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Today, we’re tackling a topic many new parents find challenging—grocery shopping with a newborn.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed about handling those trips to the store with your little one in tow, don’t worry! I’m here to share five practical strategies to make grocery shopping with a newborn as stress-free as possible.
Let’s dive in!
1. Use an Infant Car Seat in the Cart
One popular method is placing your baby’s car seat directly in the shopping cart. This way, your baby is secure, and you have some space for your groceries.
At first, the cart may rock a little as you walk. You can try to wedge them into a corner for stability. Once you get a few large items around them they will not be moving at all.
Some people try to get creative with this and will put the car seat up in the toddler seat, even using the car seat clips to attach it to the cart.
I would never do this. I always put the car seat into the large basin of the cart. There was no way for them to fall off or out of the cart.
The advantage to this is you are still shopping hands-free. The disadvantage is you are losing a lot of cart space. I found myself stacking items strategically and utilizing the shelf under the cart for more storage.
2. Utilize a Stroller for Groceries
Another option is using a stroller. You can place your groceries in the stroller’s basket and keep your baby comfortable and secure in the stroller seat. My stroller basket would only work for small shopping trips though, so I never used this method.
Another option with the stroller would be to use the stroller and push a cart, which could be very tricky to manage. I would not want to do this. I think it would significantly slow down my shopping trip, resulting in a greater likelihood of the baby getting fussy.
If your baby started to fuss, there would be no way for you to hold them and push a stroller and cart.
That is a lot going on!
If you do this method, I recommend only doing it for small trips, which would complement the bonus strategy I reference at the end. Stay tuned for THAT!
Also, if you are interested in the stroller, we have now used over 4 years it is the Graco Fast Action Fold Jogger Travel System.
3. Try a Cart Hammock
A cart hammock is a handy accessory that attaches to the cart and provides a place for your baby to lie down. It’s especially useful for younger babies who aren’t sitting up yet.
Once they get too strong and wiggly this probably isn’t safe.
Make sure it’s securely attached, and your baby is comfortable.
I never used one so I can put my stamp of approval on this, however, you can click the link to check one out if you are interested.
Safety is the priority here.
Please make sure you are careful!
A pro here is that you are hands-free and able to shop.
A con is that you are purchasing an additional baby item, which probably has a pretty short useful life.
On the plus side, you are still able to fit a lot in your cart. Items can go under the hammock fairly easily.
A final con is the general safety involved. You would not want your baby to roll or flip out of the hammock into the basin of the cart or onto the floor.
Safety comes above all else.
Link here if you are interested: Cart Hammock
4. Use a Baby Wrap or Carrier
This was my method of choice!!!
Wearing your baby in a wrap or carrier allows you to keep your hands free for shopping.
This method is great for keeping your baby close and snug while navigating the aisles. Plus, it often makes it easier to move quickly through the store.
This is the method I most frequently used during the early months until they were ready to sit in the cart.
A huge pro is that your cart is empty of babies. You have your full space to load up with food items.
The only major con for me was struggling with large items. I found it difficult to lift and load very large items into my cart while wearing my baby. This would be something like a case of pop.
I also found it a bit overwhelming to unload all my groceries at check-out with the baby in the wrap. The constant learning over into the cart made me feel like I could only unload single-handed because the other hand was on my baby’s head to support them.
And finally wearing my baby in the wrap often prevented strangers from touching them.
Pro-Tip:
I wore a wrap that was a long piece of fabric that you tied on you. This is not ideal in a dirt parking lot, and I could not do it in my car. Just imagine a snowy or rainy day!
What I would do is put the wrap on at home. I could have my baby resting in a comfortable spot and use a mirror to help me get the wrap just right.
We drove to the grocery store with the baby in the car seat and me wearing an empty wrap. Once at the store I just had to unbuckle them and slide them in the wrap. Super easy that way!
I specifically used the Moby Wrap, click the link to check it out if you are interested.
If you want to learn more about the Moby wrap you can check out this article.
My Top Reasons Why the Moby Wrap is Right for You
5. Opt for Online Pickup or Home Delivery
If heading to the store feels like too much, online grocery shopping is a fantastic alternative. You can schedule a pickup or have your groceries delivered right to your door. This saves you the hassle of dragging a baby along and can be a real lifesaver.
This may have a few charges associated with it, but depending on how you are feeling during postpartum and the newborn stage that little expense might be worth it to you.
Bonus Tip:
I also want to share one more bonus tip. Once a month or even a quarter either do a huge order for delivery or go into the store. If you go to the store this is a trip without your baby. You are stocking up on all nonperishables. This could range from pasta to toilet paper to flour.
My point is to do a huge shop and then throughout the month and weeks do small shops where you are primarily getting meat, dairy, and fresh produce.
These smaller trips to the store make the strategies easier to implement and make the shopping trip less intimidating.
You could make this trip happen on the weekends or during the week when you have a spouse, grandparent or even a babysitter to cover the baby for a bit.
Conclusion
Whatever strategy you choose, remember that this stage won’t last forever. Your baby will eventually be able to sit in the cart on their own, and you’ll find a groove that works for you.
I hope these tips help make your grocery shopping trips a little easier. If you have any other strategies or tips, drop them in the comments below—I’d love to hear what works for you!
Check Out My Articles
Is the Graco Fast Action Fold Jogger Travel System Worth the Investment?
My Top Reasons Why the Moby Wrap is Right for You
A New Parent’s Guide to Packing the Perfect Diaper Bag: Tips and Tricks
Grocery Shopping Tips for the Young Wife to Improve Everyday Dinners
Your Top 20 Items to Keep Handy during the Newborn Stage
