Babywearing

Yes, I am a babywearing mama.  That might have been an easy thing to guess for those that know me.  I really do find babywearing to be fun, although I don't do it as much as some moms.  BabyD just isn't a super clingy baby, which is partially good, because the summer here in SC was very warm and it makes baby wearing a messy sweaty occasion.  But when the need arises, both D and I love to wear BabyD. 

To me babywearing makes a lot of sense.  Babies need/want to be held, and frankly, it can just be plain tiring to hold them.  There are so many options too, you'll be able to find the perfect way to wear your baby.  Or you can be like me and like all the different methods for different tasks and keep exploring more and more options.  :)

The first thing I tried was a store bought soft carrier as modeled by D and BabyD below.

This worked well for us outdoors.  We wanted something we were confident in and something that would be cool.  In the picture is an infantino carrier, but I also picked up a used Baby Bjorn.  I do love the Bjorn because it has great support and is much easier to strap on all the buckles.  We will be keeping the BB and selling the other carrier.



The next thing we tried was a stretchy wrap.  This one is homemade to duplicate a moby wrap.

I liked this wrap as well.  The stretchy material made it easy if we didn't wrap perfectly or if BabyD wanted to wiggle.  The downfall is that it was very warm and we would both be covered in sweat after 20 minutes of wearing.  The second downfall is that when BabyD started to pack on those pounds, it became very uncomfortable to wear.  The fabric would cut into my shoulders and making my desire to carry basically zero.



I wanted to try something lighter weight and simpler than the stretchy wrap.  My first thought was a pouch. 

This looked easy enough when I bought it.  I don't know if I just didn't get a good fit or what, but it has been my least favorite of all.  I don't think I ever figured out the right way to put BabyD inside the pouch and he was too squirmy to cooperate.



Still wanting something light weight I borrowed a ring sling.

I loved that it was adjustable, and therefore actually easier than the pouch for me to use.  I liked it so much that I made one myself.

As much as I liked the ring sling, it did not seem to be the solution for long term carrying.  The ring sling puts all the pressure on one shoulder, although the sling has the advantage of being small to carry around when not in use, and you can throw baby inside very quickly.


Then I entered the world of woven wraps.

I went back and forth for a few weeks trying to decide if I wanted to do a DIY woven or buy one online.  I read up on DIY ones with people saying they were 'close enough' to the wovens you could buy.  But, where the DIY versions seemed to lack was in comfort and breath-ability/temperature.  If I was going to invest in buying the fabric for a DIY woven and have it be warm and cut into my shoulders, even if it was just slight, then it still wasn't the wrap for me.  I really wanted something that I could wear for long periods of time down here in SC.  So I splurged and bought one that was highly recommended for warmer climates.  I love my Vatanai woven wrap.  It is soft and cuddly.  I can wrap up BabyD and not have the fabric cut into my shoulders.  He is very well supported. 

I love my woven wrap.  I can't wait to try other carries.  For any future babies, this wrap will replace my stretchy wrap.  The woven can do the same carries and has the advantage of being softer and more cuddly than the stretchy.

I think for our household we will stick with the baby bjorn, the ring sling, and the woven.  I think that keeps us covered for any and all possible situations.  Good luck on your babywearing adventures and be sure to check out www.thebabywearer.com for excellent resources and forums.