DS just outgrew his infant car seat and it was so handy. Now his car seat obviously has to stay in the car. How do you tote baby while out and about running errands, shopping, appointments? Do you just carry them everywhere, bring a stroller, use a carrier? I think I need another pair of hands. I hope I gain some muscles soon.

I'm just curious what other moms do.

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Nadene

I was caught in a catch-22. I wanted to use the infant car seat on the stroller deal, then move to using the stroller, but I got my sisters stroller and never got the attachment to snap the car seat into the stroller, so I just carried him around in his infant car seat -- for a LONG TIME. Once DS outgrew his infant car seat and went to an older one, he was old enough to walk around, so that's what he did. He didn't use a stroller. He was never accustomed to one, and so when he was old enough to go into even an umbrella stroller, he hated them. He just wanted to walk. So, at a year old, he was walking everywhere. We totally bypassed the carrier & the stroller. It will be different with the next one, as I am going to buy a working stroller/car seat combo.

*I do have to add that even now, when he's 3, he falls asleep in his carseat and I just take the whole thing with me. I often take him out of the car - in his carseat - after he's fallen asleep and carry the whole thing into his room. I lean it back onto his toddler bed just a little, so he's kind of reclined backwards, and put the couch cushion under the front end that's tipped up in the air, to wedge it so it's secure. Then I unclasp the closures on the carrier, take his arms out of the straps, take off his shoes and cover him with a blanket if needed. He's taken MANY a nap like that as of late! Just a couple nights ago, I unbuckled the car seat, covered him with my coat, and carried him in his carseat through the rain into the grocery store. I put the whole carseat into the cart and did all my shopping with him asleep.

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~~Amanda~~ Mommy to one Little Man (3 1/2 yrs old), TTC #2

WE'RE ADOPTING!!!
http://daughterinthedistance.blogspot.com/

With my daughter I was lucky - we worked with the group home than and I almost always had at least one teenage boy with me who was willing to carry her. Not to mention my daughter was lighter!

My son is 6 months and still in his bucket car seat but he doesn't always like that (not to mention that alone is heavy to carry) so I'm finding myself not going anywhere unless I have someone to go with me. And then my husband and I take turns passing him back and forth. I'm also looking forward to when he is able to sit up in the shopping cart on his own -- he's almost there give him another couple of weeks.

I put ds in the baby bjorn until he was about 9 months old, I did all my grocery shopping that way. I never put him in a stroller unless I was going for a longer walk, didn;t like to use one in stores, they're so bulky. For a short while I had to use a cheap umbrella stroller in places like clothes stores because he was crawling but not walking yet so I couldn't just hold his hand to keep him from being on the floor. He didn't like it so I just stopped shopping in stores without carts if dh wasn't with me. I started putting him in the baby seat in the cart when he was 7 months old, I bought the cover from Target that has the additional shoulder straps to hold him in better.

Now he's 19 months and walks from the car to his activities and continues to sit in the cart without the cover. I'm a big believer in letting them walk instead of sticking them in a stroller all the time. It takes longer, but it's good exercise and he's learned street boundaries. I'll still use a jogging stroller for long walks or at places like the zoo.

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Doing my best to raise a GEEK- Genuine Enthusiastic Empowered Kid!

I have a tall girl and will probably have to switch to a car seat soon When we go out I use a stroller or put her carrier in a cart. She is just to big to carry around everywhere (28 inches tall and 17 pounds at 5 months)

I use my stroller! If I am running in and out of the store really quick for something then I just let my son walk. He is 2-1/2 now. It has been much easier for me to push the stroller because he will try to wander off if I let him walk too much....or he will just sit right down and I have to carry him. He also does not like riding in carts much so the stroller is the best option for us right now. I am able to toss a few things in the basket under the seat of the stroller when we shop and it frees up my hands! He likes it because I usually get him a drink or snack to munch on when we are out.

I just leave him home with DH when I have to do some major shopping like Groceries. I save the big shopping trips for the weekends when DH is home.

I will be using one of these Welcome - Hotslings for when my DS comes. I used my Sister in Laws and loved it. She used it til about my nephew was two years old. I also used it and carried my first DS.

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