Wearing a toddler with a sprained knee?

[April Dawn]

My 16 month old boy has had one heck of a rough week! After days of him screaming and crying and refusing to walk, an orthopedist diagnosed him with a badly sprained knee. He will need a few weeks to heal. We were busy talking about treatment, and I didn't think to ask the doctor about babywearing. Since his injury, I have not worn DS because I'm not sure if that bent knees position will be hard on him. We usually use a Kanga XT and he rides on my back. Usually when I get things done around the house, I wear DS or he walks behind me, and neither of those options works right now... so my house is a wreck at the moment. Plus, I usually put him on my back and walk around the block to get him to sleep, and without that option, getting him down for a nap or bed is really hard! I'd love to wear him but I don't want to hurt his sore leg. Does anyone have any experience with wearing a toddler with an injured leg? Thanks!

[maddymama]

Hi Mama,
When DD1 was 18 months old, she broke her leg. I wore her in a DIY wrap for a few weeks. I tied it as a ring sling, with a knot on one shoulder. The the extra fabric (the two ends that hung down), I tied a second knot, so that her leg was fully supported by the second knot, sling made with the two ends. I can't really describe it, and I have no pictures, but it was fairly comfortable for the both of us. It fully supported her leg from thigh to ankle.
Good luck!
~maddymama

[April Dawn]

Thank you for the tip! I think I'm kind of getting what you are saying; I will try it later with some fabric. I've been more of a SSC person, so I don't have a ton of experience with slings, but I do have a wrap that I can try this out with. Thanks!

[maddymama]

Yeah... I had no experience with wrapping at that point, but did what I had to do. I wonder if you could take a long silk scarf and tie a sling for the leg off of one of the sholder straps of a SSC.
good luck!
~maddymama