Only YOU Can Prevent Carrier Abuse

Our carriers are important tools in our parenting toolbox, but sometimes we forget that they are just cloth and shouldn't be treated as unbreakable.  Today we will learn from the abusive behavior others have accidentally subjected their carriers to in order to learn what to avoid.

Activity Abuse
Once our kids are toddlers, we have to find a way to carry carriers that aren't in use.  Some place them in the cart at the store.  This can result in carriers being accidentally left behind.  So, other parents choose to leave the carrier on their body hanging behind them.  This seems like a good solution, but you must be very cautious that the carrier does not get caught on something.

Soft Structure Carrier strap caught on railing as wearer continues walking

Stories abound of carrier straps caught on door knobs, railings, park benches, playground equipment, and more.  The wearer continues moving and can cause too much pressure on the carrier in a direction it is not designed to handle.

This Kinderpack was hanging behind the wearer when she went down a slide
at the playground.  It tore nearly in half.

When not using the carrier, it is best to either roll it at your waist or put the straps back on your shoulders to keep it from catching on environmental protrusions.  Or plan to bring a tote bag that it can go in when not in use.

Car Doors
Car doors can cause the same damage if a carrier around your waist is caught as you walk away, but the more common car door damage comes when the wearer places the carrier in the car and leaves a strap caught in the door.

Example of a strap left hanging out of a car door

Broken waist strap buckle on a Soft Structure Carrier

Buckles often are broken in car doors. 

Straps can be ruined dragging on the road as you drive.

The strap of this mei tai got wrapped around the wheel and tore completely out
 of the carrier with what the owner described as a terrifying pop

This SSC strap was dragged on the highway and completely destroyed the webbing

Food/Paint/Marker Abuse
The look of a carrier can quickly be destroyed by incautious behavior around foods, paints, or markers.  I've heard stories of carriers in the car that had a crayon thrown on them by a child which then melted all over the carrier in the heat. 


Mysterious blue stain on white carrier

 

Children and Pets

Children and pets can be very abusive to your carriers.  Cats, dogs, and rabbits to name a few have teeth, claws, and can very quickly destroy your favorite carriers.  It is important to store your carriers up off the floor where dogs cannot reach, or inside a drawer or bin to keep cats and other climbers away.  Velcro can also cause similar damage to cat claws, so be careful around Velcro items.

The guilty furry friend with the mei tai he snacked on behind him

This wrap is torn and has multiple holes thanks to a dog's teeth

The hood of this carrier tore off when the owners 4yr old pulled down on it while in use.

 

 

Laundry Disasters

Often people complain that the laundry recommendations for carriers seem excessively challenging.  However, carriers can and do get destroyed by improper washing.  Washing different types of carriers together can lead to buckles or zippers catching on fabric from wraps or slings.  Always wash carrier only with like styles and colors.

This linen wrap developed a large hole as the owner reached to make a seat.
 Linen dislikes hard water and the deposits can abrade the fibers causing tears.

This hemp wrap was exposed to excessive heat in the dryer.  It became brittle and easily tore.

 

Wool wraps will felt if wash improperly which means the fibers shrink and get fuzzy. 
This will make the wrap unsafe for use.

The agitator in top load washers can damage wraps and mei tais especially.  It is important to use a setting with minimal agitation for carriers.  Bleach can eat away at fabric even after the initial color damage is done.  Colors from multiple color carriers can sometimes run in the wash.  Shout Color Catchers are a good solution to this laundry disaster.

 

As you can see, there are many things you can do to cause your favorite carrier to be destroyed without meaning to damage it.  It is important to be on the lookout for potentially abusive behavior so that you can prevent damage before it happens.  Because only you can prevent carrier abuse.

 

Posted by Ann Marie

Thanks to all who provided pictures for this article (especially BWI of Phoenix)





Mei Tai Tying Tips

I often hear, "My mei tai is awesome, but sometimes the straps feel like they are slipping off my shoulders."

So, I put together this photo tutorial with some alternatives to the traditional "backpack style" straps.

1. Cross in front:

This can be uncomfortable for moms with larger breasts and can cause problems with clogged ducts if you are prone to them.  It is my husband's favorite way to tie though.

2. Chest Belt

This works just like a chest belt in a wrap if you are familiar with wrapping.  After bringing the straps over your shoulders,tie a half knot before heading back around.

3. Tying Tibetan

Take shoulder straps over and around like regular backpack straps, then instead of tying in front, cross one over your chest and thread through the opposite shoulder strap.  Repeat on other side.  If your shoulder straps are not long enough, you can untie the waist and do this with the waist straps instead.  That can be a great option for pregnant mamas to get the straps up away from your tummy.

Then tie (sorry, this pic it TOTALLY out of focus, but you get the idea).

 4. Or you can twist

Twist down the center of your chest until you get to a spot you feel comfortable taking them back around to tie off.

No matter what tweaks you use, don't give up on your mei tai until you've exhausted all of the possibilities for comfort.

Posted by Ann Marie

Babywearing Triplets: Each Baby is Unique

One of the first questions that people ask me when they come to a babywearing meeting is “What carrier should I get for my baby?” They are often looking for that magical answer that will work perfectly for their baby and their life. I also come across many parents who have a carrier but feel that it is not working for them and their child. There is no one size fits all answer for any parent and child or a particular carrier that is just right at a certain age. The right carrier is the one that works for a parent and their child and their lifestyle. When parents come to meetings we are able to teach them to adjust their carrier, often one that they thought did not work for them, to meet their needs, or give them a chance to explore their many options. Knowing your baby and the many ways to use your carrier can be the best tools for successful babywearing.
All these things have become blatantly obvious now that I have three very unique babies in my house. We always talk about how different our children are but it is amazing to see three babies, born on the same day from the same mom, and realize how they truly are individuals. I wear all of them in the same carrier but I wear each child differently, as they have different preferences.

E is an active little boy who loves to kick his legs and wants them out of the carrier, but he was still a bit too small to comfortably have them out of my Mei Tai. However, a good friend taught me a little trick, which was to put a hair elastic at the bottom of the Mei Tai to pull it in so it wasn’t so wide. That made it perfect for little E’s legs to be out and comfortable and still snuggling with mom.
Now R, on the other hand, is awake the most, very social and wants to see everything that is happening in our busy house. So, I put her forward facing (more on the controversial art of forward facing in a future blog). She went back and forth between liking her legs in or out of the carrier, so I continued to use the trick of synching the carrier with an elastic. And yes, I was changing her sister’s diaper while she was in the Mei Tai. That’s how life works when you have 3 babies!

S has remained a feet in the Mei Tai type girl, when in a front carry. My children have also begun to appreciate the back carry- as have I. Sometimes they enjoy it for the great view, and sometimes they just like to snuggle in and take a nap. And of course, around here, sometimes I am doing more than one carry at a time. It is so helpful to our budget to know that with just one carrier I can meet the individual needs of three sweet babies. It even works for big kids too! So stop by a meeting and we will put you on the path to babywearing success. 


Posted by Carolyn

Tutorial: Front Carry in a Mei Tai

Today we have a tutorial on using a mei tai (pronounced "may-tie") for a front carry. A mei tai can be used on the front, back, or hip and can be used for babies from newborn through todderhood. In this tutorial the babies are big enough to fairly easily have their legs out of this mei tai. If your baby is very small, he/she might prefer to be "squatting" or "froggied" in the carrier (similar to how a frog sits). You can also use a ribbon to narrow the base for an earlier legs out carry. If you do this, make sure the carrier supports all the way to baby's knees and that his knees are higher than his bottom.