"Babywearing makes gettting stuff done a breeze!" - HOW???? - Page 2

[Llyra]

I agree about the Mei Tai and the back carries, but I also agree that while I do get things done with Julia on me, I get them done at a much slower pace than I ever did before, with a lot of interruptions. I've come to be reconciled to that.

The real PIA is when she reaches for everything. Yesterday she grabbed a dirty glass out of the sink when I was reaching up to put bowls away, and dropped it on my FOOT. Luckily it didn't break, but even a back carry is getting less realistic now for housework. Oh, and she WAILS whenever I run the vacuum while wearing her-- she likes to be safely away from the Vacuum Monster, in another room or even upstairs.

That said, I actually DID accomplish a babywearing diaper change once. We were at an outdoor concert and the ground was muddy, and I had no place to put her down. Granted she was only 9 pounds and in a cradle carry, so it was not that difficult, but I did kind of feel like super-sling-mama for a few minutes. :LOL

[HydeParkB]

but I did kind of feel like super-sling-mama for a few minutes.

Indeed!

So, I know every child develops differently. BUT, about when could I start trying the back carries, and what physical attributes should I be looking for?

[the2amigos]

!!!!

I was just coming to this forum to post the same thing!! My 13 week old loves to be worn in the Moby, t2t. And I do find it a challenge to do laundry -my back isn't the greatest, leaning into the front loader just doesn't work. And I also can't pick up things off the floor. I'm off to order a MT to see if that will help...nervous about figuring out the back carry.

Glad to know I'm not alone!! My house has never looked so cluttered!

[bethwl]

I think you could go ahead and try a back carry at 12 weeks. At 3 mos. babies usually are starting to have some good head control. I think you just want to make sure that the head is leaning against your back and the mei tai/wrap is tight against you unless they can completely hold their head up themselves. I know for me, my dd hated being in the cradle hold after about 2 mos. and from then it was the kangaroo carry in a pouch. Had I known about mei tais then, I would have tried a high back carry.

I agree that the "I just pop him in and it's so easy" comments make it seem simpler than it sometimes is. Babywearing sometimes makes it possible to attempt to get other things done, but there is no way, at least for me, that I can be as productive as without a baby. As others said, the back carry is key to getting more done because it's hard to reach over baby to do things in front of you when they're in a pouch or ring sling. My dd is now 21 months and I'm jealous of the people whose toddlers will stay in the carrier around the house. My dd will have none of it, we have to be outside walking to be in the carrier. In the house, she wants to dance, play, run around.

As for Dr. Sears, he's great, but can be a little Pollyanna about things. My dh and I joked that his solution for everything is the sling. "My son has horrible diarrhea, what should I do?" "Wear him in a sling!"

[Tupelo Honey]

Originally Posted by the2amigos

I was just coming to this forum to post the same thing!! My 13 week old loves to be worn in the Moby, t2t. And I do find it a challenge to do laundry -my back isn't the greatest, leaning into the front loader just doesn't work. And I also can't pick up things off the floor. I'm off to order a MT to see if that will help...nervous about figuring out the back carry.

Glad to know I'm not alone!! My house has never looked so cluttered!

You know you can use your Moby for back carries, though, right? Don't be scared! It's easier than you think!

[earthcore]

Just wanted to chime in and say that when my DD was that age, I too found it hard to get things done with her in the sling. At that age, we spent a lot of time just cuddling together on the couch. It got much, much easier to move around and get things done when she got a little older. Right now, I'm finding the ring sling great for running errands and popping her in and out. I have a Kozy that I use for household chores most of the time.

[bartleby]

Originally Posted by bethwl

As for Dr. Sears, he's great, but can be a little Pollyanna about things. My dh and I joked that his solution for everything is the sling. "My son has horrible diarrhea, what should I do?" "Wear him in a sling!"

Ha! So true. When I was having the greatest difficulty with babywearing, when my daughter was about 3-4 months, I would read the babywearing chapter in the Sears book over and over. Out of frustration one day, I muttered, "I bet that guy has never worn a baby in his life!" Probably not totally true, but still. His Pollyanna attitude about it led to some guilt feelings in me at first, especially the "sling babies cry less" thing he always mentions. So when my baby would cry, for no apparent reason, sometimes even while in the sling, I'd think, "I thought she wasn't supposed to cry so much!" And my husband, ever helpful, would say, "Well, think of how much she might cry if she weren't in the sling." Gee thanks, honey.

[bethwl]

Originally Posted by bartleby

Ha! So true. When I was having the greatest difficulty with babywearing, when my daughter was about 3-4 months, I would read the babywearing chapter in the Sears book over and over. Out of frustration one day, I muttered, "I bet that guy has never worn a baby in his life!" Probably not totally true, but still. His Pollyanna attitude about it led to some guilt feelings in me at first, especially the "sling babies cry less" thing he always mentions. So when my baby would cry, for no apparent reason, sometimes even while in the sling, I'd think, "I thought she wasn't supposed to cry so much!" And my husband, ever helpful, would say, "Well, think of how much she might cry if she weren't in the sling." Gee thanks, honey.

Yeah, i'm sure he's done his share of babywearing, but I think that man just has some sort of super positive attitude that simply doesn't admit any feelings of despair or self-doubt.

[AngelBee]

: Good to know I am not alone in the land of baby backwearing fear!

[jenne_girle]

Thank you *so* much for starting this thread and to all the posters who had input! I've been feeling like such a failure. I have a 6 month old, and she really loves the sling, but I find I seldom use it around the house because it's just impossible to actually get things done. Like a pp said, I can unload and load the dishwasher, and tidy counters and whatnot, but laundry is my biggest chore and the one I simply can't seem to do with dd in the sling. I have already begun the process of getting a MT, so I'm thrilled to know that it really will help in the housework dept.

I giggled over Dr. Pollyanna. Glad I'm not the only one who felt less than adequate for not wearing her all day. I will say though, babywearing has been a godsend, and Dr. Sears' advice on the matter was a big part of the reason I decided to sling my baby. I'm so glad I did!

[cmmrk1974]

The funniest thing to me about Dr. Sears and babywearing was where he says how you really can wear your baby anywhere... that he & Martha once went to an elegant function and she wore her baby in a dressy black sling, and how people said "oh how cute, there's a baby in there!"

Now maybe someone said that - maybe this was a gathering full of AP people ... but I have this image that it was someone's black tie wedding. Someone mainstream and conservative, and that while they SAID it was cute, they were cringing inside and thinking "I can NOT believe they brought the baby - will their kookiness never end?!"

[bartleby]

Christy--I thought that part in the book--the formal fuction sling-wearing--was funny too. When I read that, I found myself wishing that my husband and I would get invited to some fancy event, just so I could try wearing my baby to it. But no luck. (We're just not popular or high-styling enough, I guess.) Though I doubt that my baby would have stayed quiet and peaceful, even in the sling, throughout a formal event.

I wanted to add, on the whole chores-while-babywearing topic, that for a while I was so determined to be a Sling-wearing Domestic Goddess, that I think I may have at times overlooked safety in favor of my aspirations to an ideal. My advice? Go with safety over all! I realize that's probably a big "well, duh", but I admit I still sometimes find myself thinking, "Oh, I'll just wear her in the sling down the precarious, creaky stairs to the basement, while also carrying a laundry basket full of dirty clothes..." because it makes me feel like Super Sling Woman. But then I come to my senses and put her down for the minute or two it takes to throw in the laundry or get something out of the oven or whatever. Besides, I'm a bit of a clumsy clod (I tripped and fell once while babywearing on a walk with my dog), so I always opt for safety first now. Just use common sense, and you'll be fine!

[meco]

Originally Posted by cmmrk1974

Now maybe someone said that - maybe this was a gathering full of AP people ... but I have this image that it was someone's black tie wedding. Someone mainstream and conservative, and that while they SAID it was cute, they were cringing inside and thinking "I can NOT believe they brought the baby - will their kookiness never end?!"

cmmrk, I have taken my son to 2 black tie affairs with my son in a black pouch, and once in a Baby Bjorn prior to owning pouches, wraps and slings. All 3 times I received many wonderful comments. I gave out the website to people at all 3 affairs. People were genuinely intrigued by my pouch and thought it was very cool None were AP leaning crowds. I do not think that their interest and comments were made with false intentions. I think if anything it showed that a baby can come to a wedding, be and nurse in happiness and with minimal intrusion upon those who would rather a baby not be there. Some people might learn.

[marisa]

Originally Posted by jenne_girle

I giggled over Dr. Pollyanna. Glad I'm not the only one who felt less than adequate for not wearing her all day.

My youngest would scream if he wasn't in a sling morning, noon and night. I couldn't put him down for a full four months. By the time he was ready to start exploring the world on his own, I was relieved and glad to put him down!!!

[cmmrk1974]

meco, that is so nice to hear. I should not be such a skeptic/pessimist!

The whole wedding planning thing was not that long ago for me, and I remember reading so many bridezilla posts/rants where the bride was so offended that some cousin or aunt or coworker wanted to bring their baby. I guess that's what I was thinking of. But I am happy to hear that not everyone is like that, even outside the AP world!

[mindycat72]

Originally Posted by cmmrk1974

The funniest thing to me about Dr. Sears and babywearing was where he says how you really can wear your baby anywhere... that he & Martha once went to an elegant function and she wore her baby in a dressy black sling, and how people said "oh how cute, there's a baby in there!"

Now maybe someone said that - maybe this was a gathering full of AP people ... but I have this image that it was someone's black tie wedding. Someone mainstream and conservative, and that while they SAID it was cute, they were cringing inside and thinking "I can NOT believe they brought the baby - will their kookiness never end?!"

:

[dido1]

I didn't like the sling for doing chores...DS practically lived in a stretchy wrap between 3 and 8 months and I found I could get most things done, I just had to be a little further way from things (he was in the tummy to tummy on the front). I also use a hotslings pouch a lot, and like that I can shift him to the back of my hip and have him out of the way while I cook or do dishes. I am also BIG fan of woven wraps and started back carrying him at about 6 months, usually the Tibetan strap carry, which is the easiest and quickest back carry ever! The baby gets nice and high, can see over your shoulder and your arms are totally mobile, unlike a sling. If you are nervous about baby having a floppy head while on your back, get a really light, breathable scarf and tie that over your back carry to support the baby's head. (A nice light cotton gauze scarf would be perfect).

I did manage to get all my chores done while using the wrap front carry when DS was really little. I cooked, cleaned, did laundry, shopped, yada yada. You have to tie them in REALLY tight so you are confident having hands free. But there are certain things you have to do with out the baby, like scrubbing the tub. Although I did manage to wash the bathroom floor the other day with DS on my back.

Now before I start sounding like super woman...I must confess that as DS gets older and less happy being carted around in my various carriers, I'm REALLY letting the house work go :