Pain in sacro-iliac joints... Any recommendations,

[Elpis]

My DS is nearly a year old and weighs around 12.5kg. I've been doing fine with the Ergo until very recently, but I now find it gives me a lot of pain in my lower back and coccyx - to the extent that the area hurts if I press it, even hours after carrying him. The Ergo on my back is not much better and has the disadvantage of leaving me unable to wear a rucksack. (I also have a 4yo and she still needs hand-holding as we live in London.)

When she was little I used a BushBaby carrier, but didn't find it especially comfortable, and it was very bulky. Do I need to dig out my pushchair, or is there anything that might be less painful? I know about the Arnos Grove and Somers Town sling libraries: unfortunately, their hours are very limited right now.

Oh yes - I'm nearly 6' and fairly lean, if that helps.

I feel really dismayed at finding it so painful to carry him. I know he's a heavy boy for his age, but it makes me feel feeble and restricted, as I don't drive and the tube is very difficult with a pushchair.

I still suffer from PGP pain in the sacro-iliac joints 5 yrs (not a typo) after my last. I am much more of a wrapper than a SSC person BUT I think the principles are the same: the higher and tighter they are, the better it will work.

I think while you can try a different carrier to see if it improves. The long term plan is to do exercises to strengthen and re-balance the SI joints. It has been what has given me the most long term and effective relief from PGP. So much so that I still carry my nearly 5yo but would have stopped already if I didn't learn the strengthening and re-balancing exercises.

Some libraries do postal loans and there are some excellent videos on Youtube to help you with different styles of wrapping.

There are more London Sling Libraries - admittedly the other side of London, but both with good transport links....Greenwich & Lewisham Sling Library (which I run) and South London Sling Library. It may be that you can make a session there.

I'm not about to try to diagnose the problem over the internet. But some initial thoughts:

• 12.5kg shouldn't in itself make him too heavy. I can still carry my older two in comfort who are considerably in excess of that.
• Although soft structured carriers like the Ergo look pretty foolproof, in reality there are various tips and tweaks that can be done that make a huge difference to position and comfort.
• Minimise the stuff.....on your back for the majority, although not necessarily all, of the time is likely to be comfier at that weight.....which means a lightweight shoulder/cross body bag with you so as to avoid it upsetting your balance and/or annoying your baby.

Thanks very much, pootlebug. That's heartening! I'm going to visit the North London Sling Library in Euston tomorrow, and will see what they recommend. I suspect you may be right about tweaking the Ergo. Should I wear it higher or lower? Latter feels most painful.

Ishchel - very impressed at you still carrying your 5yo. I was/am mean to my 4yo and made her walk everywhere as soon as she could manage it! We will both get plenty of exercise when she starts school later this month, as it's just under a mile away and uphill.

I bought a Kari-Me this time round and did manage to tie it, but found it very time-consuming. DS didn't like it much either. I've assumed he's now much too big for it, but perhaps I'm mistaken?

you would need a woven wrap now and babies change so trying out a woven wrap now could be different?

Ishchel - I borrowed an Ergo-like carrier with cross-back straps from the library. Will see how that goes and perhaps try a woven wrap when I return it. Which brand would you recommend? And do you mind me asking if there's online information about SI joint exercises, or do I need to see a physio?

Someone I work with is a part time osteopath as well and he gave me some exercises which were better than what the NHS physio showed me.

I wrote descriptions of the exercises he showed me that I found helpful but they are verbose and I'd like to put them on video instead but maybe you'll find them useful.

these below from youtube have elements of things that seem good from the conversations and different stretches that I have found useful over time. the yoga one is one which I have done in yoga myself and found helpful the key to any exercise is that if any exercise gives you sharp stabbing like pain, stop it.

these on may help

has some good descriptions of how the interconnectedness of muscles and ligaments bring on SI joint pain

oops forgot the link to what my osteo showed me.

I had lower back pain when I started with a back carry, I was using an ergo and another very similar carrier. I found out (from anther forum) that carrying high might help the problem, I tried it and the pain went away, it was all to do with different muscles being used.

I still carry really high now, I do the waist buckle up as high as I can (basically right underneath my bra) and pull the shoulder straps tight. DS slips down a bit but he is still a lot higher up than he was before, DS loves it has he has a great view.

You might be carrying high already Elpis , but if not it might help...

as far as brands of wovens, lots are great without being expensive. Hoppediz, Lenny Lamb, Little Frog, Amazonas, Natibaby (the stripes ones) are all a similar price bracket. You could put an ISO in search of post on here for a size 6 it may be 50 - 60 quid incl postage