I can not speak personally of being pregnant at market for obvious reasons but my sister went through it. Twice. She's pretty tough and worked right up to the end (somewhere we have a great picture of her pitching mellons with a tummy that looked like she swallowed one). Both kids have been at the markets from just about the time they were born but we have several sets of hands to help out. She has a small portable pen that she used as well as sometimes working with one hand. As many of the people watched her progression to have the baby at the market was a natural progression. They were most curious and understanding of the needs of the baby while she was working. I know that she always came prepared with everything needed for the little ones which helped out. Not sure how helpful all that is but it happens more than you would think.

Tom

Both of my DIL were at market for all of the market babies (one of the grandsons was a Jan baby, so not him). Our customers were quite helpful most of the time and very understanding to say the least.

Advice from nana, get a folding barstool to sit/lean against. Afterwards, those port-a-cribs are great. If you can have one specifically for market. Same with diaper-bag. Your coolers are great, not only for produce. Take some baby wipes and put in one of them.

Our port-a-crib traveled with us to each market, whether a market baby came with or not. One year, there was 4 babies (2 ours) within 4 spaces, and that little playpen was used for all of them. From playing to sleeping, it got really was used.

Back to your question, YES take baby. Get him used to market, but have someone available just to hold him when he needs it (we even had special customers that would do that for short times). The baby holders make things so much easier.

Marla

the people who sell next to me have brought their nursing baby to the market. looks like it would be pretty tough solo but easy enough for 2 to look after the baby and the customers.

I can't even imagine being 8 mos pg in the summer heat, much less market gardening or selling at market. Both my kids were born Thanksgiving week.

If you can, I'd get help at market to wait on customers while you're busy with baby (also to set up/tear down, but it's always easier with 2). Pack N Play with the changing table/bassinet top is great, make sure you have plenty of plastic bags for dirty diapers (bread bags work well) and even if you're not giving samples, an insulated container with warm water, soap, and paper towels to wash your hands afterwards. I don't know what your health dept would say about changing diapers and handling food, even if it's just to put it in a bag for buyer. That's the only problem I can see with taking baby, but if you have someone to handle the food and you just handle money, there should be no problem at all.

Kathy's girl was an early September baby so she did the heat. Rather makes me glad not to be a woman. Ditto that Ajsmama says about diapers and sanitation - I think she did that duty at the back of the stand and away from where people could see and of course washed up well afterward. I could not find any pics of the kids at market but did find one of my neice going to the orchard for picking duty (maybe 2 or 3 at the time). Guess it's a novel use for a picking bag.

Tom

How many lbs does the picking bag hold? Good-sized kid (my 8.5 yr old is just 50" and 50lb).

I only mentioned the handwashing station since I don't know if health dept would OK wipes or gel - should have no problem with warm water (ours requires a spigot you can leave on, not have to hold in), soap and paper towels.

Good luck, and post pix of the little guy when you do bring him to market!

Thanks for all the comments guys. Makes me feel like it'll be doable.

That picture of Kathy's daughter in the picking bag is adorable!

I would say I am tough-ish so I imagine I can do it. We got a playpen given to us that I didn't think I would use - well now I know where I will use it! Great idea.

Our market is on the grounds of our city hall and there is a handicapped bathroom with a change table so I can change his diaper there and wash my hands properly. We are doing cloth diapers but I may buy some disposables for market days so I can chuck 'em.

Our market manager wants me to time the birth to happen during market day for good publicity! Ha - ha!

Good on the bathroom, no way they'd be able to say anything. What are Canada's laws on bfing in public? Of course if you use a sling it's pretty discrete. Not so much if you're just sitting with a blanket thrown over your shoulder (DS would always throw it off - didn't like it over his head). The fabric folding chairs are tough to bf in (and I'm sure you've noticed by now they're hard to get out of). If you can get a regular chair from city hall, or have room to bring one of your own, that helps. Next year when he's bigger one with arms to rest your arm supporting his head will be useful. Of course maybe you're stronger than I am - I always got tired supporting their heads (or carrying them in the carrier/carseat) once they got to about 18 lbs.

I'd skip market the week you're due. I could have sworn I was going to go into labor at DS's bday party (at Chuck E Cheese - don't know if you have them), my mom came along in 2nd car JIK. Barely managed to walk out under my own power after sitting too long. Restaurant manager was kind of nervous too. DD came along about 6 hours later.

I am pretty sure you can BF anywhere in public legally. You don't see it all that often though.

Luckily, just around the corner from the handicapped bathroom are some lovely couches that I can sit in for BF purposes - this bathroom is on the second floor and I don't think many people even know it is there - there is a two-stall one for each sex on the main floor (and an elevator to get up to the second floor - in case anyone wondered). I wouldn't be comfortable feeding him in the stall.

Yeah, I am definitely not going the weekend before he is due.

I am hoping to wear him as much as possible (and my husband too). We have a wrap for when he very little and my Mum is making us a mei tai for when he is big enough to wear on the back. WRT to feeding that should only be an issue this season - my husband really wants to take part in feeding so after 3 months or so I will pump some to keep in bottles so that my husband can participate. We can use that during market next year.

I am having problems with the "5" key, that should be 65 hours later not 6!

I wouldn't feed in a stall either - though I have used dressing rooms in dept stores. Just disgusting - I did have people suggest it and I just asked them if they would eat *their* dinner sitting on a toilet! That shut them up. Nice that you have a comfy couch to sit in - a stool for your feet and you're all set ;-) DS may have other ideas next year - DS took to bottle easily (and came to prefer his milk cold) but DD always wanted Mama. I had to quit my job when she was a year old, after taking much time off that first year. She just wouldn't eat or sleep at daycare (though she would take a couple ounces from a cup from DH or my mom, and sleep for my mom if she held her). Though she's still having issues with eating (dinner at least), which is why she's so small, and gave up naps completely at 1 year, unless we were driving. So maybe I should have kept my 32 hr/wk job and not gotten into farming LOL.

What's a mei tai? Some sort of back carrier I take it?

I meant my market stall - not a bathroom stall. :)

A mei tai is an Asian type of carrier. Basically a square with two shoulder straps and two waist straps. You can use them for carrying a baby on your front or on your back. My Mum is making ours with a big pocket on the front. Maybe I can use it as a cash pocket...

How old is your daughter?

She's 8.5 and the same size as her 6.5 yr old cousin. Hand-me downs have to skip to the 5.5 yr old now (who will *only* wear dresses, so then I look to extended family and Goodwill). Maybe they'll start coming in the other direction!

Sorry, it's late and you were talking about the couches around the corner from the bathroom, I just assumed - and you know what they say about that. Though if you're busy and he wants to nurse, I wouldn't hesitate to bf in your market stall if you're wearing a sling and have a comfortable place to sit (even a cooler). I see a lot of moms bfing in public here now - lots more than 13 yrs ago (DS is 13.5).

woman openly nurse their babies at our market. vendors and customers alike.

If you take that week before off, your customers will assume that you have had the baby. All of our market babies (4), moms were at market the previous market day and within 1 week of birth. Of course, they weren't handling the booth alone (we always had a minimum of 2). We have found that babies bring more customers to the stay. After they get older, they will be able to run a stand. At this time, any one of the grandkids can wait on customers and have before they are 3 yrs old. We start teaching customer service at that age or when they are both walking and talking. Making change starts at 5, replenishing the less fragile things at about 3-4. It's just a big family thing.

BTW, I have the granddaughter transplanting basil at age of either 2 1/2 or 3, can't remember exactly. She's my 'head transplanter' now at 5(so she says).

Marla

Is this your first baby? How were your mother's labors? My mom said hers were fast but didn't give me specifics.

DS was born 4 hours after we got to hospital, so about 7 hrs after I started feeling fatigued at grocery store (buying turkey). When I was pg with DD, nausea woke me up around 5am, I was eating cereal when noticed 3 contrax 5 min apart so woke up DH, tried to wake DS, called neighbor and Mom and headed out, DD was born 2 hours later at 8am (5 min after my water broke) and they told me the next one I'd better spend the last month camped out in a hotel just around the block, I swore there would not be a next one.

So I wouldn't dare go to market (definitely not alone) the week I was due - DS was a week early and DD was 4 days early. Though if your market is at city hall, maybe you're closer to a hospital there than at home? Sorry if TMI.

ajsmama - Yes, this is my first baby. The market is only 2 km from our house so it's only marginally closer to the hospital. Unless he comes a week early I won't be there when I start labour. My Mum said she was about 12 hours for each of us (I am one of 4) and Rich's Mum I think was around that or less for her 2 children.

I know I won't be going back to the market for at least 4 weeks since my husband is adamant I do nothing for two weeks and also wants a month off from going to market! :) I am the gardener, he helps with heavy work and on market day.

Marla,

My poor Theo is defo going to be a market gardener from a young age - that, and apparently according to his Dad, an NHL player (or speed skater).

Plenty of time then! So you're due about 6 days after the last market day you plan on? Can DH help at that one (you don't want to be doing any heavy lifting)?

You don't say how far away the hospital is but I assume it's not much farther than city hall, so that's close too. Even if I was only 40km (? don't remember) or so from hospital it took a while to get there (2 kids different hospitals), 45 min or so, and that was a lot for me with 3-hr labor. In fact, when I got to hospital with DD, birthing center wasn't open yet, ER said I wasn't in labor and I insisted I wasn't going back home, so they monitored me for about an hour and when I was "reactive" the midwife was in so she escorted me down. I opened the birthing center that day, she basically had enough time to turn on the lights, get scrubbed up and that was it. No time for my special music, almond oil massage, etc. - I don't think DH even had the camera turned on (not that I wanted pix til afterwards LOL). Glad I didn't give birth in the ER!

Yes, we live very close to downtown, the FM is right downtown, and the hospital is at the north end of the city. It's all close.

I am due the 15th of August and our last market will be the long weekend (Civic Holiday) which is the 3 or 4th, I think? I am going to spend all of early August seeding our greens for fall and making sure everything is well weeded since it will be neglected for a while.

Rich carries the tables and canopy whenever we go to market. The canopy is awkward to set up even when not pregnant.

I am glad you didn't give birth in the ER too! :)

Our farmers market was closer to the hospital, so going to market just made it closer, just in case. My youngest DIL actually dropped the oldest grandson off at market on her way to the hospital. He didn't know anything except he got to 'do' market with Nana and Papa. He had more fun at market anyway.

Just make sure that the market will let you leave, if that time comes early. I doubt if it would be a problem, but there are always that one MM that is a PIA.

Marla

How can the MM *not* let you leave in a medical emergency? Though you might have to go by ambulance and leave DH there til end of market...

Marla - I hope your son was driving and DIL wasn't driving herself to hospital LOL.

Our DS was surprised when he finally woke up (I couldn't get him to rouse, was going to take him with us) and found the neighbor in the kitchen. We were living 100 miles from my parents so by the time my mom got there, I'd already had DD! She brought DS in to the hospital to see us, he wasn't interested, but when we came home a few hours later (I only spent 6 hrs there in birthing center, didn't want to be admitted and have DD go to nursery while I shared a room in maternity ward, 2 days before Tgiving) he read DD a book.

We have a very nice MM who would not trouble us to leave early - not that if she did it would make any difference - if we need to go, we need to go.

We had a PIA MM. We also had rules that stated that nobody could leave early, plus it was hard to have 1 vehicle try to leave after other vendors had their canopies up, blocking the roadway.

No that DIL had both induced, the other one liked to have hers late at night.

I'm glad to see so many support you in your new adventure. It will be worthwhile, my grandkids have several other 'grandparents and aunts/uncle' due to being market babies. Even after 8 years, customers remember them as newborns and before.

PS, a good scale is a really good way to keep track of baby's weight. We weighed several babies over the years, just laid a tomato box lid on scale and then laid baby in lid. The scale would weigh up to 30#.

Some of our customers' babies are now teenagers, it's been fun watching them grow up.

Marla

That's funny about the scale, Marla! Cute mental picture.

The Indian food stall people bring their daughter with them, she is about 8 or so.

We are not allowed to leave market early under normal circumstances either unless we sell out.

Maybe for the next few weeks, you can arrange to set closer to the exit, just in case. I'm sure everyone will understand.

It's amazing how many kids that were weighed on that scale, and how big they have gotten since.

Marla