Babys First Year Blog
Mobility vs. Baby-Wearing
Early in Tate’s life, baby wearing was my saving grace. Not a day went by that I didn’t strap Tate in the moby while going about my day.
Recently, our dynamic has changed. I will go days without using the moby. He is getting more mobile and will entertain himself with toys (read: scraps of paper) for much longer stretches of time than he used to, so he spends much more time playing on the floor without me than ever. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to be able to get things done around the house without hefting an extra 20 pounds, but I find myself really missing the constant companionship and contact that baby wearing provided us.
Does his growing up automatically mean that our baby wearing relationship needs to change? I don’t know. I think as he is more mobile, it will change. I just wish I knew how to best implement baby-wearing into our new dynamic.
For you other baby carrying moms, how did your baby’s mobility change baby-wearing? Do you still wear your older, more mobile baby? I would love to hear about your experiences.
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9 Comments
Hollie commented on Jan 28 12 at 11:56 pmI wear my 21 lb, 12 month old baby girl every day in my Ergo. AND I’m 4 months pregnant. We have a big dog and a little apartment, so I try to walk him a couple of miles/day. I also sometimes use a sling + hip carry at the grocery store. Wearing my daughter is enjoyable for both of us. She gets a different perspective and to be close to me (and my glasses, face, or ponytail). I get to kiss her nose, make her laugh, and feel her head resting on me. Win-win!
Jen commented on Jan 29 12 at 9:42 amI continued to wear my little boy well after his first birthday whenever we were out shopping or running errands. He preferred to be carried over riding in a cart or stroller, so it worked well for us. It was only when his desire for independence and my pregnant belly made it uncomfortable for both of us that we quit.
Natasha commented on Jan 29 12 at 12:16 pmMy eight-month-old is crawling and pulling up on furniture like mad. Baby-wearing is a life saver when it comes to spending time in environments that are not crawling friendly, as well as shopping etc. I made an Obi carrier (it’s a cross, very simple to make) and it fits under my coat.
We’re using the Beco Gemini or a MeiTai for walks pretty often too. It’s so much easier to manage the dog without a stroller, and the baby prefers it. (I gave up the Moby Wrap because he’s getting pretty heavy and never seems to stay in a great position).
What I’m really finding is that it gives my child of perpetual movement a chance to have some quiet alert time without the need to move. It’s great for when his body is ready for rest but his brain is still going at 100 miles an hour.
I still find it’s also the easiest way to get anything done around the house, since now my child needs more supervision than ever before and he’s not content in the exer-saucer or any other containment device.
deena commented on Jan 29 12 at 10:07 pmI wear my 20something pound 14 month old all the time. It depends on his mood but a lot of times he like to be in the carrier when we are shopping or going for a walk. He still also sometimes has a fussy period around 5pm when I’m making dinner so I sometimes wear him then.
Alicia commented on Jan 29 12 at 11:18 pmI still wear my 17 month old on a regular basis, and plan to for some time still. There are many times I let her walk/run, but there are also times it is inappropriate for her to do so or I know she would be destructive (like at the post office) so I wear her. There are also times when she is being extra clingy that I just don’t have the arm strength to hold her for long periods/walks so I wear her then. You will find a balance.
Sara commented on Jan 30 12 at 10:17 amI wear my 23-lb 8-month old still. I don’t use the moby anymore, but I use the ergo. Mostly for errands where a cart is not available, walking the dogs in the cold, or when I’m making dinner and he wants to see what’s going on. Sometimes he gets restless and squirmy, but mostly I think he enjoys it. And I do too!
Backpacking Dad commented on Jan 30 12 at 12:16 pmA backpack will get you beyond two years of baby-wearing. It will be as regular a thing as your endurance allows.
My son is two and a half now and just barely outgrown the soft sided backpack I use.
Marie commented on Jan 30 12 at 5:45 pmMy daughter is nearing 4 and still likes to be worn in her Ergo, and whines to have it if we’re going out somewhere for a long walk (ikea, zoo, etc). I think she must be nearly the top of the weight limit for it, but since it shows no wear at the seams yet, I’ll let her! She went through a phase where she just wanted to walk/crawl all the time but is back to a burning desire for being carried and playing baby.
Kat commented on Feb 15 12 at 3:33 pmI wear my 35# 20 month old almost every day, in our Boba carrier. She has been walking since 10 months, but being worn helps her keep her hands to herself in the grocery store, lets me lug in the groceries without having her run into traffic on our busy street, and keeps me from having to find her shoes, as well as mine, when we do laundry in our unfinished basement. It also still helps her be calm and feel close to me when she is upset, and serves as an emergency backup transit option when she tires on a long walk. I always regret it when I don’t bring it with us somewhere!
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