How To Be Hands Free « Back to Group Discussions

[Sweet Huck]

I'm changing this thread to be more inclusive. Originally I was considering a moses basket as a place to put the baby so I could be hands free while cooking, cleaning, eating or folding laundry..... but let's get real and talk about ALL hands free options--- from your favorite carriers to bassinets or play pens.

Experienced moms, what has worked for you? New moms, what are you considering acquiring to help you when you need to be hands free?

Ready. Set. Go.

I would like some input. We live in about 1000 square feet with two dogs and a cat, and our first baby on the way. I was thinking that a Moses Basket might be ideal as a place to put the baby while I'm in the kitchen or living room cooking, folding laundry, watching TV, etc. I know these baskets are only good for the first 3-5 months.... but it seemed like a more portable (and charming) option than a pack and play and it would give us a chance to find a rhythm with the baby and our new life before purchasing something different and, probably, more intrusive to our already limited space. These baskets can also be pretty reasonable, which makes it a good item to put on my registry.

Thoughts? Anyone used one of these before? We would probably only use this while the baby naps and we are multi-tasking nearby, not for over-night sleeping.

Thanks in advance!

Edited by Sweet Huck - 2/5/13 at 12:30pm

[amlikam]

We have a moses basket (I scored it FREE) - I never used one with DD but we did have a little portable bassinet we took EVERY WHERE!!!! and LOVED it, in fact I am trying to find another because it had a sunshade on it (which the moses basket doesn't have).

However if we just had this I think it would be perfect for us. My only word of advice is keeping it up while babe is in it and you run out of the room. Our dogs didn't always get the boundary with holders near the floor and occasionally jumped over or once EEEEE on top of my DD!!!!! YIKES.... (They were excited by someone at the door- she survived/was fine.....) Depends on the size of the animal of course.

I found no matter what we did the cats ALWAYS wanted to be in the baby "beds"

[Tenk]

I'll chime in here too.  I wanted one SO bad with our youngest.  She was premature and weighed 4lb6oz when we brought her home.  It was perfect for her then!!  It only lasted about 6 weeks.  Once she became more alert and moving around she hated it.  I never had the legs that are pictured above either.  I also had a friend that said she never used hers at all.  I might recommend an Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper.  When not hooked to the side of the bed it has wheels and can be rolled/moved from place to place but allows the baby a bit more space.  You could probably find one on CraigsList for pretty cheap too.  Just my 2c, take it or leave it :)  Oh and mine didn't sleep in the Co-Sleeper at night, they slept in my bed but the co-sleeper  *COULD* be sidecar'd if you wanted to use it for dual purposes, it's moves very easily.

[shanna-cat]

we had something similar given to us and never used it. i prefered to wear my babies especially when they were that young. i had a couple slings for the wee ages and then moved onto other carrriers. i love wearing my babies and then i wasn't as worried about the dog knocking it over or whatever.

FWIW when i had my first son we lived in a 900 sq ft apt with my sister and our two three dogs (so 3 adults, 3 dogs). after DS was born we shared one bedroom and my sis had the other bedroom. we were in college and trying to make things work on a very small budget plus finishing school. even though it was tight space it was one of my fondest memories... i loved having my ds grow up in such a tightknit family space where there was always someone to hold him. as far as baby 'stuff' we had an arms reach co-sleeper which we did use until he couldn't fit in it (sure he managed to make his way into our bed every night but i still liked the option of him being in the sleeper beside me), a changing table (great for storage!) and a small dresser. then we had a carseat and 2 slings, and a boppy. thats pretty much it. we couldn't afford or fit anything else into our place. and it worked out great! so small spaces don't have to mean cramming more stuff in but perhaps making the most of the space you do have.

[dayiscoming2006]

I used an infant seat in the main area with mine until they were around 3 months old or so and then they liked the jumperoo or activity center as well as the infant seat and then eventually the infant seat was a bore and they wanted to be in the jumperoo or activity center all the time.

I would wear my babies sometimes, but not all the time. To each their own. I usually wore my baby to help them fall asleep or if I needed to go out or go on a walk or shopping. I didn't like to wear my kids in the house much and stopped wearing them to help them sleep after the first couple months as they got used to falling asleep on their own.

[Sweet Huck]

Thanks for the input folks! I really appreciate it and welcome more ideas and/or recommendations for to how to be HANDS FREE with a newborn!

I'm all for babywearing, but I do have an important question--- how did you juggle baby wearing and cooking? I love to cook but have heard it's not recommended to simultaneously cook and babywear.  I also have sporadic back problem and need to acknowledge (and prepare) for that limitation.

Babywearing or not, I will still need a place to put the baby down that is not on our floor. I'm thinking more and more about a pack n play. Perhaps a travel crib or bassinet. Potentially more expensive and less homey-looking than a basket, but it will be more useful for a longer period of time.

We have a hand-me down cosleeper that we will keep in our bedroom. I'm looking strictly for something to keep on our main floor that is raised off the ground, but not too much in the way!

___

I'm changing this thread to be more inclusive. Originally I was considering a moses basket as a place to put the baby so I could be hands free while cooking, cleaning, eating or folding laundry..... but let's get real and talk about ALL hands free options--- from your favorite carriers to bassinets or play pens.

Experienced moms, what has worked for you? New moms, what are you considering acquiring to help you when you need to be hands free?

Ready. Set. Go.
_____

Edited by Sweet Huck - 2/5/13 at 12:53pm

[amlikam]

We loved our pack in play type thing which had a bassinet and changing table, which worked wonders for the first floor of our house. It was a gift and we still have it (we loaned it to my sister and she still had it!!! yay!!)... They are a space commitment, but I figure it filled the need of diaper holder, changing table, bassinet, play yard and clothes holder (when the bassinet was on we could stash things under the bassinet in the play yard space!!! Plus if I had to pee or poop and wanted to do it without babywearing (I am a huge baby wearing fan as well but you know, sometimes you want to do things by yourself, like yes poop!!! Or at least wipe- but I've done that holding a kid plenty of times too.) I would put DD in something for that kind of thing. For us the bassinet worked until she was just about 1 (she was a bit behind in physical development because of prematurity.) 

And while I am the first to say "wear your baby" I would caution around cooking with your baby on you (even back holds can be dangerous while cooking). Moms do it and I have done it on occasion when baby really needed that time, but when possible I tried to keep cooking separate personally. My daughter really likes to be a part of what is going oon in the kitchen so we kept color, counting, alphabet and shape charts on the wall at her level that she could point to and we would talk about while I cooked. When she was old enough she climbed onto a stool to watch. Or DH would hold her so she could see while I cooked or I would give her some dishes to "wash".

Really cooking and baby wearing is a personal choice and to be honest maybe I would have done more of it if my kitchen wasn't ridiculously small and awkward to navigate. When I did cook with her on me, she was old enough to go on my back, but she was so annoyed by not being able to see anything she fussed to get down and explore. Here are some tips on how to incorporate babywearing and cooking more.... http://babywearingmom.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/tips-for-cooking-while-babywearing/

[veggieviola]

I'd love to hear suggestions on this as well.  I'm really not into the idea of a million gadgets to babysit or soothe the little one, but practically speaking I know it would be useful to have some type of pack-n-play or other place to set the baby down as needed.  I asked this question on the nursery thread that I started the other day, but have any of you gotten good use out of the arms reach co-sleeper as a pack-n-play or portable/travel crib after the little one outgrew it for sleeping or transitioned to crib?  

[bearandotter]

I babywear A LOT and am a strong believe in the adage "nine in nine out' for how long they should stay very close. Hasn't stopped mine from being able to self soothe and fall into a blissful sleep with very little assistance. True you likely should not be using a hot stove with a baby on the front, but you can do a lot of prep. I also wrap my babies on my back from 2-3 months. I am a devotee of woven wraps - which I find to be the most comfortable and flexible for multiple users and uses (front, high back, low back, hip, etc...).

With my second we got a baby bjorn baby sitter. Expensive yes (but frequently available second hand or on sale). It has multiple positions, from full recline to high sitting. Can be bounced by baby or by your foot. Very natural sway/bounce. Not plastic-y or electric or noisy or cluttery. Folds flat for travel (great for going out visiting). Takes up a very little space yet is very stable and can be used by older kids without tipping. Still look new after hundreds of hours of use and many trips through the washer. Best baby-related investment I have ever made (except my woven wraps :)  )

[shanna-cat]

i agree that you need to be cautious while cooking and baby wearing, however i did it ALL THE TIME. this is another one of those 'to each there own' things, and it's really your own comfort level. for wee babes who can't sit yet I almost exclusively used a thick fleece pouch sling while cooking and had baby tucked safely inside it so wasn't worried about splatters or such getting to baby. and yes, my boys were both summer babies and I still used the fleece and it worked out fine.  As they got older I would put them on my back in either a Mai Tai or an ergo (my kids never really loved the ergo) or if they were (for lack of a better word) 'behaving' then in the pouch sling on my side. 

with my first it was easier to just prep and then while actually cooking pass baby off to DH or my sis who lived with us... but with the second when DH was bartending and i did all the cooking myself i couldn't find a way around baby wearing and cooking that i felt good about. i am a pretty avid baby wearer and very rarely put babies in other things (besides peoples arms!). we did have a bouncy seat that I would use if I really needed a break or help, i would say maybe once a week. 

I even have a shower adaptable ring sling that is made of mesh that i wore with my babes in the shower with me! To cut down on space we didn't own a stroller until after our first DS was 1. 

If I had to list my favorite and 'never want to give up' baby items I would say-

1. sling or other baby carrier

2. boppy 

3. rocking chair or glider (my first DS refused to sleep longer than 45 min EVER until he was almost 2.... the rocker was my saving grace literally)

edit- we do own a pack and play that my mom bought and kept at her house, she also had a swing. i think she used them (the swing much more than the pack and play) because she didn't grow up baby wearing so wasn't as keen on it as I was. i do remember her saying she liked the infant attachment that went with the pack and play though. 

some things you honestly just have to wait to try and experiment with AFTER the baby is born. I never would have wanted/bought or thought i would need a rocking chair but holy moly am I glad we got one because it's the only way ds1 would sleep. and I never thought i would baby wear SO MUCH but ds1 also screamed like a banchee every time we put him down. (geez, looking back ds1 was hard!! )

Edited by shanna-cat - 2/5/13 at 3:39pm

[SweetMama34]

Sling and bouncy chair or swing. I can do most everything with baby in the sling - some cooking/cleaning required me to set them down for a bit. As they got larger, I moved them out of the sling while they slept (when they had more regular nap times).

[amlikam]

"or if they were (for lack of a better word) 'behaving' then in the pouch sling on my side."

Cooperative? (behavin is such a trigger word for me personally bc what is 'behaving') Yes on some days my DD was very agreeable to working with me while I cooked and I could hold her more.

[BumkinsMum]

Well I'd have to say we've come a long way with our hands free techniques.

Baby #1 An abandoned shopping cart...Really... Now when you're finished laughing hear me out. It fits a baby bucket in the bottom nice and snug, it keeps baby off the ground and at an easy-to-get-to level, you can move it to nearly any room (we have alot of open space in our house to move though), store a few emergency diapers/ blankets in the bottom like a diaper bag, and throw it in the back of your car when it's time to go grocery shop!  

Baby #2 Was strictly a 'pack' baby. He was born with some muscle difficulties which caused frustration as an infant so he was very fussy and only happy when held. I learned how to pack him on my back to do tasks I couldn't accomplish with him in front. (Especially cooking!)

Baby #3 Plastic swing-set type swing hung up in the living room. These work so well inside and if you put enough blankets around the babe they just swing themselves to sleep!  We put hooks up in a couple different places in the house so I could move the swing to wherever I was.  Word of caution, for those with older kiddos, be sure to set a 'swing height' limit rule because they'll Looooooove pushing baby in the swing! As long as the babe is buckled in I've found it safer than floor swings around older kiddos though.

Baby #4 & 5 Fisher Price Glider. Love this tool. We mounted ours onto a desk in the living room and it worked wonderfully for hand free since it continues to 'glide' forever. (or until the batteries run out!)

(I second the hard fact that cats will sleep in just about any baby holding contraption though so be for warned!)

Now with all this being said, I am a %95 percent baby wearing mum.

I have used the Baby Trekker alot for older babies. Highly recommend because it's so easily adjustable, there are no hard frame parts to dig into you and my son says it looks like an Octopus.

My favorite is my homemade wrap though.  About 3 yards of non-stretch cotton fabric, cut lengthwise to make two pieces of material that are 2' wide. You can sew the rough the edges over or leave raw for a fringe look. You cross the wrap over the baby, over your body then around the back to tie. It's a simple and primitive wrap that securely holds the baby against your chest or back or side! It's so versatile and of course nursable! I love how comfortable and lightweight it is.  I have made several with all different colors so I can match my attire accordingly with the wrap for a real fashion statement in baby wearing. Or toddler wearing for that matter. My 3 year old loved it too.

**Extra Tid-bit for those mamas that like to (and actually get to) take a shower by themselves once in a while. I've wrapped the sleeping babe up well and set them in the bathroom sink for my 5 min shower. Works like a charm when they're still so tiny you can think of letting them out of your sight (and while they're still small enough to fit in the sink!)
 

[dayiscoming2006]

I like a pack n play with bassinet and changing table set up. Had that with my last two. It's really worn out now, so I'm going to watch craigslist for a replacement for this baby. But, it's actually going to be the bed for in the bedroom mainly. I like the infant seat and activity centers for babies in the main area like I said before. As much as mine LOVED their fancy jumperoo(kind that they can spin around too), I couldn't imagine getting by without it for like 4-6 months or so. Each baby is different though. I have a pretty bad back, so I just can't babywear THAT much and honestly, my kids have done very well without all the babywearing. Like I said, to each their own. I like my carriers for various things, I just can't do that all the time and I wouldn't really want to.

[bearandotter]

Originally Posted by dayiscoming2006 

 I have a pretty bad back, so I just can't babywear THAT much and honestly, my kids have done very well without all the babywearing. Like I said, to each their own. I like my carriers for various things, I just can't do that all the time and I wouldn't really want to.

I'm sure you kids have done well without constant babywearing, please don't feel judged. In part, I babywear so much because I have such a bad back (ruptured a disc a while back plus some postural issues). I find wrapping is my only way to get through the day. 5 min with a baby in my in arms and I think I am going to cry. It truly is going to be the perfect unique solution that evolves for each family.

And as for the cooking thing - there is a spectrum to what cooking entails. Stirring a simmering pot - no prob. Frying splattering bacon - maybe not. I always think - if you wouldn't do it naked don't do it with a baby (hmm... upon reading this I think this adage only pertains to this scenario! ;) )  A ring sling (or a pouch if you are really confident in use, sizing, and positioning) is great. From a pretty early age baby can be near to your hip and you can swing your arm around in front while throwing something into the oven, so baby is completely blocked by your body. 

Another thing I haven't seen mentioned here - and I'm sure you already have one.... THE FLOOR. Though my in-laws freak out every time, I see nothing wrong, and a lot right, about throwing down a quilt and putting baby down adjacent to where I am working. No risk of falling. Great for observed tummy time. When I had a 16month old and a newborn we made a rule that the big one was not allowed to go on the blanket unless mommy was also on it. Worked great.

Bumkins Mom: I love the mental image of baby and gear in a shopping cart - neo-hobo-eque. Just one question - how did you get through doorways?

[BumkinsMum]

No judgment here on Baby-wearing Just offering what worked best for our family.

It truly is different for each baby. My 1st didn't mind the floor/tummy time at all so she was fine being set down, where some babes just can't stand you letting them out of your arms. (Like my son with a winged scapula and Torticollis.)

Living with my son's pain at birth due to muscle problems I completely sympathize with you mama's that have back injuries or chronic back pain. I am so impressed that you are still wanting to pack your baby  

  I've had to recover from a severe back muscle injury I got while doing farm work. I was completely useless for at least a week. I could not imagine being preggo with a back problem let alone baby wearing. You mama's are totally amazing!

Bumkins Mom: I love the mental image of baby and gear in a shopping cart - neo-hobo-eque. Just one question - how did you get through doorways?

Well..... it was a tight squeeze sometimes  And after all we are just a bunch of BUM-kins here so the hobo title truly fits...

[Sweet Huck]

Interesting to hear about babywearing and backs-- especially how it's great for some even with back issues! I'm hopeful that I'll get some good babywearing in and am excited to make my own woven wrap.

As for the floor--- I've seen my friends do this and I think it's FABULOUS, but not for us.  I'm not comfortable putting an infant on the floor with 2 dogs. They are sweet as pie and I can't imagine either of them snapping... but you just don't every know and I'm not willing to take the risk. There's also (in my mind) a cleanliness factor. So--- looking for something up off the floor --- either babywearing or something else!

So neat to hear about all the different options people have tried and what has/hasn't worked for them!

[spotty4]

Well, I am no mommy veteran so I have no idea what will work for this baby or even in general.  We have acquired a ton of options via freecycle so we will just see what works best.  We have been fortunate to not grapple with the space issue.  We plan to use a pack n play but we also have a sling for me (too small for husband), a carrier for both of us, a swing, a bouncy chair, and one of those floor gyms.  LOL - writing that all out it seems excessive!  Oh well, we'll figure it out! 

We will also have the pets problem.  With a dog and cats we will need to do some refereeing.  But in general, I'd like to think the cats will want to have nothing to do w/ a screeching noisy baby and steer clear!

[blackannis]

I did a lot of babywearing with DS1 because, well, he was an "OMG, don't put me down!!!!" baby--he would cry and cry and cry if he was not being held or really snuggled up somehow. It was inconvenient sometimes, but we got through it. Because there were times when DH was gone and I simply could not hold DS1, though, we did have a PnP, bouncy chair, and a high chair, which was where I put him when I was doing stuff in the kitchen and could not hold him (because I'm short, trying to cook or wash dishes around him was really difficult). He spent a lot of time sleeping on my lap on a Boppy, though . . . I started teaching online college classes from home about 3 weeks after he was born, and had a pretty comfy arrangement where I could put him on the Boppy on my lap and use the table edge to keep him from rolling off, and then could easily and fairly comfortably type over him as he snuggled, slept, nursed, etc. That worked well for the first 3 months or so, after which we had to re-evaluate and instead started spending a lot of time on the floor.

On pets, my cats only wanted to sleep in DS's beds until DS arrived. Once there was a baby in there, they both completely avoided the beds and carriers!

[GoGetumTiger]

Thank you for starting this thread!  DH and I have been discussing if we might need something for me to park the baby in from time to time when it's not feasible to babywear.  I've been going through daily tasks in my head step-by-step, like diaper changes, trying to think of what all I'll need and where we'll put things (which I'm sure is probably overkill).  Like you, we have 1100 sq ft and we really don't want to buy anything we won't use or don't have room for.

I think we may try a Rock N Play.  I've been reading Amazon reviews about it causing flat spots on baby heads, which is discouraging, but I don't plan on leaving the baby in there for hours on end.  Maybe potty breaks, showers, drying hair, washing hands post diaper change, cooking.  The newer models claim to be easier to break down for washing, since apparently they can have a mold issue.  It's small enough that I can cart it easily around the house and it should be able to fit in small spaces (like our three foot wide kitchen or bathroom). 

A friend of ours used a bouncy seat, but it's too low to the ground for us.  We have dogs, and they're lickers.  .  I'm excited to see what else might work.