Until what age or weight did you regularly wear your baby?

[P.J.]

My baby is 9 months and almost 25 lbs / 11 kg. We use an Ergo, and I carry him whenever I go out in the city, which is about 3-4x / week. This usually involves travelling through the city, visiting friends, going to our baby group, and doing errands, etc....a lot of walking. Plus regular trips to the grocery store, also a 15 minute walk. I also try to wear him on my back when I cook, but lately he's not having any of that. It somehow doesn't feel right to wear him on my back through the city....I would feel more connected to him in the stroller, where we could see each other.

Anyway, he's getting heavy and I find either my back, my shins or legs, or my shoulders start getting strained. Especially when I go grocery shopping and have equal loads front and back (carrying groceries in a backpack) it's rough.

So, just wondering at what age or weight did you start using the stroller more. I can predict we'll start using it way more in a few more months, when he's about one year old. I'm curious what others have done, and if you wore / wear your baby regularly past age one or so, how does your body hold up??!!

TIA!

[SilverFish]

well, my one year old weighs less than your 9 month old, so i can't speak to that, but i am wearing her way way more now than i was 3 months ago. i really thought we were only out-and-about babywearers, like you, and i assumed i'd wear her less and less as she got older. well, i was totally wrong, to the point of having to vastly increase my babywearing wardrobe, because a mei tai and a DIY wrap weren't cutting it.

it seems that as she gains mobility and a better sense of the world, she is even more intense in her need to be physically on me. she was a very independent baby... happy to sit with some toys while i went about the house, or while we visited our friends, so i really only needed to wear her to get from A to B. anyway, i am guessing it's very much personality, but i really was surprised to see that my need for a good supportive baby carrier has only increased. i'm not making any more assumption about how long i will need to use baby carriers for!

we still use a stroller for some kinds of outings, but she is truly not a huge fan of them... i'm guessing if your ds is not accustomed to sitting in one for long periods, you'll be hard pressed to get him used to them as an active toddler. i would probably settle in for the long run if i were you and invest in some different carriers if you aren't totally happy with what you're currently using (or just for variety).

[GoGoGirl]

My almost 2 year old is 27 lbs, and I still wear her every day.  We don't use a stroller, so if I'm not wearing her, I'm carrying her in my arms, and it's a millions times easier to just wrap her on my back!  I don't wear her at all in the house anymore, and haven't for over a year.  I can't see DD when she's on my back but I still feel really connected to her...I talk to her the whole time, and tell her about what we're walking past, and she's recently started having little conversations with me from my back.  It's so sweet!  I wear her in a wrap though, which puts her much higher than an Ergo would.  Her head is right at my level instead of down at my shoulder blades.  I can even see her out of the corner of my eye.  My body seems like it's holding up fine, but I think I just got used to it.  Sometimes people ask me, "Isn't she getting too heavy for you?"  I just tell them that as she gets heavier, I get stronger.  I think it might be an issue once we get into the 30-40 lb range, but at this point, I can handle wearing 27 lbs for as long as she'll let me!

[TheSlingMama]

I'm in the same boat as previous babywearers.  I made a commitment and wear her a lot more now - so much so that with our tax return I bought a new woven and after selling a bunch of diapers yesterday bought 2 more!  I wear my 23.5 lb 20 month old every time we leave the house - to whatever store we're running in, usually into therapy or doctor's appointments, for walks, taking the dog potty, etc.  I also wear her a lot at nap time and bed time to get her to relax as she is high needs and can't do it on her own.  Honestly, I plan on wearing her consistently until she outgrows the weight limit of the carrier or doesn't want to be carried anymore (which I don't see happening anytime soon).

[insidevoice]

My 32 month old still asks to be worn on a regular basis. He's a big guy- and quite heavy, and I find that SSCs work well for us.  

I just got (it arrived today) an Oh Snap- and it is the most comfortable toddler carrier I have ever tried.  Finicky adjustments initially, but they make for a really comfortable carry. 

[insidevoice]

Originally Posted by P.J. 

Anyway, he's getting heavy and I find either my back, my shins or legs, or my shoulders start getting strained. Especially when I go grocery shopping and have equal loads front and back (carrying groceries in a backpack) it's rough.

This is why you are uncomfortable.  A back carry is going to be a lot more comfortable for you both at this point.  You can remain connected to him as you narrate the time together, and he can see over your shoulder and interact at a better level.  If you turn your head to see him you are able to see what he's up to as well. 

Front carries can be great, but if you're doing errands and carrying things, the back carry will be much easier on you both. 

As an experiment, I tried my 60lb daughter in a back carry, and though her legs were gangly, I could have hiked a couple miles comfortably with her.  My 20 lb baby on my front causes muscle strain within about an hour. 
 

[FelixMom]

I have a 3 yr old that weighs 15 kg, and I am going to wear him right through to the end of winter.

He is exclusively worn on my back at this point, and we use a cart or ask for delivery with groceries.

This is my daily physical activity, and I was tandem wearing since DS2 was born, as he is only 20 months younger than his sister. I will probably stick to walking whenever I can, saving the stroller for nice sunny days with no stairs or public transit to take.

[Biscuits & Gravy]

DS is 26 months, 27 lbs. I wear him daily. To be honest though, I had to stop using the ergo after around a year because it just wasn't working for us anymore. I moved on to carriers that are made for toddlers and they are much more supportive for me. Before you give up wearing it might be something to consider.

[ecoteat]

I was still wearing dd regularly when she was 3-3.5 around the house and while out. Later on I'd still bring the Ergo along if we were going out somewhere where she could potentially get too tired to keep up. The last time I wore her was this past summer at age 4 in NYC. It wasn't very comfortable for more than an hour or so, but it was a lot easier than her being tired and miserable. She's a little peanut, though, so I know I got more mileage out of the Ergo than some people do. (She's 4.5 and less than 35 pounds still!)

[boheime]

I've worn all of my kids until tehy were old enough that they didn't have any problem walking for long extended periods of time and skipped the stroller. This is why I have often worn two children at a time.

[P.J.]

Originally Posted by Biscuits & Gravy 

DS is 26 months, 27 lbs. I wear him daily. To be honest though, I had to stop using the ergo after around a year because it just wasn't working for us anymore. I moved on to carriers that are made for toddlers and they are much more supportive for me. Before you give up wearing it might be something to consider.

What are some toddler carriers? Which would you recommend? Thanks!

[GoBecGo]

I carried DD1 until she was 3.5/about 40lbs.  I only stopped because i was pregnant and couldn't fasten my home made meitai comfortably round my middle any more!

I am carrying DD2 daily, either way high in the sling or on my back in the meitai.  She's just become too heavy for the front carry, she's about 19 or 20lbs i think.

Even now i could carry DD1 in the meitai if i needed to.  She's about 50lbs.

[kdabbler]

I wore both my girls well into toddlerhood. However, as someone else has already pointed out, incorporating back carries more is key as they get bigger and heavier. I used woven wraps. Usually, I carried them high enough on my back that we could see each other somewhat.

You said your son isn't liking the back carries while you're cooking. Could it also be that he is simply demanding more of your attention during that time (ie. cranky, hungry, or not getting the stimulation he wants)?

Your Ergo should be fine for back carries.

[ar2974]

I'm guessing somewhere between 2 and 3 and 25 lbs.  She had to be able to walk up and down the subway steps (I'm in NYC).  I used back carries only after about 18 months although they are very awkward for riding on the subway in rush hour :)  She loved the stroller from about 18 months on and if we were having more walking less subway that is what I used.

[Minalas]

My DS is a little chunk like yours. I don't have strong back, and had to give up on carrying him at about 23 pounds. It took then a months and a half of chiropractic treatment to be pain free again. I feel a bit guilty about not being able to carry DS as much as I did DD, who was a peanut and I carried her about 16 months. But luckily DS likes the stroller and DD can ride with him. We cosleep, so I hope he gets his needs for physical contact met that way.

Having said that, I'm deeply impressed at all the other moms here who managed to carry their kids so much longer. I wish I could do that.

[belltree]

I am still carrying my 16 month old regularly. Trying out different carriers was really important for us to feel comfortable. I never really liked the Ergo.

[Shonahsmom]

I wear my 25 lb. 22 month old regularly. I don't wear him much around the house these days, but I do wear him when we are out and about. Its partly out of necessity: I walk dd to and from school everyday and its a mile each way. Over the winter, getting the stroller through the snow, ice and slush was impossible. So, he rode on my back in a woven wrap or a SSC. When we're going out for the day, where we'll be and off the bus or the subway, I take a short woven wrap with me. He really loves to walk and can walk for miles, but I can put him up on my hip in the short wrap if he gets tired or we need to move more quickly than he's moving. I'm about 10-11 weeks pregnant now, so I don't know how much longer we'll keep wearing, but its still a very useful tool for us for now.

[jccretarolo]

I wear my 20 month old at least a couple times a week right now. He weights about 25lbs and I'm 19 weeks pregnant. I only do a back carry and have only use a back carry from about 12months (21lbs) as it is easier for me to do things. I plan on wearing him all the way through pregnancy if I can as he has only been in a stroller maybe 10 times in his life! I'm working on picking out a stroller as I'm sure I will need it when this baby is here as I can't be wearing 2 all the time.

[CookAMH]

Until I started getting more pregnant, maybe around 17/18 mo, and DS was about 25lbs at the time. I could have worn him a little longer if I wasn't pregnant, maybe a couple pounds heavier (on my front, with a mei tei).

[kythe]

I carried my son daily in a ring sling from the time he was born until around a year old.  He had gotten too heavy and cumbersome, and instead of being a convenience I had long since felt I couldn't do anything with him in my arms.

We moved on to a "baby backpack" as we called it, though I don't know the official name.  I had never caught on to back carrying with the sling, so I bought the cheapest back carrier Walmart had and it worked just fine.  It had a metal frame, but ds was certainly old enough to feel comfortable in it.  I continued carrying him until he was around 1.5 years, when he became too heavy for me.