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Original poster

How do you go supermarket shopping with a baby?

108 replies

Pinkywoo · 03/02/2020 08:27

This may be a stupid question but I'm just wondering how other people do a food shop with a small baby. Obviously you can't manage a pram and trolley at the same time so I think I'll use the sling, but not everyone has slings so what do you do? I've only recently passed my driving test so haven't really thought of the logistics until now!

OP posts:
TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 04/02/2020 00:35

I used to use the one that has the top basket bit you put a car seat in. It was a lot easier than managing a toddler tbh.

PatricksRum · 04/02/2020 01:44

@BecauseReasons too many small babies have died in them, where's that from?

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 04/02/2020 07:32

Much easier to online shop. I’d end up gong elsewhere as cat get everything in Aldi and they don’t do many named brands that we use.

It was so much easier when they were babies as I could just add bits to the order when I had a moment and book delivery when convenient. No trying to juggle a car seat and trolley then and i didn’t have to time going around feeds etc.

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WalesStar · 04/02/2020 07:38

I leave baby at home with DH - much easier to whizz around than trying to faff about with the car seat/ pram.

FemiLANGul · 04/02/2020 07:45

All the Aldi stores I know would not let you put your goods in a bag for life BEFORE you have paid for them. Security would have a right go at you.

Funnily enough, this is what I do in all 3 Aldi stores I use. 'They' have never had an issue with me putting my shopping into a bag to carry around the store. Not sure why it would be a problem 🤷‍♀️

bookmum08 · 04/02/2020 09:10

I must live in a very shoplifty area Femi! Pretty much all of the supermarkets (not just Lidl /Aldi) have this rule. Several Tescos have big signs saying to use store trolleys or baskets only and not to put shopping in granny trollies or prams etc.

Fullbookcase · 04/02/2020 19:19

Make sure baby is fed/clean/has slept. If you can achieve all three at the same time whilst also being fed/clean yourself, you’re doing bloody well. Use the laying down baby seat attached to the pram and make sure you use the buckle. At that age they’re pretty well entertained by all the lights and people. As they get older use the bigger child seats, and take SNACKS, many many snacks!

user1498572889 · 04/02/2020 19:21

Wait till husband is home then go shopping. Or ask a family member or good friend to watch baby while you go shopping or go to supermarket that has trolleys with baby seat in. It will get easier when baby is old enough to sit up. I remember going shopping with my 4 year old 3 year old and newborn I had to lay over the back seat of the car to put the baby sling on (it was a long while ago and I was much younger) fun days 🤣

ShiveringCoyote · 04/02/2020 19:21

I (and most people I know with teenagers) used the plastic baby seats attached to the trolley. I can't recall anyone catching the lurgy from them or babies being in therapy because of them.

PatricksRum · 04/02/2020 20:54

@BecauseReasons That's only 2 babies out of how many?
I wouldn't class that as "too many"
More babies die in cots but I'm sure you use a cot

TheChosenTwo · 04/02/2020 20:58

When I just had one and I needed a few bits (before I could drive!) I just used the stroller to walk to the supermarket and then collapsed the buggy, put the collapsed buggy in the back of the trolley and put the baby in the little seat - UNLINED WITH A BLANKET! Then put my bits of shopping around the stroller in the back.
As you’re driving to the shops, just take the baby from the car and strap directly into the trolley seat.

christmascrazyalways · 04/02/2020 21:03

I have been taking my DD with me to Aldi since 8 weeks - I used the car seat head support in the lay down trolley seat and strapped her in! Just put a blanket on her and padded around the sides so she was comfortable! She was fine, she wasn’t at the stage of wriggling around so no problems. She’s now 6 months and loves the food shop Grin

BecauseReasons · 04/02/2020 21:17

@PatricksRum

From the first link The inquest was told that six children from the UK and a further 16 from the US and Canada have died in slings

That was a few years back too. More have died since, and in different countries. There were also a few in Australia recently. And yes, I would class that as too many. I'm surprised you don't.

The cot argument is a total non-sequiter. Kids have to sleep somewhere and the cot is statistically the safest option. They don't have to be in a sling.

EndlessAutumn · 04/02/2020 21:22

Aldi middle isle stuff can be bought online...

BertieBotts · 04/02/2020 21:31

Online shopping.

Or sturdy pram and balance a basket on the handles. Works much better before they can get out and cause the entire pram-with-shopping to crash over backwards :o :o But I also found that stopped me from buying more than I could carry home. Not enough for a big family, but OK if it's just you and the little one.

I can never see where I'm going with the car seat trolleys, hate them! I don't mind the newborn seats in the trolley but you do have to pad them out with a blanket and I never feel the straps are very secure, so I don't like them.

I am long enough in this game to remember the publicity about the sling deaths and it was a specific style of sling which was implicated, called bag slings. It was right they were taken off the market as they were utter death traps. I can't share with you the blog post with the proof any more as it's no longer online. Unfortunately yes, any sling can be dangerous if improperly used - but this is the case for any baby equipment, including a cot - various types of cot or cot accessory have been implicated in baby deaths. If you are concerned about sling safety I'd recommend attending a sling library, sling meet, or sling consultant and getting your carry checked for safety. As long as the baby has a straight back, their face is in view and they aren't chin to chest you should not encounter any problems with breathing. Unfortunately some slings are badly designed which is why getting a check up is a good idea if you're concerned.

modgepodge · 04/02/2020 21:43

I have used the car seat trolleys, a sling, the reclining baby seat ones and now my daughter can sit easily, normal child seat trolleys. However thus is at Tesco. I tried to go to my local Aldi once and they had no newborn baby seat trolleys and the child ones mostly had broken straps so were unusable. And you needed a £1 to get each one out so I couldn’t even just find one that worked. Had to give up and go to Tesco!!

Cremebrule · 04/02/2020 23:37

Online shopping but if you have to do a big shop in the supermarket the sling is the way to go but packing and unpacking can be a bit tricky with a baby strapped to your front. Some of my friends used to put shopping directly in their buggy basket but I was always too paranoid about being accused of stealing to do that.

Babies are logistically hard but they are a joy compared to a grumpy toddler who wants to be in/out of the trolley or has a big tantrum in an aisle. I’ve vowed I will not take my second child to an supermarket between the ages of 18m and 21/2. I’m still scarred by my first having an epic tantrum where she laid down on the floor and spread her weight in a way that I couldn’t physically pick her up. I was very pregnant with spd and it was mortifying. She only ever had tantrums in supermarkets and was an angel child the rest of the time.

PatricksRum · 06/02/2020 03:59

@BecauseReasons six children in how many years?
Doesn't seem like a lot to me.
Your worry is misplaced. If people use cot bumpers, baby swings etc incorrectly then there is a high chance of death.
If you use a sling/ carrier properly there is no risk.
Do you drive?

GrumpyHoonMain · 06/02/2020 04:23

I wouldn’t carry a car seat with the baby inside it until 8-12 weeks pp as it can cause a prolapse. I personally used a pram and went to shops that allow you to scan and shop as you go (Waitrose and Asda mostly). Aldi and Lidl would have been a nightmare with a baby as you would need to cart around a trolley and the pram and also pack everything yourself.

PeytonManning · 06/02/2020 04:28

How can you be a grown up, adult woman and not know this?! I had my first at 21 in 1997, before the internet could answer everything and I could still work out how to take my baby grocery shopping.

BecauseReasons · 06/02/2020 09:34

If you use a sling/ carrier properly there is no risk.

Did you read the link? It explicitly said that the woman had not been using the carrier incorrectly. And unless there have been more than six deaths in shopping trolley baby seats over the same period, I'll take the shopping trolley seat. As with all things parental, you've got to weigh up the risks for yourself and make that decision. For me, it wasn't worth it. If it was for you, then fair enough. But don't lie to yourself that there's no risk- that's just not true.

Babyg1995 · 06/02/2020 09:38

We have decided when baby's here we would move the food shop to dps day off he drives I don't so will just put baby in the car seat type trolley or take travel system and dp can push trolly or pram first few weeks after baby going to switch back to online to make things a bit easier .

GrumpyHoonMain · 06/02/2020 12:04

@BecauseReasons - does the data include the millions of women who successfully use slings to carry their babies in Asia / Africa?

BecauseReasons · 06/02/2020 12:10

@GrumpyHoonMain if you can find that data, link it here please. Though I do believe that the infant mortality rate is much higher in some of those places.