Facing out in a ringsling?

Crunchy Nurse asked in a comment a few entries back:

What about when a baby is sitting with his legs crossed in the sling, facing out? I have done that in the Maya wrap for short periods of time. Not my favorite position, but the baby isn’t supported by the crotch. I agree that facing the parent is much more comfortable for the parent.

I’m going to just shamelessly copy and paste from the excellent resource, slingguide.co.uk page on FFO (front facing out) carries.

They say:

A further alternative to FFO, but not one that SlingGuide would wholeheartedly recommend, is the Buddha or Kangaroo style carry in which the baby faces outwards but with her legs crossed under her inside the sling.

This position has the merit of supporting the baby’s weight across the buttocks and thighs rather than just at the crotch, but the sling user would need to be very aware of the baby’s reactions and be ready to move her when she has had enough of the outside world.

It is also still open to the objections that it does not provide sufficient head support or allow the baby’s back to assume its natural, slightly rounded shape.

Moreover, it is a carry that could allow the baby to tip forwards out of the sling, so the wearer would always need to have one hand free to keep the baby in position.

While we at SlingGuide feel the Buddha or Kangaroo style carry is better than FFO, we would still always recommend the alternatives outlined above as being more comfortable for the baby and the sling wearer.

The reason I have ripped off someone else’s info is that I probably would have said the same thing, but I’ve got no personal experience with wearing either of my babies facing out.

If you like ringslings and your baby has good head control, have you tried a hip carry? With the legs out, one is straddling your front, one your back. This gives kids a really good vantage point to check out the world!

Thanks for your excellent question…

Gorgeous guest stars: My wife!

Yes, I skipped her straight to the head of the queue. Obnoxious, aren’t I? But she was so proud of tandem babywearing, and deservedly so.

The babies have just turned seven months old. I have no idea what they weigh – but a week before 6 months, Snort was over 18 lbs and Coconut over 17. Yes, we have big twins!

The above is her first ever picture of her with both babies! (She is using two buckle tais – like mei tais, but with buckles instead of long straps you knot.)

The long shot:

And, this is the part where she’s a genius. For those not in the know, mei tais often have sleephoods. You can see one on the Coconut’s back above, actually – that flap of fabric hanging down. When a baby falls asleep, particularly on the back, head lolling and flopping can happen. With a sleephood, you pull it up, attach it to the straps, and blam! Head support.

The Connecta Snort is in doesn’t have a sleephood (oh, we should’ve spent the extra 5.00!) so when they were asleep and his head was flopping, here’s what she did:

She used our most useful wrap ever (said wrap currently helping to bind my pelvis), slipped it around him and tied in front. She has also subsequently done this with a pashmina:

And more love:

Ok, and this last pic? They are all staring at YOU, waiting for a congratulatory comment on my wife finally cracking tandem babywearing!

Can you do PFCC with a stretchy?

Sara, a reader, asked if you could do a pocket front cross carry (see the video in previous post!) with a stretchy wrap, like a Moby. The answer is yes, and I think it would be very comfy. In fact, the company that makes Moby wraps has instructions on their site detailing how to do the PFCC. (Or used to, anyway!)

I’ve never tried a Moby, but have heard good things about them.

Sara also asked how long you can do this carry for. Well, a rough guide is that stretchies are comfortable with a singleton up to around 15 pounds (so twins of 7 or 8 pounds each). There simply comes a point when they are not as supportive. I had a stretchy and a Close carrier when mine were smaller & loved them – but as the babies grew, I found myself having to constantly retighten the sling. I also felt it pulling on me more – my babies are now around 18 pounds each, and in a woven wrap I can’t feel the weight at all.

This carry – and how long you do it -  depends on comfort and practicality. Many mums get brave with twins and switch from having both on front to having one on front one on the back  more quickly than a singleton mama might try a back carry. Babywearing needs to offer each baby/toddler support and comfort – and the same is true for the adult! (Note: stretchy wraps are generally not suitable for back carries.)

More videos to come of tandem and solo wearing to help show different ways to wear your babies. I’m currently unable to babywear (or walk, but that’s a long story!)), so if any of you out there have made videos of tandem wearing and are willing to share, do let me know! I’m happy to link to your blog.

Natasha, the mum who made the last video, also answered Sara’s question. She says:

My babies are 11 weeks old and over 9lbs each now, and this is still comfortable in the woven wrap – I can’t even feel their weight yet and the girls love it.

I know with my close carrier (similar to a stretchy wrap) it became less comfortable when my daughter was about 18lbs and she started to slip down, after about an hour of wearing her in the close carrier at this weight the stretchy material didn’t maintain the tightness and supportiveness it had had when it had first been tied etc I imagine therefore that with a stretchy wrap like the moby that this carry would be a bit uncomfortable by now with babies the size of mine.as there is more than 18lbs worth of baby between them…

Please always feel free to ask a question, and I’ll try to answer them all!

Happy babywearing!