Ergo Yogini

I have just bought a new baby carrier. Its called an Ergo and is supposed to help carry a heavier baby and allow easy back carrier.

Ergo shmergo.

Once again I am cursing the damn bits of cloth that make up a baby carrier and whoever wrote the instructions has a cruel sense of humor. How am I to know which the male clasp on the webbing is? Or which way they mean me to hold this thing to define RIGHT or LEFT shoulder? Hey, its reversible!!

While I can use the Rosaldo sling in my sleep and knot myself in a Moby sling (all the while dragging whatever debris happens to be lying on the parking lot floor into my arms) in a moment this Ergo thing has me baffled. It seems to make a tiny pouch for the baby to fit in or smothers him into my bosoms. Sure, a girl wants to be able to breastfeed her baby but not to walk around like a marsupial with the embryo attached!

I think I shall have to practice new positions with the Moby as well as use this thing a bit to give it a chance. Honestly, I do wish baby carrying didn't have such a steep learning curve. I wish it was more graceful, easy, mutually satisfying from the get-go. Instead I feel as if I could throw it away and tow Wren around in a stroller for the rest of his infancy. No More of this Fashionable Carrying nonsense.

Oh, while I am on the business of strollers. What is going on in stroller world? Why does the more bizarre a stroller is the more desirable it becomes. I was at the PAcific Science Center last week and saw a women pushing her infant in what can only be described as an aluminum hatstand. It was super high off the ground and had strange hooks and a little baby bed. I later saw this model advertized for over $900. I kid you not. The Bugaboo is a category unto itself and craigslist is forever populated by the Bugaboo enthusiasts trying to sell their gently used BB for only $600... quelle disconte!

I have set my sights on a Combi stroller but these seem scarce on Craigslist and since my ancient Graco stroller is still working I am not willing to spend very much for the lightness and portability we all value - oh, and a basket underneath! I also like the Bumbleride - one of the suite of strollers that make their mark by being reversible (so baby can ride backwards) and having cute textiles instead of a blue check. But even then... do I need this? Nope. No and no.

I am going to lie on the couch with the remote control for the last 15 minutes of my freedom before entering the dreaded bedroom with the little limpet.

Oh, and I missed out on reading half my email this week so I also missed the final Parents Meeting of the year for our school. And it was on a Wednesday - a day I can usually manage with the car - instead of Thursday. I really wanted to go but I missed it. One more irritation and frustration to rival not being able to make a big enough pouch with the ergo.