Thursday, 01 October 2009

• Why I Wear My Babies...

  
  image source
  

  
  Why I Wear My Babies...
  

  • It gives me butterflies.  I get this warm feeling throughout my whole body when I have Mark strapped to me.  It's a delicious feeling, which is only made better by the fact that I can lean my head down and rub my cheek against his soft, fuzzy, downy head any time I want.
  • Mark is happiest when he is worn.  Well...happiest second only to being attached to my boob.
  • There is research done that says wearing your babies promotes a healthy breastfeeding relationship.  It helps with milk supply and letdown.  This is definitely true for us!
    
  • It makes life easier.  Mark is a fussy kid when he isn't being held.  Babywearing lets me get stuff done around the house.
  • It makes it so I don't have to lug that big, awkward infant carrier when we go out to eat, go to the store, or anywhere else.  I loathe lugging that carrier around.
  • It allows me to be selfish and to cherish this early time which moves all too quickly.  Most people won't ask to hold a baby who looks comfy and content in a carrier.

  Tips

  • When trying out a new carrier, get in front of a mirror.  We have a full length mirror on our bathroom door and it really helps me follow the carriers instructions and make sure that Mark is positioned right.
  • If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.  I think there are some babies that just plain don't like to be worn, but I think the vast majority of babies would enjoy it.  Try it at different times of the day, try it when your baby is drowsy, and try it in different settings, like outside for a walk.
  • Move, move, move.  Neither Mark nor John liked me to sit and wear them, unless they had fallen asleep.  I had to be moving.  And many times, my moving around would lull them to sleep.  The mark of a good carrier is a baby asleep in it!
  • Carriers can be expensive, but if you can, try different ones.  There are sooo many different kinds and different babies might prefer different carriers.  Share with friends who already have carriers.
  • Make sure you have the right size.  Fit with fitted carriers is so, so, so important.  I had to send two of my carriers back for different sizes.  It was worth the extra shipping, because in the long run, I wear the carriers longer when they fit really well.
  • Wear early, wear often.  I wore Mark for the first time when he was only 3 days old.  He has been worn at least a little every day since then.  Whenever I get a carrier out, he goes nuts, kicks his legs, smiles, coos...even if he is mad or tired.  He knows I am about to strap him to me and he loves it.  He is just as addicted as I am.  I didn't start "hardcore" babywearing with John until he was almost 5 months old.  He liked to be worn, but was not as crazy about it as Mark is.

  The Carriers I Have Tried...  (in the order that I tried them)

  • Baby Bjorn - I don't think he knows it, but Noel is responsible for my baby wearing obsession.  When we were registering for our baby shower with John, he insisted on putting a Baby Bjorn on it.  He wanted to use it!  The Bjorn was good for a first carrier, but it had some too many cons for me.  Once John reached 15 pounds, it became very uncomfortable.  I also found it challenging to get it adjusted just right so it was comfortable and didn't hurt my back.  I also read several articles saying that the Bjorn was not ideal because it causes baby to hang by his or her pelvis, which can cause hip and spine problems.
  • Hotsling - I LOVE my Hotsling.  I probably use it most often.  It is the best carrier I have found for a newborn.  Just the right amount of fabric to keep baby from getting lost in the pouch.  It is also really good for hip carry.  I also like it's small size.  I keep it in my diaper bag nearly all the time.  It also washes well, although the color has faded a bit.  But I love that about it.  It is a well worn and broken in sling.
  • Ergo Baby Carrier - Hands down my favorite carrier for 9 months on!  It is incredibly comfortable.  I can still wear John in it now without hurting my back.  It was the first carrier that I used in back carry.  I can put Mark in it in back carry by myself, which is unique to the Ergo.  I have just recently started wearing Mark in the Ergo for walks outside.  He is still not quite big enough to straddle my stomach, so I bend one of his legs in and let him sit on it.  He is super comfortable and loves to chew on the straps.  I wish I would have invested in the suck pads that Ergo sells to use with the carrier, because they don't recommend washing it too often.
  • Baby K'Tan - I really can't say enough for the versatility of this carrier.  I didn't like it in the newborn stage.  It has a lot of fabric and I struggled to keep Mark from sinking down too far into cradle hold.  But once he hit about 3 months and could hold his head up well, it became a fast favorite.  It basically replaced the Baby Bjorn, but is much easier on my back.  It is the only carrier that I have tried that I am able to successfully breastfeed in.  Many times, I have nursed Mark in it while I was getting lunch or dinner ready for John.
  • Kangaroo Korner Mesh Adjustable Pouch - I got this one to wear at the pool and it work great.  It dries super fast.  It is insanely stretchy, which makes it extra comfortable.  It is unfortunately one size too big, because we ordered it while I was still pregnant with Mark.  I get a lot of compliments on it at the pool.  It is also good to wear in the summer since it is a very see through thin fabric.
  • Kangaroo Korner Microfleece Adjustable Pouch - Pouch-style carriers are my favorite, and I really liked my mesh pouch but I wanted to try one that was the right size.  This pouch is incredible.  It is made out of microfleece, so it can get a bit warm this time of year, but so far that has only happened when Mark fell asleep in the sling and was covered by most of the fabric.  I like how it has more fabric than the Hotsling and you can use it in tummy to tummy carry.  It is also very stretchy, so I like that I can adjust it.  This makes it so I don't have to wash it as often.  I just start it out on a bigger size and as I wear it, I move it to a smaller size.Carriers I still want to try...
  • A wrap.  I have always said that I wouldn't like a wrap, because they take too much time.  But the more I look at them, the more I think I would like one.  My grandma and I are going to try and make a woven one as soon as I can find time to go to a fabric store.
  • A mei tei.  Another carrier that you have to tie.  The Ergo is essentially a structured mei tei, so I'm sure I would like a traditional me.  I love the look of the BabyHawk and I would love one, but they are pricey.

  And that's the story about me and babywearing.  I'm addicted.  100% addicted.  I wear Mark every day, sometimes just because I want to, not because he's fussy and I need to get something done.  It is probably what I will miss the most as he grows up and doesn't want to be worn.  I might miss it more than breastfeeding, which is saying A LOT.
  
  Do you wear your baby?
  

  • 2:34 PM
  • 619 Views
  • 34 eProps
  • 18 Comments