If you're like most new moms, feeding your baby on the go makes you a little nervous. It's not always easy to breastfeed comfortably or to calmly prepare a bottle of formula when your baby is screaming in a public place. And when solids are part of your baby's daily diet and you have to juggle jars, containers, spoons, and bibs — what's the best way to manage?
Here's a guide to help you survive those outings from day one through the first year — along with practical products to make eating out easier.
Breastfeeding in public
Prying eyes, leaking breasts, and a hungry baby who can't wait for you to find just the right place for feeding: Nursing your child in public can be nerve-racking at first.
What helps:
Nursing bras with cups you can unhook with one hand. You might be surprised at how much fumbling it takes to get your bra unhooked and your baby latched on when you're not sitting in your favorite nursing spot at home. A bra with cups that you can maneuver with one hand will help you avoid those awkward moments.
Nursing tops. Like maternity clothing, nursing-wear has gotten very stylish. You can find tops, dresses, and sweaters that look like regular clothes but have discreet openings near your breasts so your baby can get to his lunch while you stay covered up.
A cover-up. A lightweight blanketlike drape that attaches around your neck with a snap or Velcro provides privacy and stays put — even if your baby tugs on it while nursing.
A breast pump. If you get into the habit of pumping and storing breast milk, you'll always have the option of bottle-feeding your baby. That comes in handy when you're headed somewhere (such as a wedding) where breastfeeding might feel awkward or be inconvenient. You can store pumped breast milk at room temperature (no more than 77 degrees Fahrenheit, 25 degrees Celsius) for up to four hours, in a cooler with refreezable ice packs for up to 24 hours, and in a refrigerator for up to 72 hours (three days). (To heat it, just run the bottle under hot water or use a portable bottle warmer.)
A car-adapter for a breast pump. The most effective breast pumps are electric, so if you're traveling by car and won't have access to electricity, buy an adapter that allows you to plug your pump into the car. (You can also use a manual pump, but they're not as efficient as the electric ones.)
Inflatable breastfeeding pillow. Breastfeeding can be a ticket to back pain if you don't have proper support. Look for an inflatable breastfeeding pillow that tucks into your diaper bag — it will position your baby correctly and reduce strain on your back and arms so you can nurse comfortably wherever you go.
Tip: For more discreet breastfeeding in public, wear a blouse that buttons down the front and unbutton it from the bottom so your breasts stay covered.
Formula-feeding away from home
Bottle-feeding is very convenient — until you're away from your own kitchen. Then scooping, mixing, and pouring may start to seem pretty complicated, especially when your baby is bawling.
What helps:
Canned, ready-to-feed formula. Canned, ready-to-feed formula is the easiest solution — and the most expensive one. It costs considerably more than powdered or concentrated liquid formula, so many people save it for emergencies.
Powdered formula (and cereal) dispenser. Use a divided plastic container to carry premeasured amounts of formula (or cereal). Then simply pour the powder into a bottle, add water, and serve.
Individual packets of powdered formula. While a bit more expensive than cans of powder or liquid concentrate, these premeasured packets are very handy, especially if you're traveling by plane and don't want to lug an entire can of formula in your diaper bag.
Knowing how to safely carry formula with you. If you choose the more economical route of mixing your own formula, be sure to safely prepare and store it: A prepared bottle keeps at room temperature without spoiling for about one hour. If you won't use it within an hour, keep it in an insulated cooler with ice packs until you're ready to serve. To be safe, many experts recommend boiling the water you use for formula until your baby is around 4 to 6 months old, when his immune system starts to provide more protection against infection — so you may need to bring water with you. Throw away any formula that's still in the bottle one hour after your baby started feeding. Once your child's mouth has touched the bottle, the contents can become contaminated with bacteria.
A bottle cooler/warmer. With a portable cooler/warmer, you can keep a bottle cool and then warm it up when you need it. Some run on batteries. Others have car battery adapters (and can also be used at home).
Hot and cool gel packs. Gel packs that can be frozen solid or heated in the microwave help keep your baby's bottles cold until ready to serve and can also be used to heat the bottle for serving.
Tip: If your baby prefers formula warm, take a thermos of warm water with you. Just heat the water to the desired temperature at home, pour it into a thermos, and scoop the right amount of formula into individual bottles. Mix the bottles when you're ready to feed.
Feeding solids on the go
Starting at about age 4 to 6 months, your child will probably start eating solid food — so get ready to add soft spoons, dishes, bibs, and more to your already bulging diaper bag.
What helps:
Disposable or plastic-coated bibs. Disposable bibs are really extra-thick paper towels with Velcro-like closures that you toss after one use. Plastic-coated bibs can be wiped clean with a wipe or napkin and machine-washed when you get home.
Portable placemats. Portable placemats that you can lay down on restaurant tables or highchair trays give you the peace of mind of knowing that your baby's eating off of a clean surface. You'll find reusable or disposable mats made of plastic — these are handy because they don't slip. Disposable placemats (essentially heavy-duty paper towels) also do the trick, but they don't stay put as well as the plastic ones.
Mini-food dicer. Tired of cutting your baby's food into bite-size pieces? A food dicer does the job quickly for you and is small enough to fit in your diaper bag. Just drop the fruits, vegetables, meat, or poultry that you want to feed your baby into the dicer, press a few times, and the meal is ready to serve, safely.
Knowing the safety rules of baby food. If you're offering food from a jar or container, don't dip the spoon back into the food after it's touched your child's mouth unless you're sure he'll eat it all (or you don't want to save what's left). The spoon will contaminate the remaining food with bacteria. Instead, use a clean spoon to scoop a small amount of food into a bowl and serve from there. Once a jar of commercial baby food has been opened, it will keep — refrigerated — for 24 to 48 hours (read the jar's label for specifics: Fruits keep longer than meats). If you don't have access to a refrigerator, sandwich any leftovers in ice packs in an insulated cooler. When in doubt, throw it out. It's better not to risk serving contaminated food.
Clip-on seat or self-inflating booster. Helpful whether you're dining in a restaurant or at a friend's house, these seats attach to virtually any table, or even a picnic bench. A self-inflating booster is compact enough to fit in most diaper bags or backpacks.
Disposable snack cups. Fill a couple of plastic cups with fitted tops with snacks appropriate for your child's age: rice cereal for an infant (add breast milk, formula, or water when you're ready to feed), toasted O's cereal, teething biscuits, goldfish crackers, mandarin oranges, peeled and sliced grapes. These containers keep food from spilling or getting crushed — and they make great serving bowls for jarred food, too.
Disposable spoons. Infant- and toddler-sized disposable spoons are useful for mixing cereal and for feeding your baby. And you don't have to worry about cleaning them to take home.
Mini-insulated tote bag. A small cooler bag with ice packs keeps formula, juice, yogurt, cheese, and other perishable foods fresh until you need them. If your baby is still eating just a few foods, it will make your life easier if you keep them on hand and then "supplement" with appropriate foods available wherever you happen to be eating.
Portable mini-fridge. For longer outings such as road trips, a portable refrigerator with a car adapter (which can also be plugged into a standard electric outlet) keeps jars of opened baby food, snacks, breast milk, and prepared formula cool.
Tip: Even when you're at home, offer jarred baby food at room temperature rather than heating it. That way, when you're out (where warming it up would be inconvenient), your baby will enjoy it just as it is.
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