My son is 1 and very chubby. (12kgs already) He wants to be carried around to see what I’m up to. But he’s so heavy! Even in a carrier I get sore shoulders. Any advice that isn’t “leave him on the floor and let him scream”
PR
Favorite Answer
Is he colicky? If so, consider what you are feeding him. If you've recently introduced dairy or other foods that might be upsetting his stomach, consider what foods might be the offenders and get that under control. Colick is what caused this in my son, who was 9 lbs. at birth . . .
Teething can also cause a baby to want more attention. Besides that, always be cognisant of potential ear infections, which can cause all sorts of chaos. Ear infections can come on quite suddenly, and one sign would be resistance to laying down, but only a pediatrician can diagnose.
Find a young teen who wants to "learn to babysit". Allow her to help you. That will give her valuable experience, while giving you a well-deserved break. Or, invite Grandma in a couple times per week, or a relative with other children. Those distractions may help. Plus, the already experienced Moms may help with any questions or concerns you might have.
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Tri-Harder
Get a better carrier. I used a Mei Tei and Babyhawk (still do for my 3 year old on occasion) and never had any soreness problems.
Tad Dubious
I suggest you use the technique used by some Native Americans of the Western US: place the fellow in his carrier, in a safe place, and leave him there until he cries himself out. This was done by the NAs for survival purposes: a crying baby causes losses in the hunt, or death in a battle. Good luck.
Sweet pea
Mine does this too and it hurts even with an Ergo. Now that he is 14 months, walks well and starting to get great balance I am looking into getting a learning tower in the coming months. Look into that!! Right now I carry when I can and do my best to distract him when I truly cant.
Suzy Q
What kind of carrier do you use? A good one shouldn't have you bearing (most of) the weight on your shoulders.
I comfortably used an Ergo Sport when my youngest was around that weight. Not usually all day long, but still for some longer stretches like days at the zoo.