so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

Any tips? Mine twins are 9 weeks and I'm mostly nervous about fitting in the restaurant with our huge double snap and go! Once they're in their car seat, they usually stay asleep but I'm afr aid if we have a sudden meltdown. Plus I haven't changed a diaper in a nasty public bathroom yet, I'm dreading that. I'm think we should start small and quick, maybe mcdonalds

so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

my first outing with DS was at a family-friendly restaurant (Houlihans) for lunch. I made sure to feed and change his diaper right before we left so i wouldn't need to change him again while out. He did wake up midway through the lunch but i had him sit on my lap and he was pretty quiet. I think he was amazed by all the new sights and sounds. He slept soooo well after that

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

We never brought the snap n go in a restaurant. Way too big. We just carried our twins in the infant carrier in. Most restaurants if u flip their highchair over, the carrier actually fits perfects on the legs upside down. I know it sounds weird, but we did this all the time. This was a trick my friend with 3 kids showed me.

Otherwise, we'd get a booth or large table so we'd have plenty of room. I can't remember where we went our first time out, but we brought my parents with me for help and went when we knew they'd be slow. It worked out great. One slept and the other just kept looking around. He would've been fine in his carseat, but my mom insisted on holding him the whole time. He was like where are we?

so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

The first time I took DD to a restaurant (California Pizza Kitchen) they wouldn't let me bring the stroller to the table so I stuck the infant carrier on the top of the table which was not ideal. I would definitely opt for something not crowded, not quiet, and quick. We love taking DD to Tropical Smoothie Cafe since they play music so it's not quiet, most people do takeout so it's pretty empty, and there's plenty of space. Last time we were there a couple was there with a stroller and there was plenty of room. As for changing them, I keep those chucks from the hospital in my bag since they're big and I can toss them after using them. I put one down with my changing pad on top. Someone gave me a case for that purpose and it works out great!

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

That's the BEST age to take them out!

We never used a stroller, just kept them in the infant seats. We always planned to go when they were napping - and usually they'd fall asleep in the car. We have taken Logan (when he was that age) and the babies at that age to even VERY nice restaurants and it was never a problem. IDK if you are BFing, but I always brought a nursing cover and could always BF discretely if necessary.

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

For our first few outings I made sure that I brought them to a place that was family friendly and had room for the stoller (our local diner). We figured if they melted down we could just go outside with one, though hearing them over the sound of the kitchen was pretty impossible :)

After that we would typically just bring them into the place in their carriers/car seats and hope that they would nap. Invariably my husband or I would end up holding one baby while the other one tried to eat. It certainly wasn't pleasant in the beginning but you gotta do it if you want to get out! Just be prepared to wolf down your food and bail if things get that out of hand!!

so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

I always just carried DS in the infant carrier. I would always ask for a booth and just slide him in. I did the highchair trick a few times as well. I always changed him before we left and I never took him out unless he had a meltdown :) Good Luck!

so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

I always just keep DS in his infant carrier...he is now 3 and half and does amazing going out to eat at places, i think it because i always brought him with me to places

so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

I always take DS in the car seat. I make sure he is fed and changed that way we can eat peacefully. He did wake up one time while we were eating but I just rocked the car seat and he fell back asleep.

so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

Leave the stroller and carry them in the seats. Restaurants aren't made for reg strollers let alone doubles. And go for it. We had DS in restaurants by 4 weeks.

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

Great tips!! Now all I need is nerve lol

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

Definitely use the infant seat for as long as you can. When DD was really little, we actually bought her to a nice restaurant or two because she just slept in the carrier. Now, at almost 8 months, Applebees and Friendly's are about as much as I want to risk! We still do go other places for family dinners. I have a portable high chair that straps on to another chair that we bring with us so that she can see everyone at the table.

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

We often take DS out to family friendly restaurants or a diner. We carry the infant carrier in and ask for a booth and some restaurants have a sling to put the carrier in. My DS is a fairly good baby though so we have no problems

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

We went to cheesecake at 6 weeks. We brought the stroller and they put us in the back where we had plenty of room. It was about 11:30 so not busy yet. We wanted to put the carriers in the booth seats next to us but they were too wide to fit both. They mostly slept the. They didnt start being awake until about 11/12 weeks though. Now idk if they would do it. They need entertainment and get cranky. I guess if we just sat and talked to them they might be ok.

DH wanted to take them out to dinner tonight with us until the storm cancelled our plans.

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

depending on the restaurant, sometimes I take the snap n go and sometimes i take just the carseat. I have a snugride 35 though and it hardly ever fits in the high chairs upside down, same goes for trying to plop the carrier in shopping carts. It usually never fits and I have to end up putting the carseat in the big part of the shopping cart. But at that age they usually just sleep the entire time anyway. I was always freaked out about using public changing stations. I bring a pad and a mat with me and just try to make it as quick as possible!

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

We've taken them out pretty often-starting at about that age. We usually use the double snap n go believe it or not!
I always go in first and ask the waitress if they have a spot for us-away from high traffic area so that we and the stroller are not in the way.
Just rip the band aid off and go! Its the only way to do it. You will feel so proud an d accomplished afterwards :)
Good luck!!

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

Go early, like 4:30, try the diner. They usually have lots of room and they are pretty noisy.

Re: so about taking your LOs to a restaurant

we liked ruby tuesdays because they have a huge corner booth-a circle one. so we put the car seats there. when we went out with my sister and her twins we had 3 babies so it was perfect.