Well, with a bit of clever planning and advance knowledge it doesn’t have to be.  Making your baby an integral part of the pleasure of eating good food together can help with weaning and, later, with broadening their tastes and minimising fussy eating.

Through, occasionally painful, experience we’ve become old hands at eating out with our three year old. Along the way we’ve eaten in some good, bad and, frankly, plain ugly places.  Knowing that a restaurant has highchairs, a place to change the baby and is happy to warm a bottle or pot of mush makes an enormous difference.   The mums I know shared tips on great places to eat like precious secrets. I started my blog, Baby Dines Out, to share reviews of the places we went to in an effort to help others discover the good whilst avoiding the bad.

Don’t think you have to plump for the so-called ‘family friendly’ places once you’ve got a baby. Poor food, deafening noise levels and off-hand service do not a pleasant family meal make. There are reasonably priced places that are great with kids and adults alike (Carluccio’s, Pizza Express and Canteen spring to mind).   Equally, don’t assume that high-end restaurants are off limits: we had a fabulous Sunday lunch at the Dean Street Townhouse recently.

Knowing in advance that a restaurant will take the arrival of a baby in their stride and still provide great food and a fantastic dining experience is invaluable. Once you have cracked that there are a few golden rules I’ve picked up which will guarantee you all have a lovely time:

1. Timing: As with many things in life, timing is everything. Eat out at lunchtimes - save dinners for adult nights out until the kids are a bit older. Arrive in good time, allowing for waiting time - don’t leave it till your baby or toddler is about to have a hunger meltdown.

2. Be prepared: changing kit; feeding kit (whatever is appropriate for your baby/toddler - milk, mush, finger food); bring their own cup, cutlery to make it easier for them to eat; teething rings, toys, books - whatever you know will distract and amuse them.

3. Be considerate of other diners: babies and toddlers make noise. If the baby is screaming, pop out side with them for a moment while you soothe them, then go back when they’ve settled again. Being prepared with things to amuse a toddler will help prevent shouting and banging.

4. Be considerate of the staff: babies and toddlers are messy eaters. Move glasses and other particularly breakable tableware beyond reach; transfer juice to a non-spill cup; when you have finished, put the leftovers back on a plate rather than leave them all over the table and wipe down mucky hands so they don’t wipe them on the walls, or horror, on other diners, on the way out...

5. Include them: accept that you won’t be able to have an uninterrupted conversation and that the baby or toddler will require your attention. Talking to babies and children and involving them in choosing and ordering food will keep them, the staff and, sometimes, other diners amused.

And the golden rule?

6. Be confident: as a paying customer you have as much right to be in the restaurant with your baby as any of the other diners. Expect and demand the same quality and service as you did before you had a baby.