Babywearing « Back to Group Discussions

[Dolifre]

Hi-

My daughter screams bloody murder lately when I try to get her in a ring sling, moby wrap, or ergo.  She also stiffens her legs every time and refuses to bend her knees!  She liked being worn just a week ago!  When do you usually wear your babies?  After they eat?  Do you put them in awake or wait until they fall sleep?  I know she is little and I have high hopes of us getting accustomed to it eventually.  Just wondering how I can make it a little more enjoyable for now...Any tips?

Thanks!

[kathrineg]

Hi, welcome!

I wear him after he's eaten, been burped, and has a brand new diaper on so I don't have to take him out again anytime soon...

He does the stiff-legged thing a lot, even with things that he ultimately likes! It usually turns out to be that he's still hungry, or he has gas. ESPECIALLY with gas, because he gets it out by moving his legs around until he farts. So I take him out, pat his back, burp him, bicycle his legs, offer him the breast, and then try again.

[Gracecody]

I was wondering this too. I also put him in when he's eaten and dry, and has been awake for a little while. He doesn't stiffen his legs but he does the woodpecker head thing and cries.  He hates having his head tucked in under the edge of the wrap and cries as soon as he wakes because of this. You might laugh but the vacuum cleaner does the trick - quiets him immediately and then he drops off to sleep. Just so happens that we have two shedding dogs so I need to vacuum every day anyway. I just vacuum until he's asleep. :) I've tried walking up and down the sidewalk at a quick pace to get him to fall asleep but he cries so pathetically and persistently, the neighbors must think I am torturing him.

I also remember with my last that once she was big enough for her legs to stick out of the moby, she liked it a lot more and became very content to be in it while she was awake.

[kathrineg]

You just reminded me! I SHHHHH in his ear quite a bit and with the sling, I sometimes give him a pacifier if my nipple isn't handy and he's really starting to flip out.

Oh, I also swaddle him sometimes before I put him in the sling. I swaddle his legs relatively loosely but his arms tightly. We have some swaddle me swaddlers with velcro that are easy, but sometimes I just use a big blanket.

[She2dancer]

Originally Posted by kathrineg 

Oh, I also swaddle him sometimes before I put him in the sling. I swaddle his legs relatively loosely but his arms tightly. We have some swaddle me swaddlers with velcro that are easy, but sometimes I just use a big blanket.

I also do this...swaddle before slinging...seems to work well for us when he is ready to go to sleep for a long sleep.

Originally Posted by Gracecody 

I was wondering this too. I also put him in when he's eaten and dry, and has been awake for a little while. He doesn't stiffen his legs but he does the woodpecker head thing and cries.  He hates having his head tucked in under the edge of the wrap and cries as soon as he wakes because of this. You might laugh but the vacuum cleaner does the trick - quiets him immediately and then he drops off to sleep. Just so happens that we have two shedding dogs so I need to vacuum every day anyway. I just vacuum until he's asleep. :) I've tried walking up and down the sidewalk at a quick pace to get him to fall asleep but he cries so pathetically and persistently, the neighbors must think I am torturing him.

LOL...this reminded me of our first son who loved listening to the vacuum....our vacuum motor started to smell funny so we recorded the vacuum and played it on loop on our iPods....

we are having some issues in the carrier too...mostly I think because he has gas quite often and he hates being wet or dirty...so I really have to make sure he is fed, dry and has burped/farted or he is not happy in the carrier.  He also prefers our mei tai to the moby (especially for sleep).
 

[Dolifre]

Thanks ladies-I will try some of these things today!

[Sukhada]

Yesterday I rediscovered my yoga ball...I wrap DS up and then bounce on it till she falls asleep. So much easier on my legs and knees than bouncing her as I pace the house.

[Gracecody]

We do the yoga ball bouncing too. It takes Luke a long time to fall asleep this way so I usually use it to soothe him and get him ready for bed when he's fussy in the evenings. Works great and can be a good leg/rear workout too!

[Dolifre]

Hi all-

What a difference three weeks makes...my daughter loves the ergo! She has taken many naps in there, with occasional resistance initially when she is put in. We had a period recently where we needed white noise and I bounced while she was in the ergo. But for the most part she goes right in and is out like a light within a few minutes. Oh yeah, vacuuming helps too. My floors have never been cleaner! It feels so good to be able to wear her and get things done.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

[kitchensqueen]

My son still basically hates the sling. He's been in it twice successfully. He just despises anything by his feet (he also hates footed pajamas, pants and socks) and he's no big fan of having his head in it either. I just bought an more upright carrier to try him in - I hope it works! 

[Mommel]

I use a Moby style wrap and DS really liked it at first, but then he started to get squirmy and fussy for a while until I started facing him outward. 
Now he loves to look around at what I'm doing! He's almost always awake when I wear him, but when he gets sleepy I'll face him toward me and he'll sleep. A friend has offered her old Ergo to me, but I haven't gotten it yet... what do you like about it?

[Gracecody]

Kitchensqueen - what type of carrier did you get? I'm just curious. Have been trying different things lately.

I think Luke will like it more when he can face out too, and eventually he will be able to sit on my hip in the ring sling which is a hold I really like. He doesn't have the head control at all yet, though to face out. He's getting better but his head will occasionally lurch in one direction. I did start wearing him with his feet sticking out of the Moby and it didn't make that much difference. I have been trying out a Freehand Mai Tei too and he's about the same in that, tolerates it when I'm walking or running the vacuum but otherwise wants out. My second baby was like that too and I just kept at it, wearing her a bit every day. But about 3 mos she started being more content in there. I hope he will be the same as my wrists are starting to ache from trying to hold him in a nursing/sleeping position while doing other things with my free hand. :)

[kitchensqueen]

We got the Infantino Flip. Babies R Us had it on sale last week for $25 and we had a $5 competitor coupon. I wanted an Ergo but it wasn't in our budget. I like the design, but we haven't had a chance to try it out yet. 

[Dolifre]

IMO, the Ergo is sooo much easier to pop my baby in and out of when we are out, especially when going from car/carrier.  Also, when she is fussy, there is minimal time spent putting it together (like Moby).  The Moby has those long tails that drag on the floor and the thought of them dragging on the ground or in a public place skeeves me out!  I haven't mastered my ring sling yet, but I get so frustrated with how it gets all bunched up and tangled.  I know I just need to practice more though...

[time4latte]

Speaking of Infantino - does anyone have any experience with either the Infantino Wrap & Tie, Eco Sash or Sash Mei Tai carrier?? They are all mei tai style carriers and with a gift card I was given to Babies R Us, these end up being in my budget. My nearly 14 lb two month old is finally fitting in a mei tai I sewed for DS1 but it needs repairs, and it's really designed for an older baby because of the modifications I designed into it when I originally made it.
 

Originally Posted by kitchensqueen 

We got the Infantino Flip. Babies R Us had it on sale last week for $25 and we had a $5 competitor coupon. I wanted an Ergo but it wasn't in our budget. I like the design, but we haven't had a chance to try it out yet.