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I used to love wearing my baby sling. I even liked wearing my baby in it. I bought a super cute sling from Polkadot Papoose and I wore my baby everyday instead of carrying the infant carrier around. It was great and I'll always treasure those memories. I've since "hung up my sling".
Flash forward to now. My baby is 16 months old, fully walking and capable of moving around by herself. However she demands to be carried around the house. If I set her down she makes this horrifying shrieking scream. We don't call her "Angry Baby" for nothing. My older kids cover their ears and yell for me to pick her back up.
And so I carry her while making my coffee, while making dinner, while carrying laundry upstairs, while carrying laundry downstairs, while setting the table, while running out to get something from the garage. She's always being held. I'm always lugging her around. She's permanently fixed on my hip. I'm being forced, against my will, to babywear.
I like to refer to her as my ball and chain. I can't do anything or go anywhere without carrying her. I've created a monster and now I must carry her.
I know what you are thinking. Put her down and let her scream it out. I've tried. I've tried to the point of tears from both of us. As a mom of three, I know it's a phase and it'll pass. I better come away with some great calf muscles or biceps from lugging this kid around.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
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6 comments:
You are right, there is nothing worse than going about your day having a child crying at your feet, or having to do things one handed while lugging a toddler on your hip - but I think slings are the solution, not the problem! You can just pop them in a sling and they calm down, and you have baby's weight comfortably distributed, and both hands free! I really do sympathise, as babies at this age are really tiring. They are growing up in lots of ways, learning new skills, but at the same time they do still have a strong emotional dependency. In fact I think the new independent skills they are learning are probably causing the need for closeness, as they need to return to you for security as they explore the big world in new ways. I very much doubt that using a sling has caused this need, children will always want to be carried, even if they are used to very little body contact from an early age. I hope your experience doesn't lead you to avoid slings in future, because they are the one tool that can help to reduce mother burnout.
I have the same issue right now. In fact I just wrote a blog post a few weeks ago entitled.."My Kling-on!! DO you have an ergo. It is my best carrier yet. Great for bigger babies and doesn't hurt your back at all!!
My daughter was the same way...she cried continuously and picking her up didn't change that fact. She suffered from GERD and it lasted several months. She has always been cantankerous she is now 5 and she still has a stronger will than I do.
LOL! I have a similarly hip-addicted fifteen month old. He weighs 28 lbs. And I am 22 weeks pregnant. It's an argument I have with him almost daily--making coffee has become a bit tricky...man, we are gonna be strong!
We joke that we are now a family of sharks that must constantly keep swimming or else we're dead. As I make my umpteenth lap around the house with the baby in my carrier, I find myself humming "must keep swimming, must keep swimming, must keep swimming" a la Finding Nemo.
Looks wonderful. Great reading your post as well.Thanks.
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