My older daughter was never crazy about being carried. She likes her personal space and has always liked sitting in the stroller or a shopping cart. However my nearly 1 year old is a "hold me" baby. She will sit in a contraption for as long as her older sister does. As soon as my 2 1/2 year old wants to walk the baby wants out too. So I hold her on my hip and hold on to my toddler’s hand. That leaves me to use a mother-issue third arm to push the now abandoned stroller or shopping cart. Of course I have an HMO for insurance and they have determined that the procedure to add a third arm on to us mothers is not medically necessary. So what’s a mom to do?
Carriers
Many parents start out with a soft front carrier for their babies. For my first I had an
Infantino that we both hated. With my younger daughter a friend lent me her Baby Bjorn and then I bought a
Snugli carrier that served us well. While most front carriers have a 25 lb or higher weight limit, in my informal survey, most parents abandon their use when their child hits about 20 lbs as their children become too heavy to carry comfortably.
I briefly looked at backpack style carriers. While a great choice for hikes and long walks, they really weren’t a practical "just in case" option to take with us on a shopping trip to the mall. I then looked into a variety of slings before selecting the
Over the Shoulder Baby Holder
The Basics
The Over the Shoulder Baby Holder (
OTSBH) is essentially a large piece of fabric with two quilted sides and three nylon rings. The fabric is sewn in such a way that it makes a pouch for your child to sit in. The two outside edges of the pouch are quilted for your child’s comfort and it adds some stability to the pouch as well. There is extra padding at the shoulder.
Joining the two ends of the fabric makes the pouch. One end (the tail) is threaded through two nylon rings that are sewn into a pocket at the other end of the carrier. The bottom of the tail has a third nylon ring so there is no way that the carrier can open up. It is by pulling this tail through the two nylon rings that you are able to adjust the size of the carrier.
There is no height, age or weight limit for this carrier. The fabric and nylon rings are tested to weights in excess of 100 lbs so for as long as you want to carry your child this carrier will be there.
The OTSBH comes in 3 standard sizes, but the company also makes custom sized carriers if necessary. From the package,
small is for parents 70-120 lbs,
medium (which fits most people) is for parents 110-190 lbs, and
large for parents 140-250 lbs. The carriers are made in over seventy 100% cotton fabrics from solids to stripes and patterns. The carrier is machine washable but should be hung to dry but can be put in a dryer on fluff dry with no heat.
Using the OTSBH
Wearing this type of baby carrier is similar to wearing a Girl Scout sash or mail carrier style bag. The carrier sits one shoulder and the carrying area rests upon the opposite hip. It is extremely easy to put on and take off. If you are right handed you hold the nylon rings in your right hand and slip or left arm and head through the single large opening. You are now ready to pick the method you want to use to carry your child.
There are several different position that can be used to carry your child based on their age. Newborns can be carried in a cradle position, which is also a good position for nursing. Slightly older babies can be carried in an outward facing slightly inclined position. This is the same position your baby would be in when you hold them in the crook of one arm and the one showed by epinions. Babies with good head control can be put in a kangaroo position so they face out and rest their head on your chest. Older children can ride tummy-to-tummy with their legs straddling your hips or they can ride on your hip. Finally children can ride piggyback style on your back.
Instructions
I found the written instructions to be somewhat poor in figuring out how to use the carrier. There is an instructional video available that is extremely helpful. Although the video (or DVD) is "home movie" quality, it clearly explains the features of the carrier, shows you how to put the carrier on and using actual children demonstrates each position. I had to watch the sections for the positions I use a couple of times to get the hang of it. They recommend using a doll to practice on before trying with your child.
Tip: Make sure you pick up a copy of the video or DVD instructions if you can’t get one-on-one personal help using the carrier.
Sizing
As you probably noticed, the carrier sizes encompass are large weight range. Some websites have slightly different size recommendations, including height. Several website recommend the large for parents over 5㤒" tall. Well, I am 5ֽ" with a large frame and still losing baby weight. In my adult life I have
never been below the lowest weight for the large, so I ordered a large. However when I received the carrier and started to use it, I discovered it was too big. I could pull the entire tail through the rings to tighten the carrier and could have pulled it even tighter, but the quilted batting of the pouch stopped me. I then ordered a medium and it fit perfectly even though I am unfortunately still over the highest weight of the range.
Tip: Try and find a local distributor of the carrier that will let you try one out so you get the correct size the first time.
Purchasing
In the
likely event that you are unable to find a local distributor there is a seemingly never-ending list of websites that sell it. The suggested retail price is $39. I checked at least a dozen websites looking for the best possible price; with shipping and the video plan on spending $45-$50 for a carrier. Fabric selection also varies widely, so if that is important to you look around for who has exactly what you want. Most companies will get you any fabric available from the manufacturer for an extra $10.
I purchased mine from
NursingBaby.com for $45. That included free shipping (on all orders over $20) and at the time they had a special of a free DVD or video. The customer service was fantastic and although they have a limited selection of fabrics I was able to get the one I wanted.
Tip: Watch out for "free" video offers that actually charge you $5-$10 that is refunded when you pay to return the video to them within 30 days.
Final Thoughts
My baby and I are both thrilled with our purchase. The fabric is very lightweight so she isn’t getting overheated in it. We mostly use the hip carry position as that is how I would naturally carrier her without it. I have no trouble getting my wiggly daughter situated in the pouch and she seems very comfortable. She seems to like that she can see me, see where were are going and see where we have been all at the same time. No longer do my arms ache while carrying nearly 30 lbs of child. I can easily wear her for an hour or more before I start to feel some body fatigue.
I would not exactly call the hip carry position hands free, as most of the others seem to be. While I feel comfortable that the sling will hold her, it is very difficult to actually free the arm on the side that I am wearing her. To use that arm I either have to cross it in front of her face or reach around her to use my hand. I actually have more freedom than if I were to just carry her, but I do not have complete use of both arms in this position. I tend to use my left arm to support her back somewhat as that is what feels most comfortable.
Something else to consider is the type of diaper bag you have. I have a shoulder style bag that I love, but I cannot wear the bag on the same shoulder that I have the carrier resting on. It simply slides off. That means I have to have my shoulder bag on the same side that I carry my daughter. Since I am a diaper bag minimalist this isn’t a problem, but if you carry lots of stuff and your bag is heavy, it may be something to think about.
Want More Information?
Currently manufactured fabrics:
http://www.babyholder.com/show-product.asp
Instructions included with the carrier:
http://www.otsbh.com/instructions.htm
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