How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

I'm struggling here. If I want to go to Target, for example, I need 3 y/o in front of cart....and infant in cart itself. Where do you put your items?? What if you need a lot of items - like grocery shopping?

Am I doomed to just have to shop along with DH? or go alone when I have time?

How does this work?

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

Can you use a Bjorn or a carrier for the infant?

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

I just went grocery shopping with both kids, I used the cart with the car in front. DD is sitting up, not in an infant seat, so she sat up front with me.

It was rather successful!!

You might just have to wait for you little one to get bigger.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

I see women doing this all the time with an infant carrier and with the toddler in the cart. And I think they are magicians, because DS would not sit still in either of these places. I have to leave him home for major grocery shopping.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

i was able to do it with an infant and toddler by putting the infant in a baby carrier or car seat. now that they are both toddlers that hate to be strapped down anywhere (15 mths and 2.5), I have no idea...

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

You shop at night when DH is home. or Peapod!

Message edited 4/27/2011 1:14:37 PM.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

Yes, like Barb said - alone if you're doing a big shop. I sometimes go at 9PM after the kids are asleep.

With both boys, my 3 yr old will walk and occasionally ride the cart like a garbage man. I can only pull off Target with both if I don't need large paper products - one things of TP and my cart is full!

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

I did one of two things in the beginning.

Put Tyler in the Bjorn and Jack in the front of the cart. Loaded up my groceries in the back.

OR and this one was loads of fun:

Put both of them in the stroller and pulled the cart behind me.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

I used to push the stroller and pull the cart. I had no choice and now I have really big arm muscles!

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

Baby Bjorn = LIFESAVER!

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

BJs is my new BFF. The carts are big enough to hold two at the same time or even 4 if you get the kind with the little car on the front

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

I guess I will use the baby-wearing carrier.

I mean honestly, I never leave Target with less than 30 items......so, baby carrier it is!


thanks all!

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

you'll have to try things to figure out what works best for you. a big ole double stroller can often fit a ton, esp. with a hand basket in tow. shopping carts can be tricky depending on if you can use a baby carrier.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

My 3 year old always walked. I think once or twice he sat in the seat, and baby was in bjorn. But my kids are usually good in stores.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

I haven't done it and don't plan on doing it, but if I had to, I would say baby in the cart in the carrier and the toddler in the front part of the cart. Obviously you won't be able to get alot of stuff though.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

I just use one of those carts with a baby seat, like this one. Target usually has them.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

When my little one would fit, I'd put him in a Bjorn-type carrier and put the older one in the part by the 'handlebar'. He outgrew that by about 8mos, so then I became the most annoying mom in the world -- I let my older one (aged 28mos) bring his own toy shopping cart and 'shop' next to me.

I go early on a Monday morning and it works really well for us because he can wander just a little bit away from me, he can feel independent, and his cart is a little noisy so I can ALWAYS know where he is.

Here's a picture:

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

Posted by nrthshgrl

You shop at night when DH is home. or Peapod!

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

ONLINE! grocerys=peapod.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

I don't! Either peapod or send DH with my 2yr old on the weekend

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

When DD#2 was little I couldn't ever really do a big shopping with both of them. I can't wear a Bjorn or anything because I have back problems.

I would either wait until DH was home and go alone, take only one of my DDs or all of us would go.

Now that DD#2 is bigger, she sits up on top and DD#1 sits in the cart. By the end she's usually on her knees b/c there's so much stuff but she like to try to organize it.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?

The first time I went to target alone with both kids I used the double stroller and got a hand held basket. I rested it on top of the double stroller. It was a PIA. I then tried to brave it with DD in the top of the stroller and let DS walk. Gosh that was not fun. He tried to run away. At 3 1/2 he is much better and now I can have him walk next to me while DD is in the cart.

Re: How in the world do you shop alone with an infant and 3 year old?