When do you wear your baby?

[lenore80]

I would like to wear DD more often, and need ideas. I used to wear her at night in my Moby Wrap during her colic period.

I can't wear her when I am doing laundry (frontloader), washing dishes, or cooking.

When, where and what do you do when you wear your baby? Or does the wrap/sling become more useful after the first baby?

thx

[blairinargentina]

in the sling during her fussy period of if she is in meltdown mode anytime of day.

bjorn to get out and about and for walks, etc.

[veganf]

Nate only tolerates the sling during his evening fussy period (4pm when he wakes from his 3rd nap until about 5:30pm), even if I'm cooking and doing laundry sometimes I wear him anyway. He likes to have his legs free and face the world otherwise. I wear him in a Baby Bjorn (and will do so until he's ready for an unsupported hip carry, then it'll be back to the sling) when we're out shopping, or on long walks in non-stroller-friendly places (ie. subway/Metro). He loves being in the stroller for walks though. I think we could avoid his evening fussy time entirely if I didn't have to make dinner or care for the rest of my family and just go out walking! He goes in the double jogger to the playground, and I'll be getting out the backpack as soon as the snow starts to fly!

Editting to add one more embarassing trick: My husband set Nate in front of the tv while I went out shopping during his "fussy time"....instantly cured him. AGH! Makes it soooo tempting.

[mrs rockstar]

For walks to the post office, food shopping if she's awake and when I take DD1 to music class or playgroup, so Charlie can be a part of it and I can still have my hands free to interact with DD1. Charlie doesn't like to be facing in which has presented a problem because up until recently she's been too wobbly to face out without needing my hand to support her. I just broke out the maya wrap yesterday to carry her on my hip and she did really well in that, so I think I'll be wearing her more often.

[Meeshi Mama]

I pop Luna in the New Native when we're out shopping, at the library, taking walks or hikes, or over in their Dad's workshop. Basically, any time we are out and about.

[Individuation]

I am so far from a car-having mindset that I couldn't understand this question at first... then I was like "DUH! They have a CAR! So they don't just wear the baby whenevery they go out!"

That would be weird, for me.

[Flower of Bliss]

My DD spends hours each day in her New Native sling or her Moby wrap. She naps in the sling so that I can do stuff while she's asleep (she only sleeps when against me). I slip her in when she falls asleep. She also nurses in the sling when I need my hands or when she's being fussy and I'm walking and nursing to calm her down. Any time we are out running errands etc I put her in the sling or Moby. I have never used the car seat as a carrier.

I find the Moby wrap more convenient for doing laundry and such as it keeps her higher up and closer to me. Azalea loves swinging her legs in the Moby. I put her facing out when she's being awake and interactive and facing in when she may fall asleep. The Moby is trickier to nurse in and not as easy to slip her in while she's asleep. It's bulky to put in a diaper bag. I just wear it all day and slip her in and out. As we get the hang of it I find myself using it more and more.

[JenMidwife]

Originally Posted by lenore80

I would like to wear DD more often, and need ideas. I used to wear her at night in my Moby Wrap during her colic period.

I can't wear her when I am doing laundry (frontloader), washing dishes, or cooking.

When, where and what do you do when you wear your baby? Or does the wrap/sling become more useful after the first baby?

thx

I could have written this post (only I'm not using our Maya!). Thx for the info all!

[veganf]

Originally Posted by Individuation

I am so far from a car-having mindset that I couldn't understand this question at first... then I was like "DUH! They have a CAR! So they don't just wear the baby whenevery they go out!"

That would be weird, for me.

That's funny.
With this baby we can't even remove his carseat if we wanted to because it's wedged between the two big boys' carseats. And by the time we ever get a bigger car he'll be in the big Britax.

[NewAtThis]

I wear dd on walks, during errands, and whenever I'm in a crowd and don't want people asking to hold her!

The funny thing about wearing dd in a sling is that it makes me invisible...people have totally stopped interfacing with me and baby-talk to dd instead. Everyone from family to perfect strangers do this, and it's just fine with me!

[JenMidwife]

Originally Posted by NewAtThis

The funny thing about wearing dd in a sling is that it makes me invisible...people have totally stopped interfacing with me and baby-talk to dd instead. Everyone from family to perfect strangers do this, and it's just fine with me!

Yep, we had that experience @ Costco on Thursday.... so many people come up & start smiling at her :

[taradt]

For us the question is more when is he *not* carried

Kienan is very much an in arms baby, he is starting to tolerate being put down but he is in the wrap a big part of the day. For front loading washing you squat down to get clothes in and out. For dishes you turn slightly to the side (doesn't work on the two handed pots or things that need major scrubbing). I have given up on raking leaves, that was way too hard. And of course any outing he is in a carrier

tara

[veganf]

Originally Posted by taradt

I have given up on raking leaves, that was way too hard.

That's what backpacks are for...well, as soon as they're old enough! I got a lot of yard work done that way. I'm thinking of getting it out to hang xmas lights since Ryan really wants to do that with me.

[2 in August]

I don't wear him at all yet. I like the idea of it. I can't figure out the logistics. We go everywhere by car and he's usually asleep when we get where we are going. I hate to wake him. Also, winter in MI can be very cold so I kind of like him in his carseat with a warm cover and blankets. I pop his carseat on the stroller and we are set...UNTIL we get inside, he wakes up and wants to be held. I find myself carrying him and pushing the empty stroller, which is annoying to me. Although it makes a good coat/diaper bag holder. Without the stroller I'd have to lug them around too. I am so conflicted about this, can you tell?

[taradt]

I put my carrier on before I leave the house. Put Kienan in warm clothes but not bundled, get him in the car put blankets on him. When I start taking him out of his seat he wakes, but a couple of minutes in the carrier and he is back out, usually for the duration of the trip

I have a bacpack with what we need that goes on my back and then DH carries the shopping bags or I get one of those loaner carts for groceries if I have a lot.

tara

[lenore80]

Originally Posted by Individuation

I am so far from a car-having mindset that I couldn't understand this question at first... then I was like "DUH! They have a CAR! So they don't just wear the baby whenevery they go out!"

That would be weird, for me.

Plus we live in Michigan, so on the rare outings (I don't like taking DD out much, and despise shopping) we use the "baby bucket" with a blanket shower cap bunting over it, to get her to and from the car. Not very AP, I know.

Last night I kept her in the wrap for a few hours while we had guests over. One of our friends is trying to bond (like a mother) to our baby, and it makes DH and quite uncomfortable.: So that stopped the touching and the kisses.

I used it the other night with her facing out, folding laundry, putting away dishes, and she seemed to like it.

[magpiedee]

I mostly wear her when grocery shopping, or any sort of shopping. I don't know how mainstream moms do it-- the ones who put the bucket on the cart (???) or the ones who push a stroller with one hand and the cart with the other. Also at gallery openings, parties, hikes and when doing dishes. I rotate between 3 mei tais, 2 ring slings and my homemade pouches.

We spent 4 hours at Ikea on Black Friday in a mei tai and only saw 2 other babywearers the whole time-- and they are our friends from the next town over. :

[veganf]

Originally Posted by magpiedee

I rotate between 3 mei tais, 2 ring slings and my homemade pouches.

We spent 4 hours at Ikea on Black Friday in a mei tai and only saw 2 other babywearers the whole time-- and they are our friends from the next town over. :

Jealous about 3 mei teis!!!!

While in Paris I only saw 1 baby being carried AT ALL, in an ergo-type carrier. Given the size of the SMALL patisseries we were at, you'd think they'd be more popular. Maybe it's just city-folk, dunno, since I've never been outside Paris. Nate spent a lot of time in the stroller on our long walks, but I also had 2 slings and a Bjorn with me that he also spent time in. But I never once got any comments for nursing in a restaurant or elsewhere. If anything, I'd gets stares for simply BRINGING a baby to a restaurant or store, but not for nursing him . Totally backwards from the U.S. I suppose!

Just started the hip-carry with Nate in the sling today and he's digging it. Just around the house though.

The other thing he loves is being in the Bjorn while I'm on the swing outside. I think he'd be happy for hours like that if I could swing that long!

[magpiedee]

Originally Posted by veganf

Jealous about 3 mei teis!!!!

Well, 2 are used and mama-made from the Sale or Trade board at thebabywearer.com. And the new AngelPack was bought on eBay for about half price. I'm a bargainshoppingbabywearer! So the total for 3 mei tais is about $70, or 1 new Babyhawk.

[Meeshi Mama]

Originally Posted by taradt

I put my carrier on before I leave the house. Put Kienan in warm clothes but not bundled, get him in the car put blankets on him. When I start taking him out of his seat he wakes, but a couple of minutes in the carrier and he is back out, usually for the duration of the trip

Same here. I just wear my New Native and Luna will wake up when I pop her in (while still in the warmth of the truck) and usually she falls right to sleep again when I am walking into the store or post office. Hardest thing to me about wearing her in the grocery store is that it can be difficult to bend and unload the cart. Thankfully I have super helpful older daughters.