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Original poster

Ideas needed for babywearing with 4 month old

27 replies

MyThumbsHaveGoneWeird · 23/04/2011 13:20

I am a bit stuck and need inspiration.

I loved my wrap slings when my son was newborn (have a kari-me and a calin bleu, one stretchy and one non-stretchy both long). He was very happy in a tummy to tummy cross over hold and spent a great deal of the day in them. Now he is a bigger wrigglier interactive 4 month old he doesnt seem to like it as much. I think he finds it a bit constricting.

I have tried just keeping his arms out but that is not stable enough, and I dont like a forward facing cross over hold because he seems to have all his weight on his crotch and he can't turn away if things get overwhelming.

I'd be very grateful for any ideas, I don't want to stop using them. I also have a ring sling, but have never used that much.

Thanks!

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Queenada · 23/04/2011 14:07

Have you looked at the Rose & Rebellion carriers? I got one two weeks ago for my 10 mo DS and it's brilliant. Tried a wilkinet and a conventional sort of sling before that and didn't really get on with them. My DS also wriggly, and I realised that babywearing wasn't really the best option for us. It was at about 4 months that I gave up. Didn't help that I had a c-section and an enormous baby!

MoonFaceMamaaaaargh · 23/04/2011 14:13

Do you use the wrap where you slip their bum in to the "pouch" first? I find if i tie this well i can carry ds well with his arms out (he's a big 14m and i'm 4m pg but this tie still works for us)...though mayb being older he can hold himself in it better...

Original poster

MyThumbsHaveGoneWeird · 23/04/2011 18:36

No, I use one where he sits inside a sort of cross made from the material going over my shoulders and around my waist. How do you do the pouch one? He can't sit without support yet so he does need to be held up.

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Octaviapink · 23/04/2011 19:17

A Papoozle is quite secure and easier on the back. If he's wriggly then he's probably ready to face out - I wouldn't worry too much about things overwhelming him, he's of an age now where if he's unhappy he will let you know in no uncertain terms!

squiggleywiggler · 23/04/2011 19:19

This is a great website/forum for babywearing ideas: www.naturalmamas.co.uk

I moved on to a woven wrap when my daughter was 6 months old as it gives so much more support. I got a didymos. I'm still carrying her now at 14 months!

Octaviapink · 23/04/2011 19:22

Do you guys find that putting them in a wrap on your back feels secure? I really liked carrying both DCs when little, but balked when it came to putting them on my back. DS would still really like to be carried, but at 5 months he's too big for my front.

muslimah28 · 23/04/2011 21:49

ive just discovered hip carries and its great!! I use a mei tai. Ds loves being able to see what im doing. i like back carry too but only at home were i can check him in the mirror

BertieBotts · 23/04/2011 21:55

When DS was about 4 months I started carrying him with one arm in, one out, and pushed slightly around to the side of the 'in' arm - which did mean it put slightly more strain on one shoulder than the other, but still more comfy than a ring or pouch sling and I tried to remember to swap sides too.

This meant he could see out more but was still secure and could even sleep if he wanted to.

Octavia your DS must be big! I think I could carry DS on my front until about a year, though he was more comfy on my back after 9 months ish. IME if you want to do back carries with a wrap it's best to start before 6 months or they get too wriggly, if you start younger they're used to it so don't wriggle. If you can get someone to help the first few times, and do it over a bed or sofa until you get confident, that helps a lot. Or you could try a soft structured carrier like an Ergo.

Mumcah · 23/04/2011 23:09

I use a Sleepy Nico. DS is 11months and about 25lb and it's still comfy. I have never used it on my back but you can do so.

Original poster

MyThumbsHaveGoneWeird · 24/04/2011 07:11

The instructions which came with my sling say that the back holds are only for when they can sit up by themselves, but from what you say BertieBotts they can actually be used sooner? Yesterday I tried copying an african type carry with a sarong but I don't think I did it very well. He didnt look comfy and I ended up with a very drooled on back!

Thanks for that website squigglywiggler it looks great. Everyone on it seems to have about 10 slings and know 100 ways of tying them! I feel like a total amateur.

OP posts:

Wallace · 24/04/2011 07:45

Posting so I can have a look at the link. Looking for a way to tie a wrap sling for a hip carry :)

SlightlyScrambled · 24/04/2011 08:00

I used the hip carry position in a pouch sling from 6 months. Only did it this late as I was new to baby wearing. Used this site to figure it out http://www.theslingstation.com/hship1.html

we've moved now to a mei tai as she's 15 months and too heavy on my hip. But I still use the pouch like this if I'm just running into the shop for something small as it's so easy to pop her in and out of the pouch.

SlightlyScrambled · 24/04/2011 08:02

Aghh. Try again for the link:
hip carry instructions

NinkyNonker · 24/04/2011 08:02

Forward facing isn't a good idea with any carrier, for you or the baby. Have you tried a proper woven sling, a Didymos or Storchenweige for example? I carry DD (8 mo) a lot on my back and front and find them good.

Have a look at a website called Natural Mamas for a good for sale board, tips/links on carries etc.

I use a front wrap cross carry a lot, as well as a short cross carry and a rucksack type carry on my back. I do hip carries, and find a ring sling good/easy for these...especially for quick up and downs around the house.

NinkyNonker · 24/04/2011 08:05

Sorry, seen the other site has already been recommended.

Babies can go on the back quite early on (have seen people carrying newborns!) but I suspect you have to be pretty confident/practised.

I also have a Beco Gemini, which is a soft structured carrier....pricey but grwat for clip on and go trips. DH uses it too.

BertieBotts · 24/04/2011 09:29

Yes you can back carry with a newborn - two friends of mine have done it with their first, so doesn't necessarily need experience, just patience and willing to practice. I found with DS that waiting until he was bigger didn't work because he then panicked and didn't like it which stressed me out.

If you have a look at www.slingmeet.co.uk, see if there is a sling meet near you, they can be really helpful. Don't worry about being an amateur - even the experts were amateurs once :)

NinkyNonker · 24/04/2011 09:50

Yes, I went to my first sling meet the other week and it was great. Just be careful you don't get addicted, soon one wrap isn't enough!

RitaMorgan · 24/04/2011 09:57

I switched from a stretchy wrap to an R&R when ds was about 6 months old - he's almost 9 months now and I still have him mostly on my front, I haven't found an easy way to get him onto my back. I saw a similar ssc type called a Beco the other way which looked great - it has a kind of pouch you sit them in, so you can undo the waist belt without the baby falling out. Much easier to get on your back.

I use a basic ring sling more often now for short distances, a 4 month old would probably be fine on your hip in one.

bigkidsmademe · 24/04/2011 10:06

Can I ask why it's not a good idea to do forward facing? I have a Close wrap that I love and now my Ds is four months and can support his head well all carry him forwards all the time. Is this bad? Should I get a new sling now? Eek!

NinkyNonker · 24/04/2011 12:27

I think it is to do with their spines needing to be sightly curved, with weight supported on their bum not their crotch. On the whole babies have a very straight (sometimes inverted) spine when forward facing as they are back to your stomach/chest.

I think here has some info. I can look for more.

It can also be very overwhelming, and they have no way of switching off if it all gets too much and they need a break.

You could try a carrier that lets you put him on your back if you want him forward facing? He can always rest his head on your shoulder if he needs a break then.

RitaMorgan · 24/04/2011 13:24

I had a Close carrier too but couldn't get ds in a forward facing position where he was sitting (like when they're facing in) rather than with his weight in his crotch.

As Ninky says, when they face in in the Close their spines are comfortably curved and supported by the fabric.

By 6 months ds was too heavy for the Close to support his weight comfortably (for me) anyway, so you might need a new sling before long anyway.

NinkyNonker · 24/04/2011 14:00

Yep, dd killed my back in the stretchy before long, I needed the support of the woven.

Their legs are meant to be like frogs legs, (with knees higher than bum) instead of just hanging down.

bigkidsmademe · 24/04/2011 20:27

Ah, I see. He's a big lad, 91st centile, so I guess there won't be long left using the close for us. That's made me all sentimental and weepy :)

Time for a new sling then, how exciting

TribalMummy · 25/04/2011 09:56

I had exactly the same problems as you OP. We moved to a mei tai babyhawk which our LO loves (and is kind to my back).

Wish I had attended a slingmeet first though, because ordering a mei tai from the US was an expensive gamble.

MoonFaceMamaaaaargh · 25/04/2011 19:41

MyThumbsHaveGoneWe sorry, I was away over the weekend but now I am back home I can post you a link to the tie i mentioned at the top of the thread (the one with the pouch you slide them in to) www.ehow.com/how_4965975_tie-baby-sling.html

As I said Ds is in this all the time, with his arms out (but at 14 m maybe can hold himself up better...)

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