Sometimes, you’ll have to run errands with your baby, which aren’t always the most baby-friendly. There’s the supermarket or the department store for some holiday shopping. There could be mail or a package to pick up from the post office, or you may need to go to the pharmacy. Perhaps there’s an office you have to stop by to fill out some forms? And in between, you have to take your baby to the clinic for this month’s vaccination. The list can go on and on.
Then, you’re left wondering, how do moms who take their babies with them manage to do so while keeping their babies safe? There’s so much to be done outside the home that even with a newborn in tow, you have to wing it. The catch now is you’re not alone. This means any concerns you have about safety certainly multiplies, as the last thing you’d want is to have a sick baby, or worse, an injured one because they weren’t protected while you had to go out and about.
Don’t worry; this article confirms that running errands with your baby is possible with the right planning and baby gear, and this can be done without putting aside their safety. Check out the tips below.
1. Invest In A Good Stroller
The coming of a new baby also means purchasing so many baby gear and equipment. There are loads, but one of the most useful is a stroller newborn. You can live with a baby carrier while the baby is still a light and tiny newborn, but once they grow older, it makes more sense as to comfort and safety to use a good stroller.
Invest in a reputable and good-quality one, as they have the best harness and buckle systems to ensure the baby’s safety while in the stroller. It also makes running errands easier when you can use your stroller to hold the baby, hang your baby bag in, and put a few grocery items on a supermarket run.
You don’t have to worry about accidentally dropping your baby when you know they’re safe and comfortable in their baby stroller. This situation might seem impossible, but it does happen, especially when you’ve been too tired from carrying and holding a baby for too long. It’s harder to get anything done without your stroller.
2. Always Buckle Your Baby In The Shopping Cart
If you’re only doing a quick supermarket run, the basket with your stroller will suffice. However, you’ll have no choice but to use the shopping cart as your stroller for bigger grocery trips. In those instances, be sure to use the baby seat provided. Clean and disinfect it first, and then buckle up your baby. Never risk using a shopping cart without a buckle provided, especially if your baby can’t sit confidently on their own yet.
Buckling up your baby on the provided shopping cart seat saves them from falls and other accidents, and potential kidnapping. This is an extreme situation, but you’re no stranger to stories of babies disappearing in broad daylight. It’s easier for any stranger to pull out a baby from the shopping cart when they’re not buckled, even when you’re picking up items from the shelves in a few seconds.
When you check out, put the cart in front of you so it’s always in your sight while emptying the items into the register.
3. Time Your Errand Day Strategically
Taking a baby out with you for errands isn’t something you’ll expect to breeze through on a whim. Rather, it takes a lot of planning, at least the day before.
The way to do this is to time your errands when your baby is alert, calm, happy, or asleep. If your baby has no problem falling asleep anywhere, like in their stroller, then make the most out of those few hours they’re sleeping to get as much as you can done.
When the baby is calm, the parent is calm too. This means you can focus more on what you’re doing. You’re also lowering the risks of accidents due to being distracted when your focus and mind aren’t all over the place.
Running Errands While Keeping Baby Safe Is Now Mission Possible
Your baby may be the tiniest member of your family, but undoubtedly, they’re also the one that takes the most work when you’re going out. While you may prefer to leave them at home with your partner, grandparents, or a sitter while you go out, there are still those days when that convenience is unavailable. You have to make do and tug along your little one for you.
In that case, it’s normal for your anxiety and concerns about safety to be on the roof, but as the tips above will show, it’s doable. Take it one day at a time, and soon enough, those outings with your newborn will be a more effortless affair than the last one.