Top tips for leaving the house with a new baby. Share with ASDA Little Angels - £300 to be won! NOW CLOSED!

[AaronMumsnet]

With the responsibility of having a little person to clean, dress, feed and keep happy, getting out of the house with a new baby can prove an unexpected challenge. ASDA would love you to share your top tips for leaving the house with a new baby.

Here is what ASDA has to say: “There’s nothing worse than being caught short when you’re out and about, so we’d love to hear your stories about what being ‘fully prepared’ on the go means for you and your little angel!”

Did packing a bag the night before help you to get out and about without a hitch? Maybe eating breakfast on the go was the only way you were able to eat breakfast at all. Do you recommend recruiting your nearest and dearest to lend a hand on those first tricky trips? Or, perhaps, you finally realised that swapping the over-packed pram for a sling was the answer.

Whatever your top tips for leaving the house with a baby may be, please share them below and you will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 voucher of your choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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I opt for a sling rather than a pram less daunting and more freedom - plus don't stress too much! if you forget something there are always shops!

Don't commit yourself to a strict time unless you have to. If you do have to be somewhere at a certain time get you're nappy bag ready the night before or in the morning if you can. Always take at least 2 nappies more thaan you think you'll need, TWO changes of clothes in those early days for the inevitable poonami followed by the aftershock poonami. DO NOT take the wipes out of the bag when you are at home, said from bitter experience of forgetting to put them back in and having to sort of dab at DD with soggy toilet tissue.

Don’t get too stressed if it takes a while and you’re late, it’s impprtant to get out of the house for your mental and physical health. And good for baby to get some fresh air.

Wipes wipes and more wipes! In changing bag, buggy hood, bottom of buggy, car, coat pocket... you name it.

Always repack your changing bag when you get in, then you won’t forget what you need to replace. I used to wear my dressing gown or a v ugly large fleece over my nice clothes, then you can’t whip off the ugly over garment just before you leave and with any luck you’ll get out with no bodily fluids smeared into the shoulder of your dress

Pack your nappy bag the evening before.

ALWAYS bring a change of clothes, a vest and a baby grow really don't take up much room and have been needed on more than one occasion.

If formula feeding don't faff about with hot water in a flask while you're out, just use those Premade formula bottles. They're only about 90p a bottle and I just gave them to my LO as is in a sterilised bottle, don't even need to heat them up!

Force yourself to leave the house each day where possible. Even if it's just a walk round the block. Fresh air will do you and baby the world of good ☺️

Finally, if you're running late (especially in the early days) don't beat yourself up. I can now be out of the house in 20 mins or less now...it took nearly 90mins the first time!

It took me a while to realise that you should just always have a bag ready otherwise you get stressed out and baby feels it. Mainly I think you just have to get on with it otherwise it becomes a bigger task

I have a list on my door with the 'must haves' after being out without spare nappies and having to buy a full pack at a petrol station (at a grossly inflated price) so it's nappies, travel wipes, bibs, a powerbank, snacks and a carton of juice, and a couple of t-shirts. So far so good and I have not been missed an essential.

I used to keep a spare set of emergency 'essentials' in a separate compartment of my change bag, and a full set in the car. I also kept a bottle of 'pre-made' formula in my change bag 'just in case'. In all fairness I have always been like this, she's 6 now and I still keep a plasters, sachets of Calpol, Neurofen, Gaviscon and every other medication known to man, insect repellent, mini sunscreens, a change purse and a spare key in my handbag! I emptied it the other day and found a light bulb, 7 screws, 2 fuses, a door knob, and a cat collar (we don't have a cat).

Always plan to leave 10 mins before you neeed to that way you are less likely to be late, and always keep nappies and wipes and clothes topped up in your bag as a basic. It makes bag packing quicker :)

Get the changing bag ready the night before, keep spare nappies and wipes in the car just in case!
Don't beat yourself up if you're running late - babies always seem to need a feed or nappy change just as you get to the point of being ready to go out the door!

I always pack my carry bag when my little one is asleep.I am less likely to be distracted and forget something. Extra nappies, plenty of wet wipes, spare clothes and of course snacks/drinks.

A good changing bag with a stock of everything and a change of clothes and a routine of checking it and topping up. If you get it wrong not to worry, you'll remember next time!

make sure you go out prepared. Take everything you need for the baby out with you! I take everything and the kitchen sink when i go out! hahaha

I have finally accepted that I will always be late.

Always leave a bag ready and then just add additional items if any are used. I also found it much easier with DD2 just using a comfortable sling than a standard baby carrier or pushchair

I have a slim small laptop sleeve that I keep 2 nappies, half a pack of wet wipes, and a muslin in. This goes everywhere with me! And then kept in the boot of the car I have a small back pack with a change of clothes for baby, another pack of wet wipes, more nappies, small toys, more muslins, and spare pants and leggings for my older DD who still occasionally has an accident. That way I have a back up in the car, but the essentials on me!

Every time I use anything out of either bag then I add it to a note on my phone, and when I get home I check the list and restock the bag(s) with whatever I have used!

We have a morning routine which we do every day, regardless of whether it is a school/nursery/work day or a weekend day. As soon as we get up we get dressed into the clothes that I laid out the night before. Makes getting out of the house a lot quicker and easier!

Being a mummy can make you quite forgetful I find, so anything you can do to help yourself is a bonus!

plan and pack the night before so when the baby is dressed you can just go

Pack the bag again as soon as you get in the door. Unpack any dirty nappies, clothes and re-stock (except milk, obvs). Leave the bag by the door, so when you do leave next time, you know it's sorted.
Put everything into the bag in the same place, if possible..
Basically, my baby bag=my saviour..!

I am of the travel light brigade as well. I had a small childs rucksac with one babygrow, 2 nappies, small pack wipes, couple of bags for dirties and sore bum cream. I also had one made up bottle or a carton (s) of formula and a bottle for longer days out - obv on big days out I would have a few more nappies as well.

However I would also keep in the car spares and a decent changing mat in the boot - which makes a great surface for changing etc. I also always had a spare outfit for me in the car as Baby tending to projectile vomit at one point!!

I was caught out once with no disposable nappy but only had a shortish walk home so just made up a nappy out of a muslin cloth, tied a knot in the front, was fine as went straight home and changed when got in - not even a wee in it

When she was tiny I took her in the pram because I couldn't see where I was going when the car seat was strapped to a shopping trolley, I done numerous small shops rather than a big one and used the pram to carry it. There's an awkward in between phase when a trolley with a solid shell is needed but not always available in all supermarkets so pram or sling was handy then too!
I had two changing bags so there was always one ready to grab in a hurry and basically ate food on the go (or didn't get to eat at all 😂).
I'd be ready to feed her and run too otherwise I'd be stuck in waiting for the next feed as it would be pointless to leave and have to feed her in the supermarket etc.
I would make sure not to just leave things for the next day so would go to bed with everything washed and sterile etc too.

Things to take:

Lots of nappies, wipes & spare clothes
Lots of pre made bottles
Clean dummies
Bibs and Muslin blankets
Bag for dirty clothes

Things to do:

Be prepared to be out longer than intended
Feed and change nappy just before leaving the house
Find somewhere to feed baby when baby is due to be fed

Always take two sets of vests and babygrows. I was very well prepared with one - had a massive poo splosion. Remember clear as day trying to wipe him clean at 7 days old exhausted in the coffee shop baby changing.
Then less than half a hour later, it happened again.. No spare clothes this time!!! Hubby had to run and buy new clothes.
Always took two sets till he was 3 months old and nappy bags are amazing for dirty Muslims and clothes!