snugli backpack carrier weight limit
in 2011, made a comment that parents who face their babies out are "cruel and selfish". Actually for the record she said they were "inadvertantly cruel". I am not here to judge you ladies and gentleman; a walk around the block with your baby in the forward facing position will probably not wreak havoc on your child's development or health. I don't think any parents holding their little ones are cruel. But when you start to think maybe your baby should change perspectives and face the world head on, here are some reasons to consider for not letting your baby face out:Carrying your baby facing out...1. does not support your baby's legs.Your baby’s upper legs should be pulled up to at least hip level, if not higher. This is possible only if the fabric in a baby carrier covers the whole back of the thigh to the backside of the knee, or if the carrier has footstraps. When your baby is facing forward with legs unsupported, it isn't that his legs are simply dangling - his spine and hips are unsupported too and there is simply nowhere for baby to "sit".
Check out this medical research by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute and the infant biomechanics of different types of baby carriers. A baby carrier that supports the upper legs encourages proper hip development. Front facing carriers do not support little hips. Those babies already diagnosed with DDH should steer clear of front-facing carriers.2. makes it tough for the wearer to carry the baby.It's much harder to carry something that curves away from your body than something that embraces your body. With a front-facing carrier, the wearer has an awkward load and often ends up arching her back to compensate. Babies' bodies are naturally adapted to being carried facing you.3. places your baby in an arched or hollow back position which places pressure on the spine.Extending the back (like arching after waking from a nap), is not injurious or "bad" in and of itself. The problem arises when you compress a "hollow back" under a load. Placing an infant in a front-facing carrier stretches the naturally convex rounded curve (see infant spinal development in upright transport paper) of his spine into a hollow back position.
Babies can face their parents and still experience the world around them while taking it in at their own pace. It is very easy for a small infant to become overwhelmed.5. doesn't support the head or the neck.Positional asphyxia is possible when babies have no neck control and their chins fall toward their chests.
cork gaa backpackLittle babies should never be placed in a position that can compromise their airways. The US Consumer Products Safety Commission recently passed a law that the warning labels of forward-facing carriers must state that babies should not face out until adequate head/neck control is acheived. The law does not extend to sleeping infants even though they don't have control of their necks or heads while snoozing.6. makes thermoregulation more difficult.The flexed position a baby assumes on his mother's chest when facing her is more efficient at conserving heat than when the chest is exposed.
Check out kangaroo care and thermoregulation benefits. The baby also has more fat cells (insulation) on its back side than front.7. makes it harder to respond to baby's cues.With no eye contact it is harder to communicate with your baby, check their airways, see their spit up, see them rooting, practice EC, and know their needs. There's a neat study that shows that even front-facing strollers interfere with your ability to interact with and respond to your baby.8. throws off baby's center of gravity.Most often the wearer will intuitively stick out her pointer fingers for the baby to grab on to and stabilize himself, or the wearer will try to support baby's legs by lifting them up in the front. With no seat and nothing to grab on to in front of him it is tough for baby not to arch his back under the weight of his own body.9. may not be so wonderful on your back either.Carrying a load with an arched spine will give you an aching lower back.Carrying your baby facing forward is not the best option.
It's not "cruel", but it's not ideal either. Embracing your baby, or having them embrace you is what your baby is adapted to do and quite naturally the way to go.What is a ring sling? A ring sling is a piece of cloth with two rings sewn into one end. Many people seem to try a ring sling early on because Dr. William Sears, or someone they know recommends them. The ring sling was invented in the late 1970s by Rayner Garner who wanted a sling that was adjustable for himself and his wife (they were drastically different sizes). Later it was popularized by Dr. Sears, a leading force in the attachment parenting movement. Pros: They are very adjustable, comfortable, and easy to take on and off quickly in any weather. They offer a very good option for discreet and comfortable breastfeeding on the go. A good ring sling (any of the ones recommended later in this section) will cup the shoulder and distribute your baby's weight across muchA ring sling is a good choice for moms and dads who want to share a carrier.
A ring sling packs very compactly in a diaper bag or backpack. can be worn with your baby in four different positions: On the front facing in, on the front facing out, on the hip, and on the back. Ring slings can be used from birth to about 35 lbs. Cons: Ring slings that are heavily padded can be very hard to adjust and very frustrating. Because a ring sling is a one-shouldered carrier it can be hard on some people's backs, especially as children get heavier. Some find it hard to learn to position the baby in the sling correctly. Tips: Look for a sling with little or no padding, as this is more comfortable and easy to adjust for most people. Your baby should ride high and snug in your ring sling, with their bum at or above your belly button. At Pinkletink Baby we offer ringslings on our What is a wrap? A wrap is a long piece of cloth which can be wrapped around you and your baby and tied in many different ways. There are over 15 different ways to wrap.
length of the cloth it can be tied as a one-shouldered carrier or a two-shouldered carrier. Wraps are made of stretchy material and woven (non-stretchy) material. or another, wraps are the original baby carrier used for centuries in every part of the world. Pros: Stretchy wraps are great for newborns. They snuggle your baby close and keep them snug and comfortable against your body. Woven wraps offer great support for all sizes of children. All wraps can be worn with baby on the front, back, or hip. Your baby can be wrapped on your back comfortably and safely from the first weeks rightBecause you can spread the cloth over much of your upper body, your baby's weight is distributed more evenly and you will be able to carry heavier children more comfortably than with other carriers. Discreet and comfortable hands-free nursing is possible in many of the front carries, sometimes with minor adjustments. limit is how much you can carry. Cons: It can take some people a bit longer to master wrapping than it takes them to learn to use other forms of carriers.
It may take some time and practice for some people to learn wrapping without hands-on help from an experienced wrapper. Long tails of cloth sometimes drag on the ground as you are wrapping (not once you are finished though), and can get dirty. Tips: Practice, practice, practice. For some people it takes several days to several weeks to become proficient at a certain method of wrapping, so choose one method and getMake sure that you wrap good and snug or you and your baby will not be supported in comfort. At Pinkletink Baby we offer 4 different brands and several sizes of wraps on our What is a mei tai? A mei tai (say may tie) is a rectangle of cloth with 4 straps coming off of it. The rectangle supports your baby while the straps wrap around you and your baby and tie in various ways on front, back, or hip. A mei tai is one of a group of Asian back carriers known in babywearing circles as ABCs. There are others in this group, but we will focus on the mei tai.
It is primarily used in Asia for carrying children on the back, but can be used as a front or hip carrier too. I find it most comfortable on the back (rather than the front or hip) with children larger than about 25 lbs. Pros: Mei tais are very easy to learn to use, probably easier than a sling or wrap. They distribute weight on both shoulders in front and back carries. possible with minor adjustment. Baby can be positioned on front or back with legs in or out from the first days, and with legs out on front, back, or hip from about 4 months on. Many people find mei tais are the easiest back carrier for toddlers. Mei tais are great for dads who want to carry their kids. Dads just seem to really like the ease of mei tais. Cons: Front carries may not be as comfortable as they would be with a wrap for larger children because the cloth can not be spread as well to distribute weight. with very tiny babies can be difficult to learn without help to position your baby.
Some babies have an difficult time transitioning from riding with legs in to riding with legs out as their legs may not be quite long enough to straddle the carrier comfortably at the time when they clearly want to start to ride with their legs out. Tips: Choose mei tais with wide or well padded straps to distribute your baby's weight as comfortably as possible. Be sure to tie the mei tai high and snug to position your baby correctly, you should be able to lean down and kiss your baby's head when they are positioned correctly. When you are learning to put your baby on your back, seek the help of an experienced babywearer, check your work in a mirror, or work kneeling on a soft surface like a bed or carpet. At Pinkletink Baby we offer 3 different brands of mei tais on our What is a pouch sling? A pouch sling is basically a tube of cloth that is folded in such a way as to make a pouch to put your little one into. They are popular for their ease of use, as they
Some are slightly adjustable with buttons or snaps at the back to make it easier to wear thicker or thinner clothing underneath, but usually not adjustable enough for two people of different sizes to use the same pouch. They must be sized correctly for the wearer or comfort and safety are seriously compromised for the baby and wearer. Pros: Pouch slings are compact. They are quite simple to learn to use. Many people like the look of pouch slings. Easy and relatively discreet breastfeeding is possible with a little practice. Cons: Because a pouch is not adjustable it is very hard to position a small baby safely and correctly in a pouch. Incorrect sizing can be hard on the wearer's back and can make it too easy to position baby in an unsafe position. Tips: Please make sure to get the correct size! Refer to sizing charts for the sling you are considering purchasing. A pouch sling should be quite snug. Your baby should ride with their bottom at or above your belly button.
I personally do not recommend a pouch as a first carrier for your baby. We do not offer pouch slings at Pinkletink Baby because they are not adjustable enough to fit comfortably for many people. There are obviously many types of carriers I have not covered here, and some are good and some are not. I have given a list of recommended brands, and I encourage you to stick to that list as I know from my own experience that these carriers are well made, safe, comfortable, and reliable. I generally do not recommend buckle type carriers (Ergo, Beco, Snugli, etc.) because I myself do not have much experience with them and tend to find that all the buckles just complicate matters. Also, buckle carriers tend to have stiff, mesh strap ends dangling when you are finished tightening your carrier, and, personally, many things dangling off my carrier drive me crazy (with most other carriers you can tuck up the straps and not have things dangling down). Also, I would like to point out that some buckle carriers have been known to have problems with buckles suddenly coming undone, which poses a safety hazard.
So, I personally tend to use simpler carriers because they are just that, simple. There is less that can go wrong with them just from an engineering standpoint. What discussion of modern babywearing would be complete without mention of the Bjorn? Do I like it, not like it, feel ambivalent toward it? Well, it is hard to say. It is a buckle carrier in essence, but a relatively well designed one. On the other hand, it is not so great for the posture of your baby or you. Babies over about 12 or 14 lbs do not have a wide enough seat to sit with their legs in a good supported position in a BabyBjorn, and this is potentially bad for their developing hips and spine. Also, a standard Bjorn can be hell on the wearers back even with a very small child unless the cross is pulled as low on the back as possible. It is never possible to position a baby facing out in a Bjorn in such a way that they are well supported for long periods of time. So, in general I do not recommend a BabyBjorn.