Babywearing While Pregnant: Part 2

To get ready for International Babywearing Week 2012 in October, and to raise funds to pay for the bills from the International Babywearing Conference 2012 from this past summer, we are doing a membership drive!! 

This is open for ANYONE who meets any of the following criteria: 1) becomes a NEW member during the month of Sept; 2) RENEWS their expired membership during this month; or 3) EXTENDS their membership in the group.

To help you make the final decision as to whether you want to become a member of BWI of DC-MD-VA, we will be doing a raffle during IBW 2012 for at least two carriers---a BRAND NEW Ergo and a BRAND NEW Beco . Upon becoming a member during the month of September, you automatically be given 5 tickets to the raffle. Of course, during IBW 2012, you will have the opportunity to purchase more tickets if you wish.

This offer is only valid during the month of September. VBEs are eligible for this membership drive. Any membership applications received after the 30th will not be eligible for the raffle tickets.

On to Babywearing While Pregnant part 2

Ever since I discovered the full world of babywearing with my second baby, I have been an equal opportunity babywearer.  I use ring slings, mei tais, soft structured carriers (SSCs), and woven wraps.  Just after I had my second baby, I discovered woven wraps, which I thought were awesome since you could even wear them when pregnant.

  

 I thought that wovens were my only option because I had failed at babywearing while pregnant with #2.  I only had an ergo, and it pressed against my belly in an uncomfortable way once I got pregnant.  
With pregnancy #3, I got help from Babywearing International of DC-MD-VA and discovered that I could continue to wear my young toddler in other carriers as well.  I found that SSCs with dual adjust waists worked really well for us since I could put the buckle under my belly.  My kinderpack (my current favorite SSC for back carries) became my go-to carrier for shopping trips and playgrounds where my young toddler tired out more quickly than her three-year-old brother. 

Some women really like ring slings while pregnant since they don’t have to wrap anything around the belly.  I tried to use ring slings with this pregnancy, but I found that I personally couldn’t use them with my toddler much because of my bad back. 

I also started using wrap conversion mei tais a lot.  For me, mei tais offered some of the versatility of a woven wrap, but required less time and fuss.  This was important since pregnant mamas can get uncomfortable fast, and young toddlers are notoriously fickle about wanting “up” and “down.”  I only used mei tai front carries when my baby absolutely insisted since back carries were more comfortable.  Early in my pregnancy when I would go to evening bible study, my then 15 month old would want to nurse and go to sleep since it was past her bed time.  The mei tai was perfect for these occasions.  I couldn’t walk around with her on my front with the extra baby weight from being five months pregnant, but it was perfect for the nursing and the gentle swaying that she needed to soothe her to sleep.  By the end of pregnancy, she was no longer nursing, but she was very clingy before breakfast every day, and I found it impossible to cook breakfast with her hanging on my legs.  We started using our beanslings wrap conversion mei tai in a back carry, and our problem was solved.  Depending on my various pregnancy aches (I have some pre-existing health conditions that get worse during pregnancy), I would tie the mei tai different ways.
I am so glad that I was able to learn how to wear my toddler while pregnant.  Because I will have carried her during the whole pregnancy, it won’t be hard for me to transition to tandem wearing when I need to with the new baby, especially since I will have a newborn, a busy nineteen-month-old, and a curious three year old all at the same time.

Posted by Raagen