A question for parents with 2 or more DCs.......

[Supercherry]

How long after having your 2nd DC before you ventured on a shopping trip with both of them?

I only ask because DS2 is due October, there will be a 21mth age gap and I'm panickingwondering about the practicalities.

Do you mean supermarket, or clothes type shopping?

Our supermarket has trolleys with a baby seat and a toddler seat- they are great..

Either really

To be honest I rarely do since the baby became a toddler. have DS1 - 4.5 and DS2: 2.0 so have 2.5 years between them. When the younger one was a baby it was fine - my eldest used to enjoy the toddler chair next to him at the supermarket and hold his hand.

The moment the younger one could walk he wanted out and as he is an uncontrollable litle sod - no chance!

It is what internet shopping was invented for!

For clothese - I tend to buy on eBay or on my rare opportunities (very rare) to go it alone.

I know have number 3 on the way and terrfied about coping fullstop!

I only have a 1yr gap but I waited until about 8 weeks before I went on my own.

Clothes type- depends on the older child's concentration rather than baby!
Though I have a bigger gap, so didn't need a double buggy (dd was 3 same week ds born)

online shopping or go wiyh just one or alone at weekends

or even better get dad to take both while you have a long bath

Isn't it difficult timing the trip around a baby's feeds and what about keeping the older one entertained while keeping baby happy too?

My DS, now 17mths, requires ALOT of entertaining or else he wails with boredom, an I'm not talking marathon shopping sessions. But, thinking back, he was even worse as a baby, he wanted holding all the time, wouldn't sit in pushchair or trolley reclined chair thingy.

Thank you for replies, it might take a while for me to reply as aforementioned toddler thinks it hilarious to turn off the laptop.

5 days is impressive Riven. I understand what you mean about leaving them to whine a bit but it's actually the whining that I find stressful so I usually do anything to keep DS occupied/distracted. I guess, with 2 I will have no choice but to let one or the other, at one time or another, have a little whinge. It will probably do them good.

Wonder if that's why they say 2nd babies are easier?

Dophus, so it's easier at the baby stage then?

Those who have suggested internet shopping, it's a good idea, but sooner or later I'm going to have to bite the bullet because I regularly take my 80yr old nan food shopping, out for coffees etc.

A close friend of mine didn't venture out shopping alone with her 2 DC for 3mths. I would be going crazy.

Baby 2 born Sat night, home Monday afternoon and went shopping Tuesday with DC1 and DH.

Did it on my own probably when DC2 was a week to 2 weeks old.

About 4 weeks - when my mum went home after coming to help me..

Personally, my two are always best just after waking (and supermarket empty) - so just bit the bullet and did it..

I also found our local Sainsbos was really good - the baby feeding room had wipes, nappies and changing mats so I didn't have to lug my kit around the supermarket ..

I have a 15month age gap and I must admit I find it very hard to go to the supermarket etc on my own with both of them. I tend to either:
Do it online
Leave toddler at home
Take DH with me

I must also admit that before DD2 arrived, DD1 had never really had any junk food. However, it does make the times when I do have to take both out less stressfull if I can hand DD1 some snacks and they are not always healthy

i have an 18 month age gap, they are now 23 months and 5 months.
After ds2 was born, we came home on a friday and I was at the supermarket with the double pushchair on the monday, and at playgroup on friday.
It was about 3 weeks before I got them both on a bus

It's the timjng that's tricky, has to be after newborn has fed - if they are asleep you can grt a trolley to put carseat straight into

but if your toddler falls asleep in the car they will be grumpy when you movethem so use raisins, chocolate buttons to keep you sane!

Yep - babies are easy; my 4yo is easy (now). It's toddlers I can't deal with. They don't want to be restrained, quickl bored and thy don't understand they can't eat/own/destroy (delete as appropriate) everything in sight.

I find the only way to do it is to poke food at them constantly (baguette's work a treat). I used to be so judgemental about Mum's that did this. I'm so sorry - I NOW UNDERSTAND!

Even worse than that Dophus, I gave my DS a lollipop the other day!!!

Thanks everyone for much needed tips.

supercherry - lollipops are actually a good idea come to think of it. I don't like them in general, but to save sanity when shopping I think it might be worth it. We have consumed a lot of crap the last few days, simply because we have no decent food in the house and I refuse to take them both shopping on my own. Me and DH are going to morrisons tomorrow. Even with both of us it is hard - DD1 always wanted to get out of the trolley and walk round pulling everything off shelves (18 months) and DD2, no matter how much I have fed her etc before hands, always ends up crying. SHe is a good baby in general but I think it is all the noise, temperature (going down fridge sections is cold!!) and being prodded by DD1.

little boy blue - when you say you were in the supermarket with the double buggy - what do you do with the shopping if you are pushing a buggy? This is something I have found very hard when I am on my own with the buggy and want to food shop.

I used wiliki net for baby -IT WAS FANTASTIC( had exactly this age gap,),,toddler forgot that baby was there but i got to cuddle baby at same time.It depends if you like slings or not !I then got a backpack for baby when older and had the single buggy for todder who walked with me and when tired ,went in buggy - the shopping went into buggy sometimes!.I also had a double buggy- once i was a bit tired and took the buggy ,wilcinet and backpack out with me as i just couldnt decide what i was doing - i was like a caravan !!somedays are smooth others chaos.To tell you the truth i often did big shop by myself at night it was quite enjoyable !sad but tru!Enjoy and all the best

3rd day after dd4 was born.

a few days. didn't find it a problem tbh!

chuck them both in a trolley and off you go. or if it's shoppy-shopping then into the buggy and off I went.
feed baby first to give you a reasonable chance of getting through without having to stop .

had ds3 3 weeks ago and we were out shopping when he was 3 days old I think.

ds1 to ds2 : groceries/supermarket - 5 days ish, 'shopping-for-fun' 3 weeks on the dot. No idea why i thought it was fun though.... I went on a birthday outing (ds2 born 3 wks before my b/day)

ds2 to dd - 22 months - in hospital for aaaages, didn't go anywhere for months