How to go grocery shopping with infant twins

Take a deep breath. . .Relax- You can do your errands, including grocery shopping, with your young twins in tow. I know from MANY trial and error experiences. This step by step guide will provide you with a plan to ease the stress of these necessary outings. Print it out and post on your fridge!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Bottles with Formula or Breast Milk
• Diapers/Wipes
• Blankie/Pacifier
• Extra Large Purse or Small Diaper Bag
• Errand List

1. Set an errand day. This of course will not always be possible (what, only 4 diapers left?), so keep a running list posted on your fridge of items that you need from the store. This will help you to get those things that you need but may have forgotten in the panic of knowing you are on your last diaper, formula batch, etc. Also, try to set a goal of what time frame you plan to do your errands on the set day. Ours was always in the morning after feeding time.
2. Pack your "Errand Bag." Mine was always a small diaper bag that doubled as my purse. Keep your carry-ons and contents as simple as possible. Even if my little bundles had just eaten, I ALWAYS packed an extra bottle for each baby, just in case. Other necessary items to pack include two diapers a piece (depending on how long you are planning to be out), wipes, disposable changing pads, infant snacks if they are old enough, and a binkie or blankie is necessary. Do not forget items that you will need: your wallet with checks, cash, etc, keys, a bottled water, and your LIST.
3. Dress the children, and yourself. Although there were many days we all appeared as if we had just gotten out of bed, me in my sweats and the boys in their jammies, I always felt better prepared if we were in "public clothing." Do one last scan of your prep work- Everything Ready?
4. Pack your carry-on bag to your vehicle. Pack your children in their infant seats. Buckle them in one at a time. This all depends on the weather, what type of infant seat you have, and your living situation. We had the car seats that you could pack with you. I would get both of them buckled in their seats, and then load them individually in our van.
5. Head to your first destination. Park close to the shopping cart areas of the parking lot. If you get lucky enough to park right next to one, you can unload one baby at a time. If not, you'll need to get them both out at once. I did this by unbuckling the infant carrier from the van of the baby closest to the shopping carts and lifting the handle for carrying. Then go to the other side and unbuckle baby 2's carrier, taking this child with you to retrieve baby 1. Place the first child in the basket, and the second child in the seat area, being careful that your infant seat snaps into place.
6. Follow your list through the store quickly and with as much precision as possible. If you have too many items to fit in your cart with the children, push the babies with your good steering arm, and pull a cart with your other behind you. I found it easier to pull from the basket end rather that the child seat end. This may take some practice and some sore shins, but you will catch on quickly!

Tips & Warnings

• Do not panic or stress. Believe me, your babies will pick up on this. It is not fun.
• Make it an enjoyable time, and talk to your babies as you gather your items.
• If one baby gets hungry or fussy and is comforted by a bottle, but cannot hold it himself, it is much easier to have this child in the seat area closest to you.
• If both babies are in need of a bottle, simple park in an area as much out of the way as possible and give them both a little sip or two.
• Whenever possible, arrange for another adult helper on shopping days.
• For the what seems like millions of people that flock to you with endless questions about your babies and you: Be polite, but do not feel bad about continuing on your shopping excursion without stopping for coffee talk. I found I could easily add an extra hour if I stopped to talk to every interested and naturally curious person, and this added a lot of stress to me. Simply smile and say something along the lines of you must get going so you can get home before their next feeding. I, at times regretted the biblical names I had given to my children, although this kept me "nice" towards the 15th person that asked me if my children were "natural".