[Enudely]

I haven't been as successful w/ babywearing as I wish. DD hates the sling and loves the Baby Bjorn, but it kills my back (actually they both do) so I found myself putting her down more than I wanted to to do chores and stuff. Anyway, now that she finally fits into the Ergo, I'm committed to trying to wear her as much as possible. The thing is, she sleeps SO much if I carry her all day. Do you think she just needs the sleep, or is she bored?
I was reading the continuum concept, (a fascinating book!) and she says that a baby needs the experience of being carried all day by a busy mother because that's how babies have lived forever and that's what they "expect". The thing is, I'm just not that busy compared to a mom living in a rural environment. I read a lot and junk out on the computer

. Do you think she's bored?
BTW she LOVES her baby gym though I only use it for a little while each day.
Sorry this post is so all over the place! Just some thoughts on babywearing.....

 

[buglette]

Some thoughts on why your babe doesn't like the sling. What type of carry are you using? When dd was a newborn, she hated the craddle carry and objected everytime I put her in the sling, until I realized I could do a tummy to tummy or kangaroo carry and she'd be perfectly content. Since she likes the bjorn, I bet it is because she is upright in it.

Also, for your back, you might try a two-shouldered non-bjorn carrier, like a mei tai or a wrap. Really comfortable for most people.

 

[samantha546]

You know, DD has always loved being carried. She now to this day, will bring a sling to either DH or I and "uh-huh, this" us until we wear her.

If you ask me, having her fall asleep in the sling just shows how much she loves being cuddled by you. The Ergo is the only carrier I can nurse in without being a gumbo toy and I love it when she falls asleep in it. She used to be cradle carried but at a year, that's just too big! That's not to say that it doesn't happen every so often though

. Yes, my girl STILL loves the cradle carry. She's got her legs and arms hanging out and it's so not comfortable.. so I try to get her in the Ergo when I know she's all about wanting to sleep

I hope this helps you somehow. I am kinda all over the place too..

 

[CalebsMama05]

ds#2 sleeps a lot when hes in the sling too. I paid attention and figured out nothing changed except that the time he spends sleeping in teh sling is time he usually spends FUSSING out of it. he doesn't sleep more other times or eat more or anything.

I think he just loves being all cuddled up with mommy like it was inside

 

[jenrose]

It is normal for a baby under about 6 months to naturally spend a fair amount of time asleep when in a carrier. As long as it doesn't cut into your night sleep, no problem.

The "issue" I have with the continuum concept is that it is an ideal setup... as long as one is busy, moving around a lot, *and* surrounded by plenty of other adults who can help out. I suspect that a lot of people in traditional 'continuum' cultures would look at some of us trying to be the only ones wearing our kiddos 24/7 and just shake their heads and wonder where all the grandmothers and aunties are. I'm fortunate that in my close extended family we have 6 adults and a 13 year old. There was *always* someone to hold the baby as long as my daughter was not in school, my husband not at work, my mother not off at swimming, my sister not off at work.... etc. You see the problem. So while during dd2's first few weeks she was held 24/7 by someone, once things shifted back into normal life, there were chunks of time each day until dd1 got out of school when I was just alone with the baby and had a hard time getting out of bed, let alone putting her in a carrier.

I was seriously humbled when we, on a whim, picked up an exersaucer at a garage sale, cleaned it up, plunked dd2 into it, and my motor delayed daughter suddenly started making leaps of development in her fine motor skills. My point is that ultimately, the cc is a nice ideal, but it is an ideal based in cultures that have something we've lost and didn't have some things we do have. Is it terrible for a baby to enjoy an exersaucer? Nope. It would be more of a problem to stick baby in one and insist baby stay there if baby *wasn't* enjoying it, but the granola police aren't going to chase you and throw kashi at you if you sometimes put your baby in a saucer and she enjoys it. All things in moderation. Do what works for you and your baby as long as it is reasonably safe.

Reading "Babies Celebrated" I was struck by the sheer variety of parenting methods in the world, even in the over-idealized "tribal" world. There are cultures where babies are routinely put in various boxes and contraptions for parental convenience--in fact, I dare say the vast majority of parenting methods in traditional cultures are based on parenting convenience rather than an overriding "fulfilling of the ideal"... I fell in love with babywearing not because it was an end in itself, but because it so neatly made meeting baby's needs compatible with the parent meeting her own needs. It wasn't that babywearing was the goal, but that I saw a mama who'd been arm carrying her high-needs child so much that she couldn't do more than make ramen with one hand... tying her baby on with a bedsheet allowed her to make a sandwich...while still meeting her baby's clearly stated need to be held.

 

[Enudely]

I've definitely been feeling the absence of the extended family with this baby-wearing thing! Also, I've been thinking that it's kind of boring for dd to be constantly worn. It's not like I'm doing exciting things like gathering food and having conversations all the time. For example, dd would much rather play in her baby gym right now than be strapped onto my chest staring at my shirt while I write on the computer!! Thanks for pointing out that's it's o.k, to put the babe down. I'm a little conflicted, though it's clear she loves her baby gym and likes to practice rolling around!