When do people stop carrying babies in baby carriers ?

[marilenagrace]

I had a small one but would like to start carrying my 15 month old again sometimes, as I find it convenient. Is that weird ? I have no idea when people tend to stop carrying them in a baby/ toddler carrier ? They definitely sell them for her weight category.. but just wondering if it's a bit weird to carry them like this ?

I couldn't really manage carrying DD in the carrier for any real length of time once she hit about 1 and she was only around the 50th centiles for height and weight too so not massive. But I was very unfit and weak and had chronic back pain so..
! We got a back carrier when she was 1 and I couldn't use it, felt so unbalanced and unsafe. DH did though, not super often but has been using with gradually decreasing frequency since then and now she's almost 3 he says he's going to retire it as he's getting back ache when hes used it for short stretches the last few times. He's also not in great shape admittedly though!

Until either if you don’t want to anymore.
My youngest was about 2.5 when she decided she preferred to walk.
Prior to that it was a godsend when taking her sister to preschool, public transport, going shopping or going though airports (remember when that was a thing?)
It’s a hands free piggy back.

I carried mine until I could physically no longer do so (probably about 2.5 or 3). That doesn't mean all the time, mostly they preferred to walk once they could. But if they were tired or there was a lot of walking, or they were a bit unwell/teething etc. then carrying them worked well.

I’m in London and see loads of people with older toddlers in carriers these days I carried my son till at least 2 in an ergo front carry but to be fair he’s not huge!

My 4yo got tired at parkrun this week, so I put him up in a wrap. He was on my back, so it was like a hands free piggyback.

You lot must be strong. I remember trying to carry my niece who was about 2 in one of those baby rucksacks. I made it half way down the street before giving up. She was just far too heavy and every step was a huge effort for me.

@garlictwist

You lot must be strong. I remember trying to carry my niece who was about 2 in one of those baby rucksacks. I made it half way down the street before giving up. She was just far too heavy and every step was a huge effort for me.

Definitely depends on the size of the child. But you also do get used to it. I would say my husband is stronger than me generally. But I can hold the children for a lot longer than he can because I'm holding them all day long.

No way I could have done it past 2yo with mine and they were complete lightweights at the bottom of the centile charts. DH did for a bit longer but gave it up before 3yo, not because it was weird but because he didn’t like to carry the weight and he is over 6’ and a strapping guy. I guess we were just wimps!

Mine never wanted to be carried once they could walk (never wanted to go in the pram either). I remember a kind lady offering me a wrap once when we were on an organised nature walk and I had a 2 year old and I was amazed that kids were happy to be carried when mine wanted to be walking everywhere.
Was a bit of a pain at the time as everything took a million hours of examining sticks and stones but now they’re older they are very good long distance walkers so I guess it paid off.

@marilenagrace I run a sling library (we're doing postal hires mostly at the moment!) and stock carriers suutav to carry beyond 5yo, it's not uncommon for people to start carrying when their child hits that early toddler stage of "carry me, no put me down, no carry me..." I carry my 4yo if it's a long walk and she's tired. Feel free to message me for carrier suggestions.x

@garlictwist

You lot must be strong. I remember trying to carry my niece who was about 2 in one of those baby rucksacks. I made it half way down the street before giving up. She was just far too heavy and every step was a huge effort for me.

Do you mean the big framed rucksacks? I couldn't carry DS in one of those after about 18 months, because his weight was so far back and high that I ended up leant at a difficult angle to walk. The soft carriers put their weight closer and lower.

Also, you carry your own toddler every day from birth (whether in carrier or arms) and they grown slowly, so it's not like just picking up a toddler you rarely carry.

I think I carried Ds2 until he was almost 3. He is now 15 so people were very interested in how the slings worked as it wasn't as mainstream as it is now. Most people just carried their young babies in a Baby Bjorn. I had an Ergo and wore a coat so they could only see the front and wondered about the straps.

When he got older I carried him on my back. I was in a cafe once on a table next to some pensioners. They were fascinated to see how I put my toddler onto my back. We demonstrated the Superman swing which they thought was genius. (child has back to you, grab under armpits and swing up and onto your back)

I stopped because he was happy to walk. Re the weight, you get used to it if you are doing it daily which I was.

My one year old is 15 kg and I have a prolapse, reasons things like that. I did carry until about 8 months, I'm not a fan of back carrying as can't see them, if their hat is covering their eyes etc.

When we were looking for a baby carrier we specifically wanted one that meant we’d be able to carry a toddler about so no I wouldn’t bat an eye at it. No different to seeing a kid on parents shoulders etc. I never really gave it much thought tbh.

https://www.littlelife.com/products/child-carriers/ranger-s2?sku=L14011&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkqKZtyJ8AIV1vhRCh33FAPjEAQYASABEgJUFPDBwE
My son is 2 and a half and we use one of these now it's absolutely brilliant

Only carried DS until about 18 months (first in wrap, then front and back in ergo360) but that's because Mr Independence insists on walking and won't go in it even when he wants carried. If my cousin still has their structured hiking carrier I'm stealing it come the summer, I can carry the baby in the wrap and DH or DSD can cart him with a bit less contortionism when he's tired.

My friend is a babywearing peer supporter and she still wears her almost 5 year old.

@pinkstripeycat

My 10yo doesn't weight 30kg!

Gosh your child must be tiny

30kgs for a 10yrs old boy is the 50th percentile or thereabout. So there are as many heavier boys as there are lighter boys at that age.

I was gonna say, my 10 year old boy is 29kg and has sat on the 50 line since the day he was born! He is slim but not unusually so.

I had a sort of ruck sack carried for my DS, great out on walks not so good at the shops as kept whacking his head on the door frame. Hopefully no lasting damage

I stopped carrying my 2yo when I got pregnant and now I've got the baby constantly in the sling. At 15m I still used it loads

I stopped after age 2, DS got very heavy and also could cover a decent distance on a bike.

Also DS would have been booted out anyway at 2.5 as DD arrived.

I always sort of assume that that's natural sort of progression, most 2-3 year old toddlers have to stop being carried etc because a younger baby comes along

I was still using my carrier when DS was 5 (just for travel by that stage - absolute godsend through airports and immigration queues).

I graduated from a Moby to an Ergo, and then to a Lillebaby Carryon toddler carrier, which saw us through until DS was nearly 6 years. I also used a woven wrap. DS loved being carried and, as we travelled a lot, it was so convenient to be hands free through airports and train stations. Also meant we could go out for dinner on holiday late with him asleep on my back.

In terms of recommendations, definitely a sling library. I found my woven wrap very versatile, especially on the beach in summer, as could use as a hammock, towel or sunshade. The Lillebaby Carryon Air (which is what I had) was very light and breathable, perfect for our needs as we spent summer in a hot climate.

If you carry from birth, your back muscles strengthen and you don’t notice the gradual increase in weight of the child. I really miss carrying my son. It was a sad day when I sold my wraps and carriers.