Carriers for 2nd baby - best for chasing after a toddler

[LunaMoth]

Hi there! I just learned that I'm pregnant with #2 and have some babywearing questions for you wise mamas... With DS we used the Maya Wrap, the Ergo, and the Moby. We loved them all and they worked great for different times and places. I'm envisioning carrying this next baby much of the time as I play with DS. My question for you is whether the carriers I have now will work well for this or whether there are others that might be better? Of course, I realize that the ones I have would probably be fine, but wanted to know if others have been helped tremendously by another carrier while running after a toddler. Thanks for any thoughts you have!

[baturay]

Congrats on the pregnancy!

I used my Moby most during the first few weeks, then I moved on to mei tais and woven wraps. I think you are good with your Moby and Maya Wrap at least for the first few weeks. Ergo for later...and then maybe a woven wrap if you love your Moby and wrapping.

[pixiepunk]

i loved carrying my newborns in a high back carry with a Kozy or other mei tai. it's really helpful to get comfy doing a back carry when baby is really small so you really have your hands free to deal with your older child. this was especially helpful at places like the playground when DD1 was stuck on some piece of equipment and i had to help her down, putting her in and out of the grocery cart at the store, getting her buckled into her carseat, carrying her in the house when she'd fallen asleep... it came in very handy. and even more so when #3 came around and i had two bigger ones to chase!

other than that you look pretty set - i love a ring sling with a newborn, and the Moby will be handy for the early days when baby needs to nurse constantly and pees and poos even more constantly and there's lots of popping in and out of a carrier. i particularly loved to put on a stretchy wrap without a shirt in those early babymooning days. and of course the ergo will be great as the baby gets bigger.

congrats!

[MaryLang]

pixiepunk- I don't mean to steal OP's thread. But can you give some tips on carrying a newborn high back in a MT. I've been trying it in a FH, and since there's not a lot of fabric and no headrest, with a baby that still needs to be froggied, it's pretty rough.

[LunaMoth]

Yes, I am also very curious how this high back carry works. I've seen photos, but how do you get the baby up there safely? Is there a step-by-step process that makes this a very safe and easy way to carry a newborn? Or, is this only for the highly coordinated (this wouldn't include me)? Thanks for your thoughts!

[baturay]

Mary, the FH is a great MT, but it's also a hard one to do high back carry (or back carry in general) with a baby that has no head control as it has no head rest at all. That may be a good one for front carries right now until your baby has head control.

To get a good high back carry (with either a mei tai or wrap), I both the shoulder and the waist straps up high right below my breasts. Here's me and my son when he was about 2 weeks old.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...y/100_2535.jpg

[pixiepunk]

it is harder with a FH, though a FH was actually the only MT i had when DS was born and i did manage it. it's a lot easier with a Kozy though. have you seen the pictorial instructions on the Kozy website? http://kozycarrier.homestead.com/ins...tml#anchor_316

with a FH i might suggest putting the carrier on around your waist and gently lowering the baby over your shoulder - there's not as much fabric to a FH which makes it harder to get the legs froggied and keep them inside the carrier prior to putting baby on your back.

doing it on the bed or couch, and having someone there just to 'spot' you (but not help you) is the best way to learn. being in front of a mirror is also good, that way you can see what you're doing behind you, IYKWIM. really it's just a matter of practice. and best to try when baby is happy - full bellied, dry, etc. to minimize fussing. and in some ways it's easier to learn a back carry with a little one then with a bigger one - they don't wiggle as much! and once they get used to the routine, they usually hold still for it, since they anticipate that something good is coming

[LunaMoth]

Thanks so much, Pixiepunk! This sounds like invaluable advice! I think I'll try this high back carry early on and work on getting over my fears, since it sounds like a real help when chasing after a toddler.