Where do you put a 3 month old baby in a restaurant?

[Roeslein]

Apologies if this is a dumb question -

We are going to a family event in a restaurant with our three month old, who is still too small for normal high chairs (at home we use a high chair with an integrated bouncer chair so he can sit at the table as he cries otherwise, but I don't expect a restaurant to have those). Where do you put the baby assuming you need to take them out of the carrier? Or do you leave them in there and stick to cold drinks? When visiting friends etc. we normally just put him on a blanket on the sofa next to us (obviously we don't leave him there on his own as it would be unsafe).

We mostly use public transport so have been using baby carriers and wraps and don't have a pram/stroller. We never really saw the point of them (until now - but we don't eat out a lot due to expense so it seems a stupid reason to get a bulky and expensive piece of kit we won't otherwise use). Our car seat is a reboarder so can't be taken out of the car.

They have to either stay in the wrap or be held in arms if you don't have a pram.

If it's a family event hopefully people can take turns holding so you can eat.

I suggest you buy a cheap, small pushchair. Even if you don't use it much, there are times when it's very handy. You wouldn't be buying it just for this. Check weight/age limit and as long as you get one that will last, I'm sure you'll get the use out of it.

Some of these are suitable from birth
www.madeformums.com/reviews-and-shopping/10-of-the-best-strollers-for-less-than-50/31145.html

Mine used to stay in the car seat on the chair next to me, or carseat attached to the pushchair depending on space

Can you still buy carrycots these days? My eldest DD would always be in her carrycot across the two seats opposite us.
Await being told how ancient I am .
But really; carrycots were a godsend.

Everyone will just have to take turns cuddling!

I agree it would be a good idea to buy a buggy though as it will be hard work carrying all the time until they can walk. There are lots of cheap ones and you can get a good deal on second hand ones.

We would take turns holding DD and eating at that stage

I don’t think you can avoid a buggy really. Get something light and cheap that folds. What were you planning on doing for the period when baby gets too heavy to carry but before they can walk reliably for any length of time? Your back will really suffer!

I used to feed mine to sleep at the table, then put him in the car seat or carry cot to snooze while I ate my food.

In a carrier, take out to feed, change bum, cuddle.

I don’t agree that there is a point where they are too small to walk too big to carry I carried all of mine until they were all walking. But I do agree a pushchair is a handy purchase. There are loads of tunes it is more convenient particularly when they are a little bigger and they want to nap and you need to be able to take the carrier off. Dinner out like this and clothes shopping are two examples. It’s nearly impossible to try on clothes if you are using a carrier exclusively. I think over the next 2-3 years there will be enough times a buggy would be useful to justify buying one.
Doesn’t need to be a big pram with a carrycot just a pushchair suitable from birth.

I would imagine that in the next couple of years there will be more scenarios where a pushchair would be useful so I'd bite the bullet and buy a compact stroller suitable from birth (needs to lie flat).

We would either take turns holding or try and get a booth type seat if possible so we could lay her down.

I go into central London a fair bit with our newborn to see people and the chair is just extra hassle - I keep in the carrier and am am careful with food (hot drinks ok for me but not soup!) or take turns holding.