# Toddler leaning head back in ergo/neck strain?



## seeking_peace (Feb 19, 2007)

It was raining today so I put my 18 month old in the ergo and walked the track at the Y. As I was going past the windows I noticed that she was leaning her head completely back looking up at the skylights and it seemed to be pretty jarring to her neck as she bounced.

One of the trainers at the Y actually came over to make sure I knew that she was leaning back like that (I think they thought she was a bit younger and just didn't have the head/neck control).

So I switched her around to the front and she snoozed (I think part of the problem was that she was tired).

It is so much more comfortable to have her on the back than on the front, so I'd rather walk that way.

Does anyone else have a toddler that doest his? I hate to put the head support up while she is awake because it just seems to piss her off, but I don't want her neck to get all out of whack either.


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

Hmmm, I think that if it hurts her she probably won't do it....babies are pretty flexible and can sleep in some strange positions without seeming to come to harm. I often think that the Ergo hood is more about adults not being comfortable seeing a baby's head flopped back than for the baby's comfort. I've seen a lot of pictures of short-bodied traditional mei tais where the babies' heads are hanging backwards when they sleep, and that's just how they get carried.

Do you have the shoulder straps snugged down so that your baby is tight against your body? If so, you know she's getting good body support and isn't just flopping backwards because there's too much room in the carrier.


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## subrosa (Aug 1, 2006)

my 21-month-old does this frequesntly; I think she just likes checking out what's above her, since she also does it ouside the Ergo.

I don't tend to snug the straps too tightly, either, or she fights me on it. She likes to have a little space (has since birth), and I can respect that.


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## seeking_peace (Feb 19, 2007)

Thanks for the input









I do have to remember too that she won't hesitate to tell me when something isn't right (she has the normal lack of patience of a toddler...lol). So if it had been bothering her I'm sure she would have squawked. I think she was just hanging out back there, just bobbing along. You should have seen the surprise on the trainer's face too when I pulled her around to the front and she grinned and said,"Hi Mama!!" lol

I think people are more sensitive to a child in a carrier too. If she had been in a stroller, leaning back and over like that, I don't think anyone would have thought twice.


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## ~happy2Bamommy~ (May 16, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Quirky* 
Hmmm, I think that if it hurts her she probably won't do it....babies are pretty flexible and can sleep in some strange positions without seeming to come to harm. I often think that the Ergo hood is more about adults not being comfortable seeing a baby's head flopped back than for the baby's comfort. I've seen a lot of pictures of short-bodied traditional mei tais where the babies' heads are hanging backwards when they sleep, and that's just how they get carried.

Do you have the shoulder straps snugged down so that your baby is tight against your body? If so, you know she's getting good body support and isn't just flopping backwards because there's too much room in the carrier.

yup to all that! I can't o short bodied carriers due to this with my son.


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## seeking_peace (Feb 19, 2007)

I wonder if my baby trekker would be a better choice. I always preferred my ergo, but I think the baby trekker covers a little more of her body.

I never thought about the ergo being so short. Usually when we use it we are doing some general slow hiking. Guess that is a little different than me power-walking around a track.

Thanks!


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## seeking_peace (Feb 19, 2007)

Tried it again today and made sure the straps were nice and snug and it made a huge difference.

Today she snoozed without flopping all over


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