Wordless Wednesday: A Week In The Life Of Kim.... And An OBG Library Wrap!!

Kim borrowed a size 2 Didymos wrap from the sling library. She loved it so much she asked if she could borrow it for a bit longer, while her and her family traveled to the Azores for a holiday. Kim paid a small donation to the library to cover the extended loan. Here is her collage of the fun they had together!

'It travelled to the Azores with us. I was SO grateful for it! It was the perfect time to practice different carries with a size 2. And Xavier loved it. We bought our very own size 2 from Aline when we got back!'

 If you're interested in borrowing a carrier from our library please get in touch!

What Size Wrap Do I Need? What Can I Do With My Wrap?

by Nancy Lentini-Brown

One of our most common questions re wrapping is 'what can I do with my Size **?
Here's a quick way to answer!!

Lengths of wraps by size:

2 – 2.7 m
3 – 3.2 m                       
4 – 3.7 m
5 – 4.2 m
6 – 4.6 m
7 – 5.2 m

*these are estimates and each wrap may vary by make and taper length
**all carries for sizes are estimates and larger or smaller wrappers and wrappees may require one size larger or smaller wrap in order to complete the carry. All carries are based on a general size 6 as base size.
***where applicable COTW links are included in the name of the position. YouTube clips are show where possible and where not a video clip can be found by following the link in the ()s.

Size 7 wrap

Back Carries:
Wiggleproof Back Carry

Taiwanese

Size 6 wrap                                  

Front carries:
Front wrap cross carry (FWCC )

Front cross carry (FCC)

Back Carries:
Back wrap cross carry (BWCC)

Reinforced Ruck Tied Tibetan (RR-TT)

Double Hammock (DH)

Size 5 wrap

Back carries:
Secure High back carry (SHBC)

Christina's Ruckless

Jordan’s Back carry (JBC)

Wendy's Double Hammock (WDH) 

Reinforced Ruck Tied in front (RR-TIF)

Size 4 wrap

Back carries:
Ruck tied in front (RTIF)

Double Rebozo Shoulder to Shoulder (DRS2S)

Hip Carries:
Coolest Hip Cross Carry (CHCC)

Poppins

Robbin's (RHC)

Front carries:
Kangaroo

Front wrap cross carry tied under bum (FWCCTUB)

Short front cross carry (SCC)

Half FWCC

Size 3 wrap

Back carries:
Short back cross carry (SBCC)

Reinforced Rear Rebozo Rucksack (RRRR)

Half Jordan’s Back Carry (Half-JBC)

Hip Carries:
Hip Cross Carry (HCC)

Size 2 Wrap

Back Carries:
Ruck tied under bum (RTUB)

Torso Carry

Back/Hip/Front:
Rebozo -Front and tying a slipknot

-back carry

**Chestbelt Variations for Ruck straps

COTW #38 - Back Wrap Cross Carry

by Aline Kelly

The Back Wrap Cross Carry (BWCC) is the exact reverse of the Front Wrap Cross Carry. It is a back carry that consists of a horizontal pass and two cross passes.

General instructions:

- Get baby on your back using your preferred method, create a deep seat from knee to knee, and bring both tails UNDER your arms.

- Securing one tail, spread the other tail diagonally across your chest and up over the opposite shoulder.

- Spread the wrap down across baby's back and bum and tuck it under the opposite knee. 

- Secure this tail and repeat these instructions on the other side. 

- Tie a double knot in front. 

Options:

- Instead of crossing the passes on your chest, you can tie a half knot or do a twist. 

Photo and video instructions:

http://www.wrapyourbaby.com/backwrapcrosscarry.htm (WrapYourBaby)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5I1fM_OWLc (BabywearingFaith)

Variations:

Sweetheart BWCC 

This is a popular recent variation of the BWCC. It recreates the look of the sweetheart necklines you see on dresses and gowns. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgB-g92bGDg (emwhist)  -  despite wonky sound, this is considered THE instructional video for Sweetheart BWCC. 

http://slingingjoey.blogspot.ca/2013/05/tutorial-back-wrap-cross-carry-with.html - Photo instructions

Melissa's Sweetheart BWCC (sling ring required): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuaqvgloKHM

Xena BWCC (ring at chest):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IQTFry16rw

Thursday Thought: Rascism In Babywearing

by Tami Grosset

I just stumbled upon this blog and I wonder what our OBGers think of it, especially our black and asian members.

Are we appropriating someone else's culture when we wear our babies or are we just doing what we feel is right and natural for our child?

Do the black and asian cultures hold all the rights to babywearing? Or did 'pre-Victorian' mothers wear their babies in white working class Britain and Europe?

Or is this just another battle in the perennial mummy wars? Instead or 'stroller mums' against 'babywearing mums' or 'bottle feeding mums' against 'nursing mums' or 'SAHMs' against 'workplace mums'..... now we have 'mama's of colour' against 'white mamas'?

Spooky Babywearing!!

by Tami Grosset

Its the time of year when we all get to dress up in crazy, silly and sometimes spooky costumes and why should you and your worn baby miss out? Well, I can't think of a good reason so here is a collection of some great babywearing costumes that you and your little one can enjoy this Halloween.

This pic was found on the Risaroo FB page

By adding some felt cut out eyes and mouth to your green Ergo Performance (which I think is the perfect colour for this costume) your bub instantly becomes a little green monster (and you the Momster!!)

OBGer Kat with her little bag of popcorn!

This was a simple no sew costume that could attach to any kind of carrier, and a cheap baby hat with pom poms, or even real popcorn stuck on creating the illusion of yummy popcorn!!

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!

 The 6 month old baby here is being worn in an Ergo Baby. She is wearing a baby hat on which was glued an AWFUL LOT of braided yellow yarn, tied with bows occasionally. Tied on to the carrier is 'the castle'. The braided hair is draped around and hanging down from the crenellations and ivy is growing up the side of the tower. The older child was meant to be the Knight In Shining Armour but he changed his mind at the last minute!!

Ingrid and her baby lobster!

This mama chef wore a chef's hat and a large mens dress shirt (to look like chef whites). The baby was worn in a SSC on which was tied a silver foil covered card that bent around the carrier. Baby is wearing the cutest lobster costume!! Never mind new baby smell.... I'm thinking garlic butter!!

Alyson Hannigan wearing her wee roo!

This pic from last years Halloween shows celeb Alyson Hannigan dressed as a Kanga while her bub is dressed as a Roo, safely worn in a carrier that allows a forward facing out position. I have to say that the thing that makes this image for me is the suit-wearing dad wearing the kangaroo hat and possibly the worlds biggest grin!!

This HAS to be my all time favourite babywearing Halloween costume!! Just perfect for the Ottawa Zombie Walk!

This costume kept both mama and bub warm on a cool Halloween night here in Ottawa. White chain stitch cobweb over a dark knitted babywearing poncho (would work just as well over a dark shawl) and a home made crocheted spider hat.

Is the babywearing force strong with you?!

And another back carry friendly costume would be the 'Luke Skywalker carries Yoda' look, which would be simple with a mai tei or SSC and a cute knitted or crocheted Yoda hat for the bub. This costume might be THE one to get daddy excited about babywearing this Halloween!

Photo by Jenna Sparks Bradbury

Of course if you want to keep things simple you could just use this awesome 'Calavaras' MT from Babyhawk.....

... or if you're super lucky, you might find this beautiful yet fitting Lenny Lamb woven wrap on your doorstep, from Wrap Your Baby.
















Please share with us you Halloween Babywearing costumes and keep an eye out for any costume competitions. In the past both Pax Baby and Wrap Your Baby have run Halloween competitions... so much fun!

Whichever costume you and your little ones dress up in this Halloween, we at Ottawa Babywearing Group wish you all a very happy Halloween and a great deal of treats!!

COTW #37 - Hip Cross Carry

by Aline Kelly

Hip Cross Carry (HCC) is a supportive, poppable hip carry that is tied with a mid-length woven wrap, usually a size 4 or 5. If you're familiar with the Front Cross Carry, this is the same, except with modifications to situate it on the hip. The HCC is a good carry for nursing and for trips outside the house, since you can pop baby in and out as needed. 

 

General instructions: 

- Drape your wrap over one shoulder at the middle marker. 

- Bring both tails to your opposite hip and cross them over each other in an X shape.

- Circle the tails around your waist until both ends are back at the hip where you made the X. Tie a loose double knot. 

- Situate baby into the X, inner pass first, spreading the wrap from knee to knee as you go. 

- Tighten up the  wrap where needed and tighten your knot under baby's bum (if you have extra length you can tie elsewhere). 

- Spread the wrap across your back, cup your shoulder if you like, and make any other adjustments for your comfort. 

Photo instructions:
http://www.wrapyourbaby.com/hipcrosscarry.html 

http://www.littlepossums.co.uk/information/hipcrosscarry.html

Video instructions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiX-jzj5zZE (Leah Greer-Pinzaru)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wPT3l8ovxI (WrapYourBaby)

Thursday Thought: We All Get A High Five!

The below was found on a Facebook post..... if you are Lauren Sperber Bartlett, thank you so much for your words! Please let us know if you'd rather we didn't share here!

"Musings on Bjorns during a 1am nursing session..... I remember the delight I felt, as a new first time mom, when I first felt brave enough to step away from my Brest friend and wear my baby in my inherited bjorn Air. I rocked that thing. We were BOSS in it. I remember the delighted look on the old ladies faces at the grocery store when we went by, my cute babe and I. I was so proud of myself and my little one. And then when she got old enough, she faced out and we would dance down the aisles. I would hold her little hands and bob back and forth and soak up her little giggles....That bjorn air got me through a vacation with the in laws (oye) and helped solidify my path down attachment parenting. We graduated from our bjorn when my shoulders said "no more please" and found our way to MTs and RSs and wraps and SSCs.....(it's true I have too many, but I'll deny it if you ever tell my husband I said that!!)..,. It's true with my second child, I have made different baby wearing choices, but the saying goes as you know better, you do better...

I see new moms looking boss in their harness carriers and I know where they are at. They are doing the best they can with what they know. Who could ever fault a woman for that? They aren't to be ridiculed and pitied, they are ROCKING that thing. They have empowered themselves and have stepped away from the carseat. They are doing what feels natural even if it is scary (um, hello EVERYTHING parenting!) How horrified would I have been to know i was babywearing all "wrong", that I was being silently judged .... Hell no. High five those mamas.Welcome them to the babywearing community. Invite them to your groups meeting. We are strong and resourceful women. Rock your own carriers, be boss in them. And perhaps most of all be approachable and friendly. Be a resource. Don't pity their choices and surely don't feel sorry for their babe. That kids going to be just fine....."
--Lauren Sperber Bartlett