Are you thinking of how to take a baby to Costco? Is a visit to Costco a manageable outing with a baby under a year old? I know, it doesn’t seem possible! It’s not easy going grocery shopping with a long list and your kids in tow. But we know — we’ve been there and we’ve got it under control (or at least we like to think we do). I have no idea about you but one thing I know about myself is that I love going to Costco and a big box store with a long list. And I also love to take my kids along for the ride. When you shop at Costco and other big box stores, your kids (and your partner) can get bored easily.
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If you’re looking for a truly family-friendly escape, we know the answer is Costco. The retail giant welcomes your kids and all their stuff. There’s even a kid-friendly restaurant and an arcade. It’s hard to shop with kids. They can be demanding, picky, and difficult to satisfy. But, by following some basic shopping rules, shopping with children can be easier than you realize.
4 Ways to take a baby to Costco
Wear the baby and push the cart
Babywearing is a great way to shop with your little one and should be your priority. Your baby will be delighted to be close and it will make the shopping experience fun and easy for you! Wearing your baby and shopping is a new trend. This can be an effective method of getting around with one less person to take care of the toddler and you can do your job at the same time. While at first, it may seem like an idea that will break your back. Whether you’re shopping with your little one or not, it’s always good to have a baby carrier at hand. You never know how much stuff you may or may not buy. And for sure, you don’t want to be stuck carrying your shopping bags around for hours.
Now, I’m not going to talk about a specific baby carrier but if you plan on going to Costco a lot, I highly recommend a baby carrier. A must-have for any parent is the Baby Wrap which makes it easier for parents to focus on just one thing at once instead of worrying that their little one might get too heavy or hungry because she can feel the motion and hear my voice while I’m doing other tasks.There are tons of baby carriers to choose from in the market but the most important thing to consider is the type of carrier you want. Do you want something easy to carry or are you more into multi-functional baby carriers? The right baby carrier can make shopping with your little one a breeze. In my experience, they were a lifesaver. They made it easier to shop, carry purchases from the store to the car, rest while I shopped, and carry little one from the car into the house.
A baby carrier is the best companion to your baby especially when you’re out. Since many parents usually want to be free from caring for their babies, the choice of taking care of a baby at home is becoming popular nowadays. But how about those who are not up to the task of taking care of a newborn? If you’re just browsing, you can just plop your baby in the carrier and go about your business.
Put the baby in the car seat in a shopping cart
Seriously, I came across several moms and dads with their babies just leaning forward letting baby dangle leaving nothing between them and the floor (but those little buckle straps). Lemme tell you, as fun as it might be to go on a shopping spree with a baby, you want them to make it home in one piece. You don’t put your purse in the cart and then place it on the floor right beneath you with no protection. Right? Right. Same rules for your infant: give them some padding if you’re gonna be sitting, and/or leaning forward with that baby holding onto you! If you want to go to Costco with your baby, the first step is to figure out how to safely put him on your shopping cart. Baby is most at risk for injury in Costco is when an infant car seat is placed at the top of the cart. Having your baby in an infant car seat can be extremely convenient, however, need is no substitute for safety.
Even though your baby is strapped snugly into his/her seat, there are several reasons why this is not a good idea to ever do. For one, infant car seats are not designed for the purpose of using on the top of the cart. Secondly, car seat manufacturers especially give warning not to use seats in the way most people are using it. But we remain deaf to their warning in the manual. If your baby or toddler is still in a bucket car seat, just put it right in the cart. Don’t put it on top of the cart seat. That’s dangerous. It doesn’t hook onto the cart, and it’s not made to sit on top of it. The car seat could easily fall off with your baby in it. Costco carts have double seating to make life easier for parents. Use this trick when you go shopping at Costco.
Now that you know the reasons not to attach or place your infant car seat on a cart at the grocery store, let’s address what you should do. The first option is it safe to put a baby in an infant car set inside the main basket of a shopping cart. This is convenient as you can compartmentalize your groceries by placing them in bags and placing those bags in the main basket. However, this makes it harder for you to reach your purse. The best way to avoid injury is to make sure your child is wearing shoes (not sandals or flip-flops, which can pop off with little effort), and is strapped into the cart. Another best way to avoid this problem is to use a double grocery cart, where the child sits behind the parent in an infant seat. The infant seat can go in either the front or back part of the grocery cart, so the infant rower doesn’t block access to items at the bottom of the cart.
Use a stroller for grocery shopping with a baby
Grocery shopping can be a nightmare for a lot of parents. Asking them how to grocery shop with a stroller is definitely pulling some hair off their heads. The reason why parents get themselves into serious stress while doing groceries is that they have to take their babies out from the house and put them in the strollers already inside the store, then navigate the aisles just so they can get all the food they need for a month. Using a stroller is very handy when taking your baby with you to the grocery store. Instead of having to carry him/her all the time, you can push the stroller while shopping.
If you’re a parent, I’m sure you have been to a grocery shop with a stroller. It puts a heavy burden on your shoulder due to the abnormal weight distribution. And believe me, it can be very exhausting if you do it every time you need to go shopping. Yes, sometimes there is no choice but to push the stroller; especially if the child is small and can’t walk long distances yet. However, you can always choose to leave the stroller back home and push your baby in a shopping cart instead. You might wonder how do parents actually manage shopping with strollers? Are they genetically gifted or superhuman? You must want the car seat to be able to be fastened into the cart with at least two or three straps on which you can secure it. And always make sure that the cover is completely on the car seat and cover up all of the buckles and straps such that neither baby nor onlookers can grab (or put fingers) in them.
There is a reason so many manufacturers of high-quality strollers and carts warn parents not to place the car seat on top of the stroller or cart. It’s one thing if you’re just curbside checking out the grocery store and you just need to check out and go. But if you’re going to be in there shopping for a while, it might be best to put your car seat in another base and let them sit in that while you shop.
Get a Cart cover
Is your baby a sitter? If so, you need a cart cover. It has comfy walls! It attaches to your shopping cart so it’s easy to take with you wherever you go. We keep it in the car so if we have to stop at the store on the way home from Costco, your baby can have some fun. Your baby will love playing with all the colorful toys that are attached to his or her comfy seat.
Do I need a shopping cart cover for baby?
Yes, you need a shopping cart cover for the baby to prevent germs. Babies’ immune is not yet strong, so they catch germs easily. It is super useful if you have a baby that likes to chew and lick everything. I read on a forum that a baby got salmonella poisoning from raw chicken in a grocery store. It happens that someone bought a pack of chicken and touched the handlebar that the child held. To prevent germs, please use a shopping cart cover.
Best shopping cart cover for Costco
1. Suessie Shopping cart cover and high chair cover
The Suessie shopping cart cover for Costco is one of the best cart covers. It is convenient to carry as you move around. It fits into most common carts from Target to Costco, both shall and deep carts. It also works perfectly for restaurant high chairs.
2. Eddie Bauer shopping cart cover
The Eddie Bauer shopping cart cover is also one of the best shopping cart covers for Costco and a high chair cover. It helps to keep germs away from your baby and makes them feel comfortable in carts and high chairs.
3. Itzy Ritzy shopping cart and high chair cover
The Itzy Ritzy shopping cart is also a suitable cart cover for Costco. It has 2 toy loops and 2 pockets to keep our phones, toys, and keys. It can fit one or two children. It is also useful for restaurant high chairs when you are out dining.
4. Busy Bambino 2-in1 shopping cart cover
The Busy Bambino 2-in1 shopping cart cover is great for Costco carts. It is especially good for babies that like to chew and lick everything around them. It is easy to put on Costco carts and remove when done with shopping. It comes in beautiful colors.
Can you bring a stroller to Costco?
Yes, you can bring a stroller to Costco.
Do Costco carts have baby seats?
Yes, they have comfortable baby seats.
Conclusion
Planning a shopping trip with a baby or toddler can seem intimidating at first. However, with these helpful tips, you can go from throwing those last-minute items into your cart to actually spending some quality time with your little one.
