Too large, busty, and uncoordinated for back carry. Help, please.

[brainysinglemom]

I'm borrowing a babyhawk oh snap (ergo before that) and my baby is nearly 25 pounds. Front carry is getting old, mamas (and papas)! I don't know if I can explain it -- you'd have to see it, or know a very large, busty person, but when I put my baby on my hip, I can't get the other arm across my back and the arm that's holding my baby up and over my baby's head in the slick maneuver necessary for back carry. I'm so frustrated! I just had someone help me and she thought I wouldn't be able to do it.

I'm thinking about getting one of the carriers where you strap the baby in first and then sit them on the couch? car hood? and backpack them on.

Added to that is that I've never gotten a truly comfortable adjustment from ergo or babyhawk around my arms or at my shoulders. I have really thick, large upper arms yet very narrow shoulders and huge breasts and something about that combination seems to mean that some part of my upper body is pinched, strained, or otherwise unhappy. I thought about investigating stretchy wraps for this problem, but it doesn't help with the get-her-on-my-back problem.

My little is only going to get bigger and I would love to keep carrying her for a long time to come.

TIA for any help you can give!

Julie

[GoGoGirl]

If you're having a hard time with the hip scoot, there are other ways to get your baby on your back, too.  Here's a good video showing some options.  My favorite is the "superman toss."  She does it in the video at 0:41. 

I'm not that busty, but I still find that the chest clip on the Ergo makes back carries uncomfortable for me.  I like mei tais for back carries, but sometimes it feels like the straps are sliding off my shoulders.  My favorite carriers for back carries are woven wraps.  I just love them.   There are plenty of different carries you can do with one woven wrap, so if one back carry isn't comfortable for you, you can try another one.  My favorite back carry with a woven wrap is the double hammock.  Here's a video.  It skims your chest without putting pressure on any one part of it, so it's great on the boobs. 

Oh and stretchy wraps aren't safe for back carries!  Since they're stretchy, a baby can lean back and fall out of a back carry, even if you wrap tightly.  Only woven wraps are safe for back carries. 

[Mom2M]

Hi Julie,

It can be very frustrating to do a back carry at first!  I have narrow shoulders also and straps like the Ergo carrier slide right off.

I do not like the hip scoot either, I do a toss, I guess it's closest to the Superman toss.  There are a ton of videos on youtube with demonstrations for all sorts of carries and I found this one that shows almost the kind of toss I do with a mei tai.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA8WX3p0MOM

In this video, she also ties tibetan which holds the straps in a nice, comfortable position that you fit to yourself.   She is demonstrating a high back carry but you can tie the apron straps around your waist if you like.

My very favorite mai tai is a wrap conversion half buckle bamberoo.  It has a structured waist with a buckle, which gives very nice support and then the straps are like a wrap and you can spread them if you like.  The best thing is that it really allows for you to customize the fit of the shoulder straps.   I bought it from another Mama on a babywearing forum and I think that is the easiest place to buy these.  There are other brands of wrap conversions also. 

It is extremely easy to pop her into a back carry and a lifesaver for me since recently she has started to be super clingy just at the time I need to make dinner or do things with DD1 after school!

If you would like to go to a wrap, you cannot do back carries with a stretchy wrap, there is not enough support to be safe, but there are a million kinds of woven wraps to choose from!

I love this site http://wrapababy.com/baby-wrap-video-instructions/ for the best wrap instruction videos!

My first back carry in a wrap was with a BBSlen and I think it is a great choice for a first woven wrap.  The thing that made it great for a new back carrier was that it is super wide so it gave me a very secure feeling when getting a good seat for DD. and not feeling like she would pop out on the bottom.  It's also got great support and is very comfortable and easy to tie not too bulky or grippy, just in the middle, I think.

Here is some info on that kind http://www.pieceofcloth.com/babylonia-bbslen/cat_8.html

I also bought this used from the babywearing site. I love used wraps because they are broken in for you.

If you have any questions please ask and I will give you at least my experiences with back carries!  They are wonderful after you get over the bit of being nervous about it!   Use a bed or couch to make you feel safer till you get it!