Thoughts on a front facing carry in a wrap

[kit10grl]

Our situation is a bit diffeent to most. DD is almost 2 but only weighs 9kilos. She has very poor muscle support so physically is about the stage of a 10-12 month old. However mentally she is very interested in the world. I just started trying out my wrap this week as she seems to be getting annoyed in a mei tai facing me. She seems really happy facing out in the wrap. Ive been careful to pull the panels over so her hips are 90 degrees, and im not worried about her getting overstimulated as she is that bit older.

Do you think this is ok? I can be hands free but she gets to be up at eye level and i think that will really help bring her development on too.

 

[Rachel_C]

I personally wouldn't but I don't imagine it would cause any real damage. Could you try the Buddha style one instead so her legs are sort of crossed inside the wrap instead of out? I think with legs out, you're more likely to knock stuff/catch her legs and I imagine it probably requires more effort for you to keep the wrap supporting her properly with legs out.

Have you tried a high back carry btw? That would be my preference in both the mei tai or wrap (as long as you have a woven wrap not a stretchy wrap). Alternatively, a hip carry would still support her legs while allowing her to see.

 

[kit10grl]

I did try a back carry as that's how I carryDS but one of DDs problems is with her eyes her vision is quite limited in the upperpart of her visual field so if she wants to see something better she throws her whole body backwards to look. My worry is if she does this INA back carry that I then can't give her extra support,also her trunk support isn't always the best its only recently I stopped tying the straps behind her back like you would do for a very young baby and that is only because I can use my hands to support her head when she throws herself back. She does it more and more now facing me in a front carry because she wants to see. I was thinking facing away from me when she does it she will be pushing back against my body with her head on my shoulder so would have the extra support there. It would actually improve my centre of balance too as she wouldn't be pulling away from me as much. Lol she does like to be the opposite of typically developing kids

 

[Rachel_C]

If you think it'll help, I'd give it a go. Once she's used to it though, you might find she won't go back to facing in - it depends how big you expect her to get and how quickly as to whether that's a problem I'd try a hip carry too - I tend to keep an arm behind LO when I do that (although you don't have to) so that might be more reassuring than a back carry.

 

[kit10grl]

Thanks. Will have to look up videos on how to do a hip carry and see if that would be better. She won't get big anytime soon. She is only in 9-12. Months clothes now at 21 months and weighs 20lbs a year ago she weighed 12 lbs her weight gain will always be slow.

Just waiting for the comments now about how carrying her won't help her learn to walk either. It won't have anything to do with her condition of course lol.

Thanks for your help

 

[Rachel_C]

I hope you can get a good carry worked out. Are you anywhere near a sling library/meet? It might be worth going along to a meet if you can as they will be able to suggest things or different ways of doing things that might help.

 

[kit10grl]

There is one here they are meeting next week actually so will try and get along, its a pain that they meet one of the days DD is in nursery at a development centre.

 

[Rachel_C]

That's a shame. Maybe if you go along, somebody might be happy to meet up at some point when LO isn't in nursery?

 

[MoldyVoldy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wPT3l8ovxI I found this carry to be very useful!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWmdV-pqRmo And this looks like something that might be even more useful for you, seems to be more supportive

 

[MoldyVoldy]

And btw, even tho the first link says "for big kid", I used it with a small kid as well