babywearing question

[Mawood]

I was planning on wearing Olivia and do so at least once a day but it isn't like she loves it. I have a Moby which frustrates me at times and I loaned a Mai Tai which seems to be more convenient. Anyways either carrier Olivia wakes up crying and not so happy. She seems all bundled up when I take her out and stretches big time. I know babies are supposed to love it and I am loving it (it is not my attitude about wearing her) when she is asleep in there, but it still is a bit of a hassle. I am thinking about trying a ring sling because it has more options and I think she might not like facing inward in the MT or Moby. Any thoughts on that? She loves being held and being in my or my husbands arms but doesn't seem to like being tied to my body I don't want to give up yet.

[momofsamandaddi]

LOL I just typed out a really long reply for suggestions... But then Micah somehow deleted it all. HA!

SO I'll try again.

I use a Moby wrap or a Soft-structured carrier most of the time. I usually wear him facing me, with his feet tucked under like a frog. He wakes up after sleeping awhile, and he cries & stretches, but usually it's cuz he's ready to nurse and/or look around. So I've tried two things lately:

1. I faced him forward in the Moby while he was awake the other day cuz I needed to wear him but he wanted to face forward. I kinda made it up, but there are also directions for it. He enjoyed that.

2. Have you tried putting her facing toward you, but with her legs not tucked, like with them hanging out? I did that yesterday & Micah was fine with it & totally secure.

3. I used a ring sling a LOT with Addison (my 2 yo). Also a HotSling (pouch). It was fine, but the ring sling hurt my shoulder after awhile. The pouch was good for when she was older & I could wear her on my side sitting up (toddler-style). I have used the Hotsling only a handful of times with Micah (my baby) and it was with him kinda tucked in, facing me or facing out, not really cradled. Maybe it's called Kangaroo hold?

I wouldn't give up just yet. I gave up with my oldest, Sam, and I regretted it. I didn't NEED to wear him as much as I need to with Micah (since I have 3 kids now & need my hands!) but it still would've been nice to wear him more. He liked stretching out a lot & I didn't have the knowledge that I do now about how to wear in different ways.

Another suggestion - do a youtube video search of different holds. Keep trying!

[Mawood]

Thanks for your answers. i actually did try the Moby again yesterday - after weeks of just using the MT. I let her legs stretched out which felt more roomy but she did cry waking up. I think I didn't support her head good enough. Thanks for the encouragement. I 'll keep on going...

[marinak1977]

Lately DS prefers to face out in either RS or Ergo (I make it up in the Ergo - he stands in it and I support him - so it's not hands free really) but he also likes tummy to tummy in the RS and the Ergo for napping...
I'm thinking of getting a mei tai also (I'm addicted)
I gave up on the moby because I didn't like wrestling with it.

[carmen358]

We used a peanut shell type sling for about a week when DD was a week old...she didn't seem to like it and I hated it because it stressed me out that she seemed so squished!

She LOVED the Ergo with the old style infant insert from about 2 weeks to 10 weeks. She would just sit froggie style and fall asleep instantly. Then when she got a bad cold she didn't like it so we bought a stroller. We tried the Ergo after she felt better and she still didn't like it. We realized that she was probably big enough to sit in the Ergo without the insert with her legs hanging out and she has just started liking it again (for short trips) the last week (she's 16 weeks now). I would keep trying it or different carriers...DD seems to go through phases of liking or disliking something.

[Sharlla]

Panda doesn't seem to like her legs folded in the MT so I have her legs come out the bottom instead, she seems to like that much better.

[Dea]

I'm not a fan at all of wearing your baby facing out. I know bunches of people say that their LOs prefer it, but neither of mine have even tried it and they're happy as can be being worn.
Facing out has a lot of issues for the baby and the wearer, a lot of strain on your back and their developing back.
Anyhow to the OP, I think a ring sling can help, but it'll put strain on your body too because you'll be wearing a lot of the weight to one side, but I think it can help. Then you'll have more options between wraps and SSCs and ring slings!

[caefi]

Originally Posted by Dea

I'm not a fan at all of wearing your baby facing out. I know bunches of people say that their LOs prefer it, but neither of mine have even tried it and they're happy as can be being worn.
Facing out has a lot of issues for the baby and the wearer, a lot of strain on your back and their developing back.

that was my line of thinking, too. I believe Moby has even taken forward facing out of their directions. It's not really a good carrier for that position. there are many other great ways to wrap it, though - some being like a ring sling, for those who want to try that. http://www.mobywrap.com/t-instructions-Sling.aspx

[smokeylo]

I have found this 3-4 months old age a tricky one for babywearing with both girls -- they're too big for the newborn carries, but not quite sturdy enough for outward facing or hip carries. Keep trying and I bet in a few weeks she'll love the outward carries in a mei tai, or if you do get a ring sling (which I love!) an outward carry or a hip carry (my favorite).

[marinak1977]

well... DS doesn't really leave me much choice about facing out - he otherwise fusses and complains and in the ergo sits with his neck craned so hard I worry he's going to get it injured. I turn him around and he's happy as a clam. I am not sure what issues for the LO the PPs are referring to as he is either standing in the ergo or sitting cross legged in the RS not being suspended by the crotch like the Bjorn style carrier does. As for my back - I can take it for a little while and it is easier on me than having him in just in my arms. Then once he has his fill of looking around I can turn him tummy to tummy and he settles for a nap. He also nurses in the Ergo but I have to stick his legs out one side and support him, otherwise he's too long.

[jillmamma]

One thing that always helped my kiddos settle down while being worn is to do it while moving. I wear Marissa to walk the dog, do errands like grocery shopping, take big kids to park and after school stuff, vacuum house, etc. After moving around a bit, she settles pretty quick and I can sit down or just stand and do something if I need to. I also wear her in church and it makes it a lot easier to nurse discreetly as the carrier also helps cover me.

[Lillitu]

don't give up! my son likes things now that he didn't before. we just kept trying intermittently and things changed.

[ACsMom]

I have a similar issue - LO is just like her sister in the fact that she doesn't really seem to enjoy being worn, whether it's sling, MT, Moby or buckle carrier. With my older one it really didn't change until she was old enough for the hip carry - then she loved it and I wore her constantly. This time I've had somewhat better luck, probably just because I'm more experienced, but LO will tolerate being in the sling if I'm nursing her or she's sleeping. When awake, though, she fights it and cries even if I'm walking. So, I'm just biding my time with it until she gets bigger.

As far as facing out, I just started trying her in the ring sling that way, like while I'm folding laundry or something - she likes it for a short while. I have a Cat Bird Baby Pikkolo, which is a lot like the Ergo and advertises itself as the only buckle carrier you can wear your baby facing out in. I don't really know why; I see people wearing their babes facing out in the ergo all the time. I'm not sure what's different about the pikkolo that makes them claim that. Anywho...LO isn't big enough to face out in it comfortably anyway, so we haven't tried it yet. I wasn't aware that facing out could be a problem for their developing spines - I've only heard about the Baby Bjorn being problematic - I'd like to learn more about that. Anyone know of any studies or anecdotal stuff?

[Mawood]

What exactly is problematic with the Baby Bjoern? We got one handed down and my husband likes to use it sometimes. Is it the dangling of the legs?

[akat]

Mawood, it's because it causes spinal compression, because all the weight is resting on the spine. All the other carriers, like the Ergo, carefully spread the baby's weight along their thighs and whole butt. So, yeah, the legs dangling.