Anyone wear a toddler AND an infant?

[mom2cash]

As I am packing for a trip to the Arboretum this morning, I start to wonder if I could manage to wear both my 35 lb. DS (2.5 YO) and my 15 lb. DD (4.5 months) just to make my life a little easier. My DS has limited verbal skills and when I wear him in my Mei Tai he calms down SO much and it really relaxes him... plus he has a tendency to run and it would just make things so much better if he was calm upon exiting and entering places so I wasn't trying to convince him to not just throw himself to the ground while I tried to manage him while wearing/holding my DD. So now I'm wondering if I can' somehow where him on my back with a Mei Tai and have my DD on my front with either the Slinglings pouch-style sling or the ring sling I have coming. I feel like I might get even more looks than I already do while wearing DD (we're not in a very baby-wearing-friendly area) but who cares! As long as its safe and doable, it seems like it would save me a lot of battles with the toddler.

Anyone done/do this?

[MamaKickyPants]

It's definitely possible to wear two at once! I'd go check out the tandem babywearing forum on thebabywearer.com

Thinking of the mechanics of it, my preference would be to put the little on on my front in either a mei tai or a woven wrap, and then get the toddler up on my back in a MT, SSC or a wrap tied with ruck straps, so that the toddler carrier is not interfering or pulling on the little on in front.

I've never done it though, as I only have the toddler portion of the combo available at this point!

[dachshundqueen]

I did two maya wraps at first. Toddler on my back and newborn in front sling. Then I moved up to toddler on my back in a mei tai with newborn in the front in a maya wrap sort of threaded through the mei tai over my shoulder.

[Ruthla]

My daughters are 16 months apart. When they were babies, I wore both of them, but not at the same time! I put both girls in the double stroller and put the sling in the diaper bag (in the cargo area of the stroller.) I'd push both babies when they were happy in the stroller, or wear whichever baby needed it more. It was very common for me to take DD2 out of the sling, put her in the back of the stroller, then pick up DD1 because she needed me more at that moment. I never found it convenient to wear one and push one- once I was pushing a stroller anyway, I found it easier to have the double and have the option of putting both down in it at the same time.

There's no way my back could have handled wearing both at once, and then how would I also carry a purse or diaper bag? But neither would I ever travel with a 2.5yo without either a sling or stroller to contain the child if he or she didn't want to walk!

[triscuitsmom]

Definitely possible. When needed I still wear both of mine, and together they weigh 60lbs! I put the little one (13 months) on my front and the big one (3.5 years) on my back.

[almadianna]

Originally Posted by triscuitsmom

Definitely possible. When needed I still wear both of mine, and together they weigh 60lbs! I put the little one (13 months) on my front and the big one (3.5 years) on my back.

[lovermont]

It's definitely possible. My two are 23 months apart. My older one is big for his age and I found it hard to wear him by himself never mind both at once. An added element was that the baby was NOT interested in babywearing (shocking, I know!). So I put the older one in a single light umbrella stroller (and then I could put supplies in the back of the stroller, like pp mentioned) and wear the younger one, or vice versa depending on who needed what. It also meant it was easier to get the older kid off and on me or in and out of the stroller when he was ready/willing/needed to walk/run.
Do a couple dry runs- walk around the block tandem wearing and see if it works for you.

[confustication]

Dual SSCs work for us. I put the little one in front with straps crossed in the back, and the big one in the back. I'm sure people think it's a little odd, but it's not really difficult, and my 20 month old ( recently diagnosed as hearing impaired) is much easier to manage there than running loose.

[mom2cash]

Thanks for the replies! I actually did wear them both the day I posted in the a Mei Tai and a Slinglings sling. I have a ring sling in the mail that I think will work better than the Slinglings and I feel a little more free to go out with my spirited toddler and new baby!

[boheime]

Definitely! Tandem babywearing was always a life saver for me.