Do some babies just hate being worn?

[lellian]

Hi Mamas,

I have 4 different kinds of wraps including the moby and a baby bjorn. I put DD in and she starts whining immediately, and never settles into the wrap. She'll full on cry until I take her out. I've tried several different holds with the moby to no avail. Do some baby just hate being worn? It would be SOOOO helpful if she'd let me wear her considering she never wants to be out of my arms and I can't get anything done. I'm open to suggestions if you've gone through this and then had your LO finally decide that baby wearing is cool. Fingers crossed!

DD is 11 weeks, 3 days.

TIA.

[Novus]

DS didn't like being worn for long periods. He'd be okay for a few minutes, as long as we were outside & walking around. Could it be that your DD just doesn't like the snugness of the wrap? A different kind of carrier/sling might help. I know that with DS, he always had to feel like he could move around, twist, turn, etc, or else he'd start fussing immediately. He never did like being worn facing me unless he was really, really tired.

DS does okay with being worn now--either in the Moby or the ring sling. But again, only if we're out walking around or something, never EVER while we're at home.

[pumpkinhead]

Are you wearing her facing in or out?

[lellian]

I've been trying to wear her face in until she has more control over her neck, and trying to do this inside, as we live in Boston and spring has yet to sprung. Ive been trying with the Moby, and think she hates the snug fit of it, and then the baby bjorn, a little more leg room, but she hates that one too.

[pumpkinhead]

My kids really didn't prefer being worn until they could face out. This can be done with a ring sling for babies under 3 months or something like a Trekker.

[pumpkinhead]

Some examples:

http://www.theopinionatedparent.com/...ring-sling.jpg

In this way, you can sort of lean a baby back and even tuck part of their head under the material close to the rings

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_g0fVjAmB4h...0/IMG_2477.JPG

Otherwise, wait and she may morph into a "Happy to be worn" baby once she can face out.

[pumpkinhead]

She also might be happier with you outside.

[cristeen]

My little guy only liked one carry for the first 3 mos - a modified kangaroo carry with the Moby, where he was basically curled up in the fetal position on my chest. Any other carrier or carry and he'd scream. But with that carry he was facing sideways and could see out or curl up and go to sleep. Around 3 mos he refused the carrier for about a month, and at about 4 mos, he started letting me put him in a mommy-facing carry, with the moby, the RS or now the mei tai (at 6 mos).

[zoesmom2009]

I had the same problem with my dd. I finally ended up getting an ergo carrier. It puts the baby in more of an upright position. She absolutely loves being worn now. She smiles and starts bouncing whenever she sees me putting it on.

http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/

[zenproof]

mine has never cared for it. inside or out. only one he actually seems to enjoy - is the friggin BJORN! and so i can only deduce that he just likes to have free range of his body, and to be facing outwards.

he can hang in the ergo for short periods, maybe up to an hour - but he WILL NOT fall asleep in one. he just starts arching and wanting to bust out when he gets tired.

bummer. i always wanted to be a wearer. seems counter-intuitive that a baby would not like to be held tightly and close...similar to the womb. beats me.

[boobs4milk]

millie only likes ffo. i tried her on my back the other day and she flipped out

[annettemarie]

Moving to Babywearing.

[claddaghmom]

Yes. DD has always hated to be restricted. I tried out a couple slings and they terrified her.


It wasn't until around the crawling age that I was able to convince her to try out a hotsling. She tolerated it for short periods of time...maybe 10-15 minutes at the mall or longer if she was sleeping.

By about 8 months she was okay with the moby wrap and would sleep in it.

She was just an "in arms" baby, and then as soon as she could walk, that's all she wanted to do anyways. Oh wait, except for grocery shopping...for a few months she sat in the cart seat with a cover. By 7 months, she could stand and would only go in the back or on the ground.

[cheryllynn]

my DD did not like the ring sling, bjorn carrier, hotsling. 10 minutes probably tops.

DD LOVES LOVES LOVES the stroller. She is stroller Queen.

[enigo]

DS hated to be worn. I tried several different carriers.
When he was 5-6 months or so I got an ergo and he seemed to tolerate that. By then he was so heavy, it was tough to carry him for long periods.

[Aka mommy]

DD#2 hated being worn. Would scream bloody murder. We tried 4 different kinds, facing in and out. Nothing worked. But this is also my child who is very independent and a mover and a shaker. She was full on walking by 9 months and i think she just doesnt like to be confined. She still doesn't at age 4. She also is the child who hated co-sleeping, till she hit about 9 months. And even then she didn't like to be touched. At around 18 months she finally started cuddling while co-sleeping. So i think it just goes in line with her needs.

[greeny]

When my 7-month-old was that age, she only wanted to be worn when she was sleeping. So I'd get her in the Moby and go. Sometimes semi-vigorous house-cleaning would do, but usually I had to begin walking, preferably at a brisk pace. Sometimes she'd fuss, but usually she'd end up falling asleep pretty quickly.

Now she loves being in the Ergo, both awake and asleep.

[MamaPhD]

You just gotta go with your baby, mama! My DD didn't like any carriers until about 3-4 months old, but came around to it (we have Bjorn, Ergo, and hotslings). From then till about 10-11 months, she really liked being carried. And then she grew out of it again when she started to walk around 14 months.
BTW, if you have a 11 week old baby, please don't worry about getting anything done! It gets much easier when baby can sit on their own around 4-5 months, promise!

[almadianna]

Are you sure that you are using the carrier correctly? Babywearing is really trial and error, some babies really like certain slings and others dont... I have never met a baby that did not like being worn 100% (though I am sure they exist) but when a mama was having trouble with a baby that did not like being worn coming to a babywearing meeting and trying out some new carriers always helped. Also making sure the baby was being worn correctly. I had a mama once who had worn her two previous kids and the last one did not like it... well when I met her she had been wearing them wrong all along!! When we fixed that it was tons better.

[redvlagrl]

Originally Posted by almadianna

Are you sure that you are using the carrier correctly? Babywearing is really trial and error, some babies really like certain slings and others dont... I have never met a baby that did not like being worn 100% (though I am sure they exist) but when a mama was having trouble with a baby that did not like being worn coming to a babywearing meeting and trying out some new carriers always helped. Also making sure the baby was being worn correctly. I had a mama once who had worn her two previous kids and the last one did not like it... well when I met her she had been wearing them wrong all along!! When we fixed that it was tons better.

2nd all of this. Is there a Babywearing group near you? i would suggest trying a mei tai as they can be roomier but still snug/safe.

I wouldn't suggest facing your child out. Apart from anything it's very hard on your back (and not good for your child according to some).