How do you grocery shop with a newborn? Here are 15 tips to make grocery shopping with a baby a breeze so you aren’t stressed at the store.

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Grocery shopping can be a hassle in general. But it becomes even more time consuming and challenging when you’re trying to run to the store with an infant.

Here are 15 tips that have made my life easier when grocery shopping with a newborn.

Before You Leave

1.) Use the bathroom before you leave the house with your baby.

 

 

It can be a challenge sometimes to use a public restroom while you have an infant with you.

So going before you leave makes things easier.

2.) Feed & change your newborn before leaving.

 

 

Newborns need to feed more often and be changed more often than older babies. 

By caring for them right before you leave, they’re less likely to need to be attended to in these ways while you’re gone. And your newborn may also be more content as a result as well.

3.) Meal plan in advance and make a list of everything you need.

 

 

By planning out what meals you’re going to make and what ingredients and staples you need, you’ll be able to make a grocery list.

Having a list will both save you time in store as well as help you to avoid making unnecessary trips back to the store for something you forgot.

➡ If you need help with meal planning, grab our free guide here to get started.

 

4.) Write out your grocery list in the order of where things are in the store.

 

 

I recommend this in general when grocery shopping to save time.

But you especially want to save time when you’re bringing a newborn in with you.

If you’re in the store too long with a baby, they’ll need to be fed or changed at some point.

5.) Make sure you have a packed diaper bag with anything you’ll need.

 

 

I personally make sure I always have at the very least, the following supplies in my diaper bag:

➡ a few diapers

➡ at least one clean change of baby clothes (in the baby’s current size)

➡ baby wipes

➡ small garbage bags (to put dirty diapers in)

➡ a pacifier

You’ll also want to add any last-minute baby bottles of milk or formula you plan to bring.

Some parents also bring hand sanitizer or hand-sanitizing wipes.

If your baby has issues with diaper rash you’ll also want to bring diaper rash cream. (I like this one because it’s more natural.)

And you may want to bring a changing pad to place your baby on if they need a change.

Some diaper bags, such as this one, come with a changing pad.

At the Store

6.) Park next to the cart corral.

 

 

This makes it easy for you to put your cart back without worrying about the safety of your baby.

You can put your baby in the car and have your baby/car in sight while putting the cart back afterwards.

I personally like to be able to put my baby in the car before unloading the groceries. But I don’t ever do this if I need to go out of sight or step away from the car to return the cart.

My mom actually taught me this habit, and it makes it easier to return the cart even if you don’t have kids with you. But I think it’s even more helpful as a mom when I have my kids with me.

Alternatives to Holding Your Baby

7.) Wear your baby with a baby wrap or baby carrier.

 

 

I have both a baby wrap and a baby carrier.

I like them both for different reasons. (I’ll discuss my personal pros and cons for each below.)

➡ I like this baby wrap because it’s very comfortable for both me and my baby.

I like it best for younger babies that you wear in the front.

(It is possible to use a wrap to wear a baby on your back, but it’s a lot harder to get the baby in and positioned correctly with a wrap. I personally wouldn’t wear a newborn on my back- not until they are older.)

My baby wrap also puts less stress on my back than the carrier I use, especially for older babies.

Personally, I have struggled with spinal issues and go to a chiropractor regularly, but this may not be an issue for everyone.

When my babies are younger, I don’t have an issue with using a baby carrier because they don’t weigh as much.

➡ This is the baby carrier I like using.

I like that this converts to wear your baby in different positions as your infant gets bigger. It can even be used for toddlers.

I’ve worn my babies both on my front and back with this carrier, (on the back when they got a little older.)

It’s also fast for me to get the baby in this, and if I’m going shopping at multiple stores I’ll usually opt for the carrier.

It’s easier to get on than my baby wrap.

To be clear, I don’t feel like the wrap is hard to get on once you know how to do it.

BUT… I’ve a hard time getting the wrap on without it touching the floor since it’s so long.

(I don’t care if it touches the floor at home, but I don’t want it to touch a grocery store floor or the pavement in the parking lot.) Once it’s on it’s not an issue, and I usually initially will put it on at home.

But if I go to multiple stores, because I have to get the baby out after the first store to put her in the car, I often will need to adjust the wrap and put it on again.

So that’s why I sometimes prefer using my baby carrier.

8.) Shop with a stroller that has a basket/space for groceries instead of using a cart.

 

 

I personally haven’t done this, but many parents will use a stroller to grocery shop.

Babies will often be content in a stroller, at least for a time.

This option is best if you aren’t buying a large amount of groceries in one store.

How to Put Your Newborn in a Shopping Cart

9.) Put the car seat in the cart or use a newborn cart hammock.

 

 

Most of the carts at the stores I personally shop at will accommodate my baby’s car seat just fine.

You can usually fit it in the cart either facing you in the front or sideways in the larger part of the cart.

I have never been worried about it not being stable. But it could be an issue depending on the style of car seat you have and how the cart you’re using is designed.

➡ If you want to try something else, you can get a newborn cart hammock (such as this one on Amazon.)

 

Tips for Saving Time When Grocery Shopping with a Newborn

10.) Go shopping at a time of day that’s less busy.

 

 

Going at a time when there are less people in the store can significantly cut down the time spent shopping.

I have personally cut my shopping time in half going at a time that’s less busy.

In the area where I live, stores are generally less busy early in the morning and in the evening. But it may vary depending on where you’re located.

Note: You do want to be careful to go at a time and to a location that is safe for you and your baby. (Safety first!)

11.) Order groceries online when possible.

 

 

I have often used Instacart to order groceries for pickup or delivery which saves me time.

✅ You can get $10 off on your first Instacart order here using my referral link.

I also often order groceries online from Walmart and have them delivered.

One thing I like about ordering from Walmart is that it allows me to get cash back from offers on Ibotta, which I already would purchase anyways.

➡ Sign up for Ibotta here to get cash back on groceries, & earn an extra $5 just by submitting your first receipt.

 

Other Miscellaneous Tips for Grocery shopping With a Newborn 

12.) If possible, bring another adult or older child with you. 

 

 

Bringing someone you trust with you can help make shopping easier.

They could help in the store caring for the baby, grabbing items for you, and/or push the cart.

Or they could even sit in the car with the baby while you shop if that works out better.

Important Note: It’s important to keep vehicles at a safe temperature while there are people inside. This is especially important for babies, as their bodies cannot yet regulate their temperatures. If the car is running, it should be in a location where there’s no risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

I personally have brought my husband, mom, sister, or older kids with me on various shopping trips when I needed extra help.

Sometimes my husband will watch the baby while I run to the store if I’m able to go when he’s not at work. But because I’m exclusively breastfeeding, I generally have taken our children with me at the newborn stage, unless I only have a few items to get and know I can be back quickly.

13.) Don’t overdo it when you’re recovering postpartum.

 

 

It’s important to give yourself time to heal postpartum before you do too much physically.

This is even more essential if you’ve had a c-section, tore, or had other complications.

Being on your feet a lot, lifting too much, or pushing a heavy cart may not be the best idea right after you’ve given birth.

I remember after I had one of my kids, I was only a week or 2 postpartum and I went shopping for 2 weeks worth of groceries. This was definitely too much on my body at the time, especially since I had a tear that was not yet healed, and I was still bleeding heavily.

I am now recovering postpartum after my last baby, and I have been more intentional about ordering groceries for delivery and only doing short trips if shopping in-store.

(This time around I didn’t tear- praise God! So I didn’t experience as much pain or have as much healing to do. I also accepted meals & help from family so I wouldn’t need to really go anywhere for the first couple of weeks.)

14.) Always hold onto your cart if your baby is in it, especially in the parking lot.

 

 

It’s always best to stay with your cart at all times while your baby is inside.

Unfortunately, as a parent in this world, you do have to be concerned with unsafe people who are willing to harm/kidnap children.

But there are also people who may not have bad intentions but who may try to come up and touch your baby. For whatever reason, there are some people who will do this without permission.

There is also a risk, especially outside, of your cart rolling away from you if you let go of it, even momentarily.

As a new mom I made this mistake years ago.

I had my baby in the cart, and I let go for a second to open/unlock the car door. And I looked and the cart was rolling away with my baby in it- in the parking lot!

I don’t know if it was the wind or the pavement was tilted or what exactly caused the cart to roll. But it was moving so fast, I had to run to catch it.

Thankfully, there were no cars driving nearby at the time, and my baby was fine.

But it was scary, and let me tell you, I never made that mistake again. And it’s embarrassing to share, but I know sharing my mistakes could help someone else to keep their child safe.

15.) If your baby needs to feed while you’re out, you can feed them in the car or a fitting room in-store if there is one. 

 

 

If you think your baby will need to nurse or take a bottle before you get all your shopping done, you can feed them in the car before going in.

I have also purchased items in my cart, went to the car and nursed, then finished shopping for the rest of my items on occasions where my baby needed to be nursed midway through my shopping trip.

It’s important to know that by law, (at least in the US where I live,) you should be able to feed your baby anywhere in public.

But not all grocery stores really offer a place where you can sit down to nurse or give your baby a bottle, (which is why I have sometimes nursed in the car.)

For stores that have fitting rooms, (like Walmart,) I have nursed my baby in the fitting room.

If it’s an option, it’s more sanitary than a bathroom. (Once in a while, you may find a store that has a dedicated nursing area, but unfortunately, it’s pretty rare. )

 

So those are 15 tips for going grocery shopping with a newborn. As your baby gets older, you’ll get into a better routine as well.

✅ To make it easier to plan meals postpartum, (and in general,) download our free Flavorful Meal Plan Guide here.

   

DISCLAIMER: I’m not a medical professional or expert. Articles on this website are for informational purposes only, and we are not responsible for any decisions you make acting on or failing to act on info from our site. Expecting parents are responsible for consulting medical professionals for their care & their baby’s care, for doing their own research, and for making their own decisions. See our full disclaimer policies here on our Terms of Use page.

 

Have a great day, and thanks for reading!

 

 

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