When I became pregnant of course the eating continued, and my appetite as well, but I slowly went from being this social butterfly to wanting to just come home after work and taking a nice long nap. When the baby came life as I once knew changed forever. What once took a few minutes to do quickly turned into an hour. I went from being super punctual to being late for almost everything! It took awhile for my body and mind to adjust to my new addition.
Fast forward 10 months and life is far from simple, but I've definitely gotten adjusted to motherhood. The nervousness from going out into the world with my precious baby has expired, and my life is about as "normal" as it were before. I've even (or so I think) mastered the skill of dining out with my bambino.
Yes there is a method to it if you care to have a civilized, calm, enjoyable dinner night out. After much trial and error I'm comfortable enough to even go out by myself to the most fanciest restaurant, but...I had to get to that point and it's actually quite simple. Here's how I did it:
1. The number one rule to remember when first introducing the LO to restaurant outings is to choose your establishment wisely. Taking your newborn to Ruth Chris's, and not really sure how they will behave may not be the best choice. Be respectful of others and take in consideration that not everyone wants to hear your baby cry throughout their entire meal.
2. Choose places that are more "kid friendly" or what I like to call loud. The noisier the better in situations when you have an unhappy baby. Also loud restaurants are less likely to give you that look when for some reason your baby ( need a DARE say) cries! OH my!!! But yes, fortunately the noise will mask the cries and let you as the parent remain calm and focus more on your baby rather than what other people are thinking.
3. Bring LOTS of food. Especially if your LO isn't eating table food. If you think you're bringing too much, then thats the perfect amount. I learned that having a variety of different things helped also. Besides milk, having fruit or pureed veggies made it so the baby never got bored sitting at the table. Remember even though their tiny, babies are super smart, and if they see that you're eating thats exactly what they will want.
4. Always ask for the ticket way before you finish your meal. You never know when your LO has had enough of dinner time and lets you know they are ready to GO! Having the ticket lets you pay and make a swift exit whenever without having to wait on your waiter.
5. Last but not least pack toys! Because your LO is obviously not old enough to sit and color make sure they have plenty of options. Also be sure you have wipes to sanitize them after they drop them a million times. Have fun, and engage in conversation with your baby. These are some of the greatest moments!
Happy dining! :)
