My pre-mom self thought that the baby would just go with me wherever I went and I could just go about my normal business. My pre-mom self thought that having a baby and eating in public would be a breeze. My pre-mom self thought that the other babies that were loud, crying and demanding would NEVER be “my child” *how naive of me*….My pre-mom self couldn’t have been more wrong.
It’s hard, y’all. It’s hard to take your baby who is into everything out in public to eat dinner. It took me several attempts to even ATTEMPT at the right direction for eating in public. We’re getting a little better, and don’t look so much like a circus-show, but it was really hard to find what worked and take along everything she needed.
I’ve compiled a list of things that go with us EVERY time we eat in public, at a friends house, or somewhere other than home. Yes, my diaper bag is essentially the one thing we don’t leave home without. Oh, and the baby. We don’t leave home without the baby!
1. Ingesina Fast Table Hook-On Highchair – This is great for going to friends houses or traveling to a place with no high chair. I even like to bring it along because I don’t like to put LC in those nasty restaurant high chairs. I didn’t include the high chair covers, but those are great too. This is a great price point for only $60. You could even use this at home in place of a high chair to save space.
2. Tiny Diner Placemat – This suctions to the table so they can’t pull it up while eating AND keeps the food from going on the table. If you are doing BLW, this is a must have since it’s inevitable that the food will end up touching everything.
3. Clorox Wipes – ’nuff said. I Clorox EVERYTHING.
4. Wipes – You know those babes get messy.
5. Aden + Anais Burpy Bib – What’s great about this is that it doubles as a burp cloth AND bib. You’re welcome.
6. Ella’s Squeezies – These haven’t been recalled. Laikyn LOVES them. And they’re all organic. I like that they mix spinach with rutabagas and apples. Saucy. Ha!
7. OXO Tot Straw Cup – This is LC’s favorite cup. She LOVES straws, y’all.
8. Happy Baby Puffs – We love these now that we’ve got the pincer grasp down well. She can pick these up one by one (which takes some time if you know what I mean…)
9. Nursing Cover – aka The Booby Blankie…It never fails that even though Laikyn is getting solids, we end up staying long enough at the restaurant or the friend’s house that I will end up nursing about an hour later. I nurse with this nursing cover in public.
What are your baby’s favorite items for on the go eating? I hope there is something out there that makes it easier?! IF so…do tell! 😉
