Babywearing: Older Babies vs. Younger Babies

One of the main things I hear from moms about babywearing is this: "Oh, I used to wear my baby in the Moby, but then they just got too big/heavy/etc." Yup. It happens. :) Thankfully, babywearing has something for everyone! In this post, I'm going to briefly go over what I think works best for the younger babies, and what works best for older babies. Obviously, this isn't a comprehensive guide, but it's a start!

Important note: for clarification, a "younger" baby to me is a baby no more than 15-17lbs who may or may not still be working on head/neck control and needs additional support. An "older" baby is typically over 17 lbs and does not need assistance to support the head.
Carriers I prefer for younger babies: stretchy wrap, ring sling, woven wrap, pouch.

Types of carries useful for younger babies: front carry, back carry/high back carry (NEVER try this with a stretchy wrap)


Carriers I prefer for older babies: woven wrap, mei tai, SSC

Types of carries I find useful: hip carry (great in a ring sling), back carry


I also get asked if I personally wear my kids as they get older. Well, yes and no. I wear them as they tolerate it. Admittedly, I've recently expanded my "library" of carriers, so in the past the carriers I had weren't necessarily the best for me personally. Since I live in Missouri, the weather here can get pretty extreme. I don't babywear when it's cold, because, well, it's cold, and I want a coat on. I also have difficulty babywearing in the hot parts of the summer here because of physiological issues I have. I know many women who successfully babywear through the summer here.

It is doable, for sure. My motto is, "Do what works for you. If it doesn't work, don't do it." Babywearing, like pretty much anything associated with "crunchy" parenting or attachment parenting, is a do-it-your-way thing. Now that we've got an Ergo, I plan on wearing Squishy for a while longer. Even Peanut has gotten in on the babywearing recently, although I think it was more because she was jealous her brother was getting a "mama-back ride" and she wasn't. :)

What about you? Do you babywear an older baby or toddler? Did you babywear your newborn? How do you deal with your changing child and babywearing? What do you do about the climate?