Another bright and sunny day, another long walk in the afternoon. Lots of laundry-hanging and laundry-folding out in the sun, with Ingrid on my back. Ingrid tried broccoli and while she didn’t quite refuse it, she much preferred carrots.

Ingrid spent her first half-day at the nursery. It felt strange to be walking about without her – strange but half-familiar.

Visited the nursery at work, where Ingrid will be staying during my first month back at work. Practiced getting her in and out of a back carry in the Patapum.

While I love my two Tinokis wraps, Ingrid is getting sort of heavy for them. In a stretchy wrap like the Tinokis, most of the weight ends up on my shoulders, and now they get sore after a few hours already. And no matter how well she sits to begin with, after a while she slowly sinks down and I feel the weight even more. It’s a good thing that she now (mostly) sleeps in her bed – I don’t think I could wear her for all the naps like I used to.

I do, however, want to go on wearing her. It’s a great way to amuse her at home, when she’s feeling a bit cranky and clingy. She can be close to me (or Eric) and at the same time we can go about our business, which gives her something interesting to look at. She really likes to watch us do things, and to see the world from new angles. Also, a baby carrier / sling is far more practical than a pram in tight spaces (the Tube) and for short trips.

So I decided to upgrade. I spent quite a while choosing between a woven (non-stretchy) wrap, a Mei Tai (which is a traditional, Asian baby carrier) or a structured carrier (sort of a cross between a Mei Tai and a lightweight backpack). To complicate things further there are lots of brands of each, differing not only in looks but also in shape and features.

In the end I bought both a woven wrap (a BB-slen Passion) and a structured carrier (a black Patapum). To compensate for my wasteful inability to choose, I bought both second-hand via UKbabywearingSWAP, which made me feel quite good about buying them. The Patapum is for quick carrying around the house, and it’s also a husband-friendly choice (it’s got buckles! and it’s black!) so we’ll be using it to get Ingrid to and from the nursery. The wrap should be more supportive than the stretchy ones I’ve got, so I’m hoping to use it the same way: for longer walks when I want Ingrid to be cosy. I reckon that if either one doesn’t work out, I can always sell it again.

I’ve tried the Patapum around the house and I think I’ve gotten the hang of it. I need to tighten the waist belt to the max in order to get Ingrid positioned properly, but as long as I don’t lose any more weight there shouldn’t be a problem. It’s a bit challenging to get her onto my back, because the carrier is not like a backpack that you pack first and then throw on your back – it can only be put on around the baby, so to say. But I’m sure I’ll get it to work soon. After that I’ll start experimenting with the BB-slen.

Having survived a whole week away from home, including 4 flights, I’ve concluded that travelling with a baby is perfectly doable, if not exactly relaxing. It helps a lot that Ingrid is happy to be transported in the sling, both awake and asleep, and that she is still fully breastfed. This makes her very transportable, without having to worry about getting home for naps or meals. All we need for a meal is a place for me to sit, preferably indoors this time of the year but I’m sure that in a pinch a bench outdoors in the sun would work as well. And all we need for a nap is a short walk to get her relaxed and sleepy.

Flights are still the least enjoyable part. She does not enjoy sitting still, strapped in and facing forward, with nothing to look at other than the seat back, and no one to “talk” to. And nappy changes on a cramped airplane were a bit tricky, too.

Nevertheless the overall experience was good enough to make me think seriously about planning an actual holiday for this summer. Maybe a walking holiday somewhere (day trips, I guess) or perhaps cycling.

Got up at 4 for a quick trip to Estonia to get that darn passport. Ingrid did NOT like the flight and cried herself exhausted. Visited an old friend who kindly offered dinner even though I gave her no more half an hour’s warning.

Ingrid had her first night with a single meal (not because she didn’t wake more, but because I’ve decided that she doesn’t need more. My mother is visiting and we all took a long walk to Tate Modern to see the the slides at Tate Modern.

Got a shower almost before midday, and read almost a third of the latest Economist.