When can my baby face outward in his carrier?

March 4, 2006 11:49 AM

Baby Bjorn users - when did you first use the carrier with your baby facing out?

The instructions are vague - no weight or age guidelines are offered. It just says "when your baby can hold its head and shoulders upright" you can turn them facing out.

My son is only 10 weeks, but he can hold his head up for short periods of time. He can also control his head, moving it side to side. I'm thinking he might still be too young, but he's huge (15 pounds) and doesn't fit in the carrier facing me.

I've loosened the straps as they suggest to give him more room, but then his body flops around and his face is still mashed up against my chest. The head/neck area is loosened as far as it will go.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

posted by peep to grab bag (10 comments total)

Hope this isn't a derail but my wife used the Baby Bjorn for a couple of weeks and it was too hard on her back. She switched to a sling (the one we got) and found it to be vastly better... our son used it up until about 12 months of age.
posted by chef_boyardee at 11:58 AM on March 4, 2006

I recall that we first placed my daughter facing out when she was about sixteen pounds which she reached when she was a little over three months old. From what you have described, she had about as much head control as your son does now. We just made sure to use it for only short amounts of time at first to make sure she could handle it and not tire out. hope this is helpful.
posted by robhuddles at 12:14 PM on March 4, 2006

Just a few days ago. :-) 13 weeks: he holds his head up for extended periods -- "sitting" in effect although if left to his own devices (i.e. no lateral support) he would tumble down in a heartbeat. Give it a fortnight. I think the clue that I could turn him around was when he was seated facing me but keep craning his neck to see what was going on in the world.
posted by Dick Paris at 12:36 PM on March 4, 2006

As I recall, it was somewhere around 11-12 weeks, after she was able to hold her head up for a long time (on preview, what Dick Paris said).
posted by aberrant at 1:28 PM on March 4, 2006

Another derail, but I hope it's okay since I think you have your answer already. Since he is so heavy, you may find that the Bjorn is not very comfortable when he gets bigger (It also depends on your back of course. I know people who carried there small daughter in a Bjorn for 22 months). I love my Ergo and Kozy and still carry my 2.5 year old on my back. (A sling, like peep recommends, is great too, but get a good one).
posted by davar at 1:36 PM on March 4, 2006

Just a few weeks ago for us, at 14 weeks. We were a bit unsure at first, but had a go for a bit in the house, and she was fine with it. This was at the time when she could hold her head up all the time, without jerking AFAICR.

If we know she will be sleeping while in it, we would face her towards us still.
posted by ajbattrick at 1:47 PM on March 4, 2006

We wore our daughters front-facing for short periods of time around two months of age--they both had really good neck control as newborns. I would often help support their heads with my hand.

I did find my sling to be slightly better all-round as a carrier, but my husband was totally in love with the Bjorn--he carried our older daughter in it until she was over a year old. My girls are now three years old and 21 months old and both in the neighborhood of 30 pounds, and both of them still ride comfortably on my hip in a sling (just not at the same time).
posted by padraigin at 2:34 PM on March 4, 2006

It sounds like your baby is ready. Put him in it to know for sure - he'll let you know if he's uncomfortable, believe me, and you can watch how his head/neck behave. If they seem wobbly still, you could always try another type of carrier (see below) until he is a bit stronger.

I've been using the Baby Bjorn for about 3 1/2 years straight now (now with 2nd baby) - as well as, among others, an Ergo, a Maya Wrap, the Over-the-Shoulder Baby Holder and my favorite sling, the Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch. Neither of my sons ever liked facing inward in the Bjorn but would dangle for hours facing the world, and even fall asleep that way (though both have slept far, far better in the fleece pouch). They seemed uncomfortable, squirmed, cried and complained whenever we were belly to belly. I think sling/carrier preference really is very individual - for both adult and baby.

Baby #2 now weighs about 20 lbs., which is hard on my back and knees when I have him in the Bjorn for extended periods, but I find it's the best quick-draw carrier for shopping and quick tasks I *must* handle immediately at times when my baby does not want to be put down. Adjustment really is very important. I find that the tighter the Bjorn on my torso, the less taxing the weight is on me. I also make sure the plastic disk in back - where the two straps cross - is pulled down pretty low, as close to the center of my back as possible. I'm really hurting if I've put the thing on too quickly, not pulled the disk down and slipped the baby in = upper back/shoulder pain. Of course, the adjustment for you may be different. Trial & error, experimentation. Good luck!
posted by melixxa600 at 2:40 PM on March 4, 2006

Thanks, everyone. I actually find the Bjorn really comfy, and I'm only 5' 2". I think rollerblading has given me a really strong mid and lower back, because I can carry him around in that thing forever. It's the baby who seems uncomfortable - at least facing me. But I'll give it another 2 weeks before I turn him around. Thanks again.
posted by peep at 2:41 PM on March 4, 2006

I turned my children around (I have 3) when they were all about 2 months old. I know that seems soon compared to what everyone else is saying, but they could hold their heads up at birth, and by about 2 months they really wanted to see the world. Like others listed here, I could only use it until they were about 4 months old, then had to switch to sling. After they could sit on their own, the sling worked best with them sitting up in it straddleing my hip. I did get one of the new "Hipsters" but found that my sling which spead the weight out over my shoulder and back worked best.

wife of 445supermag
posted by 445supermag at 7:16 PM on March 4, 2006