Carrying older children
Sometimes I hear parents say things like “yes I used to carry them a lot when they were babies, but of course now with X kgs I can’t carry them anymore”.
And although of course I respect each parent’s own experience, it makes me a little sad to think that they stopped carrying if they both enjoyed it because of the weight.
As I was saying on a recent post, children tend to need physical contact even well beyond the newborn stage. And in every opportunity where you would have taken your kid in arms, you could carry them on a sling or carrier, and your body would be thankful!
Yes, babywaring changes with time as your kids grow. You go from single layer carries to multiple layers, from front carrying to hips and back carrying. You might try different carriers and different blends of fabric to find confort.
I’m not saying you *must* carry your older kid. But if you both enjoy it, don’t miss out on it! Yes, there will be a time when they will be too old to be carried: when they don’t want to anymore. There will come a time when they will no longer request your arms. And it will come before than you might think!
In the meantime, why don’t we enjoy the snuggles?
My personal experience for instance is very different with my second than with my first!
At this age (2yo) my first was almost always back carried, and more so when my pregnancy advanced. This little man on the contrary is carried on the hip a lot, because I still breastfeed on demand and I find it more convenient! Of course for his 11kg a back carry is more comfortable specially for long walks, but I got used to carry him on the hips and my body grew stronger and copes well with it. I normally use very supporting carries and wraps, though for short outings like bringing him to crèche, I also use ringslings!
I’m sure there is a perfect fit for you and your kid, if you want to keep carrying them. If you have trouble finding it, I’m here to help! 🙂 I have a group workshop coming up at Centre Lunata, and you can find many other options on the babywearing section.
