Strawberry picking w/ baby in Ergo?

[jenniet]

My very attached ds is ebf and will not take a bottle. (Believe me, we've tried!) I've have had plans for a long time to take my older ds (2.5 years) strawberry picking tomorrow and because my younger son (5 months old tomorrow) won't take a bottle, he now has to come with us. I've been carrying him in the Ergo for over a month now in the front carry position but have never tried the back carry. Can I use the back carry position even though he is only five months old? Do you think I'll be able to pick strawberries with him on my back? Any all and suggestions welcome. Thanks!

[MommaShark]

As long as you bend at the knees! He'll have trouble breathing and it'll be bad for your back if you just bend at the waist.

[starling&diesel]

I just put DD in a back carry for the first time today ... she's 4 months. She did great! As for picking, I saw a mama doing that with a back carry last year, with the Ergo. Looked like a piece of cake! Good luck!

[Carhootel]

I put my DS in a back carry (for the first time) to go strawberry picking. His legs were froggied and my dh helped us get into it. I was careful to bend at the knees and it went fine BUT my legs hurt so bad for 2 days afterwards. It was strange....

[miche28]

I went strawberry picking when DS was 4-5 months and just had him on my front in the Hotsling, in kangaroo hold. I bent at the knees and found it worked out fine. That said, my then-3 year old also wasn't up for long hours picking either, but mmmmm..mmmm we made a couple jars of jam anyway.

[jenniet]

Thanks mamas! Ds did great in the Ergo but I only lasted 20 min. before my legs started shaking from squatting and standing while moving along the rows. Luckily my dh was came with us and helped entertain the kids so I could get a little more picking done. I have so much appreciation for people who pick strawberries for a living. It's hard work.

[Biscuits & Gravy]

I have picked strawberries quite a few times this year with DS on my front in the ergo, while he was nursing too. My knees and thighs got good exercise.

[Quirky]

I planted onions last spring with dd in the Ergo in a front carry....yikes, it was hard!

I think strawberries and other low-growing fruit/low-planting work are tough whether you've got your baby on your front or your back. Much easier to pick highbush blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples, etc. .....

And you're right it does bring a new appreciation for how hard farmworkers work (for really horrible money, too. )