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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Mothers with enormous toddlers in slings...

725 replies

CheapSausagesAndSpam · 06/12/2017 00:15

AIBU to wonder how the feck they manage?

My neighbour has just walked past my window with her son dangling in front of her like a bloody giant in a harness!

He's almost 4! No SEN and very sturdy/capable.

We live in a tiny town/village and she can drive etc....she's probably just going to the shop down the road.

Why??

OP posts:
Thread gallery
15
Waytroze · 06/12/2017 00:16

Why not?

PeaceLoveAndDixie · 06/12/2017 00:20

Sometimes if I’ve had to wake my 4yo up, for instance on the school run, he can be super grumpy and refuse to walk and a sling where he can snuggle back to sleep is way easier than carrying a flailing child. Granted I couldn’t carry him for long but with a good sling I can manage up to an hour. As an aside, are you in the Uk? Is very late for someone to be out walking with their kids!

YesILikeItToo · 06/12/2017 00:20

Hard habit to break. It’s grand having them up where you can hear each other. I remember passing an ice-cream come over my shoulder to my toddler in a wrap on my back - another customer was mouthing ‘Nooooo’ at me as I cautioned her to be careful of my hair. She must have been pretty big if I thought that had any chance of being OK.

Marryoneorbecomeone · 06/12/2017 00:21

Why not? I bet it’s nice for the child. My pelvic floor would be in my socks sadly.

Oddish · 06/12/2017 00:21

What bearing does it have in your own life?

DartmoorDoughnut · 06/12/2017 00:22

I carry my 3yr old all the time, why does it bother you? Why is it any of your business how she gets about?

Migraleve · 06/12/2017 00:22

I know someone who tandem carried until her twins were 4.5

God knows how by she said it was comfortable for them all and often easier, although of course they also often walked

Iwasjustabouttosaythat · 06/12/2017 00:23

Maybe he asked and she's a nice mum so she said ok? Stop spying on your neighbours through the window and get a real hobby.

RoderickRules · 06/12/2017 00:25
Hmm
Italiangreyhound · 06/12/2017 00:35

Waytroze "Why not?" Because I would imagine carrying a four year old around could seriously damage your back and being carried around as a four year old will not encourage independence and walking.

Iwasjustabouttosaythat I don't think looking out the window and noticing something counts as spying!

RiseToday · 06/12/2017 00:36

He's 4?! Bloody hell, fair play. I'd be crippled.

My husband occasionally carries our 2.5 yr old in the back carrier and that's bad enough.

Terramirabilis · 06/12/2017 00:37

Bloody hell! I had to give up carrying DS at about 9 months! (Short torso, tall baby.) He'd cover my entire body from the neck to the knees pretty much if I carried him now (3 years old). She must be a bodybuilder.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 06/12/2017 00:41

Id be taking my hat off to her for managing it. I could only manage my newborn in a sling for about an hour before my back started to ache, my back just didn't like any of the slings I hired.

EB123 · 06/12/2017 00:42

I think it can be really useful to have a carrier, much more portable than a pushchair. We went to London for a few days with a toddler and a carrier and it worked really well.

Having said that u had to give up carrying my youngest at 14 months as he was just too long to wear on my front (i am only 5ft) and he hated going on my back.

Jakeyboy1 · 06/12/2017 00:42

And they all look the same... long hair with grey roots, pear shaped, long skirt. 😂 it's a sisterhood I've not entered, must be so bad for the back!

Italiangreyhound · 06/12/2017 00:43

To be honest I'd probably give her a medal - I didn't even carry my delicate dd as a baby, I was too worried about backache!

TooGood2BeFalse · 06/12/2017 00:47

Neither of my kids were too fussed about slings. My five year old is already 130cm! So carrying him at that age would have been out of the question.

My friend has a 5 year old that still uses a baby bottle sometimes. She's a wonderful mother by the way.

I'm not remotely interested in how other people parent.So I would suggest you ignore it and mind your own. If you don't know, don't judge.

Tartyflette · 06/12/2017 00:49

I'd duck if I were you, Jakeyboy .

TwoBobs · 06/12/2017 00:52

I carried my (SEN) 8 year old in a sling on holiday. It was to stop her fighting with her (SEN) 7 yo brother about who was going in the Maclaren Major SEN buggy and also because she felt safe and less anxious cuddled close to Mummy. After about 20 mins my legs felt a bit dead Grin

CheeriosEverywhere · 06/12/2017 00:56

Why not?" Because I would imagine carrying a four year old around could seriously damage your back and being carried around as a four year old will not encourage independence and walking

Its her back to damage if she wants, but there is no reason it would with a proper sling. And I doubt the child is only ever carried and never walks. Do four year olds really need to be independent? Bit young, no?

Italiangreyhound · 06/12/2017 01:01

CheeriosEverywhere yes it is the mum's back. But it doesn't stop others wondering if that is the best thing. Not suggesting the OP wrestles the child off the mum! By'Independent' I meant walking independently. Not set up in a flat in London independent! Grin

As someone who has a bad back, I do wonder if people realize the damage they can do to their backs. Many women the world over carry babies on their backs, or their fronts, but they have carried a lot before and maybe are stronger. I just think that it could be harmful.

Seeingadistance · 06/12/2017 01:05

My DS was a tiny baby, and I had to give up carrying him in the sling when he was only a few months old because my back hurt so much!

CheeriosEverywhere · 06/12/2017 01:09

Italian it may not be for you, but carrying with a proper sling is not harmful to a persons back if they have no issues. Actually it is great exercise and will strengthen your back if you do it properly.

Original poster
CheapSausagesAndSpam · 06/12/2017 01:09

I'm not in the UK by the way...it's daytime here. Anyway...I just think it looks stupid and it must be risky for the woman's back! A lot of you need to chill out though...you'd think I'd posted about hitting toddlers...not carrying them round in slings!

The boy looks a bit silly to be frank....he's massive...tall and strong looking...speaks well...slings are for babies.

OP posts:
TooGood2BeFalse · 06/12/2017 01:11

Ah thanks OP, we'll all chill out now