By the time I took this picture, Julian was to big for this fleece sling, so I was thrilled to wear Heather’s baby Holden in it. If you don’t already have a sling, consider it.
Wearing your baby keeps him happy, especially if he’s the type that likes to be held all the time. Instead of holding him, you can use your hands for other things, like dialing the phone, telling a story in which you gesture wildly for emphasis, or typing. Once the baby is situated in the sling, you will feel like a free bird. As tempting as it is, please do not hop in your car and drive around town.
You can certainly buy a sling or any other front carrier online, but I recommend going to a local independent baby store. It really helps to have an expert coaching you. Ask to try it on.
Find out if your partner will be willing to wear the sling. If not, choose as girly a pattern as you like. If yes, you might want to stick to black or navy. My husband said yes to the carrier, but not to this one I brought home from CatBirdBaby.
I guess a person who does not carry a purse does not think this is “cute”.
Some women are able to nurse while wearing their baby in a sling. (Not in a back carrying position, obviously!) Anyone have luck with this endeavor?
I made myself an Asian Baby Carrier after seeing your first “Wear your baby” entry. I love love love it. http://momtechreview.blogspot.com/2006/12/baby-wearing-resources.html
I’ve become such a baby wrap fanatic lately, it’s such an inexpensive and comfy way to carry your baby. In fact I’m making another wrap for a friend who’s having a baby this week.
Ahh. My little one likes to be held upright only, so he hated slings. Maybe now that he has good head control, I can give them another try with an upright positioning. If only there were something like a Waddle and Swaddle near me!
When my son was really small (2 mo. old), I was able to nurse him in a Moby-wrap-type carrier made for me by a blog friend!
I did nurse while wearing my baby and it was great! It was discreet and once I was caught off guard by a lady making conversation with me who had no idea I was nursing.
Miles was an upright baby, too, Damsel. We love the Bjorn we got as a shower gift. In fact, both of us literally wore it around the clock because our baby boy was such a high needs little dude. I learned to nurse Miles in the Bjorn out of necessity. The moment he wasn’t in that thing, he wailed like a banshee. We rigged up this whole system with blankets and clothes pins and I would walk and nurse him all over. Now that he is a bit bigger and heftier, we use the Ergo. LOVE the ERGO!
I had an upright baby as well – the sling only lasted the first few weeks, although it occasionally comes out now as an aid to me getting laundry done. I never figured out nursing with the sling, but definitely with the Ergo – although that was easier with an older child with some head control and direction who really just needed access.
Sling did not last long for me with either kid. The cloth organic sling stuff really appealed to me, but my kids both preferred the commercial brands (ie – Baby Bjorn). I was (am) able to nurse both from the baby bjorn carrier (using a blanket of some sort – aiden brand from
Target usually). I unhook the top clip, slide my arm out of the side I am going to nurse her on, scoot the carrier around my body a bit so that it is no longer centered in front of me, and throw the blanket over. But this is only worthwhile to me when I am someplace like Disneyland where I need to let her nurse and then preferably have her fall asleep and stay asleep in the carrier. If I am home it is not worth the discomfort of sitting around in that carrier.