Any farmers wives / partners out there with young babies? How are you managing?

[GinsterCowgirl]

I'm after some advice really. My DS is now 13 weeks & until recently I was able to put him in the pram & go down to the farm to feed the calves. He'd generally sleep through so that worked ok. Now he's much more alert & although he'll often nap for 20 mins he wakes up & gets frustrated & cries. It's pretty difficult to then soothe him with mucky hands etc & it ends up taking ages to get anything done. I've tried putting him in a buggy so he can see more, playing music, putting toys in the pram etc I wondered if anyone else is struggling / has struggled & has some practical advice on how to manage this better? Thank you x

Would a sling work? Or would that be too dirty/ dangerous?

I haven't got on too well with slings (tried a couple)-there's a lot of lifting & bending and I worry about knocking him or him slipping out. Thank you for the suggestion though. Any other ideas?

Self rocking cradle - I think it's called a robopax.

This you need to plug it in but it rocks the baby. Might soothe him?

One of those Ewan things?

I found that when my DS got to about 5 months I could put him in the soft carrier on my back, that way he's safe and quiet next to me but doesn't mind so much if I have to bend forwards. And you have hands free and can lean in to open heavy gates etc.

Get someone else to sort the calves out!

Is he in a proper pram? Do you think he could go in a pushchair now whivh reclines so he could see more? Lots of the travel systems say from6 months for the pushchair setting but my experience is that mine were ready much earlier.

Oh and my Dad is a farmer and I know just how had things were for my mum at times when we were small. I'm sure you're doing a great job!

I use a Manduca and from about 4/5 months I think had the baby on my back.

Also have an out n about nipper that gets taken all over the fields.

Although I'm thinking of getting an au pair/summer nanny next year to make life easier!

Hi my DS is 14mnths but I used a BabyBjorn Miracle carrier from a very early stage with him on the farm to do lambs etc and a Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle pram which goes over stubble/straw beds etc, I used the MaxiCosi attachment on the pram so he was sat up a bit rather than lying in the cot fitting of the pram, so he could see what I was up to.

Good luck as it feels like very long days at the moment with harvest going on!

Just wanted to say a belated thank you to you all for your help & advice. We've got into a bit more of a routine with things so it's getting easier. Thank you xx

Not a farmers wife but i have horses. DS doesn't nap well at all. I do have a short (2miles) drive to the field and he dozes off in the car. I then transfer him into the carrier - Baby Bjorn We. He's only 7wks tomorrow so carried on my front. I can feed, water and poo pick with a wheelbarrow like this. I put my hand behind his head for any bending such as ducking through a fence.

Glad you are getting to more of a routine, I took all three dc's out to work on our dairy farm, just wanted to say it does get easier and as they get more alert and happy to sit and watch, I had a wrap sling which holds them close so a little more secure. Good luck x