Trying to learn to use the wrap for back carries, 17m DD won't let me!

[1stTimeMama4-4-10]

It's hard enough as it is, but DD HATES it when I try to wrap her. I can barely get her on my back before she wigs out and squirms. There is no way possible to put her on my back to wrap her.  She is fine on my back in the ergo and mei tai, but I just bought a gorgeous wrap and I really want to use it - is that just never going to happen? Anyone BTDT?

[Nicole730]

 I desperately want to learn how to back carry with a wrap, but my daughter isn't having any of it either.  She is 18 months, but I've tried randomly since she was 14 months and no luck.  Even if I have someone hold her, she fights it the whole time.  So, I'm just getting excited about having a new baby and trying it then!

[musikmama]

Yup, went through the same thing with my son. When I finally got brave enough to do backwraps, he would just wiggle out of them, lean back really far and almost far out (because he wasn't still while I was wrapping) and when I tried to wrap, he would prop himself up on his hands and wouldn't lay flat on my back. Grrrr.....I think its just an age thing. Now I'm prego, and he's 30 pounds, 2 years old, and hardly sits still unless its Toy Story on TV or eating a snack. LOL

[Mom2M]

I had the same problem when DD was little and squirmy! I actually wrapped her in front of the TV. She didn't see much TV so it kept her absolutely still and she didn't care what I was doing, lol. You could practice in front of anything that would hold her interest like a fish tank or something. As she got used to being wrapped on my back, she stopped squirming and just held on.

[dosergirl]

Same for me, I think it was just waiting too long to try because by that age they have no patience for the wrapping, whereas you can pop them into a soft structured carrier or mei tai easily.

I'm pregnant and due in 2 weeks with my second at this point and I plan to do wrapping from the start so she will let me back carry when she is older.

[1stTimeMama4-4-10]

That's a good tip about the TV.  I just don't want to have ruined my chance to wrap her!

[GoGoGirl]

We started back wrapping around 8 months, so DD did just get used to it.  But she still had squirmy phases!  What worked best for us (and this was around 1.5ish) was putting a video on youtube, and then angling the laptop and her so that she had to lay flat on my back to see it.  I've also heard of people having good luck with fiddly snacks or normally forbidden toys.  Youtube worked for us though!

Another good trick is to use a back carry with a chest belt while you and your DD get used to back wrapping.  The chest belt (fancy name for a knot in front) will be the first thing you tie, so it will hold your DD on to you.  Then you can take your time with the rest of the wrap job without having to worry about her jumping off your back.  Secure high back carry (SHBC) has a chest belt, and some versions of back wrap cross carry (BWCC) have chest belts too.

It can also help to practice back carries with a stuffed animal for a few days, until you really have the carry memorized (like muscle memory, so you don't have to stop and think of what to do next) and are used to moving the wrap around.  That will make you much faster when you actually back wrap with your DD, so you'll be more likely to be able to finish the wrap job before she freaks out.