Thursday Thought: How Babywearing Saved My Sanity!

by Tami Grosset

Recently an OBG member shared this blog with me. After wiping my eyes and blowing my nose and allowing my heaving sobs to subside I pondered on how babywearing had saved my life, or at least my sanity..... and then I asked the group about their experiences.

•  Babywearing was a HUGE part of the bond building between my son and I when nursing was not working for us.

• As a Type A person I struggled with the loss of control having a baby brings. Babywearing helped me achieve some of my daily goals which would have been completely impossible with a carrier or wrap in my life. I'm sure this saved me from potential PPD. 

• My son was treated for his hip dysplasia at 7 months with a hip cast (spica) and after that a brace. He was not comfortable in a stroller. Babywearing allowed us to keep up some much needed normality which had a direct impact on my sanity.

• When our daughter was born wearing her saved my sanity by allowing my Type A self to keep up with two little persons needs and still allow me time for myself and my husband.

• Our daughter was a rotten sleeper in her first year or so. Getting her to nap or sleep was as like pulling teeth!! But when I popped her in a back carry and vacuumed the floor she would fall asleep almost straight away. She was, luckily, easily transferable to her bed and my floor had never been cleaner!

• (Tara) Not necessarily my life but babywearing has saved my arms and back and has saved the lives of my 2 and 4 year old who need EVERYTHING that very second!

• (Sara) From 6 months of age to just before his first birthday T would only nap in the Gemini, outside, on the move. This meant 1-2 hour walks every day, but it got him a good nap and got me out in the fresh air which improved my mood and helped me lose the nearly 80lbs I gained while pregnant. The one day I thought the weather was too bad to go out showed me how important those walks truly were. Also, one day I was crossing the street with T in the carrier when a driver decided to turn without looking and narrowly missed hitting us as we jumped back on the curb. Had T been in a stroller he would have been hit for sure. It left me pretty shaken up and extremely glad we'd made the decision to use a carrier rather than a stroller.

•  (Jessica) I can bus without the stress of a stroller. I can also get things done around the house. I can breastfeed in public without finding a place to sit down. Overall I just have a much happier baby!  

• (Savannah) I was taking a walk with my kids..two older ones (4 and 5 yrs) walking beside me, 2yr old in the stroller, baby (3 months at the time, maybe 4) strapped on with a RS..we were crossing the road and a van (parked on a marked illegal right at the edge of the crosswalk on the far side of the road) started backing up into the crosswalk right as my son was running ahead to the other side..i hollered, my son came back and wasn't hit but the guy backed right into the whole crosswalk, never seeing my son or the rest of us standing in the middlw of the road waiting for him. Baby wearing didn't really save his life but because my arms weren't fill of squirmy baby i could grab my son with one hand, other hand on the stroller, daughter holding her "mommy clip" handle, with my baby on me, it was much more manageable of a scary situation.

• (Tracey) It has allowed me to give my older children time and affection, while still doing the same (and nursing) my baby. It helped me get my kids to school for two years, through any weather, and dance classes. And now it helps me settle my toddler, and get my house cleaned while she rides around on my back. It's also help me connect with other mommas and educate them, which is huge in my eyes! I can't count the times it's saved me from having full hands when stopping my oldest or middle child from running into the road. And crossing busy streets with a stroller sometimes is just not practical with them.

• (Mary) Babywearing allows me to be a single mama! If I didn't babywear, I couldn't unload my groceries, clean the floor, leave the house in the winter when I was car-free, take out the garbage - basically everything! Hopefully within the next year or so, babywearing will allow me to be a single mama of two - how else will I be able to chase my toddler in the house and as she's exploring out in the world unless I wear #2?

• (Lauren) Babywearing saved my mental health the first year of my littlest's life. We struggled to find ways to calm the crying and discomfort of our needy baby, and the only consistent winner was babywearing. Saved my sanity, my relationships with all my family members (most importantly perhaps me and the baby), saved my back. 

So... maybe not as life saving as the amazing blog mentioned above, mostly pretty much run of the mill, unless you're right there in the moment, living the crisis.... then it truly is life saving and sanity saving!

Thank you babywearing, for saving our sanity.... and sometimes a most amazingly precious life! 

Wordless Wednesday: A Month In The Life Of Elly

Elly has been an OBG member from the early days, first wearing her son and now her little girl.

This doesn't even BEGIN to cover my recent babywearing vacation to California, but is a decent smattering. This intense month-long trip would not have been possible if it weren't for babywearing, for so many reasons!

Clockwise from top left:
1. Snuggled in my Boba wrap at Wawona Lodge in Yosemite Valley.
2. Checking out the Hollywood Sign from Griffith Observatory wearing my little one in a Sakura Bloom natural linen RS.
3. Admiring a giant sequoia tree's cone while babe naps in my Girasol Earthy Rainbow 5.
4. Riding "Small World" and nearly every other ride at Disneyland while wearing my newbie thanks to my Manduca.
5. Checking out the USS Midway in San Diego with my SB RS.
6. Wrapping with my Gira ER outside of our tent in Camp Curry, Yosemite Valley.
7. Disneyland again, this time in my Organic Ergo.
8. Minnie says, "Shhh, baby's sleeping in a SB RS with rings on back!"
9. (centre) Taking a train ride using my Gira Ardent Creme Weft 2.

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If you would like to contribute to our WW post next week please start taking pictures.... now! :) and then send us a collage to this email address. Many of our members find this website useful in making photo collages.

Summer Babywearing

by Aline Kelly

Hot weather is upon us and many of us have probably already peeled tiny humans off of ourselves after walks or errands. Summer babywearing isn't just about comfort, it's about everyone's well-being - when the temperatures get into significantly high numbers staying cool can be a safety issue! 

General tips:

- Keep yourself and baby hydrated - drink water often and offer hydration to baby often. Remember that exclusively breastfed babies don't need extra water. 

- Remember sunscreen. This won't help you stay cool but will keep you from getting an awkward carrier tan. (Babies under the age of 6 months should not use sunscreen. It can cause them to overheat! Instead use portable shade covers, UV carrier covers and/or big floppy hats.)

- Be reasonable - if it's too hot, stay home or reconsider your travel options. 

Here daddy is wearing baby in an ergo with a Peekaru UV sun cover.

Clothing & accessories

- Light and breathable clothing for everyone is key. Many people strip baby down to their diaper and wrap them in just that. 

- Portable shade such as wide-brimmed hats or umbrellas are helpful.

- Tuck a prefold diaper or cloth between you and baby to absorb the sweat that will develop between you.

- Some people recommend cold packs or products like these.

Cool and breathable carriers

- Gauze wraps are generally the coolest, although not always popular for bigger babies. Bali Breeze and Wrapsody breeze are common brands. Etsy has gauze options as well. 

- Many linen wraps and linen blends are considered cool 

- Other breathable hot-weather wraps include Didymos Waves, Vatanai, and Ellaroo

- Stretchy wraps, generally speaking, are boiling. 

- Soft-structured carriers and Mei Tais vary greatly but many can be rather warm - options with thinner fabrics will usually breathe better. 

- Ring slings, especially linen blends, are good since they offer a nice simple one-layered carry. 

Wrapsody Bali Breeze Gauze Wrap, photo by Jenna Sparks Bradbury

Carry options to minimize heat retention

It is generally best to stick to single-layer carries when using a woven wrap. 

- Rucksack carry 

- Kangaroo carry

- Basic Rebozo carries - front, back, hip

- Front Cross Carry

- Many shorty carries - these are almost exclusively one-pass carries and when the weather is very hot, the less fabric the better.

- When doing a carry with multiple passes such as the Front Wrap Cross Carry, bunch the passes rather than spreading them over baby.

- Tie under bum when you can, or use short wraps to try to minimize the number of times a wrap is tied around you. 

- If your baby has good head control, only wrap up to their armpits

Familiarize your with symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and what to do if you suspect either.

Photo by Jenna Sparks Bradbury

Happy summer and happy babywearing!

My Stash Monday: Veronique's Stash

by Veronique Bergeron

FULL DISCLOSURE: I don't really like "stash shots". They make me squirm because of my brief but intense experience with "stalking", the practice of watching Internet sellers and online boards for an elusive carrier. Trades are made and negotiated, and countless hours are spent online watching that once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity. Maybe I just forget what it's like to have one or two young children – I have 8 children to keep me busy -- but the amount of time spent online rather than mothering (unless of course you are nursing at the keyboard the entire time!) is a little unsettling.

 

But when Tami posted her stash shot on this blog it was a stash story. And I realized that stash shots don't have to be brag stories. When we are committed to babywearing and we believe that it doesn't only make happy children, it makes better parents; the stash shot is not about bragging but about showing the tools of our trade. It's about telling people "Here's how I do it with 8 children including toddler twins and my sanity mostly intact. Here's how I look after my family of 10. Here's how I can manage my household and keep people happy and healthy."

My first sling was given to me by a friend who was a home-based reseller. It was a padded Heart-to-Heart sling and while I never got the hang of it with an infant, my husband used it extensively with our toddlers. I used it again recently: it's a work horse and I could fill an entire post of pictures of my children in it since 2000. I no longer use it but I can't part with it. I lend it away regularly.

 I have an old Sleepy Wrap that I found at a consignment store for $15. I never liked it myself but my oldest daughter is proficient. I only have pictures of her using the Sleepy Wrap: here she is with her 5-pounder youngest sister, only a few weeks old. Those girls are my bookends: the oldest of 8 wearing the youngest of 8.

My first SSC was the Ergo. I bought it second hand 7 years ago and I loved it immediately. We were traveling that summer and my now-7-year-old son spent most of our holidays in it. It was love at first piggy back. That summer, I also purchased a second hand jersey pouch by Maman Kangourou. It is incredibly convenient to use in a purse as an emergency carrier. But after carrying some heavy toddlers, it is showing its age! The Ergo is now cuddling my friend's daughter and I am very proud to be sharing the babywearing love. I find it hard to part with carriers because they rarely sit idle for any length of time. The best way to convince someone that babywearing will make them happier parents is to let them try a good, comfortable, carrier and let it do the talking!

 My twins are now 20 months old and my next daughter is 4 years-old. To be honest, the 4 year-old is no longer worn for any length of time. Not only is she heavy but she is a high-energy child who needs every opportunity to walk and run her juice off. However, the realities or raising a large family means that my spirited preschooler often has to follow us in places where people don't usually bring spirited preschoolers. This month, she had to come with me to end-year music recitals, talent shows and other late-evening happenings. Between my ring slings and a borrowed Tula Toddler, I had no meltdown to manage, no soggy mess of a daughter in the middle of her sister's music exam.

The carrier I reach for most often lately is my Wrap Conversion Ring Sling. It is made of Natibaby Grey/Graphite Gears and is a well-broken-in, amazingly soft and supportive, linen/cotton blend. Heaven would be to find the same ring sling in a medium (this is a small) but until I do, this one is staying. Here is my 4 year-old passed out in the Gears at the end of our high school band show:

Since ring slings are all the rage here, I am converting two wraps into ring slings. The first wrap to be converted is my Oscha Alto Bluebell 2. Since I started wrapping, I've been dreaming about Alto Bluebell. I love clouds, skies and linen, it was a match made in heaven. I love this light and airy wrap. The second wrap to be turned into a ring sling will be my Mystic Fish by Dydimos. With 3 children using ring slings, I don't think that having 4 ring slings is excessive. Do you? As with all my carriers, my ring slings are lent out and used as teaching aids liberally.

I keep two size 6 wraps, one by choice and one because it’s not selling. My Dydimos Black Hemp Pfau is my little black dress. You can dress it up or dress it down; it is floppy enough for a newborn yet supportive enough for a preschooler. And size 6 is my go-to size. This one will be lent out, borrowed and snuggling my grandchildren: it is the wrapper's wrap. You can even use it as a baby gate!

My second size 6 wrap is a Diva Milano Reticella Notte d'Oro. This luxurious "grande dame" landed

in my stash in a trade for a Girasol double rainbow. It is as amazing as Black Hemp Pfau for its wrapping quality but it is not quite as sturdy. This is a "haute couture" wrap with a haute couture price tag. I may have another baby just to wear her in this baroque beauty. Unless someone wants to buy it.....

I also have a size 7 Girasol Snow Rainbow on pre-order from Pinkletink Baby. This wrap will be used for tandem wrapping and teaching tandem wrapping. The clearly identifiable rails make it ideally suited as a teaching wrap. And cheery rainbows will light-up any day, don’t you think?

Our family also makes extensive use of Soft-Structured Carriers. The best carrier on the market currently, both in terms of versatility and craftsmanship, is the Manduca. I also have a Tula Toddler Folk Art and a Boba 3G.

Et voilà, my stash, although I prefer calling them my tools! Babywearing for us is about much more than carrying. Our children have a high need for physical touch and are very inquisitive. Babywearing, even around the house, allows us to keep them physically close and under supervision. We reduced the amount of meltdowns and catastrophes significantly since we replaced our stroller with baby carriers. When parents approach me with questions about toddler discipline or misbehaviour, my first line of advice is always: “Get yourselves a good carrier…”

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You can read more about Veronique's fabulous family on her own blog.

Thursday Thought: They Didn't Have That In My Day!

by Tami Grosset

The Beggar Woman

by William King (1663-1712)

A Gentleman in Hunting rode astray,
More out of choice, then that he lost his way,
He let his Company the Hare pursue,
For he himself had other Game in view.
A Beggar by her Trade; yet not so mean,
But that her Cheeks were fresh and Linen clean.
‘Mistress’, qouoth he, ‘and what if we two shou’d
Retire a little way into the Wood.’
She needed not much Courtship to be kind,
He ambles on before, she trots behind;
For little Boby to her Shoulders bound,
Hinders the gentle Dame from ridding Ground,
He often ask’d her to expose, but she
Still fear’d the coming of his Company.
Says she ‘I know an unfrequented place,
To the left Hand, where we our time may pass,
And the mean while your Horse may find some Grass.’
Thither they come and both the Horse secure,
Then thinks the Squire I have the matter sure.
She’s ask’d to sit, but then Excuse is made,
Sitting, says she ”s not usual in my Trade;
Should you be rude, and then should throw me down,
I might perhaps break more Backs than my own.’
He smiling cries; ‘come, I’ll the Knot untie,
And if you mean the Child’s we’ll lay it by.’
Says she, ‘that can’t be done, for then ’twill cry.
I’d not have us, but chiefly for your sake,
Discover’d by the hideous Noise ‘twou’d make.
Use is another Nature, and ‘twou’d lack
More then the Breast, its Custom to the Back.’
Then says the Gentleman, ‘I shou’d be loth
To come so far and disoblige ye both:
Were the Child ty’d to me d’ye think ‘twou’d do?’
‘Mighty well, Sir! Oh, Lord! if ty’d to you!’
With Speed incredible to work she goes,
And from her Shoulders soon the Burthen throws.
Then mounts the Infant with a gentle Toss
Upon her generous Friend, and like a Cross,
The Sheet she with a dextrous Motion winds,
Till a firm Knot the wand’ring Fabrick binds.
The Gentleman had scarce got time to know
What she was doing; she about to go,
Cries, ‘Sir, good buy ben’t angry that we part,
I trust the Child to ye with all my Heart,
But e’er you get another ‘ti’n't amiss
To try a Year or two how you’ll keep this.’

Sources:
http://www.slingbabies.co.nz/Site/History_2.ashx
http://9davids.blogspot.ca/2011/02/babywearing-through-ages.html
http://blog.babesinarms.com.au/category/babywearing-around-the-world/korea/
http://blog.babesinarms.com.au/category/babywearing-around-the-world/wales/
http://wearingyourbaby.co.nz/new-zealand-history-of-babywearing/
http://marvellousmeitais.blogspot.ca/2011/01/historical-baby-wearing-in-pictures.html
http://wonderfullymadebelliesandbabies.blogspot.ca/2011/02/throughout-time-throughout-world-baby.html
http://blog.babesinarms.com.au/2010/01/16/babywearing-history-inuit/

Wordless Wednesday: A Week In The Life Of Tami, Johanna and Leisa

We asked our members to make a photo collage of their babywearing adventures over the past week. This blog idea is a weekly event. If you'd like to contribute a collage of your week, to the blog, please email it to tamigrosset@hotmail.com along with any text you'd like to include.

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by Tami

This past week Rose (26 months) had a tummy bug so we spent most of the time on the couch with a sick bowl to hand! Otherwise she nursed A LOT and slept A LOT and didn't want to go to bed on her own, hence the cuddly time in the WCMT!

by Johanna

This is really just a fraction of the times I carried my youngest last week. It was just a pretty boring regular week, but he was worn usually multiple times a day in various ways in various carriers (our woven wraps being a favourite). We love it, he's happy, we get things done, works for me!

by Leisa

We had a fun week of Babywearing. We especially enjoyed being close and snuggling through the crowds at Westfest.

What Do You Say When You See Something Like This......?

by Tami Grosset

 

Source

I expect the first thing you might say is 'Ouch!' but you'd probably keep that to yourself, no?

Would you actually say anything to the parent wearing the baby?

Many of us would just smile and turn away but is that doing a disservice to that parent? Would we keep quiet simply because of embarrassment, shyness or fear of being snapped at a new bear mama?

When I was a first time mum I wanted to learn my 'mama craft' from the awesome women around me. My family are all overseas so I developed a tribe to help me hone my skills. Babywearing may have been around for millenia but, like breastfeeding it is a skill that requires some learning and sometimes hands on tuition.

When this question was asked in an online forum many mums replied that if they were getting it wrong and potentially putting their bub at risk they would want to know. So how do we go about approaching a babywearer who's having problems?

Here is my 4 step guide;

#1 Flatter and relate; 

'Wow that's a beautiful/awesome/fabulous carrier.'
'I love seeing mamas/papas wear their babies.'
'I wear/have worn both my babies- it was/is brilliant/so cuddly.'

#2  Show concern;

'Are you enjoying it?'
'Is that comfortable for you?'
'Does your baby like it?'

#3  Offer assistance and demonstrate your own learning curve;

'Can I help you make it more comfortable for you and baby?'
'I learned a lot when I was new to babywearing, some awesome mamas help me'

#4  Provide further resources;

'There are some excellent babywearing stores here in Ottawa' (give details for Milkface, EBS and Belly Laughs)
'Crown of Dreams offers some babywearing workshops and local babywearing walks, if you're interested.'
'If you'd like to meet some other local babywearing families and learn other ways to use your carrier you could come to one of our meets. Maybe I'll see you there sometime!' (give OBG card!!)

Of course this isn't a fail safe guide and you still might get your head bitten off by mama bear but at least you tried and maybe, just maybe you'll help someone enjoy babywearing a bit more and keep them babywearing for longer.

Now, which one of you Ottawa babywearers wants to approach Alanis and Mario?

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Disclaimer: This post is not a dig at Alanis and her partner. It is great that they are wearing their child- a worn baby is better than an unworn bub. I hope that they are still enjoying babywearing!