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[Vegan Princess]

So which carriers are you using most and which holds? Which ones can you nurse in?

I'm mostly using the moby with her upright and froggied. Also the ergo here and there with the old infant insert. I have a ring sling and a pouch sling but I can't figure out any other holds besides upright. I'd love to figure out a cradle hold and one I can nurse in. I used to nurse in my ergo all the time when my DD was bigger and more upright - I've never tried when a baby can't hold their own head up. Not sure how to go about it? Seems like a sling might work best but I couldn't get it? I really sort of hate my ring sling - i can never get it to do what I see on the computer. Maybe I just have a crappy one. It's quite old and a hand me down. Anyway, I think breakfast would be a lot easier around here if I could nurse and have my hands relatively free!! Both my girls seem to wake up at the same time and everyone needs to be dressed and pottied and fed all at once.

Cindy

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

I'm watching this thread with interest.  So far I haven't worn this baby too much (we've mostly been at home in bed) but have used my ring sling and moby a few times (both in upright positions). 

I know once I don't have help at home, it would be really helpful to be able to wear her and nurse.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it work though since I am pretty large chested to begin with and huge now that I have a baby who is a big nurser, so if anyone has ideas on that I'd especially like to hear them.  We have a moby, a woven simple piece of cloth wrap, an ergo (with the insert), a ring sling and a pouch sling.

Cindy, have you looked to see if you have a local chapter of Baby Wearers International?  I haven't gotten to go yet, but I know our local group gets together monthly and I hope they can help me figure some of these things out in person.  I find it hard sometimes to follow the instructions I've found for these things online and really just need someone to show me/help me figure it out.

[Vegan Princess]

Thanks Under - I just emailed the local leader to find out where they meet. I just assumed there wasn't a chapeter here - even though I live in a super crunchy area. I was thinking of bugging my SIL bc I know she belonged to a baby wearing group that was really active - but it'd be really hard for her to tell me what to do from across the country. LOL.

[pregnova]

I have a sling I sewed and Moby at the moment. We used the sling exclusively for the first week and she LOVED it...and so did I! And then I brought out the Moby and now she refuses the sling in favor of the Moby. lol Like literally screams in the sling she used to love until I switch to the Moby. Bah! I don't mind TOO much except that it's difficult to get her in and out without a fuss, and it's hot when I go into a store that has the heat on! We did just figure out nursing in it though...she just sort of throws herself diagonal until she's eating my shirt, and I can just pull everything down on that side and she latches right on. The one thing I sort of dislike about though is that it's REALLY obvious that I'm nursing...like, there's an ENORMOUS bulge from her head RIGHT on top of my boob while I walk around. lol!! 

(5 days pp in the sling)

18 days pp in the Moby (Halloween!)

I'm about to buy an Ergo for using when out more than walking distance from home...to make nursing and getting her in and out a bit easier. I thought I'd wait longer on an Ergo because I really prefer the Moby when they're little, but I'm just out too much.

[Vegan Princess]

Preg: You are absolutely tiny again!!! I think I gained the same amount of weight as you (30lbs) and I have about 9 lbs left - but of course I started out way bigger than you! Love the pics! You do your moby wrap dif - I have the "x" on the inside and the legs froggied. 

So it turns out the baby wearing group meets a few blocks from my house (preg-  they meet at totland!). The next meeting is in 2 weeks. So I'm def going to go. Maybe I'll meet some cool mamas there too.

[pregnova]

I know! I have no idea how I managed to slim down so fast! My pre-pregnancy pants are 'just' about comfortable again!

How neat that the babywearing group meets so close to you Cindy! I'm a bit jealous!

I got an Ergo off of craigslist today, and WOOT!  SO much easier to nurse and be hands free!!!

[Vegan Princess]

nak

/

ok, how do you nurse a newborn in the ergo? in the insert?

[pregnova]

So, I've only tried it indoors...lol, so I'm still working on the discreetness aspect, but I have her in the insert, but loosen the arm strap on whichever side I'm going to be nursing on like WAY loose. Get her latched on...and then I sort of folded over the top of the insert to really pad where her head/neck is, so it sort of keeps her latched on and then tightened the strap on that side just a bit. It's def. awkward every time I've done it, BUT, once I get us all settled, I'm hands free and she seems REALLY content...I think being so upright might actually help her manage the fast let down better.  The one thing I noticed when I do it is that the whole side gap on the side she's nursing at seems pretty big...meaning lots of exposed skin if I'm pulling my shirt up from the bottom, but the infant insert helps keep anyone from actually seeing her nursing...it's just that my side and back are exposed. 

I'd love any better tips though!

[pregnova]

oh, I forgot...I do drop the whole ergo down lower...so the straps are looser than I'd ordinarily wear and then I loosen that one side even more. The infant prefold is like folded over twice behind her neck and head.

[Vegan Princess]

Thanks - that's super helpfull. I'm going to try in the house too. I mostly want it for making breakfast while nursing anyway.

Check out modest middles. I have one from last time and love it! You can make your own for cheaper. I almost always wear a nursing cami so I'm covered. I hate nursing bras and mine from last time are too small now.

[springmum]

I'm mostly using the moby when we're out and am loving it, though I find I need to get it set up before I leave, b/c doing it in a parking lot or somewhere where the ends drag isn't as fun.

I have a sling that I prefer for around the house, but don't always feel like his head is secure in the upright position...maybe it's just my sling?

I have a beco for when he's a little bigger that I'm looking forward to, but I'm drooling over the new Beco's that have all kinds of fun carries....

Still haven't nursed in anything yet - I feel like with my crazy letdown and how many times he pops off when he needs a break from it I would either squirt milk out of the carrier or soak it....hopefully soon though....

[pregnova]

Yeah...so I was able to cook a big dinner last night in the Ergo...absolutely made a huge difference in our evening fussy time! I still want a Sakura bloom sling...mostly because they're just gorgeous. lol not too sure if that's worth the money though! Anyone have one of those?

[Vegan Princess]

Is it bad to wear your baby all the time? LOL. This morning I watched some youtube videos to make sure I was doing the ergo infant insert right. Turns out I wasn't. So I tried again with it right (upright hold). I also figured out the cradle hold. My baby is powerless over the ergo! So I wore her most of the day. Thankfully i can transfer her from ergo to car seat, etc. She's conked out within 5 minutes every time. I felt so productive today, having my hands free to make breakfast and get dinner prepped, etc. DH is excited to start wearing her in the ergo. He's intimidated by wraps. But he used to wear DD1 in the ergo. He rocked the baby bjorn the most - but it hurt his back, of course. I hate that thing. I once used it while on a walk when DD1 was a few about 5 or 6 months old. Baby melted down 1/2 mile from home and I had to nurse her all the way home - so not discreet, my boob was hanging out for all the traffic to see. And the bjorn rubbed my tummy raw. 

Cindy

[pregnova]

LOL! I have only had mine like two or three days now. And she's in it most of the day. lol I didn't know there was a cradle hold! I will check that out. I use the Ergo to cook...to clean...to calm her down...to get her to nap...even to get her to sleep at night...it's like the ultimate baby sleeping pill! LOL! 

[sillymom44]

So far I use the ring sling in the house and the ergo with the new infant insert when I am going for a walk or going shopping, etc...  He loves both- I do agree that the ring sling can be difficult to position a newborn in, but it's just so easy to pop the baby in and out of when I am doing housework.  There are things that I just cannot do while carrying the baby- so once he is sound asleep I pop him out and into a cradle/bouncer.

I have never tried nursing in it-- I cannot imagine that working, but it's worth a try.  He nurses constantly....  :)

[springmum]

Okay, does anyone else have a baby that is too curious to be in the carriers when awake? This little monkey always wants to stick his head out (like doing a pushup on my chest) to look around while he's in the sling or moby. He's tall, so when I tuck him in the sling (upright, newborn hold) his head is out and bouncing all over the place. In the Moby he won't stay tucked under the fabric and his head is bouncing around while he tries to look around, and he doesn't like how tight it is - always wiggling and squirming in it. I feel like I'm not totally hands free b'/c I need to keep a hand on his head so he doesn't smash into me!

He's quite happy to sleep in the moby, and I like the ease of the sling - what carries is everyone doing? Maybe I could try a different carry or something so I can really get both hands free.

At home he actually naps really well during the day on his own, so I don't carry him for naps unless we're out somewhere. I tried nursing in the moby the other day and it was disaster  - DS woke up too much and realized he was wrapped up and screamed until I unwrapped him and let him nurse out of the wrap - I had to wait for him to fall back asleep then I rewrapped and put him upright again...not fun in the middle of a toy store, thank goodness the bathroom was clean b/c I was so flustered!!

[hibiscus mum]

]Funny, springmum, my DD does the exact same thing in the Moby. She actually likes to lean her head back and gaze up at me. So I usually hold her head with one hand and once she falls asleep I can tuck her head in. She gets pissed when she wakes up, tho. LOL.

[sillymom44]

I have never had much success with the Moby, even thought it is so cool looking- I wish I liked it!!  My boys have been so heavy, that I never can get it tight enough.  AND-- same issue with DS hating to have his head secured.  The ring sling has the same issue with me feeling like I have to keep him secure with one hand b/c his head bops around...so that is silly b/c I may as well be carrying him.  The ERGO works best b/c he can move his head around while awake or asleep and yet I do'nt feel like I have to use one hand to keep him safe.  So far, he loves it and sleeps well in it.  I just need to keept it inside so I use it more.  I was keeping it in the car, for fear that I would get to the store I realize I didn't have it.  I don't go to the store more that twice a week though, so that is silly.

I get a sad lonely feeling when I see a baby in a carseat (being carried around) or a stroller.  I have used them from time to time, but I just assume these babies are in it most of the time.  It's none of my business...it's just a thought.

[hibiscus mum]

I'm excited to use my Beco again when she's a bit bigger. I don't have an infant insert for it so I think I have to wait until she's 3 months.

[sillymom44]

OK-- grocery shopping dilemma.  I don't know if it's b/c I am shopping at a different store than usual (where I used to live I shopped at a regular grocery store and items probably were on the middle of the shelf-- but I'm finding it very difficult to shop while wearing him b/c I have to get items off of the bottom shelf frequently (Trader's Joe) and it's almost impossible.  I had to kneel on the floor yesterday and could hardly get back up again.

Im using the Ergo with the infant insert.  I hate to carry in the carseat....