Anyone's lo NOT like being worn? Concerned?

[merebella]

I'm a new mama to a 9week old boy. I've tried a couple different times to introduce lo to the sling (mama cannot get a THING done!). He doesn't seem to like the snugness of it. I have a baby ktan and a moby. He seems upset by either one. We did have a little success with the ktan the other day, and he was okay for 10-20 minutes. He throws his head back and cries most of the time, though.

Is this concerning? (The head throwing/back arching is kind of a trend with him... I posted in Life with a babe about it.) Anyone have experience?

TIA.

[caro113]

I have tried several different slings and my LO cries in each one, which is odd to me but at the same time it's not. She hates having her legs confined at all, so I think that's part of it. I have a hipster thing that I put her in and she loves that one. I think it's because she has her legs free. Of course she can't eat at all in that thing, but it's all good. Honestly, she's too heavy for me to carry and feed so I'd rather just sit down anyway instead of walking around.

Am I concerned? No, not really. I don't mind holding her. And she sits up very well so when I'm sitting down somewhere I can just sit her next to me and she's usually fine. I've just come to the conclusion that she isn't a baby to be worn. Oh well. Doesn't bother me at all. I love holding her. Besides, when I stop to look at something, I can just sit her down and she's happy as a clam to sit and play with her hands lol

[AllyRae]

I'm not concerned that my 3 month old doesn't like any of our slings--she much prefers just being held with 2 arms. : She does have some reflux though so the squishiness is not comfortable for her. But I also just think she really enjoys making sure she has 100% of my attention and would rather be cuddled with both arms all the time than to be in the sling. I can't fault her for that one. :

[skueppers]

My older child wouldn't put up with having her head confined unless she was asleep. And neither of them would put up with being worn unless we were in fairly brisk motion or, if we were in slower motion, if there was a lot to see.

I usually left my older child's head out of the sling and used my arm to support it when she was a young baby. Then I'd slide it into the sling when she fell asleep.

I would suggest trying the sling/wrap on a brisk walk, to see if that makes any difference.

[_betsy_]

Try again when baby can face forward - my LO likes to sleep in the sling when she's tummy to tummy with me and I'm walking, but if we're around the house she really wants to see what I'm doing.

[limabean]

Originally Posted by skueppers

I would suggest trying the sling/wrap on a brisk walk, to see if that makes any difference.

I agree. At that age, my DD wouldn't tolerate being worn around the house, but she loved being worn on walks outside. Now that she's older she'll chill out in the sling if I'm doing something slow like browsing a farmer's market or working around the house, but as a tiny baby she wanted nothing except brisk, purposeful, forward motion.

[Mothera(TM)?Swan]

Yes. Some babies don't like being worn. Some babies like being worn until they start walking. Some babies will refuse to get out of the wrap until they are nearly four years old. They are all normal, but you won't be afterward.

Hang in there! clean houses and balanced meals are overrated. As is bathing, hair-combing, and dental hygiene.

[PeacefulSprout]

Originally Posted by _betsy_

Try again when baby can face forward - my LO likes to sleep in the sling when she's tummy to tummy with me and I'm walking, but if we're around the house she really wants to see what I'm doing.

Great advice!!! He might just want to see the world from a different vantage point! My LO always gets very drowsy facing me, so maybe your baby is resisting the urge to sleep more than resisting the sling

[baturay]

Are you trying the same position in all of the slings? He may just not like that position. My second son disliked being in cradle position, for example, but preferred upright, so that's the only position we did. Another thought...are you covering the head? Try uncovering it instead, as again, some babies do not like their heads covered while in a carrier. A good tip as well is to start out with him happy and fed and start moving right away when you are carrying him. And finally, something else that may work is to nurse in the sling.

[Baby Makes 4]

My DS loved to be worn! Loved it. Putting him down would result in screaming.

My 11 week old DD hates it.

We have a Moby Wrap, A ring sling, an Ergo, a Beco Butterfly II and 2 pouch slings and she hates them all. She also hates the car and hates to be swaddled but loves being left to lie on a blanket and look at her toys and people's faces for hours at a time. Kind of wish I didn't have hundreds of dollars of baby carriers lying around.

[MsHiss]

Mt DD hated the sling, but LOVES the Mei Tai! Good luck!

[princesstutu]

Some babies just don't like it. Perfectly normal. Maybe they'll like it when they're older, maybe they won't. Maybe they'll be okay with it forward-facing, maybe they won't.

Babywearing is a convenience for the mother. The baby doesn't have to agree with it if s/he doesn't want to.

[ErikaG]

My daughter hated being worn from about eight weeks until I put her forward facing in the mei tai (I think at about four months) or in the hip carry in the ring sling (when she could sit well without support at about six months.) So we put her in the stroller to go out when we needed to, or we carried her in our arms, and kept trying on occasion until she decided that she was okay being worn. She's not thrilled with it most of the time-she'd rather ride in the seat of the shopping cart than be worn, but she does okay. She actually prefers being worn by her Papa than by me, though.

[ochoco]

My second son (11 weeks old now) also hated the sling, the Moby, and the mei tai until I realized that he dislikes having his view obscured and likes to face out. He also hates having his legs tied up. If I get the sling on over him after he's fallen asleep nursing, he'll sleep in it for a couple of hours sometimes, but screams when he wakes and discovers where he is! The Moby facing out is perfect- he'll quietly observe the world and then peacefully drift off, though he won't stay asleep as long.

It's hard, though, especially with two children. Realistically, I can't hold my baby in two arms all day, because it means neglecting the needs of my first - that was something I could feel OK about for the first weeks, but it's just not fair for the longer term. This baby does love to sit in the bouncy and observe us (we're always within a couple of feet of him, cooking or playing or whatever). It is interesting just how different the personalities are, and how early they manifest themselves! There's always more to learn.

Good luck!

[AngeliqueW]

DS never liked being in a sling. He liked the Snugli frontpack though, so I did a lot of things with him that way.
Now that he's bigger, I wear him in an aluminum frame backpack to do dishes, vacuum, etc.
Good luck!