# How is the ergo not bad for baby's legs?



## Mama2E&O (Sep 7, 2004)

My Ds is very big: 16 pounds at 9 weeks!








Anyhow, I currently use a maya wrap sling, or a moby wrap (which I love). I know I'll need something to carry a very heavy baby that can also be used in hotter weather. I have several friends who use the ergo and swear by it, but I am skeptical about how far apart the baby's legs have to be in order to fit into it. How on earth is this not bad for baby? Can anyone tell me?


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## UmmIbrahim (Feb 16, 2007)

hey

My son too is REALLY big for his age...not 16lbs yet but hes like 13lbs and is 3 months.

Actually Ive been told an Ergo isnt the best thing for a baby that small..you can only do a front carry and you have to keep their legs slung to the side...which might be bothersome for you.

have you considered an Onbuhimo? I was able to put ds on my back at 3 weeks in one...you can buy them at peppermint.com..becos the body is much more narrow than a Mei Tai their legs arent splayed as much.

Althought...heavy-ness wise...Ive found the Onbuhimo isnt *quite* as comfy after 1 hr with such a heavy baby...You could also try a hemp beibei from My BeiBei...I own one of these as well, but in the traditional velvet-althought she makes them in hemp as well which would be more suitable for the warm times coming up...For a younger child the baby is worn with their legs straight down and there is 1 long strap so it keeps the baby on nice and snug to your back...as they get older you can then splay their legs. Sofar ive found the beibei to be supremo in comfort and support with a heavy baby for long wears. And I wear ds on my back everywhere-even on the bus.
mybeibei.com

I am also going to get an Ergo but im going to wait till ds is like 8 months or so.

if u have any Q's feel free to PM me

Oh yes, others swear by a Mei Tai...but you really hafta splay their legs for those or froggie them...so it depends on your preference.

Umm Ibrahim


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## New Mexico Beach (Mar 13, 2006)

My baby was really chunky too. We were not able to use the Ergo until he was about 4 or 5mos and then the spread of the legs didn't seem so significant. Until then, though, you can use an infant insert, which keeps their legs together rather than spread out like that.


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## lyttlewon (Mar 7, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama2E&O* 
My Ds is very big: 16 pounds at 9 weeks!








Anyhow, I currently use a maya wrap sling, or a moby wrap (which I love). I know I'll need something to carry a very heavy baby that can also be used in hotter weather. I have several friends who use the ergo and swear by it, but I am skeptical about how far apart the baby's legs have to be in order to fit into it. How on earth is this not bad for baby? Can anyone tell me?

You shouldn't use the leg splayed carry on a 9 week old. You can use the insert which causes them to side lay with their legs together like this. Once they are older and can hold themselves better you can use the side leg carry still with no insert if it seems they are too small. They talk about it in their FAQ

My DD has never complained about her legs, she still rides in it at 40 lbs. The Ergo is the best investment I have ever made. I tried a mei tei and the adjustability was too much the Ergo was easier and DH loves it too.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I had a big fast growing baby too. At that age is when I started using a Mei Tai with her legs froggy style.

-Angela


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## Mama2E&O (Sep 7, 2004)

Thanks everyone: I guess I wasn't too clear! I don't plan to use an ergo just yet as my baby is still a newborn. I am thinking ahead to this summer when he's 5-6 months old and probably 20+ pounds. I am imagining that the moby wrap will be far too hot and am looking for a good carrier for a large baby that won't be too hot.
So it really is okay for baby's (5 months or older) legs to be splayed like that for possibly long periods of time?
I am thinking of making my own mei tai- I have wanted to make one since my 3 year old was a baby! Anyhow, is this basically the same as the ergo in terms of comfort for mama and baby, and for a heavy big baby? It would be nice to save 100 bucks.


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

It really is comfy for them if they're ready for it -- if not, they'll complain! I don't think it's harmful to their leg/him development at all. But as PP said, you can use something like a MT with froggy legs, or one leg in and one out, until baby is ready to be in a seated position.


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## mezzaluna (Jun 8, 2004)

i thought the position of the ergo actually was good for their hip development... not sure though at what age it's best to let them do legs apart.

with DS we used the moby wrap to 5 months and 20lbs, then switched to the ergo, mostly went straight to back carry. the ergo is so comfortable for a heavy baby... we wouldn't have survived without it







we still wear him once or twice a week in the ergo at 28 months and 32lbs (we'd love to wear him more, he only likes it when he's sleepy now).

i've never tried a mei tai, but the people i've known who've tried both say the mei tai was about as comfortable at first, but the heavier their baby got, the more they preferred the ergo. given that your DS is so big - sounds like the same trajectory as mine! - i bet you will be happier with the ergo.


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## aisraeltax (Jul 2, 2005)

my baby wouldnt/couldnt ride froggy style after 5 or 6 months, but he's a big boy. at 15 months, hes about 30 lbs.

the Ergo is safe b/c the babies are not sitting on their legs..they are sitting on their bums...its the same position, basically, if you were carrying them on your hips and what is more natural than that yk?

this is from their website: 10 - Question: In The ERGO, my baby seems to have to open his legs so that he's almost doing the splits, where the Baby Bjorn just goes between his legs. Is this good for him?
Answer: One of the big benefits to The ERGO is the seated position that the baby is in rather than hanging by the crotch. This can cause compression of the spine and potentially hip dysphasia. In the seated position the weight of the head is dispersed to the hips, thighs and spine, which is much healthier for the baby. The splaying of the legs is not a problem.
back to questions


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama2E&O* 
Thanks everyone: I guess I wasn't too clear! I don't plan to use an ergo just yet as my baby is still a newborn. I am thinking ahead to this summer when he's 5-6 months old and probably 20+ pounds. I am imagining that the moby wrap will be far too hot and am looking for a good carrier for a large baby that won't be too hot.
So it really is okay for baby's (5 months or older) legs to be splayed like that for possibly long periods of time?
I am thinking of making my own mei tai- I have wanted to make one since my 3 year old was a baby! Anyhow, is this basically the same as the ergo in terms of comfort for mama and baby, and for a heavy big baby? It would be nice to save 100 bucks.

The wide legs are just fine.

And I found a Mei Tai to be much MORE comfortable than an ergo.

-Angela


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## aisraeltax (Jul 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
The wide legs are just fine.

And I found a Mei Tai to be much MORE comfortable than an ergo.

-Angela

i did too until E got to around 25 lbs. At 30lbs i feel the MT hanging down after awhile.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aisraeltax* 
i did too until E got to around 25 lbs. At 30lbs i feel the MT hanging down after awhile.

Interesting- that was my complaint with the Ergo. With the MT I can get dd in nice and tight (and she's been 25lbs+ since around 8 months







) but in the Ergo I can't get her close enough to my body so it always feels like she's hanging.

-Angela


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## WhaleinGaloshes (Oct 9, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama2E&O* 
So it really is okay for baby's (5 months or older) legs to be splayed like that for possibly long periods of time?

Yes, it really is.

After you posted this, I was looking at my toddler sitting on the floor playing and she's got her legs spread wide like that (knees bent and feet together sort of pseudo-lotus position) all by herself. It's not as strange a position as it seems, it's really similar to holding them on your hip w/legs wrapped around you or giving a piggy-back ride.


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## Mama2E&O (Sep 7, 2004)

Thanks everyone!
I am going to make a mei tai and give that a try first, and perhaps try out a friend's ergo sometime in the future once he's older.


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## Lissybug (Oct 7, 2005)

What I did for my SIL is when she had her daughter in the Ergo I put my hand on the backs of her DD's legs and held that position, then showed her how far apart the legs really were- when you do that you find they aren't splayed as much as you might think.


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## bethwl (May 10, 2003)

If your son is that big at 9 weeks, he'll likely be able to spread his legs apart wider sooner than others. My son is 15 pounds at 2.5 months and I have been wearing him legs out in a MT since about 7 weeks; before that froggy legs. But the MT I use is slightly wider than the Ergo and I have it narrowed just a little bit, so I imagine he would be fine in an Ergo. He is of course 92% height in addition to being high on the chart in weight, so his legs are long, but if your ds is like that, give it a try.


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

It is not bad - the same way that having your baby on your hips is not.

Dangling from the crotch is what is dangerous (like Bjorns and Snuglis)


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## gwynthfair (Mar 17, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
Interesting- that was my complaint with the Ergo. With the MT I can get dd in nice and tight (and she's been 25lbs+ since around 8 months







) but in the Ergo I can't get her close enough to my body so it always feels like she's hanging.

-Angela

Which MT do you have?


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