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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to believe there is no baby on earth who is "too heavy to carry" at six months?

268 replies

GoogleyEyes · 07/04/2015 13:47

AIBU to believe there is no baby on earth who is "too heavy to carry" at six months?

Too heavy for a crappy carrier with no waist support and marketable but unergonomic design, definitely.

Too heavy to carry full stop - absolutely not.

Full disclosure - I still carry my 3yo on occasion, much easier to sling than piggy back when her legs get tired.

OP posts:
midnight1983 · 07/04/2015 17:06

Why does it matter to anyone how someone else transports their child? Baffling.

Longtalljosie · 07/04/2015 17:07

I have never understood this. I mean, fair enough, I've never got off the ground with slings thanks to my rubbish back but even so... Why do parents who use slings think they have parenting sussed in a way the rest of us don't? I mean, sure it's convenient but so's a dishwasher.
Do you really think if you put your toddler in some brightly coloured cloth they'll have a happy marriage and go to Oxford?

UnsolvedMystery · 07/04/2015 17:11

I have 13 months between my 2 children so while my eldest was supposedly carriable, I was pregnant, so no, he was too heavy.
I did use a sling sometimes but I just got too hot & bothered and found it one hell of a lot easier with a buggy.

Littlemonstersrule · 07/04/2015 17:11

I hate slings, ok for tiny babies but they look daft after that. I see pre school children in them and always wonder why the parents do it.

Xmasbaby11 · 07/04/2015 17:12

There are loads of sling libraries etc round me but I didn't want to use a sling with either of mine. I found a buggy convenient and my babies both loved it. Also buggy much easier for carrying bags.

VirginiaTonic · 07/04/2015 17:13

Why are mums with slings so self righteous?

KeturahLee · 07/04/2015 17:16

Little - because it's easier than giving them a piggy back!

revealall · 07/04/2015 17:19

Pyjamaschocolateandwine - spot on.

Also I was one of the people who used a " crappy" to my baby carrier. It was given to me and I used just fine. Sure a sling is superior in every way but to me ( not that I could bothered, it looked a faff) it just said "middle class must have" not "useful".

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 07/04/2015 17:30

People care about stuff like this?
Really?
Glad mine are all older but clearly I'd better get ready for a hefty therapy bill given that none of the four were ever "worn"

Maryz · 07/04/2015 17:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Floppypotato · 07/04/2015 17:47

My friend is epileptic. She has been questioned on why on earth doesn't she use a sling "it's so convenient". Until she points out her fear (understandably) of fitting and falling onto baby. Fair enough. I'm sure using a sling works extremeley well for lots of parents but I guess it's not for everyone. And the reasons may vary greatly.

Stopandlook · 07/04/2015 17:49

I expect whoever you are referring to said their baby was to heavy to carry was trying to shut you up stop you enforcing your beliefs on them. Wear your baby or don't, but please stop judging. And that comes from someone who hearts her sling.

TrollTheRespawnJeremy · 07/04/2015 17:49

I had very dodgy knees (since rectified with surgery) but there's no way that I would have felt safe with a baby strapped to me. Plus the additional weight would knock my balance off.

Don't judge just because some people can't or won't parent the same way as you.

NoNameDame · 07/04/2015 17:53

What a sad judgey op!

MoanCollins · 07/04/2015 17:57

Good Lord. Why do women feel the need to verbally beat other women over things as insignificant as this.

It's not like giving your baby fags or putting whiskey in their milk.

It's very sad people can't be more supportive of the rights of others to make different choices. Even if the baby isn't to heavy and it's just what they want to do, why should that affect you or give you the right to judge OP?

Karma1981 · 07/04/2015 17:58

I do like slings, esp the first few months after baby being born when they want to be attached to you 24/7 and you need to do other things.
My youngest is nearly 6 months and he is almost 20lb and I have a metal bar in my leg that unfortunately can not cope with his weight anymore.
But tbh I don't care how a parent carries there child or doesn't, totally up to the individual.

ifgrandmahadawilly · 07/04/2015 17:58

Well, my dd was.

I loved using my sling but by 5 1/2 months it was a no-go! I don't remember her exact weight but she's on the 97th centile, so pretty blooming large.

Also, I have a congenital problem with my heart and blood pressure, so lifting heavy loads is generally not ok for me. I bet lots of people have mobility problems or other health problems that could make it difficult to carry a baby everywhere.

Jellytummys123 · 07/04/2015 18:21

I have a terrible back and from 6 months dd was to heavy to carry in the sling. I tried it a few weeks ago, am still regretting that now

Amummyatlast · 07/04/2015 19:01

My DD hated slings, so we didn't use one. I have a bad back and honesty not much stamina, so while I can lift/carry my DD at 20 months (approx 11kg) I can't do it for longer than a few moments.

katese11 · 07/04/2015 19:30

I see this kind of thread a lot on babywearing boards and find it kinda judgy tbh. I found it hard to carry dc1 past 6 months because I wasn't carrying him every day (and had a bjorn). I carried dc2 every day till over a year and found it easy because I'd built up muscles in the right places (and had better slings) I don't feel the urge to tut and sigh when others do things differently though...whatever works for you!

sashh · 07/04/2015 19:34

For some parents a 2 month old is too heavy due to illness/disability whatever.

For others. My niece was 3 when her baby brother was born, 6 months later they were the same weight.

But do you know what? If that child is loved, cared for, taken out, fed, watered, played with I don't give a shit if a parent thinks they are too heavy to carry.

ChaiseLounger · 07/04/2015 19:35

How judgey!! My friend gave birth to a 10lb'er last year and he continued to be enormous, for the first year, up until now.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 07/04/2015 19:43

I agree to a point, but a heavy 6 month old is harder to carry without a decent carrier than than a heavier or equivalent weight older child because of the way they hold themselves. A six month old is like a sack of potatoes to carry.

My eldest weighed 11kg or roughly 24 pound at 6 months (that's like 11 bags of sugar) - he was terrible to carry by hand - however I found it a lot easier when he could hold himself better even though he was heavier.

KeturahLee · 07/04/2015 19:46

I haven't noticed any difference in the way they hold themselves of whether they are awake or asleep Confused

OneMagnumisneverenough · 07/04/2015 19:48

Also when he was 6 months old I was pregnant and had sacroiliac hip dysfunction so struggled to carry anything and then there was the bump to contend with. DS2 wasn't quite so big and when my hips recovered, I often carried a toddler on each hip - much better when it was balanced out - I agree you needed to build up the muscles to deal with that though.