Tuesday, April 7, 2009

10 times when a child carrier can save the day

Many people I talk to don't think they will use a child carrier after the baby is 6 months old because then the baby will be too heavy so this post is an attempt to show when a child carrier can save the day.
  1. Airports, do I need to say more? Running from one plane to the next with luggage and a tired child is never fun but with the child securely on your back where he/she can talk to you the walk between planes is a breeze.
  2. Going on a longer hike than your little one can walk? I have tried it without a carrier and in the end my hip was killing me and my arms where sore from all the carrying. Last weekend my family went for a five hour hike (including two longer stops), something that would be impossible without a child carrier if you like me have a three year old.
  3. Shopping without a stroller, it's fun in the beginning but after a while everyone gets tired and a quiet time away from temptation can save the day.
  4. Having two children and a single stroller? A single stroller is easier to handle and if the older child is walking you don't need a double stroller very often. But when the older child gets really tired it's nice to just put the younger one in the child carrier and let the older child take a nap or a well needed rest.
  5. Colicky baby? Most babies with stomach pains want to be rocked then it's especially nice to be able to put the baby in a child carrier on your back or stomach and slowly bounce on a big yoga ball while reading your mail. The baby falls asleep and you can get something done at the same time.
  6. Mowing the lawn with a toddler running around isn't the safest but the same toddler on your back with ear protection on and you have a sure way of putting him/her to sleep.
  7. Overtired babies usually falls asleep very fast in a carrier. Especially if you walk or move around.
  8. Going to a crowded market with a stroller is not the way I want to spend my time but with a small child on your stomach in a carrier or a older child on your back it can be a enjoyable time.
  9. Sometimes you just need to have both hands free exactly when your baby want to be close and then a child carrier is a really nice option for everyone.
  10. Going to the playground with an older child when you have a newborn is a lot easier when you don't have to bring a stroller.
When I talk about child carriers here I talk about several different types of carriers. I think different carriers are good for different things. A newborn have different needs than a very mobile three year old. I will make a post about different types of carriers soon and why I think they are good for different things.