Help me learn to babywear

[nikelodeon79]

I need to learn the art of babywearing. DS has tummy troubles and reflux issues and wants to be held all of the time. I do have a mei tei carrier. We used it at a restaurant with good success while he was sleeping... but when I try to put him in it while he's awake he screams bloody murder. He seems to hate his feet all curled up like that and just looks uncomfortable.

I'm wondering if I should get a sling or other carrier made of stretch material for while he's very young. Or maybe there's a trick I don't know?

[osker]

How is he on temperature?  E loves the Mei Tai.. unless she's too warm and then she screams like you're saying. She needs to wear much less when she's in it because of all of the body heat.. but once temperature is right she LOVES it.

[greenmulberry]

Trying another carrier is good. Sometimes you just need to find what your babe likes. My DD hated facing in, which seems to be what babies USUALLY prefer, but she was much happier facing out, so we did that way for a while. Now that she has good head control and can crane her neck around better, she doesn't mind facing in so much anymore.

[dejagerw]

I've found youtube to be helpful. People love posting videos and helpful hints on how to babywear.

[Asiago]

Is your little guy six weeks (I looked at another post)? He may not be ready to splay his legs. There are infant inserts made for Mei Tai and soft structure carriers or perhaps tuck his legs in (maybe that is already how you are carrying him?)

http://www.lastellablu.com/shop.php?useraction=main&c=xxsale&s=03ergo-infant-insert-heart-2-heart

You may wish to post also in the MDC Babywearing forum or ask Jane, in the expert forum:

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/list/16921/jane-mcclintock

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/list/245/babywearing

[Megan73]

I'd try a wrap - I've found that it was great during the newborn stage and I'm only now starting to use my Ergo now that DS2 is four months old (and he's still "froggied" and not splayed despite being big for his age).
That said, I find that while my first son always liked being in the carrier, DS2 only really likes it when he's sleepy so it may just come down to "all babies are different."

[galincognito]

i suggest trying to find a baby wearing group near you. they usually have lending libraries and they might have some suggestions to try with your current carrier. try searching in your tribal area forum or on thebabywearer.com.

[trauerweidchen]

Actually, having his feet tucked in may be part of the problem; it can place a lot of pressure on his feet and joints, and facing out isn't optimal for a number of reasons.

There are many options for tweaking your carrier to make it work for you. As a PP mentioned, check out TheBabywearer.com--they have lots of good advice and a great, helpful forum with lots of info about different carriers and their correct (and safe) use. It can be a lot to process but with a bit of practice hopefully you'll be babywearing with ease! (Feel free to look me up over there if you have questions and I can point you in the right direction. I have the same username there.)

[sosurreal09]

All you need us one woven wrap. It is so versatile. www.thebabywearer.com and www.wearyourbaby.com were the sites I found most helpful.

[newmamalizzy]

Moby wrap worked great for us from 0 - 3 months or so.  We didn't "froggy" DD's legs because she was in a hip harness.  Sometimes DD would fuss while I was putting her in the Moby (or even scream), but she would calm right down after I got her situated and bounced or walked her around a little bit.  They (i.e. the babies) tend not to like it if you stand still while wearing them...

[sosurreal09]

A woven can be used from NB to 35+ lbs though and you can do back carries. I wouldn't limit myself to a stretch wrap.

[happygirlsmomma]

Practice and more practice. Don't be afraid of make yourself funny and wear the bay at home and look yourself in the mirror and keep practicing.

Try different carriers, most people that I know have more than 1, I actually have 5 ( 2 wraps, pouch sling, ring sling, and a pikkolo) 

It's easier to start with a soft structured carrier, like an ergo o trekker, I personally like my pikkolo, but I prefer the wrap or ring sling, DH loves it.

Try different positions, some babies loves positions that others hate, my baby prefers facing out, and I couldn't make it stay in a cradle position on a sling after 3 month.

Don't be afraid to ask and keep trying!

[motherhendoula]

Originally Posted by happygirlsmomma 

Practice and more practice. Don't be afraid of make yourself funny and wear the bay at home and look yourself in the mirror and keep practicing.

Try different carriers, most people that I know have more than 1, I actually have 5 ( 2 wraps, pouch sling, ring sling, and a pikkolo) 

It's easier to start with a soft structured carrier, like an ergo o trekker, I personally like my pikkolo, but I prefer the wrap or ring sling, DH loves it.

Try different positions, some babies loves positions that others hate, my baby prefers facing out, and I couldn't make it stay in a cradle position on a sling after 3 month.

Don't be afraid to ask and keep trying!

THIS!  I have at least 4 carriers of different sorts - all are used for different things - a gauze wrap for walking errands -a ring sling for getting out of the car and walking errands, a backpack for chores at home, a linen ring sling for going out and might need to discreetly breastfeed...etc...etc...  it can be daunting because there are so many different kinds of carriers and many can be quite pricey - there are also forums on the babywearer.com where moms sell off older carriers - you might be able to pick up something you want to try more reasonably.  Do find a babywearing group near you  - also might try LLL  - i couldnt believe how many moms were wearing babies at the last meeting!   I really think the payoff from babywearing has been worth it!  Good luck!

[wrenb]

If your baby doesn't like to be froggied, you can put one leg out of the mei tai so he has only one leg bent. Or cinch the bottom of the mei tai with a ribbon so that his legs can be out. Just be sure that you have supported his seat from knee to knee.

As a veteran babywearer and leader of my local group I'd never discourage you from trying new carriers, but I'd love for you to be able to use the one you have!

[clgwli]

My son had severe reflux and stomach issues.  We tried all types of slings/carriers and finally we went with the baby bjorn.  I had a lot of friends who let me try different carriers out and this one seemed the best.  He could be tummy to tummy with me so to speak and it was very rigid.  He hated anything that allowed for any decent bend in the stomach. 

I know that brand isn't quite the type most here use, but it was the best for us with his stomach.  It allowed him to nap wonderfully on me whenever he needed.  Then when he was older and could support his head that's what we used when I went shopping.  He loved to see what I did and it was perfect.

I feel for you with reflux and tummy troubles.  It was never fun for us but we made it through in part with the help of the baby bjorn carrier.

[Jane McClintock]

Originally Posted by nikelodeon79 

I need to learn the art of babywearing. DS has tummy troubles and reflux issues and wants to be held all of the time. I do have a mei tei carrier. We used it at a restaurant with good success while he was sleeping... but when I try to put him in it while he's awake he screams bloody murder. He seems to hate his feet all curled up like that and just looks uncomfortable.

I'm wondering if I should get a sling or other carrier made of stretch material for while he's very young. Or maybe there's a trick I don't know?

How old is your son and how are you putting his feet it?

You can try two things:

1) It may be that he doesn't like having his legs froggied inside because it's putting pressure on his tummy. You can use a hair scrunchy to scrunch up the base of the mei tai to narrow it down so he can have his legs out without having to do a wide straddle. You can also try putting the mei tai on the reverse of how you usually do it -- i.e. tie it on at the waist with the opposite side facing out -- then give the body of the mei tai a twist before you put him on your chest and do the shoulder straps. So the right side will be facing out, but the twist will narrow the base up to allow him to have legs out.

2) If you want to try legs in, if he's less than 8 weeks old, make sure his feet are properly positioned. Once you have him in the carrier and have the shoulder straps tied, reach a hand in on either side and make sure his feet are flat, parallel to the waist straps, toes pointing out. His knees will be bent up and he'll look like a frog with legs open. You do not want his feet crossed or for him to be sitting on tippy toes or on top of a bent foot, because this won't be comfy. The majority of the time if you fix the feet properly in froggy position it will be much more comfy for him!

[jenhoff]

With DD#4 I'm mostly using http://www.babyktan.com/ --in the past I always used ring slings.  I like this one because I just slip it on (its two stretchy slings) rather than wrapping and I can do it with a fussy baby in my arms.  I can have her legs hang out or froggy--mostly depending on the weather.  She can face in or out and it will work on my back when she is older.  I've been using it since she was newborn and now she is 11 weeks old.  I like it for outside too because it offers a lot of coverage against sun and wind but can be opened up a bit (her shoulders out) if she is hot.  Good luck!  And keep moving once you put the baby in whatever carrier you choose.

[gambel]

My son also had reflux and much preferred being upright (and was always facing in at that age), not sideways in a sling. I used the Moby facing in but with his legs out from a very young age (since he had hip dysplasia and I was told not to constrain his hips---and I wore him for many hours a day.) But I *agree* that frog legs may not help his reflux.

I also still constantly use what I have found to be extremely versatile, the Lillebaby.

http://www.lillebaby.com/baby_carriers.html

I would check out the Nordic because they fixed a strap problem on that one.

It is basically just like an Ergo, but you can fold the seat in so baby can face out later on. You can also switch the straps around and wear them on the side.

It worked well for us when my son was tiny because with the seat folded in, he was still supported knee to knee whereas the seat folded out or in an Ergo, the seat was so wide his body would fold over a bit. The Moby also allowed this.

You really have to find the thing that works well for you; if you are relaxed and comfortable, your son will also be calmer. Give yourself some time to try a couple different ones and get into a groove on the one you both like best. Sometimes, you do have to walk around a bit to get them settled in the carrier, though I often then found I could sit still and he would remain happy once we got there.

BUT I would also think about solving the reflux problem, too. My son started spitting up/vomiting a bit during this time. I stopped eating dairy (and he wasn't getting any formula or solids, just breastmilk) and his reflux basically just ended. Apparently, reflux is often a symptom of a food sensitivity(a bit different from an allergy at this stage), so you may be able to eliminate the irritating food from your/his diet and allow you all to be much happier.

[LeslieintheKeys]

I used the Baby Bjorn when they were infants - it allows you to have the child facing outwards - which is good when they get head control and are interested in what is going on around them.  I don't use the Baby Bjorn after ~5 months because they got too heavy and put too much strain on my back.  

I also have a sling that is adjustable in length with zippers and padded on one side.  I use this when they're infants with the padded side up to give them extra head stability and wear them on my chest.  When they got to ~6 months, I use the padded side on the bottom and carried them around on my side/hip.  I used the sling with my eldest child until he was almost 2 years old.

For any extended (>1 hour) babywearing, I have always relied on my Ergo carrier.  It puts the weight on my hips instead of my back.  The Ergo allows you to carry them on your chest (facing inward only), back, and hip.  I didn't use the Ergo for infants but the company does make an infant insert.  

I used something similar to the Moby Wrap when my 2nd child was born - but only in the first few months.  It was too stretchy and too much fabric for me to deal with on a regular basis.  

[Shaki]

I've used ring slings, wraps, and mei tais. Mei tais are my personal fave. My advice would be: find a carrier YOU like and use it consistently, the more you use it the more you and baby will get used to it. You can use it for short bursts as you are getting used to it (maybe 10 minutes at a time a few times a day).  Also, most importantly, move around as soon as your babe is in the carrier...bounce, walk, rock, whatever--just move. I think that's the single most important thing I learned from more experienced baby wearers when my first was a baby...you can't just stick them in a carrier and then sit down and eat lunch, you have to move around, that's what soothes the baby. And then when the baby is asleep, yes you can sit down and eat some lunch :) .

One of the reasons I Iove the mei tai is that (for me, at least) it pretty easy to nurse in it. You just lower the straps so that the baby is sitting at nipple level and help them latch on and support their head. I would also suggest nursing in the mei tai as a way to get your baby used to it. I almost always have to nurse DS (2 months old) when I first put him in, then he sleeps a bit, then wakes up and has some quiet alert time, just observing stuff from his vantage point. There is a learning curve to this stuff, you have to work at it to master it. When DD was a baby (she's 5 now) I did a lot of looking in mirrors when I put her in carriers to make sure she was positioned right.

Other posters mentioned twisting the mei tai or narrowing it with a hair tie so legs could hang out. Those are great suggestions.

Some people have mentioned the Baby Bjorn. When DD was a baby there was a lot of talk about how that particular carrier was not the best because it put too much pressure on the hips (I think). I don't know what the latest info on that is, I'm just passing this on as something to keep in mind. We do have a baby bjorn, which I could never figure out how to even put on (mai tais and wraps seem easier to me) but my DH uses it and likes it (he uses the mei tai as well, but prefers the bjorn). I'm just sharing that for whatever it's worth.

Basically with baby wearing you just need to practice (remember there is a learning curve, you and the baby both need to learn what works for you) and move when the baby is in the carrier.

Keep at it!

:)