Babywearing FAQ – oh & a few freebies

So guess what peoples…

I had a HUGE POST…. totally written out.. and wordpress erased it. Yup.. gone… I have no clue how.
I suppose this happened because my other post was way to long :-) so here I go again… attempting on getting this up for you all.

I recently had a Q&A post go up… and a few readers asked me about baby carriers.
Which kinds I use.. which kind I recommend pregnant, which ones I recommend for chubby babies, smaller babies, etc..etc… I get lots of these questions via email or facebook as well.

So I am going to attempt on answering all of it into one combined post… and will then have it linked to on my side bar for future reference.

Here goes…

Carrier #1: The Ring Sling

- Many people think of a ring sling as that padded looking contraption you’d see at walmart.
You know… the Nojo :)

- Ring slings were one of the 1st carriers I was ever introduced too. I met a dear friend in an air port wearing her daughter in a zolowear ring sling and I was forever won over to the babywearing side :-) – they just looked fantastic and I had to have one.

- Age Range for using a Ring Sling: Newborn – age 2

- I highly recommend a ring sling for any mom who wants to babywear. They to me are the best quick in and out carriers to own… When I have my babies I wear them in ring slings from the start.. and find that they are far more convenient to use for trips to the store or even to church, than those baby carrier carseats. A ring sling keeps baby warm and close.. it comforts them so much better and it also keeps peoples hands off babies hands. Any time you put a baby into a car seat carrier people constantly reach to touch their sweet hands… despite their intentions being innocent… it really is asking for trouble. Newborns rub their hands on their face and in their mouth.. I really didn’t want anyone touching my newborns hands at that point.

- Ring Slings I recommend:

- Kimz Kreations – No longer in business sadly :) but by far the best ring sling Ive ever tried!

I looked around on etsy to find a ring sling that looked similar to Kim’s and I found THIS ONE. The pleated shoulder looked a lot like Kims. Also the fabric looked similar and she also uses the same rings.

Other slings you may enjoy are:

- Sakura Bloom (I own the plain linen one and ADORE IT)

- Maya Wrap (I tried one at a babywearing group and really liked it)

- Zolowear Slings (I have tried one and love the fabrics, but the shoulder on it isn’t as comfortable as a pleated shoulder)

Additional Notes on Ring Slings: Make sure they use SLING RINGS. These rings are made for ring slings.. and are light weight and tested to hold up to 200 lbs. I prefer MEDIUM sized rings. Usually the smaller the ring, the slicker the fabric. Medium rings tends to be a good size for most women.. but I hear many women love the larger rings because it allows for easier adjusting with double layer slings.

Carrier #2: The Pouch Sling
- I wont spend to much time on these… just because, im not a huge fan.
Pouch slings to me are only good if you get an incredible fit… or you are using it with a toddler.
I found when using a pouch sling with a newborn, that it wasn’t secure or snug enough for my taste.
They aren’t bad carriers though… but to me it just makes more sense to use an adjustable RING SLING instead.

Carrier #3: The Mei Tai
- Mei Tais are those carriers some hear about, but the name sounding so foreign seems to turn people off.
The Mei Tais are probably my favorite carrier for babies over 6 months of age. Well.. I guess I can’t say favorite (I cant pick just one)… but I would say one of the more versatile. I can put on a Mei Tai front or back totally unassisted… with no trouble at all.

- Age Range for using a Mei Tai: 6 months – 2 years
- You might could use one with a newborn by tucking their legs in… but I always felt more comfortable using a wrap vs. a mei tai at that age.

- Mei Tais I recommend:

- Amy May Mei Tai - Very affordable one! – she is on etsy, shop is closed but she might make one via convo.

- Baby Hawk – One of my favorites.

- Kozy Mei Tai – for LARGER long babies… the body on these is HUGE!! I as of now do not enjoy mine, it just seems a little bit to big, but if you have a larger baby this might be good for you.

- Free hand Mei Tai – Steph over at ABW wears one of these and ADORES IT.

- Additional Notes on a Mei Tai:
- You can use mei tais pregnant for sure! They can be tied above the belly. I also really like that when I wear Owen on my back, the ties in the front hide and extra belly jiggles.. yup we all got them after babies, even me!

- Video – Back Carry with the Mei Tai (and a Lexie Twist) – This is the carrying style I USE when I wear Owen on my back. I also do the Lexie Twist when I front carry Owen. This is why I suggest getting long strap Mei Tais :-) I like having extra length.

- It looks harder than it actually is :-) – It does take practice… and the more you do it the easier it gets… always practice near a bed or soft floor (or have someone spot you) Over time baby will get use to being wrapped… and will relax more. The 1st few times you use one your baby might seem to get stiff.. just keep moving and once you got the baby in, walk around, almost always the baby will relax once you do this.

- Carrier #4: The Wrap
- There are many types of wraps…
So I will just mention a few kinds…

The 1st being a STRETCHY wrap.

- Popular brands of these are the Cuddly Wrap, Moby Wrap and of course Sleepy Wrap. I have tried The Moby and Sleepy… but not the Cuddly.

Out of the two I have tried I do prefer the Sleepy Wrap. I find that it holds it shape better, is easier to use and is just buttery soft!
The Moby btw was my 1st ever stretchy wrap… It holds a special place in my heart because of that… but I would still suggest the Sleepywrap over it.

- Best Age for using a Stretchy Wrap: Newborn – 8 months (it really depends on the weight)
- I can still wear Owen in the Stretchy wraps… but after like 30 minutes Owen tends to sag.. hes also 20 lbs.
If you tie the stretchy wrap VERY snug, it will last a good while.
It really is the best carrier for newborns though and the feeling is wonderful.
You can even wear the wrap without a shirt on ;-) skin to skin with a newborn is wonderful and helps to regulate their temperature. I just wouldnt suggest doing this in public haha…

If you like the feelings of wraps, you will want to eventually purchase a…

WOVEN or GAUZE style wrap.

I own both. One of the ones I own is a Didymos Woven wrap. All Didymos wraps have names :-) – Mine is the “Jan” and I got it USED off of TBW. Didymos wraps cost an arm and an leg… and if you buy them new, you are looking at at least $100. I couldn’t justify that cost… so used it was… and really a used woven wrap is just as good as a new one, if not better. The more you use these, the nicer and softer they get!

The Gauze Wrap I own is the Whitman by Gypsy Mama. I got it to photograph for the company. My 1st thoughts on it were negative however… it was really rough and did not seem appealing to me at all because of this.. however once I tried it I was won over. Very comfortable and once tied on, very secure. It is also really light weight. Just be prepared to wash and knot this sucker for a good while, before breaking it in.

Best Age for using a Gauze/Woven Wrap: Newborn – 2 years
- I would suggest the Sleepy Wrap for newborn – 3 months at least though… Thats just personal preference :)

- Woven wraps also are kind of confusing when it comes to purchasing one. They come in sizes… I dont understand all the sizes… all I know is I have a size 5 didymos :) and its plenty long! They also come in different weaves… some are thicker than others. I unfortunately am not educated in knowing the differences :) – so id just suggest checking out the forums on TBW to learn more about them.

- VIDEO – Here is a DOUBLE HAMMOCK Back Carry using a woven wrap.. watch how relaxed baby is ;-) Or should I say TODDLER. This mamas super granola :) and obviously wears her baby a lot… I still haven’t mastered this carry… but when I did do it, it was very comfortable.

- Additional Notes on Wraps:
- Wraps to me have probably the hardest learning curve… don’t give up after 1 or 2 attempts… it takes weeks! Its well worth it though if you can master :) because the comfort beats all the other carriers for sure! Also these may not be the most practical if you are in a rush…

Carrier #5 – The Structured Carrier

- Structured Carriers are the type of carrier I suggest to anyone not interested in LEARNING something to difficult :)
I also recommend these HIGHLY to Fathers hehe.
With structured carriers all you deal with are buckles and it takes a lot of the work out of it :-)
However… I think some of the extra work you have to do with wraps and Mei tais are worth it…
If you don’t want that, these are what I would suggest..

- The Beco Butterfly – Great for smaller babies or moms who are petite. I suppose any mom could use these, but since im petite I have found this carrier fits me perfectly. I also love this one for newborns. With the butterfly insert it has, it makes wearing newborns really easy.

- The BOBA – My husbands favorite!! We own both the regular BOBA and BOBA classic. I prefer the classic since it has a smaller waist band. The one pictured above is the BOBA classic in twilight.

- The Ergo – This one is similar to the BOBA. If I had to pick, id pick the BOBA Classic. But the Ergo isn’t bad either. Just personal preference. The BOBA does however have foot rest, the ERGO doesn’t.

- Ages you can use Structured Carriers: I suggest 6 mo – age 2
You could use these on larger toddlers up to age 3 1/2, but for the health of my back I typically don’t wear my babies over age 2.

- VIDEO - I love this ladies accent! She is demonstrating using the BOBA on the back.

Alright…
SO!

Lots of info there right? :-)
I hope it is helpful… if you have any questions about any carrier, please feel free to comment or e-mail me and I will attempt on helping. If all possible though do comment, so that others can see your questions and my replies.

There are many carriers out there that I did not mention.
So many great ones!… I however only try the ones I can get via SIMPLE or save up any buy myself. I think they are like shoes… you can never have enough, right? hahaha… thats my method of justification HAHA… But no really, Im incredibly blessed to own so many carriers. I loan out probably more than I have currently… someone asked me if I have a “data base” with what carriers I own and which ones are gone and to who. I don’t… but I do remember who has who ;-) and trust they will return them in time.

NOW… ONTO SOME FREEBIES!!

BOBA has agree’d to giveaway a WINNERS CHOICE BOBA or BOBA Classic!

These btw cost around $118!!

I also had a reader who owns an Infantino Mei Tai who is no longer using it, so shes wanting to give it away through this post! How awesome is she?
(below is a photo of the Mei Tai shes giving away)

Both great carriers and best of all, could be yours free.

Now heres how you can enter:

*Comment 1 time for each task you complete below – each comment equals an entry – so in short, the more you do, the more chances you have to win!*

1) Comment telling me which BOBA Carrier you’d like to win.
2) Comment letting me know how many kids the reader giving away the Mei Tai has.
- You can find the answer ON HER BLOG.
3) Become a FAN aka LIKE BOBA On Facebook
4) Become a FAN aka LIKE MY blog on Facebook.
5) Write a facebook status update linking to THIS giveaway saying something like…

“Drea’s giving away 2 FREE baby carriers this week, all you have to do is comment!”
(http://dreawood.com/2010/11/babywearing-fa…a-few-freebies/ – this is a direct link to this post)

6) FOLLOW me via google friend finder on my side bar.
7) Add my button to your blog, linking me to your blog
8) Write a blog post about this giveaway, posting at least one photo from my post on it.
9) Twitter about THIS giveaway
(http://dreawood.com/2010/11/babywearing-fa…a-few-freebies/ )
and…
OK OK… ONE MORE
10) click “like” on this post on my blog… letting me know you did ;-)

If you would like
COME BACK DAILY and tweet or facebook about THIS GIVEAWAY for additional entries every day. :-)

LOTS OF CHANCES to earn entries.
ALL COMMENTS MUST BE ON THE BLOG, not through facebook… so if you are reading this via facebook, go to www.dreawood.com to enter.

I look forward to drawing the winner and being able to bless someone else with these awesome carriers.

ALSO: If you would like to PURCHASE a Sleepy Wrap OR BOBA, I have been given the promotional code “Unique” for 10% off your purchase.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED – WINNER POSTED HERE

DISCLOSURE: NONE OF THE ABOVE BABY CARRIER COMPANIES PAID ME TO WRITE THIS POST. I WROTE IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO INFORM MOMS OF SOME AWESOME CARRIERS AND HELP PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING BABYWEARING. I DO NOT CLAIM TO BE AN EXPERT… BUT I HAVE HOWEVER WORN MY BABIES FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS NOW… AND CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE A PRETTY KNOWLEDGEABLE BABYWEARING SOURCE :-)