when do you stop babywearing?

[luckygreen713]

I'm just wondering at what age other mamas have stopped wearing their dc's. My dd2 is 16 months old. She only falls asleep for naps on my back in the ergo. When we go shopping I wear her on my front in the ergo. Sometimes she brings me the ergo and says "up." She is still very happy to be worn and I'm in no hurry to stop. I'm just wondering at what point she may no longer want to be in the ergo. My dd1, who is now 3yo, stopped when she was 13 months old, but only because I was pregnant. I had rough 1st and 2nd trimesters in which I layed down most of the time and when I was up I was vomitting. So I didn't wear dd1 at all past the age of 13 months and she didn't seem to mind at all. She currently has no interest in being worn by me or dh. But I think if I abruptly stopped wearing dd2 any time soon she'd be heartbroken. How old are your kids that you're still wearing? Or how old were they when you stopped?

[Drummer's Wife]

My youngest is 2 (27 months) and about 33 lbs. I still wear him on my back -- mostly in the Ergo but occasionally w/my Beco and Toddlerhawk. I think as long as both mom and child are willing (and comfortable) then there is no reason to give it up. It's a nice tool, definitely My LO loves to walk and run around, of course, but he still loves to be worn. He'll bring me a carrier and say, "baby carrier, mama" and giggles when I put him in it. I think he feels at ease and safe on outings, too, because he's on my back. So, we aren't giving it up just yet. I would guess he'll be closer to 3. I can still wear my 4 yo for short periods of time if needed.

[hollytheteacher]

My ds is 22 months and still LOVES to be worn. He'll run over and get the Ergo and say "ergo back ergo back mama?"

Or when i say we're going on a walk do you want stroller or ergo? He usually chooses ergo. I also find it easier to wear him in the ergo while shopping because he doesnt' like to sit in the cart.

[MoonStarFalling]

I carried ds until he was about 35 pounds at which point it wasn't comfy anymore. I might carry dd longer since I have better carriers now. She might be 3-4 then.

[alegna]

I wore dd a lot until around 2.5 or 3 when I was pregnant.

-Angela

[omelette]

I wore my son until he was too heavy for me too wear, which for me was when he was about 30lb.

[bu's mama]

I wore dd until she was a bit over 3. By then it was mostly at a day trip - zoo, etc. when she got tired, in a hip carry. She was a little heavy, but I mostly stopped because she is tall & her legs were just too long!

[PiePie]

still wearing dd at 22 mos. and 24 lbs., but she prefers to walk most of the time. became more vocal about the preference at 19-20 mos.

[pixiepunk]

i stopped wearing DD1 on a daily basis when she was about 2 yo. but still wore her occasionally until she was about 3, and DH wore her on rare occasion (like she'd get tired and need to be worn the last leg of a family hike) until she was 4 or 4.5. DS was a little younger when i stopped wearing him everyday, like maybe 20 months. but i continued to wear him on long walks/hikes through the first trimester of my pregnancy, so till he was just shy of 2.5, and DH would occasionally wear him (but really rarely, like maybe 3 times) between then and when he turned 3. by that time he just really wanted to be down and walking like his big sis.

but both will occasionally even now as me to wear them for a few minutes while i'm cooking dinner or something if the baby is playing happily. they think it's so funny but that only lasts for about 2 minutes because it kills my back carrying 45 lbs of kid for longer than that!

[almadianna]

Kate is almost 3 and we still wear her but less often... I would say that when the child no longer needs it/asks for it and when you can no longer do it.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Baby wearing is definitely winding down for my 27 month old. I still keep my Patapum in the car, but he usually holds my hand or rides in a cart when we go out. If he is sleepy, I will put him in the Ergo, or if we are going somewhere that it is crucial that he not touch anything. I end up wearing him maybe two or three times a month these days.

[staceychev]

I stopped wearing my daughter last summer/fall when she was a bit over three. Believe it or not, I actually wore her on my back in my mei tai (babyhawk) for a 45 minute walk through our local nature preserve last week. It wasn't easy, definitely, but it was kind of nice... a sort of last hurrah, I guess. (FWIW, she'll be four in 2 weeks, and weighs about 31 lbs.)

[KellyandKatie]

my oldest is almost six- when we go for long hikes or long museum trips, she still asks for a ride, and we still wear her
my three year old is worn very often- babywearing is great for toddlers and preschoolers- time in parenting is wonderful
and my nine month old is always worn of corse

[triscuitsmom]

Agreeing with everyone else. It's much like breastfeeding to me... when they are ready to be done, or when you are, then it comes to a natural end (and circumstances sometimes make that sooner then we would like/plan for).

DS1 almost 3 and still worn daily. I wore him all through my pregnancy, although not as frequently as DP did (he wore him daily and I wore him when I needed to). Now DS2 is here and 5 months old and he is worn most of the time every day. DS1 shows no signs of being done yet so it appears we'll be wearing two for a while yet

[Talula Fairie]

My kids didn't like it anymore that much after they were walking. I would have been happy to wear them longer, but they wanted to be off and running around. They'd get bored of the sling after a half hour tops.

[LeslieB]

My DS is 3 and still likes to be worn in the Ergo or Beco on my back. He's 32 lbs. He will still ride in our backpack carrier for long hikes, too. He does walk a lot, but I do end up carrying him almost everyday still.