Babywearing: When did you stop using a sling?

[sushistar]

Average sized ds has lived in his Kari-me strtchy wrap sling for 6 months. Now he's just too heavy and doing my back in.

Shall I try other slings (my friend has leant me a mei tai) or is he just a bit heavy for a sling now?

I wore all 3 of mine to 10 mo.

(not all at once of course )

In fact I recall wearing DS2 one time with shoes on! (he was an early walker, 9mo, but still it was a bit bizarre).

But I think I have a strong back as many other people would say 6mo was about the limit.

If you want to carry on using a sling there are plenty of options. As well as a mt you can get a woven wrap - didymos, storchenwiege or similar - or a structured carrier like an ergo.

I guess I was wondering if it was my SLING that hurt my back or my SON!

What's the usual age to stop babywearing?

We used the karime a bit up to a year.

But I know it is a bit stretchy.

I also got a adjustable sling - like this from mammas milk which I still very occasionally use for my 20m - just like carrying him on my hip but with freer hands.

I'm still carrying dd in a mei tai at 10 months, back carry is most comfortable. Carried her for about 3 hours the other day with a short coffee break in the middle.

I hope I can keep this up for quite a while yet.

Think the usual age is just when they or you don't want it anymore.

My ds still occasionally wants to be carried especially if a longer walk than say 10mins. But mostly he wants to be walking himself.

I imagine most babybjorn ers stop after a few months, other slingers probably go much longer.

If it hurts your back I guessing you need a different tie or sling.

The karime's too stretchy for back holds really. Maybe get a less stretchy wrap one and experiment a bit with different methods?

My 10mo wearing was in a babybjorn btw

(It was a while ago so there weren't many better options (that I was aware of), but in fact I found it very comfortable).

Fair nuff.

Just soem folk find it a little tough on shoulders due to straps and weight combined.

Glad it worked for you.

Sushi - it's the sling hurting your back, not your son. Most people find them far too stretchy for older babies. If you want to carry on using a sling rather than a pushchair there are slings that are strong enough to enable you to carry even a four year old without hurting. Not that most four year olds would want it on a regular basis, but you know what I mean .

You can find out more at thebabywearer.com which is an international site based in the US, or you can ask about swapping and second hand ones on the UK yahoo group groups.yahoo.com/group/UKbabywearingSWAP/

Still wearing my fairly sizable 2 year old in a MeiTai or Pod. He's not keen on walking in busy places and likes to be high on my back where he can be nosy. I can carry for 4 hours at a time with no problems.

I'm still wearing mine at two years old. With the right supportive carrier, you don't feel the weight as much. Using a stretchy to six months is impressive - I used mine to 5 months before I switched to a woven wrap, which was more comfortable and allowed back carries too. There are many good carrier there and it helps to teI them on to see what you like best. A sling library can help and I'm a sling consultant so happy to help too! Babies and slings are my passion. Find out more about what I can help with at Close to My Heart - NW London Slings www.facebook.com/Close-to-my-Heart-NW-London-Slings-1274780352623337/

Try something more supportive: a woven wrap, Mei tai or soft structured carrier like an ergobaby or manduca. A stretchy really isn’t supportive after about 4-6 months.

We wore our first (in an ergo, a woven wrap and a structured carrier) until she was 3. But I couldn’t wear her in a stretchy past 4 months. My ds is 10 weeks and I switched to the woven with him about 6 weeks as he’s a big baby.

Zombie thread alert- these kids will be 10 now @Libi0closetomyheart

Or are you just spamming with your page?

@mindutopia, it's a ZOMBIE thread

At 18 months because my 99.8 height percentile toddler became too tall for me to see over and I could not coordinate to get her on my back.

Sorry honest mistake! I did a search and thought it was posted 2018, when it was 2008! I hope the kids are doing well and have been carried as long as they needed it!