What works for active petite mamas at home?

[BohoMama]

Hi all, I'm in here to see if maybe babywearing might be for me after all. I have 3 children. The first one had no stroller for 6 months, until my back gave out. We lived in a tiny apartment in Prague, so the sling was for going out and about - it was ideal with public transportation, crowded stores, etc. At home, I nursed and held and cuddled him as much as humanly possible, and it was no problem to skip a meal or put something off while doing this because there was nobody else who needed me. Then the sweet little baby boy grew big and had long arms and grabby hands and I had to contain him in the stroller when we went shopping. And, as I mentioned, my back wasn't taking it anymore. But by then we lived in the country, and when we made an expedition somewhere, we took the stroller because we could put all the spare clothes, diapers, food and drinks, etc. in it. I think that my second child was just in my arms most of the time, and when I had to do something I put her down or into my husband's arms (if he was around). And sometimes she just screamed because I couldn't stop in the middle of cooking, or doing something else that just had to be done. I used a Hotsling when we were out and about, but once she got to that grabby stage, that was the end of it and she also went by stroller. I found myself unable to sling her at home. I am very petite and have short arms and couldn't find a way to wear her and not endanger her by the stove, or when working in the garden. Plus, whenever I bent over even a little, she seemed in danger of tipping over and out. So now I'm on Baby #3 and she also seems to want to be held every waking hour. Which in principle I wouldn't mind doing, but in practice, now that I've got a larger family to attend to, not to mention a home and garden and orchards, and dealing with complex renovations (lots and lots of cleanup involved) I am at my wits' end. Sure, I can go for half a day without eating, or just stuff a rice cake into my mouth, but I can't tell my children to do the same! When Quintana sleeps, naturally I am frantic to get stuff done. I'm now realizing that this is the age they make those hideous "activity centers" with the plastic and bells, whistles, and smiley sunshine faces for. And I can see why. But that's not the way I want to go.

Any advice? Can babywearing work for active, petite mamas who never stop moving, bending, lifting, cooking, clipping, etc?

BTW, Quintana is now 7 mos old, and just starting to get grabby. She does not yet sit up by herself. I've had her in the Hotsling and in a back carrier and she fusses and squirms if I'm not walking briskly. Any standing or dallying makes her nervous, and "dancing" in place does nothing to relieve it.

[possum]

Have you considered a woven wrap or a mei tai? My son (2.5 and worn from birth) is very secure in either. They also distribute weight well on both shoulders as I am not large, but my son is a big kid. Finally, they are good choices for wearers of many sizes because they are soft, and you tie either of them to fit you.
One-shouldered carriers made my back hurt too, even when my son was relatively small. A two-shouldered should be more comfortable. It is also good to have the carrier adjusted so that they baby is smooshed right up next to your body and there is no space between you and her. This is rarely accomplished with pouches in my experience. They must be sized just right.
In a wrap, you can wrap your little one's hands and arms in if you need her away from things while you cook. I found that I also just got used to having my son on my back the more I wore him, and I learned how and where to move to make sure he was always safe.
Melinda

[pixiepunk]

you need a 2 shoulder back carrier. at that age i think a SSC would be your best bet.

check out Medley - they are in the czech rep. i think an alpino would ork great for you http://www.medley.cz/angin.htm

[Lauren710]

My LO is just a month or so older than yours and also in that grabby phase. I only like one-shoulder carriers for quick trips, personally. I find the back pain mostly comes because I don't stand up straight when LO is in a hip carry in the ring sling even though it distributes her weight over my back/shoulder/hip pretty well.

Mei tais are great, there's very little learning curve and it'll be much more comfortable for you than a one-shoulder sling. If you're up for it, learning to wrap is another option. I ended up selling our SSC, while I love how easy SSCs are to use and how amazingly comfortable they can be for back carries, my LO could not see anything while on my back and she hated being back there unless she was exhausted. With a mei tai or a woven wrap you'll be able to do a higher back carry, your baby's hands will be out of your way and she may be less fussy if she can see over your shoulder.

[thtr4me]

If you want something that is easier to learn, I would go for a Mei Tai. There are many different types to choose from, some with heavily padded shoulder straps, some with unpadded wrap style straps, and padded or unpadded waists. There is a lot of flexibility in how you can wear and tie them, and they generally offer good support as baby gets heavier. SSC's are great too, but being on the petite side, I have had trouble finding ones that adjust tight enough to fit me well. If you can, I would recommend finding a local babywearing group where you will be able to try different carriers on before buying.

If you want the most comfort and flexibility in carriers, than woven wraps are the way to go. But they can be hard to learn, so if you do not have the time or patience to practice wrapping, this might not be the best place for you to start. I started off with a pouch, then went to mei tais, and now with my 3 1/2 year old DS, am using woven wraps and the occassional ring sling exclusively. I just find that nothing is quite as supportive, comfortable, and snuggly as a wrap. And for quick ups and downs, a ring sling is always nice to have around as well.