Babywearing Review

If you know me well, then you know I'm a bit of a "babywearing" enthusiast. Babywearing is beneficial for babies and parents in so many ways. Here is a great article, but basically it helps babies' physical, emotional, and mental development, promotes bonding and attachement, reduces crying, can help with mother deperession, and frees up your hands! With Eli, I really got into it as a hobby and tried out all kinds of wraps, slings, and carriers. With Owen, I don't really have time to do it "for fun," so I have pared down to what really works and is most convenient. I have been asked by a handful of people lately what my recommendations are, so I thought I would just do a review here as an easy reference. Keep in mind, everyone has their own personal taste and these are what has worked best for me - it is not an exhaustive list of what is available. Also keep in mind, I am not a millionaire, and no I DON'T still own all of the carriers that I have tried or have pictures of, lol. I have bought and sold quite a few things through the "for sale or trade" forum on The Babywearer. Most are available online or in natural parenting stores. A few (like Moby and Hotslings) are becoming available in mainstream stores like Target and BRU. These carriers are designed to be more comfortable for you, and better for your baby's spine and hip development than other "mainstream" carriers like Snugli and Bjorn. Ok, here's the breakdown, in order of preference.

#1 Soft Structured and Asian Inspired Carriers
If I could own only one carrier, it would be my Ergo. It is a buckle carrier, but holds the baby in the proper seated position. It is EASY to put on, works on your front and back, is COMFORTABLE even with heavy kids because it puts the weight on your hips, and works for mom and dad. It is very practical to use and comes in decent colors, though is not as "cute" as some other carriers. I recommend purchasing (or making) the "sucking pads" because babies do tend to suck the straps - then you can wash the pads instead of the whole carrier. I also like the hip pouch you can attach. There are other brands similar to Ergo but I only have personal experience with Ergo and Beco. I am tempted by the new Beco Butterfly II (I tried an older version that was very comfortable) because it has been designed to make it easier to get the child on your back. It also has a built in insert so you can use it with newborns (you can't use the Ergo with newborns). Keep in mind I have no personal experience with the Butterfly, but it seems like a good choice for someone who wants only ONE carrier that will work from newborn to toddler. Becos also come in really cute prints, Ergos come in several solids, with a few limited prints. Both carriers can be purchased from multiple vendors.

Eli 20 months in Ergo.


















Owen 11 weeks in Ergo.



















Some people prefer a similar carrier that is tied on instead of buckling. It's called a mei tai style carrier and is a traditional Asian carrier. I had one called a Babyhawk for a while. They are very cute and fairly comfortable, but not as quick to put on because you have to tie the straps rather than just buckling them. More comfortable than a one-shouldered sling, but not as comfortable as the Ergo, which puts the weight on your hips. Buying one new is fun though, because you get to pick your fabric and strap color, so it's custom just for you!

Eli 2 months in Babyhawk.

#2 Pouch and Ring Slings
If I only owned two carriers, then in addition to the Ergo I would add a ring sling for the newborn days (and longer if you don't have babies as heavy as mine!). I find a one-shouldered carry is not that comfortable for me after 12-15 pounds (2 months for my babies!) until the child is older and ironically heavier, but can be worn in a "hip carry" with it. It gives you a little hand to hold them, but they have some of their own strength to cling on and it doesn't pull so hard on your shoulder. Sewing a ring sling is SUPER EASY with the instructions from Sleeping Baby . My favorite fabric is linen, linen blend, or a linen look alike. You order the rings from Sling Rings . The owner of Sleeping Baby also makes slings to sell for a very reasonable price (sometimes even cheaper than buying the fabric!). There are many ways to sew a sling "shoulder" and I have one that she has made and really find it comfortable - you can find them for sale here. Again, there are many other brands available if you Google.

Owen 1 week in Sleeping Baby sling made from an Indio Natural wrap.

Owen 1 week in homemade sling from a Girasol wrap.



















Eli 25 months in homemade linen sling.



















My first sling/carrier ever was a Hotsling that I got for Christmas right after Eli was born. While the pouch style sling is really cute, I did not find it practical for myself. I find that because I can adjust and tighten the ring sling, the baby feels more secure and I feel more comfortable. I think the pouches are cute for church or for very short periods of wearing. They are also easy to make.

Owen 1 week in homemade pouch.




















Eli 6 weeks in Hotsling.


















#3 Wraps
Now if I could add a third, "luxury" carrier it would be a wrap. Wraps are just fun, snuggly, and have the *wow* factor. There's nothing like tossing your baby onto your back and tieing him up in a cool wrap, however there is more of a learning curve so this wouldn't be your choice for quick and easy if you are inexperienced. If you have the time to learn and want to, then do it, it's fun! There are videos online that can teach you how to do some of the carries, in addtion to pictured instruction books. There are ENDLESS choices for wraps so I'll just try to make it simple.

Stretch wraps are comfy and snuggly for newborns and lighter babies. They can supposedly go up to 20 or 30 pound kids, but I don't prefer them past the first couple of months. Some good ones are the Moby Wrap and the Gypsy Mama Bali Baby Stretch. My first ever wrap was a Moby - it was easy to learn on and came with a picture book of instructions. My second ever wrap was the Bali Baby Breeze, also by Gypsy Mama but made of a strong gauze. It was great for the AZ heat, but not supportive enough for my HEAVY baby (20-25 lbs or so). It would be a great choice for a "starter" wrap though and is relatively inexpensive.

Owen 1 week in Moby.




















Eli 3 months in Gypsy Mama Breeze.



















Woven wraps are THE wraps to get if you want to get into wrapping. And again, there are so many different types to choose from. Three major ones that I have tried and liked are Didymos Natural Indios, Storchenweige or "Storch," and Girasol. Didy and Storch are "German woven wraps" and are machine woven in Germany. Girasols are hand woven in South America. They are different thicknesses and textures and people like them for different reasons. Girasol is great because it is a bit thinner (so cooler) but still supportive; also a little less expensive than some. I especially like my Storch for heavy babies and back carries. But if I could have only one wrap, I'd have my Didy Indio Natural since I don't wrap full time anymore. It's snuggly for a newborn, but works fine for wrapping bigger kids on a limited basis. And it's just pretty. I have the Green colorgrown. A couple places to find woven wraps are Attached to Baby and Slingzilla.

Eli 6 months in Girasol "Kiwi."



















Eli 13 months in Storch "Leo Natural."

Owen 3 weeks in Didymos Indio Natural Green.

There you have it! I hope this is helpful. It at least leaves little doubt about whether or not I'm obsessed. Feel free to email me or comment with specific questions, or visit the forums at The Babywearer for more advice, tips, and reviews.

PS. If you click on the pictures you will get a larger version, and can see the pattern/weave in some of the wraps that otherwise look like a solid color. Oh, and sorry the layout got messed up on this post!

Speaking of Nothing Sweeter...

Here are some shots of the cutie at 3 months old. He's into 12 month clothes, by the way!

Whaddaya mean, nose drops?!

Lovin' my Bumbo

Never mind, GET ME OUT!
Loooook into my eyes ...

Now you're under my spell!

Cute-alicious!

Nothing Sweeter

Nothing sweeter than a fuzzy head against my cheek;
milky breath in warm puffs on my neck;
a chubby fist around my finger.

Nothing sweeter than a grin, a giggle, a grunt, a coo;
full body wiggles of joy first thing in the morning;
hair that captures the perfect smell of heaven .

Nothing sweeter than rocking him to sleep,
then rocking him again. . . then giving in
and cuddling to sleep in the crook of my arm.

Nothing sweeter than my baby boy.

Ice Walking

Sounds adventurous, doesn't it? It's the new extreme sport for moms and tots - walking across frozen lakes! The boys and I hung out with Amy and Stew this week, and they live right next to Pontoosuc Lake, which of course is frozen over this time of year. People drive cars, trucks, snowmobiles, and four wheelers out there on the ice, as well as ice fish. We thought we would be brave and walk the kids out to the island in the middle and back. It was actually quite a walk! Amy and I both had a baby strapped to us along with dragging a toddler, and there were several inches of slushy snow atop the ice to sludge through. We made it, enjoyed the view, and were glad to be back on solid ground. There's probably about a foot of ice on the lake, but it's still pretty nerve-wracking to think that you are walking on top of a deep body of water with little kids in tow - especially when we could see the cracks in it as well as some of the holes left by the fishermen. We thoroughly tired the kids out that day and Eli conked out on the way home.

Sleigh Ride

Yesterday we went riding in a two-horse open sleigh! I bundled up the boys with long johns, snow suits, hats and gloves etc, and we drove up to the Adams Family Farm in Wilmington, VT where we took a ride through the snowy woods. Our sleigh was pulled by two HUGE draft horses. We stopped at a cabin in the woods for hot chocolate and some tunes from the old player piano, then loaded back up on the sleigh. Eli LOVED it and kept signing "more, more." Owen... not so much! As soon as we got out of the car and the cool breeze hit his face, he went HYSTERICAL. I think the other people on the sleigh were a little worried about riding with us =). I had to bury him completely under the blanket and stick his face under my sweater next to my skin to get him to calm down... and then he passed out. Probably exhausted from the hysteria. He was pretty good for the rest of the trip though!


It was a BEAUTIFUL day to be in Vermont. There is such a relaxing ambiance about Vermont... we love visiting there! We lucked out and got a "warm" day in the 30's, and it didn't snow on us. Our good friends the Woodwards came with us. It's hard to tell in the pictures, but their little baby Ashlyn is tucked inside Amy's jacket. Eli and Stew have become pretty inseparable little pals. We treated ourselves to some homemade maple fudge at the farm shop, then drove down to Benington, VT where we at dinner at a pizza place. The whole way home, Eli said "bye Amy, bye Dew (Stew)" over and over again (they were in a separate car).... He went to sleep easily last night at 7pm, but then woke up at midnight and threw a tantrum for the next couple of hours. He must have had too much fun!

Way-O

This is a story about a boy and his Way-os. Eli's most beloved possessions are "Mama Way-o" and "Daddy Way-o." Mama Way-o is a "Hupp-a Way-o" (humpback) and Daddy Way-o is just a way-o (though some scientists call him an Orca). Our family all got to meet the way-os over the holidays, and were subjected to endless chatter about way-o's. Eli will even pretend he sees them in various places, and will randomly point in the air and should, "oh, a way-o! A biiiiiig way-o." He has screamed "Oh Way-o!" in his sleep on more than one occasion. Way-o has even become an adjective. For example, a bowling ball was a "big mama way-o ball" and he often describes bites of his food as "big way-o." In fact, I have been able to get him to eat more food by describing every. single. bite. as a big way-o or big shark bite.

The way-o's go everywhere - in the bath, to the Dr.'s office, out in the snow, to church, on walks, to dig in the dirt, and even to bed. I find them in random places in the house too.


He also likes to zoom them up really close to his face, over and over and over and... well you get it - as if he is testing out his peripheral vision!


I recently bought Eli a stuffed Orca to cuddle with, and I thought he might explode with excitement when he saw it come out of the box. The stuffed Orca has been dubbed the "BIG Daddy Way-o." He's a little more cuddly, and now sleeps with Eli every night. Eli even has the Big Daddy Way-o "fold" his fins for family prayer every night.

Eli listens to music with whale sounds in order to go to sleep at night, and his favorite movie is "Free Willy" - he likes to watch it while cuddling with one or more way-os. He also still likes the Planet Earth Documentary - Shallow Seas with the whales on it. He also has two books about whales that are pretty advanced, but he loves to hear me read all the scientific info about the whales, and look at the pictures. He can say "Huppa Way-o" (humpback), "Miggie Way-o" (minke), "Eeka" (Orca) and "No Way-o" (Narwal). He can idenfiy all the other species by pointing them out when asked, and can make the "pfffft" sound of a whale blowing water from his blow hole, as well as imitate the humpback whale song. He also knows what the dorsal fins, pectoral fins, and tail flukes are. Here is a pic of the Orca mailbox in my parents' neighborhood - which Eli had to walk to every. single. day!


Grandpa showed Eli whale and shark pictures on the computer that he Googled - so now Eli requests that activity every time he sees me at the computer.


Today we watched endless whale videos on YouTube. Here is one from Free Willey, complete with the Michael Jackson song. You gotta love it!



You gotta admit, it's pretty inspiring (even if computer generated) to see that whale go flying over the kid's head on his way to freedom. It's funny that Eli loves whales so much, because they were a passion of mine when I was in middle school. I thought I wanted to be a Marine Biologist for a while - maybe he will carry on the dream. His little toddler obsession cracks me up, but I am tickled that he is so in love with one of God's most beautiful creatures. May we all have such an enthusiastic appreciation for the gift of our world!

And for fun - the gorgeous humpback whale footage from Planet Earth - fast forward to 1:20 and just watch the first couple of minutes....

Checkups

The Morning after we got back (after Brad dug us out of the driveway) the kids both had their checkups. Eli's 2 year and Owen's 2 month (though he was 11 weeks). Eli weighs in at 27 pounds and is 3 foot 1 ... he's 90th percentile for height and 25th for weight so his Benson "tall and skinny" genes have kicked in. His language is really taking off right now too, which is so helpful for communication, and also provides some big laughs. For instance, his friend Stew has a Teradactyl Dinosaur that Eli thinks is a bat... only he calls it a "butt." We all crack up laughing when he goes on and on about the "Biiiig butt," and he laughs along with us not really knowing what's so funny.


Owen was nearly 17 pounds and 25 1/2 inches; putting him "off the charts" for weight and height. That means he grew 2 inches and gained 4 pounds while we were gone!!! He is the size of an average 5 1/2 month old they said. That didn't shock me since he's in 6-9 month clothes already. He has gotten such a cute personality the last few weeks and is very interactive and fun. He has seemed very aware of his surroundings even since he was born, but now he has the most award-winning grins and giggles we've ever seen. He is all smiles when he first wakes up in the morning, and wiggles his entire body with joy just to be awake and alive - it's such a nice start to the day. We just love having this little cheery guy around!


It's a good thing I learned how to use wraps when Eli was a baby. With him, it was just for fun. With Owen, it's a necessary skill because he NEEDS to be held and Eli NEEDS to be fed/played with etc and sometimes those things conflict. The other day I had Owen on my back for about 40 minutes while I put dinner in the crockpot, made Eli's lunch and ran downstairs to put the laundry in... it was great. He was happy as a clam and fell asleep... instead of squawking at me from the floor as I ran here and there trying to get things done =).


My "binkie boys." Eli quit taking binkies before he was one... but suddenly they are interesting again. I wonder why.... =)

We're BAAaaack!

We made it back safely to Pittsfield, though it was a little jarring to go from this:



To This:


Luckily we've at least had some pretty skies in spite of the biting cold, icy walkways and seriously messy driveway. Our cars were frozen in and Brad had to take a sick day on Monday just to chop them out. The driveway never got paved, nor did the walkway TO the driveway from our place, so it's a slippery walk downhill to even get to the cars. I won' t be going many places alone until there is some serious thawing - probably May around here, lol. Eli likes to talk about snow - or "hnow" as he calls it (pronounced huh-no), but doesn't like to walk in it at all. A good "hnow-ball" now and then can make him smile though!


Everyone's been asking how our trip went, and all I can say is It. Was. Awesome. It was SOOOOO wonderful to be with family for six whole weeks - first with Brad's parents in Utah then with mine in AZ. It was nice to have so many extra loving hands to help with the kids. I am finally feeling "normal" again (well, a modified normal anyway!) and more up to the challenge of mothering two very little ones. I really think I had some of the "mama blues" this time around, though for me it manifested more as crankiness. While I'm still running around crazy all day taking care of things, I don't feel like I'm hanging out on the edge of sanity anymore, lol. So THANK YOU THANK YOU Moms and Dads and siblings for helping make this transition so much easier for us. I'm feeling positive again and finding joy on a daily basis with my little fellows.

It was sad to leave our UT family ....


But the AZ leg of our trip was sunny and warm. It was in the mid to upper 70's most of the time, and we were HOT =). I had to go buy some flip flops from Old Navy just to survive, lol. We made it to the zoo which may have been the hi-light of the trip for Eli. He excitedly made the signs for every single animal we saw (he got the zoo Signing Time video for Christmas so it was fresh and new for him). We also fed the "guts" (ducks) a bunch of times, and walked to the odd killer-whale mailbox in my parents' neighborhood. I always thought it seemed out of place, but now with Eli's love affair with whales, it was nice to have it there.

Eli even seemed to trade me in for a while and started calling my mom "Ma-ma." He had to start and end the day with her in her bed. They would cuddle with the dogs, eat cheerios, and watch cartoons. If my mom didn't get up early enough, Eli would bang on her door until she let him in! He also buddied up with "Ba-Ba" (grandpa) and sat at the computer with him almost every night to look at whales and sharks online. He seems to know he is the apple of their eyes and milks it for all it's worth - he got SPOILED for sure. I'm thinking, Hey! My parents NEVER made a habit of bringing me little toys home from the store every time they went, or let me go to Peter Piper Pizza every week and buy tokens for rides, etc and yet they do it for Eli - I guess it's true that grandparenthood is for spoiling =). Even Owen got attached to cuddling with dogs in the bed on this trip.

And remember my Four in the Bed post? Well here is picture proof... It's gotten a little better since we've been back. The boys both at least start the night in their own beds... but inevitably we wake up like this in the morning... and usualy I'm the one sandwiched between the kids.


So good-bye blue skies and warm weather for a time... we love you AZ!


We love you too, UT!