[OakShannon]

I know I'm not the only mom here who loves her baby carrier. Now that David's older, we use the Ergo for taking long walks or when we take trips to the zoo or farm, or taking the train to San Francisco, etc. He likes being up high. I like having him close so we can talk. And I'm just not the stroller-type. I hate being encumbered by one. It also allows me to easily put David down to explore. It's harder to follow him and keep him within arms reach when I'm pushing a stroller.

But my boy is edging in on 30 lbs. (He's 19 months old.) I've started to notice that when he's on my back and he leans quickly to the side to catch a look at the garbage truck going by, it throws me off balance a little. Not like I'm going to fall. But I have to catch my step. And after a particularly long walk, I'll wake up the next morning feeling like a creaky old woman. So my days are numbered and I'm feeling pretty sad about it.

How long did you carry your child(ren) in a baby carrier? And what made you stop? Did they get too big? (And what was too big?) Or did they start to resist being put in one? Did you start using a stroller after that?

Maybe I should just start working out?

[SupaModel]

I stoped a while ago. H is just too heavy for me. I use stroller or he walks. He's 17 mos.

Oaks- (off topic) I've been meaning to tell you that while I was home I went to a restaurant in downtown Oakland called Pecans and it was AMAZING!!! I think it's on Broadway or telegraph.

[Gs_Mom]

Stopped using it when it became too heavy for me to move him (in the carrier) from the car base to the stroller.

[mommamarci]

We were still wearing Cameron after he was already 2. Last summer, when we wlaked, my dh would wear Cameron on his back and I would wear Spencer. We have since quit wearing both kids... I am having major back trouble and cannot handle any weight. (It is difficult for me to even lift the kids sometimes.) And with 3 kids and a wife with a bum back, my dh does not wear anyone so he is better able to chase all 3!

I would say Cameron was about 30 pounds last summer. I was unable to do it but my hubby could.

Isn't it sad? I still carry a Mei Tai in the diaper bag because I can't make myself take it out!

[Amber76]

My DS is only 15 months, but I still use my Moby wrap a lot. In fact, I have even used it for my niece (who just turned 4) in the past 6 months. Unfortunately, though, the niece just passed the 35 pound mark so no more Moby for her. Ben, however, is only 23 pounds so I hope to be able to carry him for several more months. Having said that, though, I don't wear him as much anymore. We use a stroller for long walks, trips to the zoo, etc. The biggest reason I take the stroller isn't for him though-it's for the diaper bag, sippy cups, blankie, my purse, etc!

[arkansas parent]

I need to get some kind of carrier for baby A . He wants to be held all the time. Right now the other kids can hold him while I do some work ,but school starts back next week.

[Cjmeck]

My daughter flat out refused to be in the carriers (yes, I had several...) around 9 months old--when she started walking. She's super independent, way too busy, and was just never really content in one to begin with. You must have a back of steel to still carry around a 19 month old! Savannah is 27-28lbs so I feel for you The stroller is much easier for logistical purposes for us as well; although she's starting to resist that...

[tinktink]

I stopped about 2months ago. She is just done with it. She is 27mo. The ergo has a short body. Maybe you should look into something taller bodied. Perhaps a toddler Babyhawk? I think that the Toddler Patapum is pretty tall too. DD was always a leaner and I never could get comfy in the Ergo. I used a Babyhawk, wraps, and ring slings. She will occasionally still be willing to go into a ring sling but that's about it.

[OnTheJourney]

Hmmmmm...It makes me sad to think that one day I will no longer carry my kiddos in my carriers.

My DS will be 3 in September and I still carry him on my back. Once in a while he wants to ride on the front when he is really tired and wants to cuddle, but he is getting pretty long for that! He is a pretty slight little guy, about 30 - 32 lbs I think. I have no problem carrying him. I made myself a MeiTai that has a longer body and wide shoulder straps which all helps even out the weight.
I also carry my 1 year old 22lber regularly.

I think my body is used to it and the muscles I use have strengthed gradually over the 3 years I have been carrying the kids. If I were to start with a 30lber, it would probably hurt! Also, I have learned what is comfortable and works well for my body type and use a carrier that is compatible.

Oak- If you really want to continue carrting your little guy, maybe try a few other carriers to see if there is one that distributs the weight better for your body. Check to see if you have a local 'baby wearers" group in your area. You can maybe find a meeting where you can go try out some other carriers before buying one.

Here is a pic of me carrying DS on my back. Excuse his mondo bedhead! We were just mucking around the house. When we go for longer walks, I make sure the straps that go around/under his legs are spread open to distribute his weigh to his bum better so he doesn't get any pressure points...if that makes any sense!

[052001]

My daughter is 3 1/2 and I still use my Ergo. She is disabled and cannot walk, so that's the main reason I'm still using it. She is over 30 lbs. and I can still carry her comfortably.

[aclee]

Ty started physically fighting any type of front carrier around a year. We just started the backpack type carrier (which DH wears) and Ty loves it. Ty is only about 22 pounds though, so I'm not sure DH will still wear it when he is 30 pounds...that's a lot of weight to haul around.

[oceanica]

I hope you can find a way to keep doing it for a little while!

Over the weekend I took Athena and Kee for a long walk pushing her in the stroller and him in the snugli front carrier and when I got home I saw that it was really cutting into his fat little legs at the thigh. (He is well chunked.) I'm going to look at some of these carriers that have been mentioned here.

[robandjulie]

My kids are 4 and 2.5, both in the 30-35 lb range now, and I still wear them fairly often. The 2.5 more than the 4.

I have a home-made moby wrap (the moby-d style with the cotton panel that adds some extra support and limits stretch which is great with heavier kids). I also have homemade rings slings and pouches. DS will still go in the pouch or ring sling and ride on my hip or back when necessary (walking around the mall or fairground, etc) but those go across one shoulder so they fatigue me faster and provide less support for him. These days I'm all over the MOBY style wrap which goes across both of my shoulders and around the waist to distribute the weight. It also goes all around/across DS so he can really relax in there.

We have used it when we go camping or for all-day outings and he ends up taking a 90-120 minute nap in there if we're out and about. We recently spent a day at Centre Island in Toronto and he took took a nice nap in there while we walked around and he's also taken naps in there when we're on hikes.

DD (age 4) rides far more rarely, but after a long day at CentreIsland she was burnt out and so I wore her for the walk back to the hotel. Same thing after a really long day at a local waterpark and then walking back to the campsite.

Here's a pic from last week. We had hiked a trail in the Adirondacks and 20 mins in DS started to get really tired and clumsy. I wore him for awhile and he fell asleep--slept all the way up and 1/3 of the way down and then happily hiked down the rest.
Anniversary Camping Trip on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

As for when they outgrow these..? I don't know. We have an umbrella stroller and a Jeep 3-wheel stroller which are fine but I really dislike using them for all the reasons you listed--hard to navigate in crowds, kids are down on the ground and can't see anything and I can't really hear them, if the kids get out you still have to lug around the stupid stroller, etc. Plus they're completely impractical for hiking, places with lots of stairs etc. We also have a nice 2-kid wagon with cup holders and storage areas which we take to concerts in the park and such but I wouldn't want to have that at a festival or fair or something. Hopefully by the time they really really can't ride anymore they'll be 5-6 and the obvious alternative will be to just tell them to walk.

If you're at ALL crafty (like, you can operate a pair of scissors) you can make a moby wrap for cheaper than buying. Just go to a local fabric or craft shop (joanns, hobby lobby, many michaels, hancocks, whatever) and find the jersey-knit materal (aka t-shirt material). It's usually sold in 60" width. Buy 6 yards of it (should be about $5/yard so $30). When you get home, lay it out and cut it in 1/3's the long way so each piece is 20" x 6 yards. Each of those is now a basic moby wrap. Done. (I keep one in the car and one at home and gave the other away. They sell for $40 each online!). If you want to make it a Moby-D style, also pick up a fat-quarter of fabric, fit that across the center of your wrap and stitch it on (fold the vertical sides in 1/4" to "hem" them, then put right sides together and stitch across the top and bottom. Turn it inside out through the sides and stitch the vertical edges down. I can give better instructions if you PM me.)

[OakShannon]

Originally Posted by OnTheJourney

Hmmmmm...It makes me sad to think that one day I will no longer carry my kiddos in my carriers.

My DS will be 3 in September and I still carry him on my back. Once in a while he wants to ride on the front when he is really tired and wants to cuddle, but he is getting pretty long for that! He is a pretty slight little guy, about 30 - 32 lbs I think. I have no problem carrying him. I made myself a MeiTai that has a longer body and wide shoulder straps which all helps even out the weight.
I also carry my 1 year old 22lber regularly.

I think my body is used to it and the muscles I use have strengthed gradually over the 3 years I have been carrying the kids. If I were to start with a 30lber, it would probably hurt! Also, I have learned what is comfortable and works well for my body type and use a carrier that is compatible.

Oak- If you really want to continue carrting your little guy, maybe try a few other carriers to see if there is one that distributs the weight better for your body. Check to see if you have a local 'baby wearers" group in your area. You can maybe find a meeting where you can go try out some other carriers before buying one.

Here is a pic of me carrying DS on my back. Excuse his mondo bedhead! We were just mucking around the house. When we go for longer walks, I make sure the straps that go around/under his legs are spread open to distribute his weigh to his bum better so he doesn't get any pressure points...if that makes any sense!

Oh, that gives me hope! Because it looks like you and I have a similar build. I'll try using a different carrier. I would LOVE it if we were still able to do this a year from now. David is a big boy, but he's not gaining the way he was. He's shooting up in height, but is less "chunky." I've always carried him a lot and I think that's the only reason I'm still able to do it. My body has gotten used to it. Part of the reason I'm having trouble now is that he's much more mobile back there! He grabs the straps and pulls himself around suddenly to look at something and WOAH!

I was just realizing yesterday how much this meant to us, though. David is very active and not particularly cuddly most of the time. But he wakes up every morning chirping, "Go walk?" I love having him close and talking to him while we walk. We stop whenever he says, "Down!" and I chase him while he explores. Yesterday, we walked 4 miles in 2 hours! (And no, I don't walk that slow!) It's also a strategy for managing his high energy level. He needs to move! Run! Climb! And I just can't follow him easily with a stroller in tow. So I don't want to give this up!

Robandjulie - Thank you so much for that picture! Seeing both of the photos is really helpful. It sounds like maybe we need to try a Moby. I hadn't considered that a new carrier would make that much difference because the ergo has always worked so well. But that style definitely might work better now that he's so much bigger. I've been using the same carrier since David was 4 months old. You two are making me hopeful that I don't have to give this up after all!

CJ - I know what you mean about that "independent spirit!" David was an early walker too and has always had a mind of his own. Fortunately, he likes the carrier - but I think only because he knows he has the option of getting down when he wants to!

Marci - I'm sorry about your back. That must be really hard with 3 little ones! And I know you loved carrying your babies as much as I do.

Oceanica - I had the same problem with the snugli. All their weight is resting in the crotch and if they have chunky legs (which David did/does) it chafes. It's also much harder to carry that much weight dangling from your shoulders. We didn't use our for more than a month before we had to switch.

[robandjulie]

If you like to take him in and out (which it sounds like you do) the MeiTai style may be better to try first. To get him on your back in a Moby is somewhat tricky (see here: Hike Hold Wraping Instruction ) and I still need someone around to help spread the fabric out the right way across our backs and make sure nothing twists or it will roll up.

If you think you'd wear him on your front, you can put it on once and lift them in and out pretty easily. But the back is sort of a "in or out, not both" option for us.

We tried the snuggli and baby bjorn when DD was tiny. Both gave me back spasms and were too hot and thick for our liking. Definitely try out different styles!

And, also, I agree with others that David has likely reached a weight plateau of sorts from here so if you can handle the weight now you're likely good for awhile. DD hit 28-30 lbs around 18 mos and now, at age 4, she's about 33 lbs but a foot taller. DS was about 25-30 lbs when he came home a year ago (around 19.5 mos) and is now 30 lbs but 7" taller. They seem to just keep stretching out...