All the time! My hands are empty when dd is being worn so maybe they are just impressed with our multi-tasking abilities!

Oh yes..I remember those comments..all the time!..lol...people always wanted to help me for some reason two and I woudl always hold up both of my hands and say it is OK I have free hands and smile

yet another expression gone wrong
i've never gotten those kinds of comments, always people impressed w/"that thing i'm wearing".

my favorite one was "oh, i wish they'd had things like that when i had my babies." i always said, "these have been around since the beginning of time. women have always worn their babies until the baby toy industry told us to put our babies down so they could sell us stuff."

When I just had the little one in the sling and his brother was at home, no one ever said anything but "awww how cute". But if I had baby in sling+ toddler running around, then I might get the "you've got your hands full" thing. I wonder what kinds of things people will say when I have our 3rd baby in june and I'm chasing a 3yo and 2yo down the street!

I guess I have heard that more when I've had mine or other little ones around--multitasking=hands full?

It is funny when I have new parents tell me their list of things they "need". All we needed was our bed, some diapers, and a sling! (well, more than one sling---I "need" to match!)

One can never have enough slings, wraps, etc. I have at least three in each car at any given time.

and at least one on each floor of our house!

LOL..oh do not get me started.....

ha! maybe we should start a Sling Addicts thread....

I'm a first time mama and put my baby in a sling at a week old. I have gotten the "can he breath in there" question or "he must be suffocating" snide comment quite a few times.

I usually use the oppurtunity to explain benefits of baby-wearing,but over the weekend I actually snapped at one rude women.

People and their need to voice their opinions.......

I get this all the time. "I wish they had those when my baby was little"! Or the "Doesn't that hurt your back?" or even the "Why are you wearing them and not using a stroller?" People just annoy the crap out of me!

I know it can be annoying when you get all the comments. If there's time, it can be a teaching moment, but just being out there and showing a different way is just as educational!

In our society, there are so many people that just don't know there is a different way! That's what happens in a society where we've had so many interventions that parent's instincts are seen as "far out there" or weird (crib vs. co-sleeping, bottle vs. breast, car seat/stroller vs. sling, c-section vs. natural birth). You aren't making an informed decision if you only know mainstream's point of view--but you don't even know what you don't know so you can't ask questions either.

I find that I may not have much impact on some first time moms I meet, but when she has her second and is in the phase of growth/questioning--and needs her hand to take care of the other one--having seen me babywear finally starts to click as a valid option when before it may have seemed useless and inconvenient.

I do usually agree that my babe is heavy--but at 2yrs. 30 lbs., she'd be impossible to carry nursing/sleeping if it wasn't for the sling. I think mostly people's looks are out of wonderment--not meant to be rude, although there are some that do come across as snide. I always go back to the thought--if they didn't/aren't doing it the same way you are, one of you must be "wrong" so sometimes the comments are coming from their insecurities and have little to do with you!

Oh MAN! am I with you there! people are always saying how neat that "thing" is... they sure didnt' have stuff like that when I had little ones... um, ok

I get the "hands full" comment all the time. For me it always comes when I am carrying my DD in my wonderful Mei Tai and walking my two Jack Russells. I honestly don't know what I would do if I didn't have the Mei Tai, we live on a third floor apartment (no elevator) and the carrier is the only way I feel safe with DD getting the dogs out to walk.
amu