Hands Free Baby

I'm not traditionally a baby-wearer. First off, I really dislike the term "baby wearing". It's not like my infant in a fashion accessory or an article of clothing! But beyond the term, it's just not something I did a lot with Violet. We were loaned a Baby Bjorn at some point, but it was late enough that Violet never really got into it and neither did I. I seemed to just bump her into things if I ever tried to use it to help get things done. (Nothing like attempting to unload the dishwasher and banging your child's head into the granite countertop!) And honestly, it took more time to put on and configure than it would have to just pick her up and go. On top of that, we never really went places that weren't stroller accessible, and given the choice between the two, I'm going to pick stroller versus strapping on and lugging about.

But... now that I have two children to keep up with, and both still require hands-on holding, I've decided to give the whole baby carrier thing a try. Along with the Bjorn, I've also been loaned a Moby wrap. It's essentially a super long piece of heavy-duty fabric that you have to loop and tie around yourself, making these little pockets that the baby gets slipped into. I had to consult youtube just to figure out how to get the thing on! But once it was in place, both Annie and I were surprisingly comfortable.

I can actually see myself using this one. Maybe not for hanging around the house, but certainly for the pumpkin patch or zoo. But what has really convinced me is that, thanks to my c-section, I'm not supposed to be lifting anything heavy. And car seat plus baby equals heavy. I'm eager to start driving again, but what's the point in driving somewhere if I can't lug the car seat in and out of the car. Now eventually this will cease to be an issue. But for now, I can't even figure out how to go to Violet's parent appreciation breakfast at school short of holding Annie in my arms the whole time (not the safest long-term solution). But with the Moby, I could get it tied on before we leave the house, slip the baby inside once we reach our destination, and be free to grab Violet's hand before she darts across the parking lot.

We'll see if Annie ends up being fall's hottest new fashion statement. Any other baby wearing methods I should check out? Tips or tricks for getting around the car seat lifting dilemma until I'm a little further in my recovery?