7 months - too late to start?

[CalaRei]

So, I have a mei tai wrap style carrier that I used when my boys were very small, and it served us well then, and then fell out of use for one reason or another, mostly because they got to be pretty content in their carseats for trips and things, so we started using the stroller. Around home, they liked their swings.

But now, it seems that they want to be carried more, and I find myself doing the hip-hold quite a lot. It is *killing* my wrists. I've tried the mei tai again, and unless they're actually sleepy, they want their little heads to be on the swivel! So not happy facing mama all day. I still feel like they're a little young to do a back carry with them or I'd try that.

Is it too late for us, or are the boys too big for a ring sling? (They're in the 15-17 lb range) Since they like being on my hip, I figured that'd be my best bet. Plus I've got some good bottomweights in my fabric stash that I could use to make my own. The other thing is that my hubby is a large guy and my mei tai doesn't work for him, so it's easy enough to make a ring sling longer. There are a few events we'd like to be going to this summer - things like baseball games and park concerts, etc that this would really help us out at - now that they're more mobile and alert, it's just not fair for them to be in the carseats if I can avoid it. (Not to mention, how in the heck do you take car carriers into a baseball park, no THANKS!)

[alegna]

Try a back carry! I had ds on my back from 4 or 5 months

-Angela

[ellairiesmom]

you can do a back carry...but it's also never too late to try anything!!! with dd1, i owned a rs early on, but wasn't digging it the 1st few months. i was always nervous she was too squished & i was afraid to try the different positions with my new baby so i used the mt until about 6 mos & then felt more confident to try things. The hip carry in a rs became our way of life. we celebrated our wedding when she was 11 mos old & she spent the entire reception on my hip in a rs.

now with dd2, i have my certification in basic bw'ing consulting & am also not afraid of small babies anymore so i used my rs earlier. she likes looking around but is still small to be able to peek out of her mt so the rs has been great. no hip carry with her yet but soon. sounds like your boys will love it.

[sarahdavida]

definitely not too late...i couldn´t wear DS for a year because my breasts were overly sensitive and it always caused problems...but then I got a Beco and used that just after he turned 1 y.o. - he is now 3 and we are going on a big trip, where there are a lot of places for nice walks - he can surely walk, but after a while might get tired out...so I pulled out the Beco and tried it with him (I haven´t had the heart to "put it away" yet) - he loved it and we will definitely use it (maybe even in the airport for connections, too)

it is supposed to be good up to 40 lbs (he´s about 32 now) - interestingly enough, it felt MORE comfortable now than I remember it being before, even though it was always great

[Michigan Mama]

You can totally BW! I actually started back wrapping my ds2 when he was just a week or two old, with help at first, then alone as I got confident. You can certainly wear your baby safely in a back carry if you want to and there are lots of youtube videos to help.

A ring sling would also work well, espcially for quick trips, but the physical therapist in me prefers a 2-shouldered carry if I{m going to wear my babe for a while so I don{t knock my alignment out of wack.

Good luck and enjoy!

[dziwozony]

From when my DS2 was 3mo-16mo I faithfully used my Chunei (front carry, then back carry later on). Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, my 17mo refuses it wholeheartedly! Partly he's busier now & likes getting in & out, so maybe he feels like it's too much of a committment to be so contained!

So anyway, I've gone back to the ring sling. I use a backpack for longer spans of time, but have pulled out my ring sling again & am happy I never passed it onto anyone else! I definitely recommend keeping a ring sling on hand.

But you can also practice back carrying in a mei tei. My DS2 was around 6mo when I started to back carry in a chunei...it just takes some practice, either with someone else helping you or while near a soft bed!