Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this woman took baby wearing to another level

192 replies

GirlWiththeLionHeart · 04/05/2013 14:41

In a shop with my ds looking at baby stuff and a mum comes in with her two dcs, one in a buggy, another in a sling.

The child in the sling looked about 5! Grin

He was that tall that when she knelt down to pick something out of the buggy his feet touched the floor and he jumped up which made him bang his head on her chin I had to turn away or I might've laughed
I may sound like a cow but I smiled at her when she first came in and she just sneered at me before launching into loud parenting.

OP posts:
Cloverer · 04/05/2013 22:47

I still cannot imagine a front carrier that would take a 5 year old.

5madthings · 04/05/2013 22:48

A large mei tai or possibly an ergo are soft structured carriers that would take a larger toddler :)

Reenypip · 04/05/2013 22:50

When my little boy was 1 (just turned 2) he was mistaken to be 3-4 years because he so tall for his age.

plantsitter · 04/05/2013 22:54

YAB completely unreasonable and horrid actually. There could be any number of reasons why he was in a sling. I would have presumed the 5yr old was suffering jealousy of the baby so asked why he couldn't go in the sling, and the mother said "Oh all flipping right then see exactly how comfy it isn't". Going shopping with two kids is hard enough without people getting all bloody presumptive and judgy on yo ass.

Cloverer · 04/05/2013 22:55

You can't face out in an ergo though 5mad? Possibly you could with a mei tai I suppose, but with a 5 year old Confused

Cloverer · 04/05/2013 22:56

OP, I think if you'd put originally that the child was dangling on the mum's front everyone else would have found it an odd sight too Grin

Original poster
GirlWiththeLionHeart · 04/05/2013 22:59

Damn, wish I'd said it now to paint a better picture!

I definitely didnt judge her, I was just a little agog at what I saw! I don't wish the woman bad or anything!

OP posts:
Original poster
GirlWiththeLionHeart · 04/05/2013 22:59

It did look fucking funny though

OP posts:
Cloverer · 04/05/2013 23:01

Here's a picture of a toddler in a forward facing sling - can't quite imagine getting a 5 year old in there.

5madthings · 04/05/2013 23:02

Oh yes you are right you can't face out in an ergo.

Some carriers can look structured but are essentially still a wrap type carried. I follow someone on Fb who makes them.

My children have always been big for their age and when I carry them they look even bigger as I am a short arse (they take after dp).

So appearances can be deceptive.

Anyway carrying an older child tho unusual is not something odd or bad or to be frowned upon. Am sure the mum had her reasons.

likeitorlumpit · 04/05/2013 23:04

that just looks stupid Grin

Cloverer · 04/05/2013 23:06

Carrying an older child isn't unusual, odd or bad - but carrying one forward facing on your front dangling down is an interesting look.

5madthings · 04/05/2013 23:11

Well stupid means dim witted and unintelligent, I would question that an outward facing front carry is the best for a child this age but it doesn't make her unintelligent or dim witted.

likeitorlumpit · 04/05/2013 23:20

it does exactly that :)

Original poster
GirlWiththeLionHeart · 04/05/2013 23:20

Did anyone say she was stupid? Or bad? Confused

OP posts:
Flojobunny · 04/05/2013 23:27

Today, I put my 4 year old who wears clothes 6-7 years in a Tesco trolley seat today and a older lady said to my DD "surely you are too old for that seat now, you should walk".
Also a few years ago DS was 2 years old and we were taking a rare bus ride (in size 4-5 clothes) and a man said "why isn't he talking properly?"

reluctantlyCatholic · 04/05/2013 23:27

I don't believe he was anything like five for some reason.

I backcarried ds 1 today, he is nearly three and a half and very tall for his age: 98th centile. I didn't do it for any reason other than he gets ridiculously excited about it and always conks out as he is so relaxed. It is not half as straining as the rucksacks of my youth. He had walked about a mile and a half and he was tiring and we needed to walk back. It is essentially a piggyback that doesn't break my back. We have a preschool and a baby carrier, both soft and with buckles, and a buggy. I don't drive for medical reasons and so we play musical babytransport chairs.

It is really lovely. He probably gets to do it three or four times a month but he just LOVES it and gets all giggly and chatty on my back. A really nice experience that doesn't require me to justify it wrt Sen, bereavement or any other unfortunate life event or circumstance.

MummaBubba123 · 04/05/2013 23:36

Maybe it's the best solution for her particular children.
I'm sure she's tried other 'easier' methods and found this one to be the only way of keeping her DC happy and safe while she tries to shop with two children. Maybe she can't afford a buggy board and is making do.

GreyWhites · 04/05/2013 23:36

Surely no sane parent would carry a child that was capable of walking without good reason? We can't know why this woman was carrying her son, but it's a fair bet that she had a good reason for doing so. She may have been of course completely insane.

Thisvehicleisreversing · 04/05/2013 23:38

Since when did parents of perfectly able children start carrying them around?!!

I must have missed something but in my world if a child can walk then he/she walks.

Yes I know they sometimes whinge and whine but it's a valuable life skill, no?

IdaClair · 05/05/2013 00:24

Right, so the minute your child took their first step and was capable of walking, they walked, as much as you do, from then on? At speed?

If my children can walk, they walk, but there are plenty of good reasons why they would be carried. It's not about whinging and whining but about practicality. Most of the time the reason is nothing to do with tired legs.

The majority of the time using a carrier rather than a buggy means the child walks more, not less. It is easy to have your child walking with a carrier in the bag, much more so than having one walking and pushing an empty buggy.

My older DC was capable of walking miles at age 3-4, but not capable of going a 12-13 hour day without a nap. Should I push an empty buggy the whole day, or buy and run a car, or perhaps never go out for a full day, so I have somewhere for the child to have their nap? Or just have a carry cloth in my bag for them to hop up, snooze, then continue running their legs off all afternoon?

MummytoMog · 05/05/2013 00:29

I carry my 3.5 year old on my back all the time, she really needs the closeness and is a crappy walker anyway. I probably loud parent too, but that's because she's developmentally delayed and a running commentary helps her develop language. Besides, she can give me a cuddle any time she wants on my back and whisper that she loves me in my ear. I doubt I'll stop carrying her any time soon.

YoniBottsBumgina · 05/05/2013 00:31

Can I ask a question of those who carry preschoolers in ergos? I have a toddler patapum, which is taller in the back than the ergo, but when DS was 2.5 I stopped using it as it only came up to his hips andjujust felt unsafe! How do you manage with bigger children - I wonder if there's a knack to adjusting it, or do they just tend to lean in and hold on more when they're bigger? DS is 4 now and I can't physically carry him for long but very occasionally when he's very tired I've wished I could have.

reluctantlyCatholic · 05/05/2013 07:03

In my world, I remember being carried on my dad's shoulders when I got too tired to walk.

It really isn't such a big deal, you know. Ds1 walks a mile to and from nursery every day. He goes in the preschool sling very rarely. It is like a big hug and he enjoys it. It means we can go on very long country walks (seven to ten miles) and through wooded areas etc. As someone said above, it probably means he walks more than many other children. People find those huge metal frame carriers acceptable for this purpose but they are just a less comfortable alternative.

As for life skills, well what's the harm in learning that it's sometimes nice to have a walking hug when you are tired and sleepy? It won't go on forever. No need to race to the grave.

reluctantlyCatholic · 05/05/2013 07:08

Yonibots, I have a preschool Huckepak. It goes right up to ds1' s neck. I originally bought it when he was 2.5 because he was jealous of his baby brother. We did about a fifteen minute walk and chat in it every day for a few weeks but to be honest, it was too big. Now it is very comfortable.

Swipe left for the next trending thread