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Back carry for a 4 month old?

Sarah - posted on 12/02/2009 ( 7 moms have responded )

We have a baby bjorn, pouch slings, and a ring sling. I mainly use the slings and my husband the bjorn. The slings are just a little too feminine for him! Anyway, he wears our daughter every day from after dinner until she is ready for bed. While wearing her he does the dishes, takes care of the cat, etc. (I know, I have the most wonderful husband!). Now that the baby is getting a bit bigger and likes to face out in the bjorn, it is getting harder to do the dishes with her in front.
She is our fourth baby, but we really only got into babywearing with number 3. Is she too little to do a back carry with a mei tai or other similar carrier? Or can you do a back carry with a moby? She only weighs 13 pounds, but has excellent head control. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

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Heather - posted on 08/30/2010

not too small :) i just started trying back carries with my wrap and she seems to love it :) good luck

Ally - posted on 01/28/2010

Sure you can--my husband loves his mei tai, but if your husband is really into the straps-and-buckles look of the Bjorn, I'd recommend an Ergo or a Beco, something along those lines, because they look like backpacks. If your husband has a smaller frame, I'd recommend the Beco, because it's really easy to do a back carry with it and it brings a little baby very close to the body, but if he's bigger I'd go with the Ergo (get an infant insert, though!). Another good alternative is the Pikkolo. You can find deals on secondhand ones in good condition at thebabywearer.com, in their FSOT forum.

Amy - posted on 01/17/2010

She is definitely not too little for a back carry. I would recommend a mei tai. Put her on your back with the santa toss . I always did a high back carry (tied the bottom & top straps over my breasts instead of around my waist) when they were that little so they are up higher & can see more.

Heidi - posted on 01/17/2010

I used a sleepy wrap with my NB and then switched to carrying her on my back in a Beco when she was four months old. The Beco and the Manduca come with a head support/sun cover thing that comes up over the head and attaches to the shoulder straps. I would use for head support while she was sleeping. No problems, it worked great..
I would like to repeat what the others have said about forward facing carry.. If you do your research you will see that it is strongly advised not to carry and infant facing forward because it impedes the development of the spine and pelvis.

Misha - posted on 01/11/2010

I am with PP, please do not ever do a back carry with a Moby!! It's asking for an accident. You can find great woven wraps for 100 or a little more and they will last you well into the 30 pounds. Also I would say it's not safe for your child's to be facing her out. It can affect her spine and pelvic area. It's not good at all. With a woven you can also do a ton of different carry's and they are so fun.

Jackie - posted on 01/11/2010

You can do a back carry with a mei tai, a WOVEN wrap, or a soft structured carrier such as a beco or ergo. PLEASE do not try to do a back carry with a moby wrap/ sleepy wrap or any other stretchy wrap. The fabric is not supportive enough and your LO could fall out. Also (not to be a pain in the bum) but the Bjorn is actually not very good for your babys hips or spine because she is not in a sitting position

Here is some more info....

http://www.sleepywrap.com/Research/uprig...

http://babywearingbuzz.blogspot.com/2008...

Kiyomi - posted on 12/09/2009

170

I would say she is not too small. I used a mei tai with my daughter, mainly because she was such a wiggler I couldn't get her to sit still while I tried to put her in the wrap. I did it a few times and she was fine but I didn't feel comfortable trying to put her back there without help. They show carrying a newborn on your back in some of the instructional videos online with a wrap.