Once you’ve experienced the horror of going out with children who cannot keep quiet for whatever reason, you gain an entirely new and joyous appreciation for shopping by yourself, even if it’s just a quick trip the pharmacy or a pointless jaunt to Target. One mom stated, “Going to the grocery store solo is like walking into a happening bar only without (necessarily) being hit on.” While some see solo outings as opportunities to socialize, other moms see it simply as a welcome break. Mother Kim Bongiorno has said it makes her life less difficult, because “[i]t’s easier to buy the cookies I hide from the kids when they aren’t with me,” among other survival techniques.

Shopping by themselves often becomes the one shining moment in a new mom’s life, at least for the first few months to a year after their baby is born. It is the one time they get to relax and be themselves, however briefly.