(I should add that, as a toddler, I let her fuss if she's just being fussy. If she's actually upset, she gets picked up and comforted. It's pretty easy to tell the difference between whinging and sorrow.)

Oh, that makes perfect sense.

I'm just trying to get some sense of other people's experiences so I can better understand what my brother and sister-in-law are currently going through.

PMM, did you have a sling that you really used/liked?

Good point, WindSparrow. I'd say I was 23...

Oh, you people.

vw, when I was a lot younger, I was at some kind of talk, given by a nurse and childcare expert. She said that when you have put the baby down in the crib for the night, and you get woken up because baby is crying - the thing to do is go wash your hands really thoroughly. First, you should always wash hands before touching the baby (although I do wonder how true that is, considering how much modern anti-bacterial hygiene may be playing a part in the increased incidences of severe allergies). Second, because at least part of the time, the baby will have soothing him or herself back to sleep in that short amount of time, and you can just go back to sleep yourself. Perhaps that would be a good strategy for them.

ETA: Oooh, a Get Smart double-slut. Also...

Oh, you people.

Grins angelically. Just trying to be a blessing.

I think they're getting the nighttime thing figured out...it's during the day that seems to be giving them trouble. He doesn't like to be set down at all, so my SIL holds him all day. Then when my brother comes home, he holds the baby till bedtime.

And I'm totally clueless about these things, so I just keep my mouth shut, which then seems to frustrate my brother, because he seems to think I'm judging them or something, which I'm not. I just don't know what to say. So, I want to be supportive in a knowledgeable way, I guess. I did end up suggesting that they get a sling, and I'm actually considering trying to make one for them, but I don't really have the time, so...

I'm mostly worried, because my SIL is supposed to go back to work full time in January, but she works out of her home and won't have help with the baby...if she's not able to get anything done now, I don't see that much is going to change in two weeks.

PMM, did you have a sling that you really used/liked?

I had a sling, but she hated the sling, and slings and what were at the time G/H cups don't mix. (Even at my more mellow DDD, I think they still don't mix.) Mostly, we either carried her or used the Bjorn. I got some use from the mei tai carrier, and some from the Ergo (that I still have to put in the mail for the next person! I haven't forgotten! I just, umm, haven't been out to the post office), but mostly carrying.

Apparently I cried every time my parents put me down. For the first two years. They used to put me in the car seat and go for a drive to get me to fall asleep, then stealthily carry sleeping Wee!Me back and stealthily lay me on the bed and stealthily tiptoe out of the room. At which point I would wake up and wail like a bereft thing.

God, my poor parents.

I'm mostly worried, because my SIL is supposed to go back to work full time in January, but she works out of her home and won't have help with the baby...if she's not able to get anything done now, I don't see that much is going to change in two weeks.

It was *really* next to impossible to work from home with Lillian as a baby. She also didn't like to be out of arms, and it was hard to type around her.

A New Native carrier (which is a ringless sling) might work for them.

A New Native carrier (which is a ringless sling) might work for them.

Cool. I'll take a look at those. They've been pointed away from anything like Bjorn and whatnot until the little guy's six months old.

This site [link] has a simple design of a wrap that can be used to hold babies of all ages, in a number of handy configurations. You might be able to make one for them, vw. Well, I know you could do it, what is not certain is whether it would help them at all.

Cool. I'll take a look at those. They've been pointed away from anything like Bjorn and whatnot until the little guy's six months old.

That's just weird. Why have they been pointed away from the Bjorn? I know some sling sellers claim that it's not ideal, but I haven't seen any real data that backs those claims up (though the Ergo = WAY more comfortable for me). Jess and Fone Bone use one for Little D, and he seems pretty happy in it. Lillian started in the Bjorn at about 3-4 months.