When is your child too old to wear? - Page 2

[Erinok]

I go by weight... and how much my back can take . I have pretty big kids though.... so I never really thought about it. I mean you wouldn't want to be carrying around a teenager.

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Originally Posted by cyberfish

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/...tegoryId=86211 : but honestly it's also a function of getting the car seat through the airport, with or without dd in it.

!

I like that. Even if your dd isn't in it, (because she will be running like she was shot out of a cannon) You can put your stuff in it and pull the stuff.

I personally do better with a mei tai. But purely because I can't seem to learn the ergo without someone helping me. I like the way the Ergo looks better than the mei tai though.

Of my mei tais, I like the babyhawks best.

[alexisyael]

You have to buy them online, as far as I know. I bought mine used from the fsot board of thebabywearer.com. But there are lots of good internet stores where you can buy them new, fast.

We have a backpack on wheels type thing for our car seat (for airports). I really wish I'd been able to get the one you linked to, because I think it would be easier, but the one we have was cheaper (and available at our BRU).

[sandsprite]

mei tai are the best. I make my own now, so it fits me perfect.

and as for when a baby is too old to be carried.

I carried my little brother up to bed every night until he was 10 years old. because well, if felt good to carry him and you know, one night when I was home from university (and he was 14ish) he asked me and I carried him upstairs then too for old time sake. I missed him.

so you tell me when is a kid to old to be hugged, cuz what is carrying if its not a very long hug.

[lilylove]

Originally Posted by sandsprite

so you tell me when is a kid to old to be hugged, cuz what is carrying if its not a very long hug.

I like that

[boheime]

I wear my 7 1/2 month old all the time, many times concurrently with my almost 3 1/2 year old. If our family is on a long hike, dh may wear our almost 5 1/2 year old. A couple of weeks ago, I took the kids to a field trip. Ds2 was in the ring sling, dd was on my back in a Mei Tai, and I was holding ds1 on my hip so he could see. I was getting some strange looks.

[savithny]

I was still occasionally using my Mayawrap to help hold DD on my back last summer when she turned 4.

For lots of up and down, I think the ring sling worked great. I got good at getting her up on my hip, sling under, and then around to my back. Sling down a bit more over my chest and well spread across my shoulder, and usually an arm behind my back under her butt to support her aws well.

And she was 10# at birth, 27 pounds at 1, hit 35 pounds by 2, and is currently a 40-some pound 4.5 yo. Who I still have to carry places sometimes.

[cyberfish]

Originally Posted by lilylove

I like that

Nice

Originally Posted by sandsprite

mei tai are the best. I make my own now, so it fits me perfect.

I'd love to be able to make a mei tai. Is it really as straightforward as it looks? I've sewn lots of advanced projects so I feel like I'm a bit handy with a sewing machine.

Thanks again everyone!

[sandsprite]

Originally Posted by cyberfish

Nice



I'd love to be able to make a mei tai. Is it really as straightforward as it looks? I've sewn lots of advanced projects so I feel like I'm a bit handy with a sewing machine.

Thanks again everyone!

yes it really is that easy. I would make one rough one with scrap fabric just so you can get the sizing right. I can make one in an afternoon.

you can pm if you want advice on how to do it.

[EmmaJean]

so I haven't read all the replies b/c I don't have time, but I think your mom's comments are funny--too BIG at 2.5?? Wow. I kept using my ring sling (sparingly, but it happened) w/ my dd1 until I was about 8m preg w/ dd2! There were just a few times that she needed it and it was easier for me! Like she's dead asleep in the car, but we need to get out and go in the store. Solution: put her in the sling! I knew people in there thought I was nuts. And she didn't stay in for long, but it was just long enough. I just love that thing!

And just today *I* initiated picking up and carrying my older dd b/c I MISS it! I'm always carrying the baby, it's just fun to be snuggly.

Just tune out your mom! Do what works for you!!!

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Originally Posted by cyberfish

Nice



I'd love to be able to make a mei tai. Is it really as straightforward as it looks? I've sewn lots of advanced projects so I feel like I'm a bit handy with a sewing machine.

Thanks again everyone!

I made one with absolutely NO sewing skills at all.

http://thosemartins.com/bmt/ I combined this set of directions with

http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/FrankenKozy.htm this one, and came up with my own.

Here's another good one. http://www.bradley-etheridge.com/MaeMeiTai.htm

Visit the do it yourself board at thebabywearers message board.

It was FUN! It cost me about $8.00 in supplies and about four hours to make.

[justmama]

I had my oldest in a maya wrap on my back or my hip at 3 without issues. I had to sell the mei tai for a bill but I have a ring sling now that I can put my now 3 year old 32lb daughter in when her sister is sleeping. Usually I have the 2 month old in the sling though because the toddler wants to walk. But physically it's doable.

[theretohere]

DD1 is almost 4 and we still wear her occasionally. I don't think there is a too old.

[want2bmoms]

http://www.toughtraveler.com/cat2b.asp

they are expensive here, BUT these are all for kids up to 60 POUNDS - think, you could put her in when she's seven-ish!!!! they sit on your back and help support the child by distributing them equally. This is a lot safer for your back (I suffer from sciatica - ouch) and leaves your hands free, some also have sun canopies.

http://www.rockymountaintrail.com/detail.aspx?ID=10062 this one is for a 47 pound or under child, but looks like it would be sturdy.

Whatever you choose, you may seriously consider one with a standing frame that you can sit on the ground and it stays upright, something with a waist band which will halp with positioning, and cushioned straps.

I think that it's worth the investment because you can continue to use it for more than just a few months, it will still be good at the flea market and on longer hikes when they just get too tired...


Good luck!!

[RunnerDuck]

We have a Kelty frame carrier which I *think* is listed to 45 pounds for the child... which my son is just at... but we haven't had him in it since before he was 3 (pretty sure). The thing is that just like with car seats you need to take HEIGHT into consideration as well - at a certain point a child may be light enough to carrier in the frame carrier but might also be absurdly tall. Also carrying a child in a frame carrier can't *exactly* be pinned down to a matter of weight... if you are backpacking you may find 40 pounds of gear in an internal frame pack is "not all that bad" but those 40 pounds of gear tend to ride pretty quietly... as opposed to a 40 pound kid who moves around, yells, grabs for things, and tries to stand up.

I did like my Kelty when my son was small - but I can't really see using any frame carrier as long as some of them say you can. But it all depends on how active your child is and how tall.

My son is 4 and a few months and he's ~43 pounds and he's TALL. I don't wear him but I do still carry him... at 7-8 months pregnant with twins which tends to result in a lot of horrified looks from the general public LOL. I don't carry him a LOT but I do still carry him... and I am looking forward to my mai tei carriers coming so I can try him out on my back just for one last whirl. I don't expect to really use them with him but I feel like I missed out on wearing him as much as I could have. This is just my gut impression but I think that a mai tai or SSC where the child is getting more of a piggy back ride than in a frame attached to your back is liable to work out better for a bigger toddler/preschooler - who knows. But kids that age do still like to be carried... but can't be as squirmy when they're carried nice and close vs. in a frame where they can try to stand up and stuff.

So I am agreeing with the people who are saying carry/wear them as long as you want to.

[alysmommy2004]

My DD just turned 4 and is 35lbs and I still wear her on occasion. Let me tell you I was sooooo freaking happy that I had my Beco with me when we were on a long walk with friends and my stroller broke. I ended up walking 2.5 miles with my DD on my back.