Questions about manducas before I give up!

[Perseo]

Hi,

Hoping someone can help me to work out how to use my manduca with my 5 month old son. We have been trying him in with carrier on our front but he lasts about 5 mins before he starts crying, probably because he is uncomfortable. We can't seem to get his feet evenly spread so he usually has one foot hanging out easily but the other scrunched up by our sides, the handbook shows the baby's feet hugging your tummy but he doesn't seem big enough to do that.

Plus, I can't do up the strap that joins the shoulder straps together without someone to do it for me so we've only used the carrier when there are two of us to do it up - and I'm out and about on my own a lot of the time so it rather defeats the object of having it!

As you can tell I'm new to using carriers but desperate to get away from lugging a heavy pram everywhere and had heard good things about this and the ergo.

I will try our local sling group too but live in a rural area so its a bit of an epic trek to get to one.

Thanks!

• Make sure the carrier is in the middle of your body, and that he is in the middle of the carrier. If his legs don't seem long enough to fit comfortably, pop him in the integral infant insert (you'll probably need to extend the back panel as if he's 5 months he'll likely be too tall if he's in the insert without the panel extended). I'd be expecting him to be growing out of the insert at 5 months though so you wouldn't need it for long.

- Make sure his bum is seated all the way down in the fabric - holding it by the shoulder straps and jiggling it gently to bounce him down might help. His knees should be higher than his bum - that could also be why he doesn't look comfy if they're not, as the sides will dig in rather than supporting him - Try wearing it with the straps crossed over your back instead of with the strap that joins the shoulder straps. Extend the straps, then cross them over your back like this (video shows an Oh Snap but it's the same principle) I find it much comfier than wearing it like a backwards rucksack, and because you do the straps up at the side it is much easier. Just make sure you extend the straps plenty before you start and then tighten them once fastened.

If none of that helps, can you post a photo on your profile and we can troubleshoot from that.

Thanks for the advice - I will definitely try crossing the straps over. He is too big for the insert now, we've got the back panel extended but he might be a bit of an inbetween size at the moment. I think its just a case of keeping with it!

I second what pootlebug says about getting his bum below his knees.

With doing up the clip that holds the shoulder straps together, have you tried sliding it higher up each of the straps? I always had mine right at the top so I could reach it easily over my shoulder.

My own experience with a Manduca, and lots of people I know who have used Ergos is that 5 months is a classic in-between stage for these type of carriers. Stick with it! By 6 months DS was completely comfortable in it and we still use it regularly now that he's 2.5.