other; they also leave your hands free. Buy a washable sling because your baby is bound to posset over it, and do try it on before you make your final choice. It's got to be easy to put on and to wear. The shoulder straps must be wide enough to support your growing baby's weight comfortably and both you and your partner must feel relaxed wearing it.
It has been said that a baby shouldn't be carried in a sling until he can support his own head. This is not true. You can carry your baby in a sling as soon as you and he are happy about it - your baby will find close contact with you so soothing and reassuring that he'll probably curl up and doze.
Using a pushchair
A pushchair is absolutely essential if you don't want to carry your baby in a sling or once he's too heavy. Pushchairs with seats that lay completely flat are essential for very young babies. Although babies fit quite snugly into the curved shape of the pushchair, it is important to make sure they are well supported. Even a tiny baby, if awake, can be propped up to take in the interesting sights around him. Always make sure that your baby is safely strapped in.
Tips for pushchairs
- Never leave your baby unattended.
- Always make sure that the pushchair is fully extended and that the frame is locked in position.
- Never let go of the pushchair for a moment without putting the brakes on first.
- Always put the safety harness on your baby.
- Never, ever put shopping on the handles of the pushchair, it could tip over backwards.
- From an early age teach your child to keep his fingers away from the wheels.
- One disadvantage of pushchairs over prams is that in cold weather your child is more exposed. If you don't have a padded chair cover, lay a blanket over the pushchair before you put the baby in and wrap the blanket over and around him.
- If your baby falls asleep before you get home either put the pushchair down into the lie-back position or tuck him up comfortably with pillows.
- If you have a toddler, fix a buggy-board to the back of the baby's pushchair in case he won't walk.
Using a back-pack
A back-pack is a useful means of carrying an older baby who can sit up well and who has become rather heavy to carry in a sling. Once again, it leaves your hands free, but it also allows your baby to see much more of what's going on around him. Before you buy a back-pack, do the following:
- Try on the back-pack in the shop, with your baby in it.
- Check that the baby's seat comes halfway down your back. This is very important because it places the strain on your back and not on your shoulders; it also keeps the baby stable.
- Make sure that the pack has a safety strap to keep the baby in place and a waist belt for you to keep it secure. Check that the shoulder straps are well padded.
- Check that your baby can sit comfortably and that the leg openings don't restrict him in any way.
- Try to buy a pack with a built-in loading stand so that you can put it on without any help; such back-packs often convert to free-standing seats.
Going shopping with baby
Try to shop early in the morning when the shops are least busy. When you go to a supermarket, always strap your baby into your shopping trolley. Most supermarkets have lie-back seats for young babies as well as seats for older ones. Wheel the trolley down the centre of the aisle. Your baby will want to grasp everything in sight, which can easily cause chaos with a supermarket's carefully stacked packets or tins. If you're still breast-feeding, plan to shop between feeds; or if you're going to be out for a while aim to have most of your shopping done before you have to find a quiet spot to give the next feed.
Having a car is one of the greatest freedoms a new parent can have. There's no worry about how to cope with public transport, and it provides an ideal feeding and changing area.
Tips for shopping with babies
- When you're carrying your child in your back-pack remember your child's grasping fingers can reach jars and tins in a shop.
- When you take your child to the supermarket always find a trolley with a babyseat and strap him safely.
- For emergencies keep a few disposable nappies, wipes and plastic bags in the glove compartment of the car for quick changes.
- Shopping seems to make children hungry and therefore fretful. Avoid this by taking a snack.
- You can use the opened boot of the car, with a blanket laid over it, as a surface on which to change your child.
Posted 03.11.2010
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