Going shopping with a 4 month old? Moms only please.?

I just bought my little boy a new car seat it is a convertible one that faces either forward or to the rear for 5-80lbs. He's 17lbs right now and 4 months old and is too big for his infant carrier. Usually, when I go to the grocery store or to Target, I used to just put his infant carrier in the cart and go. His new car seat is meant to stay in the car so how do I go shopping with him. We have a nice Eddie Bauer stroller, but unless I am getting just a few things, there is no way to take him shopping. How old were your children when they were able to hang out in a shopping cart cover? Any other suggestions?

Going shopping with a 4 month old? Moms only please.?
I was just thinking about the same thing. My daughter is about to outgrow her car seat, but I was worried about what to do when I went shopping. The best thing I can think of is to use a front carrier or wrap. Or the carts that have the baby seat in them. You just can't always guarentee those will be available at the stores you use. Good question!!
Reply:I put my baby in the Moby Wrap baby carrier and I ask the clerk to help me put the bags in my car.
Reply:use a sling! my daughter just started using the shopping cart cover at 5 months....shes been in a conv car seat since 2 months cuz she hated the infant one so i know your dilemma so my answer is a sling or carrier
Reply:"Any other suggestions?"





A sling or other soft carrier.





The "Ergo" carrier gets good reviews from parents of heavier babies...





We installed our car seat when I was pregnant and have left it there, and have never bothered with a stroller, either. Toting around extra plastic and metal makes, I think, you LESS mobile with a baby, not more. It also keeps babies happier, which, well, same deal. We are never the ones who have to leave the restaurant with the howling baby; at almost five months, we have yet to have a public crying jag.
Reply:don't worry he's going to make a lot of money as a football player
Reply:When I switched my babies I kept the infant car seat in the van and only used it to go into stores as it was easier. I used the convertible one in the vehicle, but used the infant seat to go in to the stores. I have also taken blankets and laid my child in the front (i leave the seat thingy up so it covers the wholes), whatever works :)
Reply:I am in the exact same position as you, my daughter, (4 1/2 months) is HUGE and outgrew her infant seat around a month ago. We have the Eddie Bauer that is meant to stay in the car as well....and it makes shopping trips extremely difficult. We resorted to keeping her old carseat for dining out and trips to the store, if need be, but it is extremely inconvenient switching her from seat to seat, especially to one she is uncomfortable in...





Im guessing until our little ones can sit up on their own pretty well...we are stuck.... Good luck to you...he will be sitting before you know it!
Reply:I use my sling a lot in these situations, it's good up to 35 pounds and it folds up really small so I can stick it in my purse or on the passenger seat.
Reply:i usually put my son in a sling or his carrier. some grocery stores (at least where i live) even have reclined infant seats on some of the carts, i use those if available.
Reply:I remember this in-between stage rather well. And I relied on my snuglie front carrier. I waited until about 6.5 months before I used the shopping cart covers, mostly because my daughter was not sitting up on her own well yet. But some places have the things that you can put him in (the seats like the carrier), just make sure you have your own blanket. But I got lucky that Julia liked the carrier and was thrilled to be seeing everyone while we shopped.
Reply:I shop at Tesco and they have a trolley with like a a smaller version of a baby seat in it. Or they had a trolley with a gap and fixture that you could fit the car seat in. I would say as soon as your child can sit up by themselves for a period of time, then that is the time you can put them in a normal trolley. I did. But take an extra blanket for cushioning and comfort.
Reply:First off, he shouldn't be too big for his infant seat. They are good for babies up to 22 lbs and/or 29 inches.


As long as he can sit on his own, you can put him in a shopping cart. Babies R Us has the shoppin car covers on sell. If you are using the convertible carseat, then make sure it faces back for as long as possible. It is a lot safer.
Reply:My boys were able to be in a shopping cart when they could sit up well, and I have seen moms place their baby in the basket with blankets underneath and that seems to work, and it seems like the carts with a baby seat are never available or dry when I was shopping. On the other hand, I have NEVER been able to get them to be in a cart, ever, until they were almost walking and by that time interested in what was going on, they'd just scream and I can't stand that (not can anyone else I suppose). I simply used a sling or a Baby Bjorn to carry them and to sooth them, it allowed me to do what I need to do and that has worked fairly well for me.
Reply:Some stores have the carts with the seat that you can strap them in that is semi reclining. It is really hard to know, some times you can prop them up in the normal cart seats with blankets etc, but they get tired from sitting up too. Good Luck
Reply:Im not sure that his new seat is not meant to go in the store, if it isnt, then he needs a regular, but bigger infant carrier to go in the store. He wont be ready for the grocery-cart seat till he can sit steady and then you still need padding and bumpers for him against those metal bars. There are bigger infant seats up to 20-25 lbs that are removeable.