Toddler-wearing?

[emmalouise]

My daughter's now 20 months and I'm 4 months pregnant. When B was little I carried her in a Sleepy Toes sling (a very simple cloth sling, like for a broken arm) and she really liked it, so did I, it was quite versatile in terms of comfortable positions for her as she got bigger. As she started walking I stopped using it, mainly because the only comfortable position I could find was essentially giving her a piggyback and she wasn't happy to stay like that - and she was keen to walk anyway, and I could manage to carry her short distances without the sling. She's obviously bigger than she was, and now I'm pregnant and feeling incredibly unenergetic, my belly's starting to get in the way of carrying B on my hip (unless I want to get kicked at every step), and I've got a recurring back/leg problem that means I need to be a bit careful about having good posture and walking symmetrically (i.e., not with one hip stuck out sideways to sit her on). When she gets tired of walking, having her in the sling on my hip is an improvement on just carrying her, but I'd still like to persuade her onto my back or find a different way of easing the load. Any tips either on persuading her into the sling on my back, or different ways to go about carrying her? Other than just dragging her screaming along the floor...

[Penny Lane]

Hi emma louise

You could try using different carriers like a wrap or mei tai. I personally use a wrap at the moment but will be using a mei tai soon and they're both really comfortable. If you check out the babywearer forums you can getloads of advice about wearing your daughter while pregnant. My son is only four months so I'm not much help but they will be unless someone here can help even more!

Congrats by the way!

[Annpan]

I carry E on my back (she has just turned 2) I have never had the problems that you say but she isn't usually given the choice (This is how we have always worked it, the same with everything, she rarely gets a choice.) Anyway, once she is on my back (we use a mei tei, which I am now making to sell by the way ) she gets given juice or a biscuit and she gets shown all the lovely things you can see up there. Which soon distracts her and she gets nice and cosy. Then she doesn't want to come down again.

Obviously it depends on the style of sling you have, and on the way LO likes to sit, or the shape of her hips, etc... Maybe it is worth trialling different carriers, or different ways of tying your sling. But I would recomend the distractions first

[mrsflibble]

a meitai might be youe best bet, with the different tying methods I'm sure you could fit it around the bump.
I have CHD and a mild double curve of the spine but I started carrying soph just after her second birthday and only had to stop recently 'cos she's too tall for the MT. I am looking for slightly different MT's so I can look at the design, make modifications and make another one. she's just plain too tall for the one we have now.
I loved carrying soph and she was sooooo happy in it.

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=228966.0

[Esther.R]

I also carried Beth in a home made mei tai when she was a toddler

[rockchick]

This is going to sound really matronly but, you be careful tis very easy to end up with lots of backpain from heavy lifting when pregnant and 20 months is getting pretty big. My littlest is 16 months and I am starting to struggle carrying her without being pregnant! I used a Hugabub when she was little but she has now moved into a pretty standard framed back pack style. She isn't quite so close to you but she loves it as she is so high up and she can pull my hair

[Annpan]

You are right rock chick but a mei tai is much more comfortable than a framed back pack, I wouldn't fancy carrying E around in one of them at all.

[mrsflibble]

Rockchick, a meitai rests on the hips so the weight is taken by the legs not the back. like i said before I have congenital hip dysplasia and a double curve of the spine and i found my meitai very comfortable. I miss it!!!



awwwww, she was so happy!!!

we have a frame carrier too, James wears that but doesn't find it comfortable for a day's walking. I can't wear it cos it's made for someone with a longer body than me.

[rockchick]

What a cutie! Luckily I pretty tall so don't have any trouble with the framed back pack, your little one does look very at home though.

[Mrs Wombat]

Being an old woman I used this thing called a stroller. I had a big old style one I got from the flea markets. Then moved to a light weight stroller for the bus. Have seen the slings you talk about and yes they look great and the baby looks so comfortable. Too late now my baby is 25. Picking up children when they get too big to handle will cause you a lot of problems in later life. While your young you tend to think your hercules only to find out at my age 51 that really you were minnie mouse. My back and my shoulders are stuffed from picking up the kids. Do be careful you want to be able to still play with your kids as they grow up.