carrier? cart cover or both?? help please...long

[cchavez]

DS is 5 months old and almost 20 lbs. We have not installed his Marathon yet but I am thinking we will need to by the end of the month. I only take DS on quick errands. Mostly Target, Kohls, Walgreens etc. Sometimes he can last for an hour at Target but we are in and out of most places in less than an hour. Well, I am considering keeping the infant carrier in my SUV and just plopping him in there when we are out and about and he is already in his marathon. I will probably put the infant carrier in the buggy basket and put my items in the seat. But this is only a short term option and it may not work in places like Walgreens where the carts are small. Of course, I can also haul my Zooper around and use that too.

So I don't know if I need a shopping cart cover, a carrier or both.

We have a Maclaren carrier but we have not used it much b/c it is padded and black and not very useful in the Texas heat. But now that is has cooled off I don't think I can use it b/c he is so heavy and I am very short....5 ft. So I don't think it would be that comfortable or very easy to get him in and out of there.

I do have a daisy doodles sling that I have not used b/c he did not like it(when he was younger) but I am thinking it might work as a temporary hip carrier but since his legs are so chubby it will probably dig into his legs.

In general, DS is so heavy and I am so short I really don't know if I would use a carrier much. But it also leads me to believe that I will need some thing to assist me when I am carrying b/c he is so heavy....am I making sense???

I also have to consider that as it gets colder he will be bulkier b/c of his winter clothes and harder to carry around.

So if I do need a carrier which one do I get? Price is a consideration but I don't want to sacrifice comfort for price. And I definately want something that is easy to use.

I really like the "idea" of a shopping cart cover, especially since it can be used on restaurant high chairs. Not that we go out to eat w/ him much but I am hoping we will go out more often as he gets older. I do not want to spend 70.00 or 80.00 on a cover but would consider spending up to 50.00 I am considering the clean shopper (no frills) or a cover from covers 4 kids.

DS does not sit up yet so do I need the pillow? I probably won't order the cover for another month so he might be sitting up by then??
Also how important our the frills...like loops for toys, pockets and the fact that it rolls up into its on carrying case?

As it gets colder I don't I will be taking DS out too much but I will still have to run errands, I know the cart cover is a product that I can use for years to come but how many years of use would I get out of a carrier???? Also, I want to purchase a product that is easy to use. Since my shopping trips are currently so quick I don't want to forgo useing a product b/c it will take too much time setting up and getting DS situated.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

PS I having been reading past posts on the cart covers and looked at them online but I have not done much research on carriers in a while

Christine Chavez and Diego 4/29/03

[deborah_r]

It sounds like a pouch sling would be the best thing for your situation. JMHO. I say this because they are pretty quick to get the baby in and out of and people seem to be able to pretty comfortably carry a toddler with one, so you should be OK with him for a while.

OTOH, a shopping cart cover would probably be good as well. I think it is up to your preference.

[cchavez]

I do have a pouch sling and I am still having trouble w/ it!!!

[Momof3Labs]

What kind of trouble are you having?

[cchavez]

well, i first got it when DS was about 12 wks...i tried using the crade position but he did not fit well so I let it out....oh, this is after I exchanged the XS for a small...anyway I am short 5ft

I think I need to shorten again but I don't have a machine...anyway DS is just not snug enough....he is a big boy almost 20 lbs at 5 months but even after I adjust it I think that he will still need my support to use it in the hip carry position...he definately can't be hands free

I am trying to make sure his tush is below his knees....he can't sit up unsupported could that be part of the problem...he does have very good head control

Also, his tush is in the pouch but the fabric does not cover his back...I noticed that Beth posted that this was necessary/helpful for the hip carry

I so desparately want this work b/c he is so heavy and I was thinking about getting another one that I could use for the Winter too...maybe fleece but what is the point if I can't even get this one right!!!

[Momof3Labs]

I have a Daisy Doodles pouch, too, and had a hard time with the sizing, too. Christa took it up once for me, then my mom took it up again. I haven't tried it since then - I probably should just to see if the fabric comes up Colin's back.

A proper pouch should come up to his shoulders, and as long as he has head control, he should then be fine. I started using my M&MC hemp pouch with Colin at 5 months, and he didn't sit unassisted until almost 7 months, but it worked great for us.

You might have more luck with an adjustable pouch (the hemp fleece is cooler for Texas than the malden mills fleece).

[cchavez]

The fabric definately does not come up his back....

[egoldber]

Are you sure he is sitting INSIDE the pouch and not ON the pouch? The sling should make a little seat for him. There should be enough fabric to pull up around his shoulder and also to extend all the way to his knees, making a little chair.

So when you put him in, open up the pouch and slip him inside. I usually find it easiest to do this by putting Sarah over my shoulder with one hand, opening up the pouch with the other hand, and then slipping her inside the pocket. Here are some pictures:

http://www.hotslings.com/babywearing.html

If there isn't enough fabric to go up his back, then there is something that needs to be corrected in how you're wearing the sling.

HTH,

[cchavez]

You know I just figured that out about 10 minutes ago but DS is taking a nap so I can't try it out until he wakes up. I feel like such a dummy!!!

[egoldber]

The only reason I knew to ask the question was because someone else did this when they were trying one of my slings last weekend! So you are NOT the only person to do this!

Happy slinging!