Is there a baby carrier where the baby faces away?

[greenmulberry]

My 13 week old seems to prefer to face away from me while carried.

In using the Moby wrap, she seems to need to have her legs free, and gets frustrated when facing my chest. She really wants to see where we are going.

I have been wearing her on my chest facing outward with her legs free in the Moby, but I would like to find a carrier that holds her in this position that I don't have to go through the trouble of tying. Is there something like an Ergo that the baby can face away from me?

Or, I also wonder if there is something about the Moby that she doesn't like facing me and she might enjoy an Ergo. What do you all think?

I also have a ring sling, but I haven't found a carry that she really likes with it. She seems to get frustrated when her legs are bunched up and I have trouble positioning her in the sling without there being pressure on her legs. I am more looking for something I can just put on and strap her in.

Any thoughts?

[lkvosu]

Ds was the same way. He hated facing inward so we searched high and low for a carrier that allowed him to face out in a front carry. We decided on the Beco Gemini and LOVE it. There are only a few carriers on the market that will face out, in, and let you carry them on your back or hip, all of which the Gemini does.

There are some downsides to facing out. Some people have concerns about overstimulating babies by letting them face out, but I think that really depends on the baby. That definitely never happened with ds. Also, there are some concerns about the pressure put on their spines from "crotch-dangling" as they call it. When a baby is facing outward in a carrier, their lower spine curve in and many say that can be damaging if done for long periods of time. Just something to think about it. It's never stopped me from carrying him that way, but I do try to limit his time being carried that way.

Anyway, I highly recommend the Gemini.  Ds is 6 months and he literally feels weightless in it.  Several of my friends have one and they love it as well.  Good luck with your search!

[Beauchamp]

Also look into the Catbird Baby Pikkolo I got mine here from this seller (who is on MDC also) She has a few on sale for $99, which is a great deal.

[greenmulberry]

I read a lot of threads and was really torn between the Beco Gemini and the Pikkolo, I did end up ordering one of the sale Pikkolos which will arrive today!!

I also ended up reading some about the 'controversy' about FFO, and I tried yet again to wear Ruby facing in. She hated it! She spends the whole time with her head craned around as far as she can to see, and finally ends up crying and fussing. I turn her around and she is so happy again. I guess I will just watch to make sure she isn't overwhelmed.

[motherhendoula]

Have you tried wearing her on your back at all?  That would give her a vantage point of being able to see everything.  My DS was a little young for it but i started carrying him in a hard frame back pack when he was about 4 months old.  My goal is to learn to wrap well enough to carry him on my back ...hes 8 months old...were still working on that!

[greenmulberry]

I will try the back carry once I feel comfortable getting her in it. It would be so nice to have her on my back and out of the way so I can do stuff.

I watched some tutorials on wrapping a back carry and feel a bit intimidated!

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by greenmulberry 

I will try the back carry once I feel comfortable getting her in it. It would be so nice to have her on my back and out of the way so I can do stuff.

I watched some tutorials on wrapping a back carry and feel a bit intimidated!

If all you have is a Moby, thats not really safe for a back carry. You would need a woven wrap.

But you can actually face her sideways in the front carry. Thats how i always carried my DS since he hated tummy to tummy until about 6 mos. It allows them to see but you can also tuck their head in if they want to sleep. Bonus is it puts their ear right over your heart. I used the hug hold and just kind of sat him in the X w his legs pointed toward my hip, kinda like sitting on the floor w your knees to your chest.

[sapphire_chan]

And when she gets bigger, you can do a hip carry.

[Quirky]

Just chiming in, but agreeing that a back carry with any stretchy wrap is not safe (Moby, Sleepy, etc.) but a woven wrap or a hybrid like the Wrapsody Bali Stretch can be fine wraps for back carrying if you're up for the practice.

The Beco Gemini and Pikkolo are the two buckle carriers I recommend for FFO. I like to put baby in and then rotate her hips forward so she's sitting rather than dangling, if that makes sense. For the limited times that you're going to be carrying FFO, it's not going to cause any damage, and it's just a fact that some babies LOVE FFO and really don't tolerate being carried any other way in that 3-6 month stage when they just have to see everything around them! That said, I always advise people to mix it up -- FFO, forward facing out, hip, and eventually back carries as soon as baby is big enough. If you carry baby FFO all the time, she can get so used to it that she won't like being carried any other way. Even with a comfy and ergonomic carrier like the Gemini or Pikkolo, 20 pounds is the upper limit of what most moms can carry FFO, so don't get to that point with baby addicted to FFO only!

[greenmulberry]

I have to admit that I have tried her facing in with the Pikkolo and she hasn't objected to it the way she did in the Moby so I am trying to mix it up some.

[MotherBhaer]

Usually, I've found that babies who don't like front carries facing in are quite happy with hip carries or back carries that are high enough that they can see over your shoulder. I know you said you're looking for something you don't have to tie, but a woven wrap would be really versatile and could be tied in hip or back carries. Or, you could always just do hip carries in your ring sling. Have you been positioning your babe with legs in or out?

[LadybugMamma]

i know that the moby says not to, but i face Ellie, 3.5 months out often, not for long periods of time though. i usually have a hand on her though.