Who needs a necklace when you can wear a baby?
14 Jan 2012 1 Comment
in Fabulous Frugality, Parental Ponderings
It has become quite clear to me that blogging will be an inconsistent hobby for me for a while.
We are coming off of an extremely full two months. We’ve celebrated three birthdays (with one more on Monday… mine!), one birth, and three major holidays, traveled to two churches while my handsome hubby filled in for a couple of pastors, and enjoyed some family visits over the Christmas holiday. Mixed into the action, our Baby H went through a three-week colicky phase, but we thank the Lord Jesus that it ended quickly and didn’t drag on for longer. These last two weeks began our shift back to reality, and while it has been really nice to have our life start to settle back into a routine, what a full routine it is!
Homeschooling, meal planning and preparation, and striving to keep the house in order and laundry done makes for a big to-do list, and one thing that has been crucial in helping me manage has been baby wearing. Having Baby H snuggled up in my wrap carrier or sling while I get some needed tasks accomplished makes life so much easier! I was introduced to baby wearing with our first little one, Miss L. The mother of one of Jesse’s first-graders was a La Leche League leader, and she greatly helped me navigate the new waters of mothering a newborn. One thing she suggested was baby wearing, and was so kind to even give me one of her slings that she no longer needed. Since then, I’ve tried a few different kinds of carriers, and cannot fathom trying to do life with a baby and not wearing them in some fashion.
Besides the convenience of being able to check things off of the to-do list, baby wearing allows for these precious little ones to be snuggled close to those that love them best, while the wearer gets to enjoy the touch of holding a baby without the sore arms and back that can result. My babies have all loved being snuggled close in some sort of carrier, and I’ve loved having them so close while they are so little. As they’ve grown, I’ve found wearing them to be a convenient way to give them the physical contact they need while helping to support my arms and back that start to tire out after trying to carry them in my arms for extended periods of time.
There are so many wonderful baby wearing possibilities that provide safe and comfortable options for mom and baby. I prefer soft carriers that don’t have lots of straps or buckles and that also allow the baby to be held in different positions based on their age and developmental stage. These are also the kinds of carriers that have been used for hundreds or thousands of years and have a proven track record of safety and comfort, whereas newer styles may have safety concerns (as a recent sling style did) or force babies into positions that are not supportive for their developing frames. I’ve personally used three different kinds of carriers: a ring sling, a pouch sling, and a wrap. I’ve enjoyed all three, but definitely have my favorite.
Ring Sling
A ring sling from Ellaroo
Pouch sling
- Pouch sling by New Native
A pouch sling was the second type of carrier I used. I was very skeptical of them at first, because in my uninformed mind I thought that they would be uncomfortable since they lack the padding and buckles that the more familiar carriers had. However, they are surprisingly comfortable! They function a lot like the pouch sling, but fold up compactly for carrying in the diaper bag. There are no adjustments to make, which is both and up and down. It’s nice to be able to just put it on and pop baby in, but the slings must be ordered or made to your specific size, so it is hard to share a sling with another person, like the daddy. There are plenty of great options for buying them (my first was a New Native sling), but they are also very easy to make. I’ve made many using the pattern here. I like these best for babies up till about three months old, and then after that I tend to only use my favorite type for two-shoulder carries.
Wraps
- A wrap ala the Boba Wrap
Wrap carriers are about as basic and bare-bones as they come, but they are my absolute favorites. A wrap is basically 4-6 yards of fabric wrapped and tied in various ways for various positions. They look a little intimidating at first, and can take a little bit of practice in order to become comfortable with all of the wrapping methods, but to me, they are really worth the effort. I started using them when our second baby, Mr. M, became too heavy to carry in my pouch sling, and have been a dedicated fan since. I like that they lend themselves to almost any kind of carry (front facing out, front facing in, back carries, hip carries, cradle carries, nursing carries, etc.); they are extremely comfortable for mom and baby; they can double as a changing pad, blanket, or nursing cover; and they are the easiest do-it-yourself carrier imaginable. While I did purchase a wrap during this pregnancy, I previously used a wrap made from a four-yard piece of cotton gauze (this is different from the medical gauze used in bandaging). In order to make your own wrap, you simple need to decide how much fabric you need (I am a small person, so four yards is good for me), buy it (JoAnn Fabric carries it in various colors), and cut it down the middle lengthwise. That’s it, and it leaves you with two wraps. The material doesn’t fray, so you don’t need to hem it. Bonus. This has worked great for me, but as I said, I did decide to buy another one called a Sleepy Wrap, and now known as a Boba Wrap. The Boba Wrap is made of a thick, stretchy, and sturdy French terry material that is serged around the edges to prevent any fraying. Because it is so stretchy, it is easier to get a snug fit around baby, and also always me complete use of my arms. With my homemade wraps, I sometimes have a hard time raising my arms up very high because the material doesn’t move with me as well. Moby Wraps are another well-known option, but I definitely prefer the Boba over the Moby because of the quality of the material. Whichever way you wrap it, though, wraps are hard to beat.
So I guess that “wrap”s up this post on baby wearing.
Groan.
What a lame joke.
Jan 15, 2012 @ 09:49:31
Kristen,
I wore my kids too, (had a a ring sling that I loved!) and what a help it was for both babies and me!
As they got a few weeks older and heavier though, I found it helpful to use a back pack.
You know we garden, and it was helpful to wear those little ones completely out of the way – (and they stayed cleaner.)
It seemed somehow more acceptable to the hubby to wear them on the back than the front, so the back pack helped bring him into the ‘wearing baby’ picture too. Even though my kids are past the baby stage now, I so enjoy your blogs – God’s blessings on you!