The Babywearing Thread

[Michele]

You'll need a custom carrier if you go with buckles. If you stick with a wrap or mei tai, then you can tighten as needed. But if you want the convenience of the buckle/backpack style, you'll need to get it custom made. I'm 5'5" and 130 pounds with normal proportions and I have petite shoulder straps on my Kanga and I'm wishing I had the petite waistband. I can't imagine how uncomfortable it would be if I was smaller. I wear the straps cinched all the way and I removed the buckles from the waistband so I could tighten it more.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'm hovering around 106 lbs (I've gotten too low with the stress of moving and breastfeeding - I'm trying to gain) and she's 16+ lbs. So the Ergo isn't fitting basically at all but you guys think a Moby would work? I haven't tried her in a back carry in it yet because she is barely 5 months and I feel like she's too young still. Should I try it?

I'm fine with it taking a while to wrap as long as it doesn't kill me. I'm strong but I just can't have her weight pushing down on my shoulders on only one point. Do Moby come in sizes?

[Michele]

Moby's are stretchy and I don't recommend them for back carries. Get a woven wrap for that.

Once they have decent postural control (rolling over) they are fine for back carries. (Certainly an experienced wrapper can back wrap a newborn, but I assume less skill than more. )

[TigerLily]

Mobys don't come in sizes that I know of. When A was younger I had a super long piece of jersey material that I wrapped just like a moby. It was shorter and thinner than the moby and I loved it so much. I actually just gave it to a friend who is really super thin and didn't like wrapping the moby 4 times around her waist. lol You might try that for her while she's still small.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Does 16 lbs count as small? I guess so if people wear toddlers.

Am I just being a wuss or do smaller people not carry as long?

[SuzySunshine]

No, I carried my son in my Ergo until he was 2 and I'm only 5'2" around 130. I don't know much about the carriers because I only had a Bjorn and an Ergo but I would recommend looking around and see if you can find a wearing group. They sometimes have carriers you can try.

[TigerLily]

I would say 16 lbs is still pretty small. Although, compared to a 7-8 lb newborn, 16 is a lot! I haven't really been small since before I had kids, so i'm no help there. Is 4 months too small for the hip hold? I already can't remember. But that would take some of the weight off of your shoulders.

[Michele]

I think 16 pounds is too much for a stretchy wrap.

Kai at 35 pounds is too much for me to wear more than an hour. Thankfully he doesn't really like being worn much anymore.

I wear Phedre regularly at 21 pounds. And by regularly I mean 4+ days a week 1-2 hours per day.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Ok, I'm just being a wuss.

This has been really helpful though - I really do think it's the carrier and the weight being all on two points on my shoulders. Clearly need to investigate other wraps. Going to a wearing meeting on Saturday if I can get the little one to cooperate.

[civilspouse]

I have a Beco butterfly that I still use with my 25 lb toddler and it's still pretty comfortable when he lets me wear him. I feel like most of his weight is carried on my hips at the waist belt. I'm about 5'3" and 110-115 lbs and I tighten the straps almost all the way. If they have one at the baby wearing group I'd give it a try. When I was looking at buying I thought about renting from paxbaby or whatever that site is, but I just ended up buying the Beco so I don't have any experience with them.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Thanks Civilspouse! I had a rec for a Beco from someone else so I'll try that too. Just so hard to know since you can't try before you buy. And during the week I wear her so much less because of work.

[Ravenclaw]

I just got the Ergo and am liking it. I'm wondering if I should return now and try the Beco. I already have a Moby wrap but want something I can put on quicker. T&S keep me updated on what you find since we're about the same size!

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I just got the Ergo and am liking it. I'm wondering if I should return now and try the Beco. I already have a Moby wrap but want something I can put on quicker. T&S keep me updated on what you find since we're about the same size!

Will do! I'm definitely going to this meeting on Saturday because clearly I need to try them on!

I love the Moby for little babies, but I think babies start to outgrow it around 15 lb. I used my Moby until DS was closer to 11 mths/20 lb, but it was really sagging by then. Also, I *thought* it was fairly comfortable... until I bought my first woven, that is! I really had no idea what I was missing. Wovens remained my go-to carriers until DS was about 2 yo, at which point we started relying more heavily on my mei tai for longer carries and on the ring sling for shorter ones. He's 3.25 now, and we're down to pretty much only short carries with the RS.

For DD, who's due at the end of the summer, we'll start with the RS and Moby. I imagine we'll transition out of the Moby and into wovens by around 3-4 months, and we'll break out the Beco around that time, too.

I really like my Beco Butterfly II. I've only tried the Ergo once or twice, but I liked it, too. Something to consider, I think, is how long you want to BW and how many carriers you're up for buying. The Beco body is a few inches less wide than the Ergo's. Once DS was between 18 mths-2 yrs, I wasn't able to get him properly seated in the Beco with the fabric spread to the hollows of his knees, and so he started complaining about his legs hurting whenever he was in the carrier for more then 20-30 min. He would've fit fine in the Ergo for a good bit longer. As for the length of the waist strap, I can't remember how the Ergo fit me, but I had to cinch the Beco pretty much all the way for a good fit. I had maybe 1" of webbing left that could've been tightened. I'm 5'7" and was about 135 lb.

[v-girl]

I wear ST's 20lb 6.5 month old in a ring sling (not the stretchy fabric). But I also hold a 50lb 5 year old during church. While wearing heels. LOL