Sunday, March 18, 2012

Babywearing


Let me start this by saying, I LOVE wearing little B! Even when he was a fussy, cranky, sleepless newborn, I would wrap him up and walk, and bounce, and rock, and do anything else I could think of that would soothe him. My into to babywearing was simple. My friend Casey and I played with all the ones we could find at BuyBuyBaby. I had NO idea there was a whole community of babywearers and different types of carriers. After much research,(And YouTube video watching) I decided I wanted something soft, somewhat stretchy, fabric based,and breathable. Afterall, this kid was being born in September in the desert. It was going to be hot! We settled on a Baby K'Tan. It's basically a fabric wrap for beginners. PERFECT! It was less intimidating than the Moby (which people adore) and seemed to be a good one to grow with little B. Once I practiced with the instructions, I felt pretty confident in wearing him around. It was hard to believe how secure he felt all wrapped up in there! I wore him around the house, around the mall, around outdoor events. EVERYWHERE!

The Baby K'Tan just a few days old

 After he got a few months older and gained some head control, my sweet B did not want to be stuck inside his little cocoon. He was fascinated with the world around him and wanted to see everything! Thankfully I was introduced to a babywearing meeting with a representative of Babywearers International of Phoenix. I got to try on different carriers, and learn about the proper way to wear a baby. Turns out there are options beyond the Bjorn! I learned that it's best for baby to be in a seated position with their knees at or above their hips, this is the most ergonomic for little ones. After the meeting, I decided that wraps were still too intimidating for me, and I decided on a soft-structured carrier (SSC). One of the most popular one is an Ergo. It can be worn on the front or back and is easily adjustable between partners. I however went with a Scootababy. These are a little more obscure, as they are hard to find in local retailers. The great thing about the Scootababy is that it can be worn on the hip. Perfect for my wide-eyed infant and great for toddlers. Think about it. When you hold your baby in your arms where are they usually at? Straddling your hip. So, naturally I HAD to have one. I can't say how much I love my decision. Once I got it, I found it can also be worn on the front and back. When B needs a nap, I put him in on the front and after a little bouncing he goes right to sleep! I even got Polish Prince to give it a try! He wears him around the house when he's cranky and is struggling to sleep. B that is, not Polish Prince! :)

Family photo
 The more I wear B, the more I realize the stroller is just for carrying things. We went to a spring training game yesterday, lawn seats require blankets, and babies require pretty much everything else. So, to make it all in one trip, we brought the stroller. It hauled everything while B was riding along in the Scootababy, happy as can be! when he needed a nap round the 5th inning, back in the carrier he went for a solid 45 minutes, at a noisy, warm, outdoor baseball game! 

Baseball Game! (he is clothed, I promise!)

 I highly encourage any of you to check out facebook, or even google, to find your local Babywearing chapter and learn about the different carriers out there. It can be expensive buying a bunch of different ones and not knowing which ones are most comfortable for you. Some local boutiques may also carry brands that big box baby stores don't. It's a great opportunity to try them on and get familiar! Stay tuned for part 2 of this post. I'm taking a ring sling with me on a vacation. It's made of UV protective material and is great in the water. I'll keep you posted (no pun intended) on how it does! 

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9 comments:

  1. I'm glad I'm not the only one pushing a stroller full of STUFF while I'm carrying a baby!

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    1. You would have laughed had you seen me the other day when I decided to walk the mile to the dry cleaner...baby in tow! We got there, I put B in my carrier (much to the surprise of the dry cleaner)and put the dry cleaning in the stroller and walked home! It was quite the workout! :)

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  2. I've almost completely given up on a stroller these days. My youngest LOVES to be worn and I like having him close. :)

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    1. As do I! They're only this young for a little while, pretty soon they'll be squirming to get out!

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  3. I LOVE strollers for carrying everything except Taylor! Especially at the zoo with my curious, wide eyed toddler so close...I am able to tell her everything new that she is experiencing! Babywearing is amazing!

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  4. So true about the stroller being a place to carry things!! I loved babywearing when are kids were little and still wear our 3 year old tiny girl on my back in a Boba or on my hip in a kangaroo Kornberg pouch! Such a great way to keep mama and baby happy and functional still :) I've done so many loads of laundry with a baby strapped on me :)

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    1. *kangaroo korner pouch ....darn auto correct!

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    2. *kangaroo korner pouch ....darn auto correct!

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  5. I'm an expecting first time mom due in July! I really love your post about baby wearing!! I'm thinking about getting the Baby K'tan! Thanks :)

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