I'm sure it is possible, but I attempted to wear my little lady beefcake around this weekend and proceeded to have the worst back pain afterwards! She's pushing 20 lbs at 7 months old.
Any suggestions for safely wearing the older/heavier baby?
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What carrier do you have? I think as they get bigger, a back or hip carry are easier on the wearer. I can still wear my 22 pounders on my front in the ergo, but will prob switch them to my back once they can walk.
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What were you wearing her in? That is a big part of the equation when wearing bigger babies and kids.
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@MerryC: I have a K'tan, Moby, and an Infantino (Flip? I think. It was a hand-me-down) so I'm open to trying any of those. The hip carry sounds like a better situation for us, maybe.
My back got messed up wearing the Infantino.
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@highwire: dying! She is so not a beefcake but I did LOL!
I wouldn't wear the infantino! I don't feel like those are constructed to hold even a 10 pound baby without hurting the parent (I owned one with my first - it was cute but it killed me).
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I think you might have a hard time getting a comfortable carry with a 20 pound baby in those. Would you consider selling or trading them for something else? I'm thinking you could probably get enough to get a beco, or a basic SSC (soft structured carrier, like a mei tei), or a basic wrap.
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I can still rock my 7 month old in the k'tan with a hip carry. Maybe give that a try in the interim? For hours on end though, I'd consider getting some new equipment. I use a Gemini. The only time that's ever hurt my back was last weekend when I wore DD on a 2 mile walk to a MLB game, through the game, and then the 2 mile walk home. I can usually make it a few hours without it bothering me.
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I carry my 1 year old (about 21lbs.) with no issues and no pain in a hip carry in a sling. I could carry her all day in that thing!
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@highwire: k'tan and Moby generally lose their comfort between 15 And 20 pounds from what I hear, and narrow base carriers or "crotch danglers" (infantinos, Bjorn's, etc) tend to get uncomfortable quick because the baby's weight isn't distributed at all. I would go for a more ergonomic soft structured carrier or a woven wrap if you're looking to wear long term.
I can wear my 25 pounder for hours with no pain in my wraps or my half buckle carriers (buckle waist with wrap straps).
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LO is 14 months and 21lbs. I carry her all the time, for hours in my Tula toddler carrier without pain. I prefer to carry her on the subways and buses rather than the stroller.
I have a Beco too but it stopped being comfortable to me when she hit about 18 lbs.
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I use an Ergo and carry my 21-lb son it it for 30-min or more stretches with no pain.
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@highwire: Yep, we're pushing 20 pounds too and I wear him all the time! I use a Boba, which is similar to the Beco and Ergo.
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I carry my 30lb lo in the ergo very comfortably.
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@highwire: My LO is 17 pounds, and I can comfortably wear her in a Beco Gemini for several hours.
ETA: Make sure the waist support is on your hips and nice and tight!
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I wore LO for four hours the other day in the ergo and was fine. She's about 19-20 lbs.
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@highwire: I lol'd at beefcake.
my dude is 22lbs at 10 months and I can wear him fine for an hour or so at a time in back carry in the ergo with minimal back pain.
I had to give up on our wrap (moby) when he was 4 months and probably 12 or 13lbs? because it kiiiiilled my back
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@Penny Lane: stretchy wraps are generally no good after the newborn stage because they sag and strain your back. Woven wraps are the complete opposite (just an FYI)
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@Navy_Mommy: yeah that's pretty much exactly what would happen! I've never heard of a woven wrap, I may have to investigate for next time !
(just don't tell DH, he thinks 2 is too many already)
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@Penny Lane: I have 7 wraps, 2 wrap conversion half buckles, a soft structured carrier, and a ring sling
haha, just tell him that and getting 1 wrap won't seem that bad! Or you could sell your Moby to help fund a woven.
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@Navy_Mommy: hahaha here's what he said: " and if she jumped off a cliff, would you too?" who is he, my mother?
I'll have to work on him a bit I think!
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@Penny Lane; @Navy_Mommy and I can tag-team him into submission for you
Another option if you like the softness and "stretch" would be the Wrapsody Bali Stretch wraps. They are supportive enough that I can wear my 50lb school-age kiddo, but ultra soft and cushy from the get-go.
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Nope, I didn't have the strength. I'm pretty into attachment parenting, and it killed me to buy a stroller. But I just couldn't do it. I injured my back trying to carry her past the point that I was really able to.
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My friends all complained about the Infantino. I can't see how your upper back can support a baby for too long!
Mine is 22+ lbs and i can tote her around in my ergo for hours. In fact, just this weekend i was going up tons of stairs on the BART and carried her around for about 3 hours.
haha, just tell him that and getting 1 wrap won't seem that bad! Or you could sell your Moby to help fund a woven.
I'll have to work on him a bit I think!
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