Anyone mow while carrying baby?

[roses25]

I'm curious if anyone mows their lawn while carrying their baby in a sling. I have a 2 week old who loves to be carried, and I'm sure he'd love to be carried while I mow rather than sitting in the swing or bouncy seat. However, I'm wondering if others do it and if they think the mower is too loud for the baby.

Carolyn

[lavieenrose]

I mowed the lawn with my daughter in the mei tai when she was about a year old. It went fine, even though the neighbors thought I was crazy! I guess you could see if baby is bothered by the noise - odds are he won't be.

[MommaShark]

http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/noise.htm

according to these folks a lawnmower is damaging to the ears.....

"Hazardous Noise
Sounds louder than 80 decibels are considered potentially dangerous. Both the amount of noise and the length of time of exposure determine the amount of damage. Hair cells of the inner ear and the hearing nerve can be damaged by an intense brief impulse, like an explosion, or by continuous and/or repeated exposure to noise.

Examples of noise levels considered dangerous by experts are a lawnmower, a rock concert, firearms, firecrackers, headset listening systems, motorcycles, tractors, household appliances (garbage disposals, blenders, food processors/choppers, etc.) and noisy toys. All can deliver sound over 90 decibels and some up to 140 decibels.

Read more information on noisy toys."

[Martha_2sons]

We have an electric mower which is both quiet and non-polluting so I have carried my son while mowing since he was a newborn, first in a ring sling and later in a mei tai on my back.

[lifeguard]

I so want to do this but with a gas mower it really is much too loud.

[Googy]

I do out of sheer necessity, but have little earplugs for DD, who rides on my back in a Pikkolo.

[NullSet]

I have an electric mower and do this all the time. He usually sleeps through the whole thing. I'm not sure you could do it with gas powered though.

[turtlewomyn]

Besides the noise factor, I would be concerned about debris (sticks and such) being tossed up by the mower blades and hitting the baby.

[amandaleigh37]

I used to mow all the time with DS on my back. I wouldn't do it with him on the front because of possible debris shooting up, but he always enjoyed being on my back. I don't think I would with a newborn because of the noise, he was older at the time.

[Kathryn]

I would never do it with an electric one, but a push one. The danger with electrics is just too much.

[almadianna]

No no no.... one of the main parts of babywearing is making sure that the baby is safe. There are a few things that you do not do while babywearing and mowing the grass is one of them. Flying debris can be harmful as well as the noise factor. The grass can stay tall.

[MommaShark]

My DH won't even let DS out in the yard while mowing - those sticks and rocks can get shot out pretty quick!

[Down2Earth]

I mowed just yesterday with DD on my back. BUT... I have a reel push mower. So it is silent, has no smell, and it goes only as fast as I walk. There is no flying debris because it is too high to pick up rocks and sticks aren't thrown they get caught in the blades so I have to stop to remove them. I love my mower! And DD was so funny looking over my shoulder so she could see what I was doing.

[hrsmom]

I have a few times. I put earmuffs on her, and wear her on my back. I wouldn't do it with a baby on the front, unless it was the non-motorized kind.

[hedgehogs4]

I mow my lawn with my 11 month old on my back, but I have a manual rotary lawnmower. less chance of flying debris/hearing damage.

[JamieCatheryn]

I can't let the grass get tall, the last thing I need is a CPS investigation, around here people call if your yard looks bad and they know you have kids. Snuggled into a mei tei with thick layers of fabric my 2 week old did fine, slept while I mowed. Our mower has flaps to keep flying debris to a minimum, I've never been hit above the ankles with anything, besides no part of DS was sticking out of the carrier. Noise didn't bother my son, I think the carrier muffled it.

[adlib77]

I was thinking about this today (as I gazed upon my knee-high back yard). Dh hasn't been able to be home at a time when it wasn't raining and I don't mind mowing, so I was considering it. We have a non-motorized reel mower, too, so I'm thinking I'll give it a try!

[Everrgreen]

I've recently started mowing my lawn with DS on my back in a wrap. I have a reel mower though so no noise, smell, or flying debris.

[Marlet]

I have thought about it but haven't.

That said, OMG I want a reel mower! Dh and I were talking about this the other day and we weren't sure of the name (other than manual/push mower). I just googled and lordy! I'm in heaven and want one so bad now.

[Breeder]

I was like, "What's a reel mower?" I googled it and WE HAVE ONE.

I just always referred to it as a manual mower.

I would not be down with wearing the babe while mowing at all, even if safety is not a factor - oh the horrible sweatiness of it.