To ask why people face their babies out in carriers

[jamoncrumpets]

When all the research points to inward facing being the optimum position from a physical and cognitive development POV.

And why do so many that do outward face try to justify it by saying that their babies are 'bored' and 'want to see the world' when their babies are a) incapable of communicating that b) unlikely to communicate that even if they could.

I don't understand why a baby fussing would be reason enough to turn them outwards.
Some people don't believe that leaving children to cry in discomfort is a good idea for the baby's development, nor for their own mental health, nor for the hearing of passersby. If you think it's ok then I will judge you far more harshly than a mum turning the sling around so their baby enjoys the walk.

You should also be aware that after 6 months it's fine either way for babies and you have no idea how old a baby actually is. I've met plenty of babies who look tiny despite being months older than DS.

I didn't even know this was a thing. I have 3 DC and the youngest is now 8 so the baby phase was a long time ago. Why is It unsafe for them to be facing outwards? I'm sure I remember my sling specifically having an option to carry either way?
Anyway OP, in another 10 years there will be something else for parents to judge eachother about and slings will be a distant memory!

My baby preferred facing outwards. He's now 13 and his spine and genitals are absolutely fine thanks! He's tall for his age, healthy and sporty.

What research? Can you link to it please?

From 6 month i did both forward and inward facing mostly inward as DD fell asleep alot and i preferred her to be cuddled in, i did a lot of research before doing forward facing also spoke to my health visitor, doctor and midwife and mentioned it to my friend who is a nurse, all said it is fine.

Because everyone is a shit parent, apart from you. Congrats

I think you should go up to them and educate them OP. How can you live with yourself knowing about their misaligned spines and crushed genitals and not doing anything about it? Any parent would welcome you putting them straight there and then.

Is this how the Great Attachment Parent War of 2019 begins? The whole movement will become split between facing-inners and facing-outers and they'll lob pouches of Ella's Kitchen at each other.

I didn't realise this was a thing. Why shouldn't they face outwards?

It honestly makes me laugh the lengths that people go to in order to 'obey the rules' I'd like to see the research that you have got this information from OP.

I hope your horse is very, very high.

a) because it's none of your business

b) don't you have anything better to do on a bank holiday that whine about what other parents do?

ergobaby.com/blog/2011/02/facing-in-facing-out-a-science-based-view-on-baby-carrying-positions/

Some balanced research by a doctor, that explains some of the concerns and also that it is ok for short periods

Because the world is more interesting than I ever was.
I was screamed at most of the time and DS stopped crying when he could see the world.
They faced away from me in the pushchair too. They got to interact with other people instead of looking at tired mummy trying to remember her shopping list. I got to talk to them the other 23hrs of the day.

What are the ways it is unsafe?

DD1 from quite an early age would push away from me with her little fists so she could see what was going on! She was much happier facing out.

I’m thinking of misaligned spines and poor tiny genitals being crushed.

That’s what they used to say about any sort of sling. Your equivalent of 30 years ago would have been saying, ‘they should be flat on their backs in a pram’!

"Not optimum" is different from "dangerous". The best outcome in any situation is not necessarily the result of all factors being optimum, some of them will be mutually exclusive. You need to be a bit more pragmatic.

It honestly makes me laugh the lengths that people go to in order to 'obey the rules' I'd like to see the research that you have got this information from OP.

I find that most people are only strict about obeying the rules that suit the things they're inclined to do anyway.

Research says you shouldn't wean your baby before the age of 6 months- 'See! you must obey the research'

Research says co-sleeping is dangerous - 'Meh, parents know best.'

(I have no issue with parents co-sleeping just amused that on MN it seems to be one of the areas where the expert advice is happily ignored)

I used various slings with my babies, inward facing. DP used the baby Bjorn, mostly outwards when they got to about 3 months. They are all now fit and healthy boys with normal genitals and straight spines. I really think this is overstated, unless you are carrying them like that for hours at a time on a daily basis for months and months. In which case the adult back would probably be in a worse state.

I did this with my first. Lots of people had baby Bjorns. They are made specifically for carrying babies. In the instruction manual it tells you how to face them out. Later someone told me about the hip issues and I got a different carrier for my second.

FWIW her hips are fine and she did love going forward facing. Bollocks she ‘couldn’t communicate’ she used to smile and giggle at everyone. She was up high enough to look people in the eye and she really liked it. I missed that with the second when I had that bit of info about baby Bjorn not being the best for hips.

How you can imagine everyone has exactly the same knowledge as you and just ignores it is beyond me.

@jamoncrumpets you actually need to check yourself. Who do you think you are? Little miss perfect mother?!! NIf you cringe at babies facing outward in a carrier you must need counselling when you see a baby forward facing at 1 year old, a pregnant mother eating nuts or (gasp) sushi!!! I suggest you get a life and focus on things that matter like child poverty, oppression of women, that type of thing.

It's not about obeying rules. It's about protecting hips.

NHS guidance says women are fine to eat nuts. And sushi.

I'm very jealous OP. You must be finding having a baby very easy, much easier than I am, if you can find energy to care this much about tiny aspects of other people's parenting! I feel quite consumed enough by worrying about whether I'm doing it right, without starting to worry on the behalf of others...

Link to research?