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#1
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baby carrier for gardening?
I'm posting here instead of the babywearer.com forum b/c I remember to read
this group and that's about it. I have made several ring slings, wraps and a Mei Tai. I also have two structure soft carriers (infantino and one with Pooh on it). I tried all of these yesterday trying to get my 5month old (15lbs) into a high back carry so I could garden. I could get her into a regular back carry with the MT and the structured carriers, but she's down so low she can't see anything. She screams if she can't see anything. Screaming in my ear is bad. I want her high enough she can look over my shoulder, but secure enough I can bend over and weed or dig. I seem to be completely unable to do a back wrap carry of any kind (rucksack, tibetan, etc) because I just can't get her up on my back high enough. When I try the "toss" method, both of us freak out and she's still in a low position anyway. I can't seem to scoot her up enough. So, any tips to doing high back carries would be helpful (I've looked at www.thebabywearer.com and most of their associated links). Actually, for anyone who does use a baby carrier for things like gardening or yardwork, what do you use, and in what position? I'm just wondering if I should work on using the wrap with help from a partner, or focus on the MT. I may make another MT since the one I made is felt and fleece, so it has no stiffness. I'm wondering if a cotton light canvas would hold it's shape better. Any suggestions appreciated. I've used www.sleepingbaby.net for my patterns. If I can't find something to make, I am wondering about those hiking framed backpacks. Expensive, but I could try to find used. It just seems too bulky to be useful for gardening when I'll be up and down. Thanks! Amy |
#2
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baby carrier for gardening?
V. wrote: I'm posting here instead of the babywearer.com forum b/c I remember to read this group and that's about it. I have made several ring slings, wraps and a Mei Tai. I also have two structure soft carriers (infantino and one with Pooh on it). I tried all of these yesterday trying to get my 5month old (15lbs) into a high back carry so I could garden. I could get her into a regular back carry with the MT and the structured carriers, but she's down so low she can't see anything. She screams if she can't see anything. Screaming in my ear is bad. I want her high enough she can look over my shoulder, but secure enough I can bend over and weed or dig. I seem to be completely unable to do a back wrap carry of any kind (rucksack, tibetan, etc) because I just can't get her up on my back high enough. When I try the "toss" method, both of us freak out and she's still in a low position anyway. I can't seem to scoot her up enough. So, any tips to doing high back carries would be helpful (I've looked at www.thebabywearer.com and most of their associated links). Actually, for anyone who does use a baby carrier for things like gardening or yardwork, what do you use, and in what position? I'm just wondering if I should work on using the wrap with help from a partner, or focus on the MT. I may make another MT since the one I made is felt and fleece, so it has no stiffness. I'm wondering if a cotton light canvas would hold it's shape better. Any suggestions appreciated. I've used www.sleepingbaby.net for my patterns. If I can't find something to make, I am wondering about those hiking framed backpacks. Expensive, but I could try to find used. It just seems too bulky to be useful for gardening when I'll be up and down. Thanks! Amy Well, I didn't discover mt's until dd was almost a year, so I can't really help w/ high back carries. I did however make a fleece mt, and later bought a Kozy. There's a world of difference between the 2! The fleece was just too stretchy, and I didn't feel confident to do back carries in it, after an incident while shoe shopping with ds, where she nearly slid out the side as I was crouched over! Kelley from Kozy said she'd never heard of that happening - we speculated that it was the stretchiness of the fleece at fault. So, a canvas or twill might be a better bet. I will say, for standing and digging, I was able to use a sling for smallis babies w/ a front carry, but that doesn't work very well for bending down like weeding or planting. I did plant bulbs last fall w/ 18 month dd on my back in the Kozy. I haven't checked to see if you can do a high back carry with an Ergo, Patapum or Sutemi - that might be worth checking out. Good luck! Irene |
#3
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baby carrier for gardening?
If you're gardening bent or stooped, a mei tai in standard position
won't be as "blinding" as a mei tai when you're standing up straight... and bending over with baby in a high back carry is a little dicier than the usual way. When I do the toss, there's just not enough time for her to freak out, and she's staying *really* close to my body. Also, I'm holding her arms with the straps, that may help, and placing her high on my back--she grabs my hair with both hands and thinks it's great fun. High carries depend, IMO, on tying above the breasts and getting the carrier snug under her bum, but I really think that a high carry if you're doing much bending over is going to feel precarious. Mei tais in a standard carry are about the perfect gardening carrier. The other thing I'd try (because I'm very comfortable with them) is a torso carry.. .still low... put baby on your hip snug, and when you crouch to garden, as you do, you would sort of scoot ehr around the back. hard to explain, easier to show. Oh... and you want a sturdy, non-stretchy mei tai. Felt and fleece sounds sort of precarious and saggy to me. Jenrose |
#4
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baby carrier for gardening?
The carrier that we love the most, is a stuctured mei tai, what I mean is
that the way the baby sits is very similar to a mei tai, but as it is an adujustable carrier more in the style of a bjorn or other front carrier, it is much more adjustable and the baby is carried higher than on a soft mei tai. Now, we bought it in Korea and as yet I've not even seen a picture of one online, so I'm not being particularly helpful here. If you want I can email you a picture of it, as you might be able to think of modifications to your own homemade mei tai that would have the same effect. I would caution against a back pack, they are ok, in their place, but they are not good for bending over as the baby is quite high. Cheers Anne |
#5
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baby carrier for gardening?
Hi, I feel I can answer this one because I did it today!! I have an aluminium framed backpack style carrier - very light, and it has straps that go over DS' shoulders as well as around his waist. I have bent over too far before, and he's slid upwards, but the shoulder straps did their job *phew*. The frame has a hinge on it that enables it to stand by itself, so I sit it on a low table and can put it on easily. I can swing the whole kit up, too, but using a table is easier. I'll see if I can find a link to one... http://tinyurl.com/lfqfl I picked one up at a second hand shop for $30 (AU). HTH! Jo -- Woman, Wife, Mother, Midwife |
#6
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baby carrier for gardening?
"V." wrote in message
It just seems too bulky to be useful for gardening when I'll be up and down. Hmm, sorry I can't imagine trying to do yard work with a baby attached to me. I know others said they do it, but it would drive me bonkers and be very hard for me to get anything done. What I did, was either put them in the pack-n-play where I was going to be or if they were small enough in the bouncer seat I had. There were times I strapped them in the stroller also. Mainly though, I did yard work when they were napping. When they were really small, I didn't do much gardening besides planting some flowers. -- Sue (mom to three girls) |
#7
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baby carrier for gardening?
If you can get the carrier thing to work for you, great, but I was the
same as Sue. I either worked while they napped (and had the monitor outside so I could hear them when they woke) or I put them in the stroller right next to me so they could watch. With a small baby, why not put a blanket down and some toys? Now while she is not mobile that would work. I would just worry about her falling outr while you are bending. Leslie |
#8
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baby carrier for gardening?
"V." wrote in message ... I'm posting here instead of the babywearer.com forum b/c I remember to read this group and that's about it. I have made several ring slings, wraps and a Mei Tai. I also have two structure soft carriers (infantino and one with Pooh on it). I tried all of these yesterday trying to get my 5month old (15lbs) into a high back carry so I could garden. I could get her into a regular back carry with the MT and the structured carriers, but she's down so low she can't see anything. She screams if she can't see anything. Screaming in my ear is bad. I want her high enough she can look over my shoulder, but secure enough I can bend over and weed or dig. I seem to be completely unable to do a back wrap carry of any kind (rucksack, tibetan, etc) because I just can't get her up on my back high enough. When I try the "toss" method, both of us freak out and she's still in a low position anyway. I can't seem to scoot her up enough. DD is the babywearing type of kid. To this day, she only likes being worn and never any stroller; but boy, I don't think I could garden with her in a carrier, not with all the bending over and such. Is it possible to put her out on the lawn on a blanket, or in a wading pool filled with balls or toys, or in a playpen in the yard? |
#9
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baby carrier for gardening?
If you can get the carrier thing to work for you, great, but I was the
same as Sue. I either worked while they napped (and had the monitor outside so I could hear them when they woke) or I put them in the stroller right next to me so they could watch. With a small baby, why not put a blanket down and some toys? Now while she is not mobile that would work. I would just worry about her falling outr while you are bending. another me too here, I don't get out in the garden much, more because of my physical problems than lack of time, but when I do it is with Ada napping, or playing inside, I leave the door open so I can hear her and see her through the window (our garden is tiny). DS comes and helps me, or plays on his trike or other garden toy. I think I would have to have a very clingy baby and be a very avid gardener to want to combine the two! Cheers Anne |
#10
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baby carrier for gardening?
toypup wrote: or in a wading pool filled with balls or toys, BUT WITHOUT WATER unless you're going to be right there standing over her at all times. Amy |
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