tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13201813291518290812024-03-13T02:10:47.781-04:00Beltway BabywearersBeltway Babywearers: Metro DC Babywearing's BlogMetro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.comBlogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-42266044132950004672018-08-27T21:01:00.002-04:002018-08-27T21:11:04.089-04:00We Are Metro DC Babywearing!<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">To our DC-MD-VA babywearing community, per our August 17 announcement, we are now operating as a community support and babywearing playdate group under a new name, Metro DC Babywearing. We are continuing to work on the best way to move forward and will keep you updated.<br /><br />You can now find us on Facebook at </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MetroDCBabywearing/">https://www.facebook.com/MetroDCBabywearing/</a> and at our FSoT/Chatter group at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/MetroDCBabywearingChatter/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/MetroDCBabywearingChatter/</a>.</span></span>Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-37615294881228553892018-08-17T21:51:00.002-04:002018-08-17T21:51:37.043-04:00Important Announcement<div style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
To our Babywearing Community,</div>
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As you may have seen, Babywearing International announced today that they have filed for bankruptcy and will cease to exist as of August 31,2018. The BWI of DC-MD-VA board of directors are working quickly to figure out how to weather this transition. Our volunteers are investigating the feasibility of changing the DC-MD-VA chapter into an independent, non-profit organization that can continue to support babywearing in our community. Unfortunately, since our insurance coverage will terminate at the end of the month we cannot continue our regular services until we sort out new insurance and a new model. We are committed to continuing to serve this community and will update you as we know more.</div>
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What this means for the immediate future.<br />1) the name of this group will change as BWI will cease to exist.<br />2) Library check outs will be suspended effective immediately and will resume once we have next steps figured out. We appreciate your help in returning carriers by their due date so that we can conduct a full inventory.<br />3) Memberships will transfer to the new organization once we are able to resume lending. We will extend them based on the remaining time on each membership as of August 31.<br />3) All meetings scheduled after August 31 will be renamed babywearing play dates and there will be no official babywearing instruction. We will be there as peer support. We will also collect returned carriers. We will not have a full library of carriers but volunteers may bring personal carriers for others to try!<br />4) if anyone would like to volunteer their non-profit experience (particularly attorneys in Maryland or Virginia!), please message our public page.</div>
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We will likely rename our Facebook page and group so that it can continue to be the awesome support and resource that it is for this community/ We have an amazing group of dedicated volunteers that will continue to answer your questions and provide education through this transitional period. All of us are committed to continuing to provide support for babywearers in our community!<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />BWI of DC-MD-VA Board of Directors</div>
Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-44096656996513633032017-03-25T08:48:00.000-04:002017-03-25T09:57:26.141-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpI2Kq_StPlnfruDgzoYpDpDlcF8_S6fCt1iKSIpgo6q6v9NkxSutxIT4jhi5aAMIqWG1tknu2w8u8GVXotEYVubZHRoml5v5R6KWZ-8kmm5JhE7GpexBJBviebP81CqESH0CVR_lUg0V/s1600/17458163_1936425186588228_6230406901586389116_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Important announcement for our April meetings!" border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpI2Kq_StPlnfruDgzoYpDpDlcF8_S6fCt1iKSIpgo6q6v9NkxSutxIT4jhi5aAMIqWG1tknu2w8u8GVXotEYVubZHRoml5v5R6KWZ-8kmm5JhE7GpexBJBviebP81CqESH0CVR_lUg0V/s320/17458163_1936425186588228_6230406901586389116_n.jpg" title="Important announcement for our April meetings!" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hello BWI DC/MD/VA members!</div>
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We have some exciting news for all of you who enjoy the benefits of our lending libraries. In the last few months we have had some amazing new carriers donated to our group as well as the opportunity to purchase some additional new carriers direct from retailers at discounted BWI rates. We have new carriers from brands like Lillebaby, Tula, Wildbird, West of 4th Wovens, Kinderpack and more! We are very excited to get these carriers into our len<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">ding libraries so that you can all begin trying them out as soon as possible.</span></div>
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What this means for members:<br />
At our April meetings we invite you to come to our 101 demonstrations and try out any of our carriers, but we will not be offering check-outs. In order to get all of our new carriers into the libraries where they are most needed we will need to pull all of our carriers together and "shuffle" libraries. At this time we will also be assessing all of the carriers in our libraries for condition and safety and retiring any carriers that are just too well loved to continue as library carriers. This means that you will be seeing new and new-to-your-library carriers at your May meetings! Carrier check-outs will resume at all May meetings.</div>
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And a bonus:<br />
As our way of saying THANK YOU for bearing with us as we work to better serve you all we are going to offer an incentive to those members who want to check out carriers at our May 2017 meetings! Each member will have the opportunity to either check out one carrier for two months OR check out two carriers for one month. This is a great opportunity to try out a carrier made for the pool/beach just as summer starts.</div>
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Thank you again for your understanding! If you have any questions please feel free to email us at <span style="background-color: transparent;">dcmdva@babywearinginternational.org.</span></div>
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Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-3982618863619017262017-01-21T12:35:00.004-05:002017-01-21T12:35:52.570-05:00Feedback requested - 2017 Survey<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">H</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">appy 2017! Please help us serve you better. We would love to get a feel for how we can work and engage in our community (both online and in-person) most effectively. Please take a few minutes to complete our survey so that we can best meet your needs.<br /><br /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://goo.gl/forms/FNFx3f7iBDGqzpNl2&source=gmail&ust=1485106171979000&usg=AFQjCNG36a_CUy0Wkk9mS8N-M_wZX4airQ" href="https://goo.gl/forms/FNFx3f7iBDGqzpNl2" style="color: #202020;" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/forms/<wbr></wbr>FNFx3f7iBDGqzpNl2</a><br /><br />If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at dcmdva@babywearinginternational.org</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">-BWI of DC-MD-VA Board of Directors</span></strong></span>Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-81029313187778458052016-09-05T08:25:00.003-04:002016-09-05T08:25:34.758-04:00International Babywearing Week 2016: Best Seat in the House!<div class="_1dwg _1w_m" style="padding: 12px 12px 0px;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">International Babywearing Week 2016 Logo: Circular image of a baby in a sling with the text "Best Seat in the House"</td></tr>
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It’s that time of the year again! International Babywearing Week (IBW) 2016 begins next month—taking place October 5 through October 10! This year’s the theme is "Best Seat in the House” and we will have activities in D.C., Maryland and Virginia with the hope that you can attend<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> at least one. We also plan to have virtual activities for those who cannot participate in person.</span></div>
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IBW is observed annually by Babywearing International of DC-MD-VA and by babywearing groups around the world. The week is a great time to connect with babywearing friends outside of the frenzy of our monthly meetings. And chapter leadership also use the week as an opportunity to raise awareness about babywearing, to reach out to others who are less familiar with babywearing and to raise funds to support our mission.</div>
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We would not be able to celebrate IBW without you. We rely on members and friends to plan and host activities, to donate goods, services and skills for the auction, and to spread the word about our events. As we finalize and share our IBW plans, we would love for you to spread the word by posting about our events in your favorite online community group or parenting forum. We can even get you physical fliers to leave at the pediatrician’s office, to pass out at your next parenting meeting or to hang on the board at your library or favorite coffee shop.</div>
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As a final note, IBW is also a time that Babywearing International of DC-MD-VA ramps up promoting our participation in the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area (CFC) that takes place annually for federal workers. We are a CFC charity and our number is 60645. We ask that this year you “Show Some Love” and keep us in mind during the giving season. And please share the word with the federal employees in your life.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyapOPa2-qATjDdtwD5j4GCkR7kX2wV7O3lwXIvRmyOb7CuzrKmPiKToemnRqu2pgs1f9I9Fq3d4MWYxMn0YDCZHjfO3FyWSAzekXuLW3sk9pLovaCAciv6zF3QFRxItTKrXtKF9W9nyI/s1600/show+some+love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 22.08px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyapOPa2-qATjDdtwD5j4GCkR7kX2wV7O3lwXIvRmyOb7CuzrKmPiKToemnRqu2pgs1f9I9Fq3d4MWYxMn0YDCZHjfO3FyWSAzekXuLW3sk9pLovaCAciv6zF3QFRxItTKrXtKF9W9nyI/s200/show+some+love.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">circular logo of white text on blue background reading 'show some Love"</td></tr>
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Please check back with us here and on the events tab on Facebook for further details!</div>
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Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-68701453850041191182016-07-11T06:35:00.003-04:002016-07-11T06:36:32.739-04:00Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-33705737833868839932016-07-11T06:35:00.002-04:002016-07-11T06:36:28.925-04:00Supporting your local babywearing group, the simple wayThe chapter’s group leadership is very excited to announce an upcoming fundraising<br />
<br />
campaign with hopes that members and friends will offer their support. It’s the easiest<br />
<br />
fundraiser the group has initiated in a while—there’s nothing for members to buy, bid on,<br />
<br />
buy a ticket to, or show up for! You simply make a donation and know that your local<br />
<br />
babywearing community is grateful for your contribution, no matter how big or small.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>$5 can cover the cost of having a carrier cleaned</li>
<li>$20 can pay for two months of online software subscription</li>
<li>$30 can pay for a budget carrier for one of the “learning libraries”</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3K54K6vVJXORM9IniCDFmCXi53_o9pFsCFKvhA0qI_7ysLd3o-xCOrhV_gEUFU8fMn1KGZetyyWXqiVONTiZi2gcOZZima-0SSKTpJlaVz0gQTEUfmGkXlDZNV8x6Gc7yPGo4MgPuq7WP/s1600/fundraising+blog+1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3K54K6vVJXORM9IniCDFmCXi53_o9pFsCFKvhA0qI_7ysLd3o-xCOrhV_gEUFU8fMn1KGZetyyWXqiVONTiZi2gcOZZima-0SSKTpJlaVz0gQTEUfmGkXlDZNV8x6Gc7yPGo4MgPuq7WP/s320/fundraising+blog+1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Ways that you can support the chapter during this fundraising </b><b>campaign</b><br />
<br />
From July 10 through August 8, the chapter will host a fundraising campaign. During that<br />
<br />
time the goal is to raise $400 ($100 each week of the campaign). And there are easy ways<br />
<br />
for you to make a contribution to the organization’s mission:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Send an electronic payment via to Paypal DCMDVA@babywearinginternational.org</li>
<li>Mail a check or money order to the group at P.O. Box 3551, Merrifield, VA 22116</li>
<li>Give cash or a check in-person at one of the following monthly meetings:</li>
<ul>
<li>Thursday, July 14 at Bethesda</li>
<li> Saturday, July 16 at D.C.</li>
<li>Saturday July 23 at Bethesda</li>
<li>Thursday, July 28 at Springfield</li>
<li> Wednesday, August 3 at Tysons</li>
<li> Friday, August 5 at Centreville</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0NCY2sc-GSgjaGOqT5L0INEQYazWsw3RPYLTbEqn0FSKCh0Gh-Ef1cbs3R6yEB2KX46oiTwtxqw5tSiFqYilvNF2oNMZXM6GGyueagxC9PSUG7uQRr6ZUNcL-tUoPIC8_4jfPPbn0oZz/s1600/cwvDm9asA3Lw9ZNWAbl5esWjAA+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0NCY2sc-GSgjaGOqT5L0INEQYazWsw3RPYLTbEqn0FSKCh0Gh-Ef1cbs3R6yEB2KX46oiTwtxqw5tSiFqYilvNF2oNMZXM6GGyueagxC9PSUG7uQRr6ZUNcL-tUoPIC8_4jfPPbn0oZz/s400/cwvDm9asA3Lw9ZNWAbl5esWjAA+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>What happens to the funds that the group raises?</b><br />
<br />
You may be interested in knowing what will happen to any donation you send during this<br />
<br />
fundraising campaign. Below are some of the ways that the group spends money.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Support for the national organization</li>
<ul>
<li>All affiliated chapters remit a portion of their membership fees and donations to Babywearing International.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Technology</li>
<ul>
<li> Affiliated chapters pay monthly fees for online software to track who has borrowed a carrier, when the carrier is due, to help figure out overdue fees for carriers not returned on time, and to track membership.</li>
<li> A couple of years ago, the chapter found a great sale and invested in tablets so that group volunteers did not have to use personal devices at meetings.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<br />
<ul>
<li>Carriers</li>
<ul>
<li> Did you know that the group has over 350 carriers spread among its multiple “learning libraries?” Group leadership takes advantage of special discounts targeted to babywearing educators, and volunteers have a special knack for finding quality carriers at modest price. Carriers more than five years old have recently been removed from the lending libraries.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByXfhrprwTAh4CUu1P5My5ehdSv2tCFMEDqWa7OcVmNU9h3QbtVhDePV_mcaqtt6zpwvN2D2foK5WutTPEkb3tnMYmbfPiAPUtlqxEAjjqD3HM5go3noQVllcZznnkvXw-f2P1oTx-vDP/s1600/cwvDm9asA3Lw9ZNWAbl5esXDcQ+%25283%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByXfhrprwTAh4CUu1P5My5ehdSv2tCFMEDqWa7OcVmNU9h3QbtVhDePV_mcaqtt6zpwvN2D2foK5WutTPEkb3tnMYmbfPiAPUtlqxEAjjqD3HM5go3noQVllcZznnkvXw-f2P1oTx-vDP/s400/cwvDm9asA3Lw9ZNWAbl5esXDcQ+%25283%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li> Demo dolls</li>
<ul>
<li> These are weighted dolls that simulate a real infant or child. They come in handy for teaching demonstrations and for use by families who are expecting and who come to meetings without an actual baby to wear. Recently, the group bought some professional demo dolls. Chapter leaders often use their own money and resources to convert a regular doll into a demo doll. Leaders sometimes find that at the busiest monthly meetings that there are not enough demo dolls around for the hands-on portion of the meeting.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNka-Vp7vVwAqOLqoQGfrfqWSyTLZKFrKWcaDMJ7Am753ENC9VQQy-wWVA7FHedkcJaSssISoa5EkwOyxTfByLCloEuY6lWojls-pbbfaZ5grl3o__k7EqWitjVzNlEttrHyYKh4hRvD8/s1600/cwvDm9asA3Lw9ZNWAbl5esWjAA+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNka-Vp7vVwAqOLqoQGfrfqWSyTLZKFrKWcaDMJ7Am753ENC9VQQy-wWVA7FHedkcJaSssISoa5EkwOyxTfByLCloEuY6lWojls-pbbfaZ5grl3o__k7EqWitjVzNlEttrHyYKh4hRvD8/s640/cwvDm9asA3Lw9ZNWAbl5esWjAA+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Written materials</li>
<ul>
<li>The chapter maintains a supply of brochures, pamphlets, and business cards. The written material is made available at the monthly meetings and at outreach events that the group attends.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8_ctaEvLXT9kp_yBTratrrM-DgmgSy2Msg2syho9q_KBkZDXxszs-EC5tiYI_H4j8LJFSFUsB67aPImJVdnwoueV-HAV_wRX_O8YDJX5jYjlr1o5RiXhQZYXaU2A98UBOTwgOc4b63hU/s1600/cwvDm9asA3Lw9ZNWAbl5esWjAA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8_ctaEvLXT9kp_yBTratrrM-DgmgSy2Msg2syho9q_KBkZDXxszs-EC5tiYI_H4j8LJFSFUsB67aPImJVdnwoueV-HAV_wRX_O8YDJX5jYjlr1o5RiXhQZYXaU2A98UBOTwgOc4b63hU/s400/cwvDm9asA3Lw9ZNWAbl5esWjAA.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<b>Why you should feel great about donating</b><br />
<br />
Think about the caregivers who are new to babywearing and come to a meeting just to<br />
<br />
figure it all out. What about the person who comes to troubleshoot a carrier they own, but<br />
<br />
can’t figure out how to use? And there are also parents who come to meetings to take a<br />
<br />
break from being inside and to see new faces or hear an encouraging word. Some families<br />
<br />
are experienced babywearers looking to borrow a carrier to use for a special event or<br />
<br />
family outing.<br />
<br />
This community has existed so long because of enthusiastic members, loyal friends, great<br />
<br />
supporters, and tireless volunteers. Collectively, this chapter is supported by everyone’s<br />
<br />
efforts in a number of ways. We advertise the meetings by word of mouth and in<br />
<br />
parenting groups, attend member-initiated play dates to get to know one another better,<br />
<br />
and show up to chapter-supported events. We have impromptu after-meeting meals<br />
<br />
together, seek and share advice and tips online, and volunteer our talents and resources as<br />
<br />
time allows.<br />
<br />
The reality is that it takes more than people power and our love of babywearing to keep<br />
<br />
our group running effectively. Sometimes the group has fundraisers in order to pay for<br />
<br />
the supplies and tools needed to support our mission. And we hope that you will support<br />
<br />
this community by giving to this fundraising campaign.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG59YXw-uxRhMLX3ELGBhX7QGDIS9jpSGhyphenhyphenlh8FQW-qES54X-J-YMTBzpnpttDw_3dE6FwMPxlv_mWbDcluP8930JZc5GCRDocMEt-83BJ3xYP1ni7ZYebz1AhlRBI5jYKqjp5BVbUmNyH/s1600/cwvDm9asA3Lw9ZNWAbl5esXLPQ.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG59YXw-uxRhMLX3ELGBhX7QGDIS9jpSGhyphenhyphenlh8FQW-qES54X-J-YMTBzpnpttDw_3dE6FwMPxlv_mWbDcluP8930JZc5GCRDocMEt-83BJ3xYP1ni7ZYebz1AhlRBI5jYKqjp5BVbUmNyH/s400/cwvDm9asA3Lw9ZNWAbl5esXLPQ.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-72728264208860512282016-07-04T13:08:00.001-04:002016-07-04T13:09:32.458-04:00More Red, White, and Blue--worn by you!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Marion shared with us a few photos. This is her with a baby on her front in a wrap conversion Oscha Cairis. Lovely shades of blue.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkd0fD2fYDkWQlg9_f3UXX62sP3hT2IXwmS5IRaYAQHkF27I57A6TsH7CmPTC6cjrSlqmsjvzPrLycefPHzl5G_P1Y3w7xq1qjnCwTb3VA5Zq2RY6vZ9V2fOsEvSbaGHugvYvF265BUgbY/s1600/13406703_10101751670764669_7463263482688974178_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkd0fD2fYDkWQlg9_f3UXX62sP3hT2IXwmS5IRaYAQHkF27I57A6TsH7CmPTC6cjrSlqmsjvzPrLycefPHzl5G_P1Y3w7xq1qjnCwTb3VA5Zq2RY6vZ9V2fOsEvSbaGHugvYvF265BUgbY/s320/13406703_10101751670764669_7463263482688974178_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Next shows the same mom and baby in a Tiny Tiger Baby American Beauty, a white wrap in a front cross carry. THe baby is asleep with a hand tucked by the cheek. So adorable!</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxfztte1UDQ8E1EFSjqF631cvRbygNKEl76yxTTqq4nrYrp4UGiBW_gq626HKoPSPuPln2Lg_NkjcLPZOxW8ygZBAYBYaWAD-evNVKvJIa2SrMzvJ-3FvIWMIO1p2baOgTztP2RsMOieT/s1600/13335748_10101751669666869_377455032776679202_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxfztte1UDQ8E1EFSjqF631cvRbygNKEl76yxTTqq4nrYrp4UGiBW_gq626HKoPSPuPln2Lg_NkjcLPZOxW8ygZBAYBYaWAD-evNVKvJIa2SrMzvJ-3FvIWMIO1p2baOgTztP2RsMOieT/s320/13335748_10101751669666869_377455032776679202_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
The baby is looking at the camera and does not appear to be impressed while mom wraps in a Kokoskaa Marshmallow Pebbles. Let's home the baby was unhappy with the time of day and not the wrap itself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_l6TzMy-iBk0pcl_5m5_wX_6MsyABLrJRhz4sqB5H8smIhCmu1Ud4NxZLYnyJ3AUv-Y1TMi-Ulds6TIDBXoBR0IaTbX2sPLIaQXYtEeEC2hffpSE0z54Hiuydezr9AzOqfs5extzdcGv0/s1600/13330992_10101751674577029_4833220448856328156_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_l6TzMy-iBk0pcl_5m5_wX_6MsyABLrJRhz4sqB5H8smIhCmu1Ud4NxZLYnyJ3AUv-Y1TMi-Ulds6TIDBXoBR0IaTbX2sPLIaQXYtEeEC2hffpSE0z54Hiuydezr9AzOqfs5extzdcGv0/s320/13330992_10101751674577029_4833220448856328156_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>Jordan shares a snuggly photo of her in a 2012 white/offwhite pamir with an adorable sleeping baby</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1MHAQNsjmcQ9XJC3MuJY0Ch6W8WAuw1SEsHmBjLwQ4iegp8KYdKgV012peYwBufcS09UHFaK_TjRVrlBI6dgcEtnXsOs07NFoZQ1F_zr_GGKhyphenhyphenVfRuALdV5COIzCQ8I4a2MpXY9pv8NM/s1600/12871470_900863286726679_4039303280606643596_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1MHAQNsjmcQ9XJC3MuJY0Ch6W8WAuw1SEsHmBjLwQ4iegp8KYdKgV012peYwBufcS09UHFaK_TjRVrlBI6dgcEtnXsOs07NFoZQ1F_zr_GGKhyphenhyphenVfRuALdV5COIzCQ8I4a2MpXY9pv8NM/s320/12871470_900863286726679_4039303280606643596_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Stephanie H and son look calm and serene in a blue ssc standing near trees and runing water.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZy4V6ryRcoUNDOzzQfrrG93-r7hgncJRVnpoxba19RywKUm724S-GoNMlzJ7aPXzhH2ONrfFqP9gaWE6E3GuYuF-4AtFBnFNfqsPfHmM9bvBPL8irN05pA0pq6kuW9nBfm0-BV0Y_Jqk/s1600/13316966_229249730795149_1018455494918739554_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZy4V6ryRcoUNDOzzQfrrG93-r7hgncJRVnpoxba19RywKUm724S-GoNMlzJ7aPXzhH2ONrfFqP9gaWE6E3GuYuF-4AtFBnFNfqsPfHmM9bvBPL8irN05pA0pq6kuW9nBfm0-BV0Y_Jqk/s320/13316966_229249730795149_1018455494918739554_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Araceli shared a selfie of her and and child in a Lillebaby carryon in blue and white hearts. Both are wearing blue with a bright white background. I feel like I'm looking at a modern minimalist blog the colors are so vivid.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEbLps1NpRvTRVBBDrAcqDjYM94zqwPIQhtB_rlHypg6be_JHb8rk5F4FjH6ayNSDVaLYCGwl4QDdloUZZS7cv-4zLYPOujae_oE_E-0b7l6ZixuDdDm4T_0t0yqiUWNqlj8dMcglmwYL/s1600/13319802_10209563384981438_2203453181279049083_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEbLps1NpRvTRVBBDrAcqDjYM94zqwPIQhtB_rlHypg6be_JHb8rk5F4FjH6ayNSDVaLYCGwl4QDdloUZZS7cv-4zLYPOujae_oE_E-0b7l6ZixuDdDm4T_0t0yqiUWNqlj8dMcglmwYL/s320/13319802_10209563384981438_2203453181279049083_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lindsy M shows us her her Glory wrap and bamberoo wc.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHh7trlSp21-L9YUQTQKEwy4dQfY5i9Gs9SulSeeBHVQmZpANRP8Jr_fe6wAy3ui9KSVouSeaDgj7v8W7H-dhslpaNt_czVG2dcSp6EzxFqlh0e3gDIXlWldzgwMmPrQWy4b1EtmV9Apgt/s1600/13321734_10156963812275576_1629909800735804021_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHh7trlSp21-L9YUQTQKEwy4dQfY5i9Gs9SulSeeBHVQmZpANRP8Jr_fe6wAy3ui9KSVouSeaDgj7v8W7H-dhslpaNt_czVG2dcSp6EzxFqlh0e3gDIXlWldzgwMmPrQWy4b1EtmV9Apgt/s320/13321734_10156963812275576_1629909800735804021_n.jpg" width="180" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVM52fokqRjmRsalHBlA_2S8M0NEhw3lJWfyhqKMhJxpSz11R7D5cXP6rQeeJVytObwnvhSmr75uiqtbQxaAF5KLtwx7JlxHa0XPdbNuwWyLANjUXWhdUEUIGkY750Th3u379KMi89TG2/s1600/13331040_10156963814400576_2244907122234688365_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVM52fokqRjmRsalHBlA_2S8M0NEhw3lJWfyhqKMhJxpSz11R7D5cXP6rQeeJVytObwnvhSmr75uiqtbQxaAF5KLtwx7JlxHa0XPdbNuwWyLANjUXWhdUEUIGkY750Th3u379KMi89TG2/s320/13331040_10156963814400576_2244907122234688365_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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Genevieve shares a photo of a one day old baby in a red mei tai; a six month old baby in the same red Snugli used by her grandmother and the baby wrapped on her front in a blue Storch warp </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4NGIFuf6juVwInUVH7eXmBC8Ii1ztmuncfZ02sSH5zWQkUIkQrA9EmqD1d_wHusgCacTO05lUnYcIVWO_lcBF2jy5zK7gYfhMgGOqw8G0iUjL6SuQkpfwr4JFed3Z-MJOrDAj4On1_TW/s1600/13319943_10208383574879535_7475955744216681609_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4NGIFuf6juVwInUVH7eXmBC8Ii1ztmuncfZ02sSH5zWQkUIkQrA9EmqD1d_wHusgCacTO05lUnYcIVWO_lcBF2jy5zK7gYfhMgGOqw8G0iUjL6SuQkpfwr4JFed3Z-MJOrDAj4On1_TW/s320/13319943_10208383574879535_7475955744216681609_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZTuly883QtAxq2xuO7o2brUaXZPKqjLkildxoGU8Lo-1tVK8vAtMLdS-QjlUc4u2QYQ1_lSn5WewJPhlc9tG_wsoyY7jxayBoKOoNAdho8C_7cQ0hEMjRQ9UjXQOxx11vsGt5ZzFWKYI/s1600/13332879_10208383581119691_4218850439307931272_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZTuly883QtAxq2xuO7o2brUaXZPKqjLkildxoGU8Lo-1tVK8vAtMLdS-QjlUc4u2QYQ1_lSn5WewJPhlc9tG_wsoyY7jxayBoKOoNAdho8C_7cQ0hEMjRQ9UjXQOxx11vsGt5ZzFWKYI/s320/13332879_10208383581119691_4218850439307931272_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJz7-JVmjyRpgeV84z1Vya-mmZV5-Eb87rhkRswVYZ_FI9lF6qQHMIRsW3JJpkcWRZtlEbCsj49U8KwX5scjkoqjXaG-iS5lQA7erUKcXxvScQSt0qX84x2uzpUW_vRgG7agWbOvdRZIM/s1600/13413548_10208383589359897_3360409925489043044_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJz7-JVmjyRpgeV84z1Vya-mmZV5-Eb87rhkRswVYZ_FI9lF6qQHMIRsW3JJpkcWRZtlEbCsj49U8KwX5scjkoqjXaG-iS5lQA7erUKcXxvScQSt0qX84x2uzpUW_vRgG7agWbOvdRZIM/s320/13413548_10208383589359897_3360409925489043044_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Morgan shoes us its possible to wear patriotic colors and be a Wisconsin cheese head at the same time while she stands in the airport wearing a Lenny Lamp stars blue and grey ssc.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7AbyJOnPSJPpBDmNm0BRtVKh5J-edbuICf_TiXo0CCAisokShSBoQGlo-ew1q7bzD4lLxQqCfprUYwnPBVkXNoM3DwXhTiciYJYpO4ODkLeSVDoWsEBMedxWdhUjLB1BYp9JXWL0PPKQ/s1600/13336121_10100138291724292_4233340926117300646_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7AbyJOnPSJPpBDmNm0BRtVKh5J-edbuICf_TiXo0CCAisokShSBoQGlo-ew1q7bzD4lLxQqCfprUYwnPBVkXNoM3DwXhTiciYJYpO4ODkLeSVDoWsEBMedxWdhUjLB1BYp9JXWL0PPKQ/s320/13336121_10100138291724292_4233340926117300646_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Meredith confirms the headgear makes the photo as she stands with her daughter in a blue wrap. The baby is wearing a patriotic headband in blue and white stars with red and white stripes!</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkv2DThbkcVJGG_7zVY-c8bRiyZlx3sI_ojPpNScEc-s0dJQXo4tC3lCxqM-yznuJ17H_etjbiBpfaWyFXYUGMVgUx4FO2l9jEmToffkJKhz-digdeNpmveSYlC9hxb0obZCWeTeljBQIW/s1600/13406891_876314449140558_7826084637024758155_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkv2DThbkcVJGG_7zVY-c8bRiyZlx3sI_ojPpNScEc-s0dJQXo4tC3lCxqM-yznuJ17H_etjbiBpfaWyFXYUGMVgUx4FO2l9jEmToffkJKhz-digdeNpmveSYlC9hxb0obZCWeTeljBQIW/s320/13406891_876314449140558_7826084637024758155_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Lacey wraps in a wool Natibaby autumn blaze for extra cush and wicking in the summer heat while running errands</div>
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Ellen manages a toddler and a baby on a walk in a light colored Didymos Indio</div>
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Thank you to all the members who shared photos with us in celebration of Independence Day. Are you snapping any photos today? We'd be happy to see and share more of our membership's activities with you!</div>
<br />Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-51866798809309982852016-07-03T23:36:00.001-04:002016-07-03T23:36:45.468-04:00Happy Birthday America!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The members of our Facebook chatter group responded enthusiastically when we asked for photos of green carriers for St. Patrick's Day and were just as enthusiastic posting pictures for July 4th, the US Independence Day. They posted pictures of red, white, and/or blue carriers and we're happy to share them with our readers!</div>
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Laura M<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQynN1WQG6_caApMGvY4K4FG19kgyAt3441CJpN79GJGWRUJxWZk6WmUqTx9soTr8mSu2-9hy0XWjUwwCGlIlI2YRami9fNEobzpuqckndWpb8gSV42usxZy16BVLc_l5tOkGYOfgbxq6/s1600/13413103_10103650470419953_7887627807887868073_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQynN1WQG6_caApMGvY4K4FG19kgyAt3441CJpN79GJGWRUJxWZk6WmUqTx9soTr8mSu2-9hy0XWjUwwCGlIlI2YRami9fNEobzpuqckndWpb8gSV42usxZy16BVLc_l5tOkGYOfgbxq6/s320/13413103_10103650470419953_7887627807887868073_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lincoln Memorial in the background with brown haired woman in a Pavo Otomi Geranium wrap facing away from the camera in the foreground</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzY8Y6RZTxGiRY1vfQkQ3QQH7A3qOXC1VwiiT28Y9YWSL8I4CDjLAWEf_5Qxnezw6dIdBTkCENJj4dJrPCoQMnQWECrzMo8Nk5VvJMZRsqQxgyTrm-SQK4Zoj-4VPIB9OgTBV4dq7TXcuO/s1600/blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzY8Y6RZTxGiRY1vfQkQ3QQH7A3qOXC1VwiiT28Y9YWSL8I4CDjLAWEf_5Qxnezw6dIdBTkCENJj4dJrPCoQMnQWECrzMo8Nk5VvJMZRsqQxgyTrm-SQK4Zoj-4VPIB9OgTBV4dq7TXcuO/s320/blog2.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washington Monument and <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">reflecting pool in background. Crowd of pedestrians in middle ground and brown haired woman in a Pavo Otomi Geranium wrap facing way from the camera in the foreground</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Terri L<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDS1wOcVP2KNLd6OfTuLXPvwtyVQDY4nObwT0QWUVJaansXg4sfHFO_Ez8j4JV4BMjwuJOW81_AqUQFpHFzPX50P9-TtVrJ7cmaW0CSGqx6ooObRfVw_08_Tq_3_zcTz1uMyhHhpArG3H/s1600/13394180_10208823215084925_2958346017415949562_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDS1wOcVP2KNLd6OfTuLXPvwtyVQDY4nObwT0QWUVJaansXg4sfHFO_Ez8j4JV4BMjwuJOW81_AqUQFpHFzPX50P9-TtVrJ7cmaW0CSGqx6ooObRfVw_08_Tq_3_zcTz1uMyhHhpArG3H/s320/13394180_10208823215084925_2958346017415949562_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terri stands in a parking lot with her daughter in a front carry in a whales kinderpack</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-OXhRb_kyXDjpEJtSB_YgKaK_kfVYaUhlg-4a8Y_9Eqi93nqS3XT3FgvkMc5QjTsRka7IA2-SiCStyR87Oy4IcV0fSYN5vA8ohyphenhyphen1tDKfWDdWjW_TzMilqUU12nnfq8W5S5E3VY817UMO4/s1600/terri2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-OXhRb_kyXDjpEJtSB_YgKaK_kfVYaUhlg-4a8Y_9Eqi93nqS3XT3FgvkMc5QjTsRka7IA2-SiCStyR87Oy4IcV0fSYN5vA8ohyphenhyphen1tDKfWDdWjW_TzMilqUU12nnfq8W5S5E3VY817UMO4/s320/terri2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terri takes a selfie with a toddler in a red Didymos wrap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgYndTQzZnor1UNXSTfLt9kqljrD7agpm5FnHGRI8mACVIMSp0MEy7vF5oPH6-AhkJnzGFZrn_d_HelMQP6pYjoEWC87ykuCBH6zKMb-5Am1t-l_tmSRCBrnHu-GmNRAFKhn0DuVMCIOa/s1600/terri%2527s+mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgYndTQzZnor1UNXSTfLt9kqljrD7agpm5FnHGRI8mACVIMSp0MEy7vF5oPH6-AhkJnzGFZrn_d_HelMQP6pYjoEWC87ykuCBH6zKMb-5Am1t-l_tmSRCBrnHu-GmNRAFKhn0DuVMCIOa/s400/terri%2527s+mom.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terri's mom wears a newborn in a blue linen ring sling</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />This is just a few of the pictures submitted for the Independence Day celebrations. Look back later in the day for more photos from our membership!<div>
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Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-64314407721493232302016-03-17T11:07:00.000-04:002016-07-17T11:35:51.405-04:00The Wearing o' (or in) the GreenIt's St. Patrick's Day! We asked our members to share their photos of using green carriers, and you all obliged with a wide variety of greens. Maybe even 40 shades of green?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ee0qDiU_N6IL0I5bRkSzqyXLJUNBUOdse1hI-JU7gLQs_GLKU5_yxYJzTJzOfwUXS4lMccYIXpjoOj3yjX2JZ3JSTaaUSKCdn2vtP3B8q3oae3ktyCFELEMT1HiPZlN9lET5WbEr9QA9/s1600/IMG00021-20110305-1318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ee0qDiU_N6IL0I5bRkSzqyXLJUNBUOdse1hI-JU7gLQs_GLKU5_yxYJzTJzOfwUXS4lMccYIXpjoOj3yjX2JZ3JSTaaUSKCdn2vtP3B8q3oae3ktyCFELEMT1HiPZlN9lET5WbEr9QA9/s320/IMG00021-20110305-1318.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The backs of a man and woman wearing a baby and toddler in a St. Patrick's Day parade</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXKsFueLHRbPpb-57PbKfxWRxN_tST9ltSYNqMCjZ6Ngfuez0Cnz301JCdgx3IcNe1x4oxb_Bt2OrgnIXmqF9I-LHbkyGpddInPcZ98kRb-l9nQx4tE3dQikerbVhrNRtjMQHyHv9yO0v/s1600/Ergobig1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXKsFueLHRbPpb-57PbKfxWRxN_tST9ltSYNqMCjZ6Ngfuez0Cnz301JCdgx3IcNe1x4oxb_Bt2OrgnIXmqF9I-LHbkyGpddInPcZ98kRb-l9nQx4tE3dQikerbVhrNRtjMQHyHv9yO0v/s320/Ergobig1.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mom wears a toddler in a green Ergo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SptiKvm24JDCokg0EkKWdgJztYgktQ_YdE3S_crB1vKjKV9GVGXSF6JONf-3ld3azNUoYJYuUKp8LYh8xPARuLyxemx9W-3hH_1H5Mx-2lI-LG4p-B7C9ktnbdXDYxql6JiPWEHrzieu/s1600/10644991_10101053535897500_1587222771385776288_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SptiKvm24JDCokg0EkKWdgJztYgktQ_YdE3S_crB1vKjKV9GVGXSF6JONf-3ld3azNUoYJYuUKp8LYh8xPARuLyxemx9W-3hH_1H5Mx-2lI-LG4p-B7C9ktnbdXDYxql6JiPWEHrzieu/s320/10644991_10101053535897500_1587222771385776288_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only the baby is visible in this green and yellow sling</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfTiy1fwU7zDE4dsANyAHELbtoSUfzRu2h9uhNJexgNG_hFJeAqpsD7I7modvWinAgrHP2mh9luDwnjDrVhFuMlu7TFErlyCauCBmRLnFiw7VCMDxMqjYJfwxyJjFRlu7IVGJu-YJp7Iu/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfTiy1fwU7zDE4dsANyAHELbtoSUfzRu2h9uhNJexgNG_hFJeAqpsD7I7modvWinAgrHP2mh9luDwnjDrVhFuMlu7TFErlyCauCBmRLnFiw7VCMDxMqjYJfwxyJjFRlu7IVGJu-YJp7Iu/s320/4.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby worn on back in a green wrap with brown birds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYY-aOUpAc-Y-7-SPIBqGtqstYzH-QcC08wO5V9wuBO-BjjQ48FqFhu-Nu0MUHZSfVXfR46hDozLp_-mGKuWnFjtYiPfvz7oYU3oPMqsLLbsK7WWaT50lcnVlMPH8Ay5q3qBWLRvyGn8s4/s1600/12439380_10103995030408891_6863914522978445272_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYY-aOUpAc-Y-7-SPIBqGtqstYzH-QcC08wO5V9wuBO-BjjQ48FqFhu-Nu0MUHZSfVXfR46hDozLp_-mGKuWnFjtYiPfvz7oYU3oPMqsLLbsK7WWaT50lcnVlMPH8Ay5q3qBWLRvyGn8s4/s320/12439380_10103995030408891_6863914522978445272_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mom takes selfie over her <br />
shoulder of baby on back in light green wrap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyvxFTlBdNa8k_TUoUtSSOdk9bMdT-WBJ2mwQKlBDFJwAPwSYzkBvuIQGpwJ2NO53HO1P5MySQunycaglKhUgxsBJxw_tW-nxupplw7d4nRlf4_1-isNRAmCOXXfk0L52co1bh3AlWS6d/s1600/12744699_10100796028349608_4676271535769890518_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyvxFTlBdNa8k_TUoUtSSOdk9bMdT-WBJ2mwQKlBDFJwAPwSYzkBvuIQGpwJ2NO53HO1P5MySQunycaglKhUgxsBJxw_tW-nxupplw7d4nRlf4_1-isNRAmCOXXfk0L52co1bh3AlWS6d/s320/12744699_10100796028349608_4676271535769890518_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom wears in a green wrap off camera. Baby and llama and<br />
another woman are visible</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GGhkC3a579u37zV_OVAcmfuvQ3QQRbhNXgaFw-3SUoXxi_xpn-mTzAjChiPeUxmqX5L22I3jLptbuMLWKcRo0s2X_qgMSHUvktNgXtcnKBjJhyphenhyphenXtVziYw7wkH81y2AwtFnsS5nJc3alF/s1600/12778666_10101067907985692_7563186415160761676_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GGhkC3a579u37zV_OVAcmfuvQ3QQRbhNXgaFw-3SUoXxi_xpn-mTzAjChiPeUxmqX5L22I3jLptbuMLWKcRo0s2X_qgMSHUvktNgXtcnKBjJhyphenhyphenXtVziYw7wkH81y2AwtFnsS5nJc3alF/s320/12778666_10101067907985692_7563186415160761676_o.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom wears newborn in dark olive sling</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPpfkFNbKmqPGsc2ChndXq7HPJBXVicdxFq0Rr2YM37Zb_l4KPJN49P9iYMMIbr4oj5tHeB791R6nrT_vU45XoiHKGdwScX3FQ3rNQIhsl2Ar0mVJ8FRYJLpyhH3aTazCfWoNYTuys2WZ/s1600/1002241_10152055514734768_506799443_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPpfkFNbKmqPGsc2ChndXq7HPJBXVicdxFq0Rr2YM37Zb_l4KPJN49P9iYMMIbr4oj5tHeB791R6nrT_vU45XoiHKGdwScX3FQ3rNQIhsl2Ar0mVJ8FRYJLpyhH3aTazCfWoNYTuys2WZ/s320/1002241_10152055514734768_506799443_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom wears dark skinned toddler in green dot KP</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGQaetVNFZqewZaikyEoZoznAwrVRVU6w0fNSEUcgP0IwYY0pJSJk0t8trfdqECwKKgPUqz7chgV9b_AgadpcK19Hc7KvkRuzQarqJGV6-A1ShhOGVe1t6UUHaREqvCuxDCLh9bzYxpqT/s1600/12771688_10101230874269965_5696567373823825387_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGQaetVNFZqewZaikyEoZoznAwrVRVU6w0fNSEUcgP0IwYY0pJSJk0t8trfdqECwKKgPUqz7chgV9b_AgadpcK19Hc7KvkRuzQarqJGV6-A1ShhOGVe1t6UUHaREqvCuxDCLh9bzYxpqT/s320/12771688_10101230874269965_5696567373823825387_o.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad in kitchen wears toddler in front in a<br />
green starry night wrap conversion carrier</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjms3hbX12m8y1xf7HEHwZZcSu-oylE8QDRovVflBiw3-F5IxcKoiG0xnXXZXJqOMlbFkOqAQDFsNJusEAsDFy8FVnvKYaZ4sb6nOzvXIm8I_4LWbOPapM_CRINZGRJKr48XejJLP_armha/s1600/12791034_10154623777691038_150470278291335244_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjms3hbX12m8y1xf7HEHwZZcSu-oylE8QDRovVflBiw3-F5IxcKoiG0xnXXZXJqOMlbFkOqAQDFsNJusEAsDFy8FVnvKYaZ4sb6nOzvXIm8I_4LWbOPapM_CRINZGRJKr48XejJLP_armha/s320/12791034_10154623777691038_150470278291335244_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiling mom wears<br />
smiling young toddler in white and green Tekhni</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmbiTth4fjqOGRNGfDN07NOZMwkr-UftQInLyQ6lvtbcO1v720uje8IKJUn1b7PV7oDmNSBo2YHRItiM5TpkLJgE8KeG0-0KCMAxl2roid5sFipetGhk9fzDjZP4uS_Xcq58I4F2Iw6W7/s1600/12794419_10100796028489328_821084997002472503_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmbiTth4fjqOGRNGfDN07NOZMwkr-UftQInLyQ6lvtbcO1v720uje8IKJUn1b7PV7oDmNSBo2YHRItiM5TpkLJgE8KeG0-0KCMAxl2roid5sFipetGhk9fzDjZP4uS_Xcq58I4F2Iw6W7/s320/12794419_10100796028489328_821084997002472503_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A toddler is worn by mother in green MT posing with<br />
2 police officers, and another woman wearing a T-shirt. Target seems to be the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMCI7mqF0TNSbbvv0aMTgzccqBSQFXKxmFAtUfKjpnd1I4RKQyDHZ9LU6Q2fts2tlX3PCXuE-ejlPOCJ1O-bq1Qes62RDTaEoaD2cCy_PRTnT1XkBbFx63FQmXtfiCjFsbordW-aHYwWw/s1600/12795487_10154623777536038_8037709272627951276_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMCI7mqF0TNSbbvv0aMTgzccqBSQFXKxmFAtUfKjpnd1I4RKQyDHZ9LU6Q2fts2tlX3PCXuE-ejlPOCJ1O-bq1Qes62RDTaEoaD2cCy_PRTnT1XkBbFx63FQmXtfiCjFsbordW-aHYwWw/s320/12795487_10154623777536038_8037709272627951276_n.jpg" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mama wears a baby on her back <br />
in a green wrap in front of the Cherry Blossoms</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5OA4PldWeNgzAcNhJ8u3c-ChKqScEIs04NSXy_7boG8AI6GoOvOMQXdxCgPa7k7bIAKOB-RE_fLsva0wLtabBftp_XeDM-y3mq0vTNKZmPwFGddveCgkAURPN8XxqzoVJSbvD-2pjmZK/s1600/12799125_10100369036729491_5091960422349202775_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5OA4PldWeNgzAcNhJ8u3c-ChKqScEIs04NSXy_7boG8AI6GoOvOMQXdxCgPa7k7bIAKOB-RE_fLsva0wLtabBftp_XeDM-y3mq0vTNKZmPwFGddveCgkAURPN8XxqzoVJSbvD-2pjmZK/s320/12799125_10100369036729491_5091960422349202775_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A woman wears a newborn in a green silk sling<br />
in the stands of a ball game</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNbMAUSJWoVlhGhhYSwaQlmlOrG_IJWiMHTpqPb-E4tn9fjP2tAF1OiQUIaYCosMyu7jugfQ7eDHrDgQD65LAn3JE7oEkHX0oU0pPNzf9elo2iQ9HZZWKWNYDvL0fNjzb0fUdu6kFAfIe/s1600/12801132_10153615071947881_3137911564194546901_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNbMAUSJWoVlhGhhYSwaQlmlOrG_IJWiMHTpqPb-E4tn9fjP2tAF1OiQUIaYCosMyu7jugfQ7eDHrDgQD65LAn3JE7oEkHX0oU0pPNzf9elo2iQ9HZZWKWNYDvL0fNjzb0fUdu6kFAfIe/s320/12801132_10153615071947881_3137911564194546901_n.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dark haired mama wears a white older toddler in a green<br />
wrap with Celtic designs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0D7OcYRxKz3AIZBGmdYGwnb-2yvYl4XQS7NKcDh7MrJgK2Qo1TAzs6dQGSWRfEy9Wq6D3hSLdQ3yvVl1EzjeJfdouVAlCVXBqHJJLiW0atFhedPtv7Y64Er_wMB3qZfv5N5YkQquP8c8t/s1600/12799226_10154070287114203_7716337532402326753_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0D7OcYRxKz3AIZBGmdYGwnb-2yvYl4XQS7NKcDh7MrJgK2Qo1TAzs6dQGSWRfEy9Wq6D3hSLdQ3yvVl1EzjeJfdouVAlCVXBqHJJLiW0atFhedPtv7Y64Er_wMB3qZfv5N5YkQquP8c8t/s320/12799226_10154070287114203_7716337532402326753_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A young toddler is seen on the back of a woman out<br />
of frame. Toddler is in a dark and light green Ellevil wrap conversion carrier</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EgEvHFgaJ8bRtdqmInFR6SMNXZbb7ZeDOKmC3aS_-zKwLHYMz0cZay1Sx0qVjMjkl8baTObMnzAZNVMymrhzh6DIjfK4FNi9csuOL4xNgNKSPl3FhqEQfmAo6RUfxns0rTd0y-kdhoBk/s1600/12803238_10104947940919212_7286558252670802501_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EgEvHFgaJ8bRtdqmInFR6SMNXZbb7ZeDOKmC3aS_-zKwLHYMz0cZay1Sx0qVjMjkl8baTObMnzAZNVMymrhzh6DIjfK4FNi9csuOL4xNgNKSPl3FhqEQfmAo6RUfxns0rTd0y-kdhoBk/s320/12803238_10104947940919212_7286558252670802501_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A newborn is seen in an olive green sling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuJhs4yNZ3Q-2-ezwGuO61RSSI3B8MfszTwFyYSMgwKHuZnOd5LRoCbUFypSGphHdRvLpi1dqiw73dR34YmQ_lO4WjLylhfEPEl8jMxRkplFlx2YQte0RzMxtQzgKDfWxDUCQQED45Fib/s1600/12804682_10153965543649530_320686674557960941_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuJhs4yNZ3Q-2-ezwGuO61RSSI3B8MfszTwFyYSMgwKHuZnOd5LRoCbUFypSGphHdRvLpi1dqiw73dR34YmQ_lO4WjLylhfEPEl8jMxRkplFlx2YQte0RzMxtQzgKDfWxDUCQQED45Fib/s320/12804682_10153965543649530_320686674557960941_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A brown haired mom wears a blond baby in front in a light blue/green wrap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVc9gViaBoryZgcS4rQe3Rj1mEEh7qR5b_K-tsZYfytNFakwc6Ev56KBYe3Rs6Q_66gicASdpv7egJZStSz71gv6mbXfPnf8aNQSPUyHEF_MmL9SEtqK4Bxa4oG3PT8-phhsg4901rFTj/s1600/12805962_10100796028199908_5365558204075893433_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVc9gViaBoryZgcS4rQe3Rj1mEEh7qR5b_K-tsZYfytNFakwc6Ev56KBYe3Rs6Q_66gicASdpv7egJZStSz71gv6mbXfPnf8aNQSPUyHEF_MmL9SEtqK4Bxa4oG3PT8-phhsg4901rFTj/s320/12805962_10100796028199908_5365558204075893433_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mom wears a baby in a multi-green<br />
striped sling in front of the white house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFp3xFELSAXfz3KkgX2Zcc4EY2Rt8ddYMObxDEPmrVnY5_mZfsb5PMyo8s3icBjOR8CCbsibX2VMXUUz-zAxR3xVh9ZAm-9rA9mYe-2q0N6zzm8JnSgyJaytWVBk9E_zyvwFJ3IoiOf1sC/s1600/12805837_10207020178037759_8654056163010128982_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFp3xFELSAXfz3KkgX2Zcc4EY2Rt8ddYMObxDEPmrVnY5_mZfsb5PMyo8s3icBjOR8CCbsibX2VMXUUz-zAxR3xVh9ZAm-9rA9mYe-2q0N6zzm8JnSgyJaytWVBk9E_zyvwFJ3IoiOf1sC/s320/12805837_10207020178037759_8654056163010128982_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dad with tattoo around his arm<br />
wears a sleeping baby in a multi-green and<br />
brown striped wrap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5-SwWAyOyQq0ugl0kfwMe9dnYbM25EjNUReBWlA0eLkPhyhY4qdHC_G7y5EVnO1ZAORe7dlD28Vc_R9v6nh1f7kjsoEGi_ggLeI2QmqLdiJxYiYYoa7NvzdGuCeTE-8ajQHmtOLpB5oc/s1600/12809515_10103995029271171_9170719066425410894_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5-SwWAyOyQq0ugl0kfwMe9dnYbM25EjNUReBWlA0eLkPhyhY4qdHC_G7y5EVnO1ZAORe7dlD28Vc_R9v6nh1f7kjsoEGi_ggLeI2QmqLdiJxYiYYoa7NvzdGuCeTE-8ajQHmtOLpB5oc/s320/12809515_10103995029271171_9170719066425410894_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mama wears her young toddler in a light<br />
green and white wrap. They are in the grocery store</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQGBE8rLi8umnc1SKGFFCLSb3oY6Mezsp_Q3Jh_8Rnn9aaCOpAdap2X8ZQPaTe4u_3hlJBbMyMtiWiFp8dZ4jY3ogHbW8d0BhOrdsZk9BbDfWB8Djmc9f4UiCpl9oiEuWvIu9cBJgBU_0/s1600/12809613_10207607873649046_2819024123783285460_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQGBE8rLi8umnc1SKGFFCLSb3oY6Mezsp_Q3Jh_8Rnn9aaCOpAdap2X8ZQPaTe4u_3hlJBbMyMtiWiFp8dZ4jY3ogHbW8d0BhOrdsZk9BbDfWB8Djmc9f4UiCpl9oiEuWvIu9cBJgBU_0/s320/12809613_10207607873649046_2819024123783285460_n.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom in green shirt wears a baby on front and <br />
toddler on back in green tone KPs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgGrItxzm9DirHKHjlxyrjS3C37GQkE2vYXM6CnWBA_ktUeatRfOCKsgj2GxoVeR8zbxcKuyJG-K_zZCjRi14F0MDW8ugQaqlUb-pKt9dUUyKhRGzEdy79I5GaTlrT7JUEkCziDuGdsDY/s1600/12809790_10153357215306016_3793491631517336556_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgGrItxzm9DirHKHjlxyrjS3C37GQkE2vYXM6CnWBA_ktUeatRfOCKsgj2GxoVeR8zbxcKuyJG-K_zZCjRi14F0MDW8ugQaqlUb-pKt9dUUyKhRGzEdy79I5GaTlrT7JUEkCziDuGdsDY/s320/12809790_10153357215306016_3793491631517336556_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo over shouder at grocery. Toddler asleep in light green wrap with white stars</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWF1Bw7g3PYTJN37LZq43KLIzlrZzWUNOzPPm4gXobSk1BEDW3JvQnFKejXJCgPfZuPO-ye77zJtFHtnoDr3LWodYVxTdoYmm2J0xTF8JA_qNmNWIEGBAOQVUJnwumYRAZVHMcyIkTRVL/s1600/12813983_10154623778096038_4174312233672374117_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWF1Bw7g3PYTJN37LZq43KLIzlrZzWUNOzPPm4gXobSk1BEDW3JvQnFKejXJCgPfZuPO-ye77zJtFHtnoDr3LWodYVxTdoYmm2J0xTF8JA_qNmNWIEGBAOQVUJnwumYRAZVHMcyIkTRVL/s320/12813983_10154623778096038_4174312233672374117_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom poses with Cat<br />
in the Hat while wearing baby on back in <br />
shamrock wrap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXWI0FltJmhICKITnI_xq7b2po1qez9lMSajq-CpuQPP5VRPtkQYOWYXJlsEtS1c19gk6YgnnwmgKKuULCM3CUXqj4a2mH5_OyYcXktICC2Mtbwl7WSEKgKtSyR9LMu3XfHs-lGdWpbtD/s1600/12814351_10207777374459785_3176379748551417421_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXWI0FltJmhICKITnI_xq7b2po1qez9lMSajq-CpuQPP5VRPtkQYOWYXJlsEtS1c19gk6YgnnwmgKKuULCM3CUXqj4a2mH5_OyYcXktICC2Mtbwl7WSEKgKtSyR9LMu3XfHs-lGdWpbtD/s320/12814351_10207777374459785_3176379748551417421_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family photo of family all in green posed <br />
at the St. Patrick's Day Parade</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYrJLYCxeqrxn-AITtWvjngsm0orDV31aNz45nq2_Dv_H7nLAJ4QdX_cu7bBhKr-9_KPs-OGyKeHIJgTV_OMAJwmIW3gMs_1q6lL2Mhy_JNdoosZSvsvl_vL4whBw645JP2JGFe67dFeJ/s1600/12814400_10156538711155368_3961951472819748954_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYrJLYCxeqrxn-AITtWvjngsm0orDV31aNz45nq2_Dv_H7nLAJ4QdX_cu7bBhKr-9_KPs-OGyKeHIJgTV_OMAJwmIW3gMs_1q6lL2Mhy_JNdoosZSvsvl_vL4whBw645JP2JGFe67dFeJ/s320/12814400_10156538711155368_3961951472819748954_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom with red hair poses in green wrap with<br />
small baby in front of lake.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUXHk_GAEh-kmaIph0UO2BphDDpO55WOfoMKaKAxkf3u7zUeiWIZSJ4fNV2ngw1RsMxq48Q8LfqSxYi8mdlybkG3boitt2eEi6k7b9OzMdkn1N7GfzPx189uWJLEM_8KAhyg8jTa9n7L2/s1600/12823455_10100958818786292_5814437178814633221_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUXHk_GAEh-kmaIph0UO2BphDDpO55WOfoMKaKAxkf3u7zUeiWIZSJ4fNV2ngw1RsMxq48Q8LfqSxYi8mdlybkG3boitt2eEi6k7b9OzMdkn1N7GfzPx189uWJLEM_8KAhyg8jTa9n7L2/s320/12823455_10100958818786292_5814437178814633221_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dad in ball cap wears baby in front in light</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">olive green Ergo.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</h3>
<h3>
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</h3>
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</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
We hope you have a fantastic St. Patrick's Day!</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-59311206853715831322016-03-03T10:52:00.001-05:002016-03-03T11:02:58.518-05:00Annual Report 2015Admittedly, we're closing in on the end of the first quarter of 2016, so this annual report is a little later than we'd hoped, but we are excited to be able to share a picture of where we were in 2015. There are areas in which we hope to grow. We hope to continue to make strides toward increasing the diversity of our reach as well as improving our accessibility. Our goals for the coming year will reflect our desire to reach as many caregivers as possible with the wonderful opportunities provided by babywearing. We look forward to spending the rest of 2016 getting to know your family and working together to spread the babywearing love!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5rjm20dnbLljuB0EkYODkjXwLfFMULGXusI3WCnDKhyEICy0nYOjFvThkzE5dU6Oh1kZhfBK3U2gyXQ6mwhDt3bVbTujuWWa3II2_ZOE2V2hLVRRAey86ag-6H7KRl3_PAWNn2M3fYOG/s1600/No+Really+-+final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Infographic of Annual Report - see below for text." border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5rjm20dnbLljuB0EkYODkjXwLfFMULGXusI3WCnDKhyEICy0nYOjFvThkzE5dU6Oh1kZhfBK3U2gyXQ6mwhDt3bVbTujuWWa3II2_ZOE2V2hLVRRAey86ag-6H7KRl3_PAWNn2M3fYOG/s1600/No+Really+-+final.png" title="" /></a></div>
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We are aware that placing the information in an infographic, while a visually pretty way of presenting a bunch of boring numbers, makes it impossible for our friends using screen readers or braille displays to read the information. So, <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xVGNJfsfRTREgSHhcqTEdExFCHUR4RogZ9jdUzo2Cz8/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">this link</a> should get you to the document version, and if it worked as we hoped, we've turned on screen reading and braille functionality (let us know if it doesn't, we're still learning). </div>
Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-14637433611244791112016-02-24T09:50:00.001-05:002016-02-24T09:54:52.154-05:00Learning to Wear as a Blind Mama<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvLu2nPG-Nr02e44ExVLIuk6VvDtOkzxh1FABE9AWPYxiS8AwoPfgeZbrgf_o4wOJVNXLT-29J4B7Ckq74S6vRZ9Wr2M6-ipeXLkwGIcWbQRfmDEEtGk06eZ2NTE0uFhrn8_TAItyw7xG/s1600/IMG_3110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvLu2nPG-Nr02e44ExVLIuk6VvDtOkzxh1FABE9AWPYxiS8AwoPfgeZbrgf_o4wOJVNXLT-29J4B7Ckq74S6vRZ9Wr2M6-ipeXLkwGIcWbQRfmDEEtGk06eZ2NTE0uFhrn8_TAItyw7xG/s320/IMG_3110.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">K wears her son in a blue ring sling in the kitchen</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As someone who is blind, I knew that I would need to babywear before ever becoming a parent. Setting aside all the great benefits and philosophical reasons, all of which I love, it really came down to practicality. Guide dogs and strollers really don’t mix! So, babywearing was the only way I was going to get around with my son independently.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But the babywearing world is a very visual world!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I quickly became overwhelmed trying to research that one carrier that would last me from baby to toddler. Having very few friends who were parents, let alone wore their babies much, I was on my own. I’m sure many expecting parents feel the same way, struggling to sort through all the information comparing carriers. Adding in the pictures, instructions, and YouTube videos that were all very visually oriented made me feel lost.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCI5s8YzEbfGQUH2WLl5K6ScW-LnTQt3to8PO4UiiPHosEVVerICBnN0S8mDghai7Q5L5mnLrxkSn_Jw_2QAe6eL0Z55mKxR75aJ1k1QW4L3aORoXaXxlMYl_YZAqxP88JmKvS_t7jOM-H/s1600/IMG_0892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCI5s8YzEbfGQUH2WLl5K6ScW-LnTQt3to8PO4UiiPHosEVVerICBnN0S8mDghai7Q5L5mnLrxkSn_Jw_2QAe6eL0Z55mKxR75aJ1k1QW4L3aORoXaXxlMYl_YZAqxP88JmKvS_t7jOM-H/s320/IMG_0892.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">K wears her son facing out in a <br />Beco Gemini on the sidewalk</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eventually I picked a carrier and figured out how to use it, but the process was frustrating. Had I not known that babywearing was an essential skill for me to learn I might have given up. Having someone who knows nothing about babywearing trying to explain very visual instructions to</span><span style="line-height: 1.295; white-space: pre-wrap;"> someone else who knows nothing about babywearing is…well…challenging.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn’t hear about BWI until my son was a few months old. At that point we’d figured things out enough, and I didn’t see the need to drag myself to a meeting. Living in Capitol Hill, none of the meetings are very convenient. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As my son got older our wearing needs changed. In the process of finding a new carrier that would work for us, I got more curious about the other options. I had friends who were wearing their babies now, and I envied the ease at which they perused new carriers and babywearing skills. I had several friends talking about wanting to try woven wraps, and I was curious. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8Vfb3RNK_dGi-WzFrdzZm6KeQWEQalCHhEhyP7SIWL4bOZR9FBv0y2hqkkjjXCgoFZMsFg78jj-0M1i10lZSgRzZ6tuPQendRjThGlu16PaZSW3gL7zFnvstEI9l3finP7PD1A20TLYW/s1600/IMG_2569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8Vfb3RNK_dGi-WzFrdzZm6KeQWEQalCHhEhyP7SIWL4bOZR9FBv0y2hqkkjjXCgoFZMsFg78jj-0M1i10lZSgRzZ6tuPQendRjThGlu16PaZSW3gL7zFnvstEI9l3finP7PD1A20TLYW/s320/IMG_2569.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">K wears her son in a back carry in a multicolor<br /> soft structure carrier on a brick sidewalk</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, when my son was 18 months old I was motivated to go to a BWI meeting to learn the basics of using a woven wrap. I’ll admit that I was reluctant. I was nervous about getting help in a group setting, generally not the best for teaching visual skills to someone who is blind. But I got individual attention, and I was hooked on in person help! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-K_2ce62TRc6CqsVFvxFFfl7by2soIGJVQtwkhYSbRjYMkwj0Yf6gApLbBD2Boy-pS4dILLm7VM6pxaWOHJ8jDZ9ICREt6UJXObQY7VQPi8VDLSFCyJIGi4SSMN4KYSZnGx5CxRzdfuUd/s1600/IMG_3104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-K_2ce62TRc6CqsVFvxFFfl7by2soIGJVQtwkhYSbRjYMkwj0Yf6gApLbBD2Boy-pS4dILLm7VM6pxaWOHJ8jDZ9ICREt6UJXObQY7VQPi8VDLSFCyJIGi4SSMN4KYSZnGx5CxRzdfuUd/s320/IMG_3104.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">K wears her son on her back in a navy with <br />multicolor elephant print soft structure <br />carrier inside a living room</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wish that I had made myself go to a meeting much sooner. Finally I had actual people who could answer my questions and let me touch step by step. I could feel what different carriers were like, rather than relying on friends or my husband’s descriptions. A whole new world of babywearing opened up when I attended that first meeting. Now, I have resources to help navigate the crazy visual world of babywearing, and I’m so glad of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> Posted by Kim</b></span><br />
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<i>Editor's note: At BWI of DC-MD-VA, we want to help parents and caregivers wear no matter the challenges in their path. Please let us know if you need accommodations to learn at a meeting. We have educators who are fluent in ASL, our meeting locations are accessible with elevators or ramps, and we will work with you to make any arrangements needed to help you learn.</i></div>
Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-76364001782665385642016-02-09T07:30:00.000-05:002016-02-09T07:33:25.871-05:00Babies and bats: Surviving Academia with a Baby in Tow<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S1p0qXAZ-rUGEktwu41rMfM7lF3k984fuDGsxOeWszCvSc7T4eYghvoHQOyVqlwi1AX8qZggYOvbvyqMF9Z5CLtawL7gz9eNdQc6ZxBQwtaELS78SJDxB7FpypZg9Cwxm7dZjMjEBwVrDrK" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S1p0qXAZ-rUGEktwu41rMfM7lF3k984fuDGsxOeWszCvSc7T4eYghvoHQOyVqlwi1AX8qZggYOvbvyqMF9Z5CLtawL7gz9eNdQc6ZxBQwtaELS78SJDxB7FpypZg9Cwxm7dZjMjEBwVrDrK" style="border: none; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; transform: rotate(0rad); white-space: pre-wrap;" width="157" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baby’s first bat meeting. With M, then 3.5 months old,
in a mei tai ready to hear more talks at a conference
in Portland, Oregon. (Note name tag clipped to mei tai.)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When my first child was born in 2009, I was deep in the throes of graduate school. I quickly found </span><span style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">babywearing to be an asset for, among so many other things, getting work done while meeting the needs of my baby (not the mention the free snuggles). While my new son napped in a carrier, I had hands free for typing and data analysis. When he was about seven weeks old, I resumed attending lab meetings, with the baby tucked snuggly into a ring sling. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.24px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">While these activities were made easier by babywearing, I felt the benefits of wearing quite acutely when it came to attending academic conferences. Since becoming a parent 6.5 years ago, I have traveled to and given presentations at about half a dozen conferences, and in all but one instance, I had at least one of my children with me at the conference.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.8px; line-height: 20.24px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When my first baby was 3.5 months old, I flew alone with him across the country carrying no more than two small bags and two carriers, to attend and give a presentation at a meeting on bat biology in Oregon. Babywearing first came in handy during the travel portion of this adventure-- he stayed in the sling in the airport, on the airplane, and while taking public transit to the hotel. Then, because he still napped a lot and wasn’t mobile yet, it was relatively easy to keep him contained in a mei tai while I listened to presentations, viewed posters, and shared meals and conversations with colleagues.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/g9_oKY_8cxKsW1A03vmdCacBzBacCyy5YWy-BBjTZj0C6GjE-KFTUxErX6c7-j4lCAXOcuvQHCp_6wnhFilDrh6th2AWMLAIfejUBqIwaRRWKK7MVv9L5xgWqoc8RmdzMfXc-LmquPmZdVzq" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/g9_oKY_8cxKsW1A03vmdCacBzBacCyy5YWy-BBjTZj0C6GjE-KFTUxErX6c7-j4lCAXOcuvQHCp_6wnhFilDrh6th2AWMLAIfejUBqIwaRRWKK7MVv9L5xgWqoc8RmdzMfXc-LmquPmZdVzq" style="border: none; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; transform: rotate(0rad); white-space: pre-wrap;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1-year-old M is worn by his grandmother while I
attend a conference nearby in Williamsburg, VA.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While I was fortunate enough to have a family member with me to help with childcare for later conferences, babywearing—by both myself and those caring for the baby while I attended sessions—made life much easier. My mother wore my then one-year-old son in a sling while she watched him at an animal behavior meeting, and I strapped him on when it was time for meals or crowded poster sessions. </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="150" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/WGQMAeNiExXonCk1-XYEtFPARQkYuZ0o647LuOVSmg6IWjj_MGlJnwUgVBtsfOCyK9fKGa_edFomI9NjZqhV4rQCPp3TXWZqfVVV8Ox6n_Fmjn29MgNtoUTQNz2sgfdstVpDH9kxWDApNzsh" style="border: none; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In between sessions at the animal behavior conference in Princeton,
New Jersey with 7-month-old E asleep in the SSC.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kBwN1QaNW_BYjUksUrOabGd-OlyMI8nAa01oIZ_iKbphVILxaKPCdpr1qeUTMheCtYfSBEYWS1HmozqT0bZRKACFKA06oFcLx3uAprDuFB2QIyTiG_gcWlcO0Vr_UjLkCLWMqoqbT9F_BTTt" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kBwN1QaNW_BYjUksUrOabGd-OlyMI8nAa01oIZ_iKbphVILxaKPCdpr1qeUTMheCtYfSBEYWS1HmozqT0bZRKACFKA06oFcLx3uAprDuFB2QIyTiG_gcWlcO0Vr_UjLkCLWMqoqbT9F_BTTt" style="border: none; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; transform: rotate(0rad); white-space: pre-wrap;" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 18.4px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My mother wearing 7-month-old E in an SSC while caring for
her at a conference in Princeton, New Jersey.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">At a conference when my daughter was seven months old, our hotel was situated on the opposite side of a </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">college campus from the meeting proceedings, almost a mile away. Using an SSC, I easily transported my daughter back and forth from the conference site to my mother, who was watching my son and sometimes the baby back at the hotel. Most recently, I attended a conference in Florida with my nearly-two-year-old daughter. Both my brother, who came along to watch her, and I carted her around on our backs </span><span style="line-height: 1.38;">through airports, at the conference, and on a couple of post-conference outings.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/rlJNkr-I5HjpRr5f5PhxRcJ2DBVu6e3QjhwPI_dyNKxz6N4jlWkavHoTfdwyIRcxMZ9-kP1NVkpRVP8k4WoVNHB5JbD9ka6Wzox2xi93UOUOhU2TLHPKVm8N8yrjh2jg-g1MlJxo0CNZVPLJ" style="border: none; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 18.4px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 18.4px; white-space: pre-wrap;">22-month-old E on her uncle’s back outside the conference center in Jacksonville, Florida.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As with so many other things, baby- (and toddler-) wearing has made the experience of attending meetings and caring for my children immensely more doable. As many parents have learned, being able to continue to pursue other avenues of one’s life—whether it is a career, volunteer work, education, or caring for other family members— while spending time with and meeting the needs of your child—is a large part of what makes babywearing such a wonderful and valuable resource.</span></span></div>
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Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-58975396598130731352016-01-06T18:00:00.000-05:002016-01-06T18:00:05.546-05:00It's Wintertime! Bread, Milk, and Babywearing Meetings<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">This post isn’t a how-to but more of a head’s up.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our area enjoys all four seasons. Usually during the winter months when it gets a little chilly and there is some light snow or ice, we lose our damn minds and close schools and public offices while buying milk we won’t drink (forgot about that lactose intolerance) and wait for the neighbors to also go outside to shovel out their car so it feels like an outdoor party.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="388px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/AuBzl4ho-QNeoFILsUmC-DaZInQFkfCclQIWTJEgRIbQZyTAndXFecyAynEU1SKZgMTa933Uso9c0SvOsEwFBMOShLxHTlGyVD2fAB5GBa9h24Ll-em8qP9y6-y4JhgjUUWzRRPE4zKdSu3N" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="576px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A crowd of snow people</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">As such, when there are school delays or closings due to the weather, this will affect our meetings as well. Some meetings will be cancelled entirely, others may start late or end early to accommodate the leader’s ability to pick up or drop off children at school. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A list of our upcoming meetings and events can be found here </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BWIofDCMDVA/events?ref=page_internal" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.facebook.com/BWIofDCMDVA/events?ref=page_internal</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And we will try to update cancellations as soon as we can on the event page. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We will also try to post on our chatter board. In the case of inclement weather, attendees can also post and ask </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/BWIofDCMDVAFSOT/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.facebook.com/groups/BWIofDCMDVAFSOT/</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If in doubt regarding the weather, please use your best judgement. It is OK to stay home if you don’t feel comfortable out in the weather!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is also a time of year when sniffles, colds, and coughs abound. What should we do about illness?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="343px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_Uxw7Pyv5jECTGwp0ccfTC6R52mugpKqotKFoWZqjDwAXmu-XNQLtBWc8aepHCCAkoSfiPiL-CYVqIOAweEt10_3HhneW7XBoAkXv_i1z-zWwhIzDB3UQNZ7XoEXNkcCkRGaQhhKuLW_1Lc4" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="320px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman Rockwell painting of a boy at the doctor with his pants loose awaiting a shot</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">While our meetings are always open to the public, the nature of our meetings means we usually have a number of pregnant women and/or very young infants. As such if you or members of the household have had fever, vomiting or diarrhea within 24 hours of the meeting, please stay home, rest and recuperate! </span><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other symptoms of illness, like a cough or runny nose are a matter of discretion but if the germs can spread easily, it may be best to plan on attending when the worst of the cold symptoms have passed. If this affects returning a learning library carrier, please feel free to contact us to arrange an out of meeting return. While we are sorry not to see you, we appreciate everyone’s effort to keep each other well.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, with the gray days, indoor time and cold weather its not uncommon to feel blah this time of year. If you want to connect online we’re just a post away in the chatter group—you don’t have to have something for sale to chatter with us! If in person meet ups are more your thing, in addition to the regular meetings, playdates are welcome. Just post a time and place in the chatter group and you'll likely have a crowd in no time.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="245px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/dfJfleE7qsrlycDHcF2tPcBOi6HUiCS6OqiJuwBG-Jy2JCz0_YQFL8MkqpE202WLuM8sE0pzKmJImXZ2K5rlWxulG5P_ZT90HngbSa0bVIccK7x8P1rM5tnRtc4HDEhAjFiN5T3mHP4fCkXi" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="287px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A ginger cat and black cat. The ginger cat has a paw around the <br />shoulder of the black cat as they gaze out a window</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We hope the weather doesn’t interrupt too many meetings and illness doesn’t keep too many of you away. We look forward to wearing with you!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="432px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/CpsskCZGo04yrS3tOcBxa_jd25AEMqxYJWIGMQd0sZECWMHplcNMgpJRWfagha_5YObCucZWx-Vvn8pWvbBs_RhHXAKoDTdNKemIL9RCUqGvFzWN40G_DHr3LLwpoXNKkGEeWm_N9T7JytqY" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="576px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of a casual picnic following a Tysons meeting last summer</td></tr>
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<br />Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-3535977920247147502015-12-01T21:02:00.002-05:002015-12-01T21:02:30.394-05:00The Things You Can Learn at a Babywearing Meeting!<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I knew before my first son arrived that I would want to wear him and keep him close. I researched some options and went with a Sleepy Wrap (now Boba wrap) and an Ergo. Thankfully, the Boba wrap had tutorials and I was able to figure out the pocket wrap cross carry fairly easily. Or so I thought... I could never get it tight enough and with increasing weight, it was always uncomfortable. I transitioned to the Ergo with the infant insert and that was more comfortable. It wasn't until my son was older and over 20 lbs that my back began to hurt with the Ergo. I watched videos and tried everything to perfect the fit but it just was not working. I decided to try a wrap instead so I could really customize the fit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I got my first wrap, a Didymos Lisca Pastell in my base size and could not wait to start playing with it. After using the Boba wrap, I figured I'd be a pro! After hours of YouTube tutorials, pictures in babywearing facebook support groups and lots of conversations, I just could not get it tight enough to feel solid and safe. So I attended my first BWI meeting.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaC2bBTpCVquQmPk5eltMwbih09DZk_pTHIANtEkBlUWPCsjdEbRh0xC_O1qeJlN2nuZ7GeiJZiYgsZOSTnyGe4K2ltaZLY7yDHEPW6xCevorcOYz_mi5H9sVza1D4ov7wO1jlVSfoxqah/s1600/11794258_930702033653112_2585558481188370413_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaC2bBTpCVquQmPk5eltMwbih09DZk_pTHIANtEkBlUWPCsjdEbRh0xC_O1qeJlN2nuZ7GeiJZiYgsZOSTnyGe4K2ltaZLY7yDHEPW6xCevorcOYz_mi5H9sVza1D4ov7wO1jlVSfoxqah/s400/11794258_930702033653112_2585558481188370413_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A panoramic photo of the Centreville meeting</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was definitely overwhelmed when I came in but someone quickly greeted me and offered to help. Having been supremely frustrated with all of my failed attempts at home, I was so relieved that someone was so quickly willing to offer me help.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qZQ3vmqz9Zhl_4kmfk1biTLcAtKN36CXVsRN8vuLJkG3B-hN0Y6ohe066U15E0NSJb3PLMxEi3yWzXAzdpxrs1UYBPQke7uMza39zVNabJGaiN0e-w8zldj24PqLInE6gIrx3sC6hYZi/s1600/12065688_966857373370911_5648087999471428690_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qZQ3vmqz9Zhl_4kmfk1biTLcAtKN36CXVsRN8vuLJkG3B-hN0Y6ohe066U15E0NSJb3PLMxEi3yWzXAzdpxrs1UYBPQke7uMza39zVNabJGaiN0e-w8zldj24PqLInE6gIrx3sC6hYZi/s320/12065688_966857373370911_5648087999471428690_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarah helps a mama try on a coral Baby K'tan</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We started with the basics - how to tighten a wrap and work each strand through a front wrap cross carry. We worked on that carry for a while and realized that maybe it wasn't the best option for me so I was taught another carry - front cross carry. The carry was simple, easy to get baby in and out (poppable), and easy for me to tighten! I was so incredibly relieved!! I walked out of that meeting with a carry that worked so well for us that it is still my go-to carry with my second son.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6Tovd2UUsphkukA8hgU-B66sYq8gFZ9L9cb4vtXTLSksmKW1QV_Qr9YLRzazs50tm_mo9UL54IVQT3x4L4RJBnXHaqQqvhz359GpsERGj58UMVkOqccgnhvoOd-LPXXiWxe-mP7yOww1/s1600/11047913_922757301114252_5372027002468137169_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6Tovd2UUsphkukA8hgU-B66sYq8gFZ9L9cb4vtXTLSksmKW1QV_Qr9YLRzazs50tm_mo9UL54IVQT3x4L4RJBnXHaqQqvhz359GpsERGj58UMVkOqccgnhvoOd-LPXXiWxe-mP7yOww1/s320/11047913_922757301114252_5372027002468137169_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiffany helps a mother adjust her ring sling</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">I continued to attend meetings and at each one I learned more and more. After lots of practice tightening, I learned how to get my then toddler on my back and complete the secure high back carry. I learned how to do a slip-knot with a rebozo carry. As my skills improved, I started being able to help others. </span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VE6vtAy71NE4bRWFDiqKvEuEW0dAQOsZEnGO7uA6XGcCQNsV_eO7nCS6H26wOjmKLIhZ-RzopRbRb7fZ68AQ4SxiGSWnFV3PvpiTZL8fXZ6Pe4pz6p9U4ETU3S2lOj2bPoMHjvFfsFHX/s1600/259955_182888318434491_5526028_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VE6vtAy71NE4bRWFDiqKvEuEW0dAQOsZEnGO7uA6XGcCQNsV_eO7nCS6H26wOjmKLIhZ-RzopRbRb7fZ68AQ4SxiGSWnFV3PvpiTZL8fXZ6Pe4pz6p9U4ETU3S2lOj2bPoMHjvFfsFHX/s400/259955_182888318434491_5526028_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">AM teaches a mom to back wear and a dad attempting <br />a carry with his wife before trying it with baby</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Most important of all, at every meeting, I got to talk to amazing mamas. We would swap tips for babywearing and tips for life. We'd offer each other support, encouragement and kind words. Everyone was at various points in their babywearing and mothering journey and was always so open to teaching when asked. While I have not been to as many meetings as I would like lately, I know that if I ever need some guidance a meeting is just a short car ride away.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Posted by Lorelei</span></b></span><br />
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Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-61485660053595917882015-11-18T10:35:00.000-05:002015-11-18T10:35:04.736-05:00Life Out of Focus - PPD and Babywearing<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She is 11 weeks old, and she rarely smiles. Maybe my post-partum depression has contributed to that. Maybe she is just a serious baby. Only time will tell. Things started out well. I was happy. My husband was happy. Even her big brother seemed happy. A large part of this happiness was that I was wearing A around the house and out of the house since the day we came home from the hospital. I used a K’Tan and a Moby, and after a BWI meeting at two weeks, I ordered a mei tai as well. We were a happy baby wearing family, and everybody noticed. I got compliments all the time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlOCONPwXrCNl5q6dLdkvq92AGuuOTPPcQSngpunoUTEe_saGt5UilTOrGzTiiAxhhtwE1Ir6L-3vTpVCQNQhZDDyPBZLBIGwZXIzD0SG9RvMjO_-zWTmsdt61RJdjNid4kvS07ntun1N/s1600/2015-11-09_16.41.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlOCONPwXrCNl5q6dLdkvq92AGuuOTPPcQSngpunoUTEe_saGt5UilTOrGzTiiAxhhtwE1Ir6L-3vTpVCQNQhZDDyPBZLBIGwZXIzD0SG9RvMjO_-zWTmsdt61RJdjNid4kvS07ntun1N/s320/2015-11-09_16.41.52.jpg" width="180" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then, at four weeks, after a blessedly long paternity leave, my husband went back to work. I wore Baby A. I kept up with Big Boy B’s preschool schedule. I kept house. I allowed myself the luxury of ordering groceries because two kids and grocery stores just didn’t appeal. But something wasn’t right. I read more about babywearing. Keeping A close was the only thing that made me feel completely at ease. I decided to order a woven wrap. It came, and I worked hard on the front cross carry – poppable and good for newborns. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Things were not going well for me. I was angry at everyone who was not A. I was anxious whenever A wasn’t right there with me, even when I could see her across the room. She also started crying more, especially in the evenings, and the only thing that soothed either of us was wrapping her close and wandering about the house and neighborhood singing. I couldn’t even begin to deal with anything else if she wasn’t near me, and babywearing facilitated that. After several frantic phone calls to my psychiatrist, I was diagnosed with post-partum depression. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was absolutely beside myself. I felt like I couldn’t give my family or my baby anything that they needed. I was especially worried about my growing A who I felt like needed so much from me. At her two month check up, which I wore her to, I broke down in front of the doctor. I tried to explain that my PPD was being treated, but it was hard for me to play with the baby or show her toys or do anything other than wear her. That doctor saved me. She told me that right now, what my daughter needed was to be close to me, to feel me, to smell me, to hear my heart beat. She told me that if all I could do for my baby was feed her and wear her and make sure she got her tummy time, then I had nothing to worry about. For the first time in weeks, my tears were tears of relief. For everything I couldn’t handle, I could handle this.</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BWI has done so much for our journey. We’ve been coming to meetings since I was pregnant with A, and we’ve learned so much. The wonderful volunteers have taught me about the different carriers, checked my positioning in whatever I’m wearing, introduced me to new ways to wear old carriers, and so much more. Their assistance and education has made wearing A so much easier, which in turn has made having PPD a little more bearable. Wearing babies makes life better in so many ways. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Posted by Mama C</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Editor's note: If you are struggling following the birth of your child, please talk to your doctor. You aren't alone, and you CAN get help. Also, talk to us at meetings, there is a lot of support to be found in our group for finding the right treatment, or just agreement that being a mom is really hard work.</i></span>Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-35419533509489341892015-11-11T09:25:00.000-05:002016-07-17T11:38:57.733-04:00Many Layers - Wearing with Head Coverings<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I found out about wrapping in 2012 and headed over to The Babywearer online, one of the many things I loved about it was the diversity. There was someone who looked like me in the banner — a mom wearing a headscarf. (OK, maybe not exactly like me — she was a lot skinnier, but still. It made me feel at home.)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ4gukLuaJCDSNBJz1lkfbW0ehVwYkmpj1lkkLz6fsPU7cPONSp-iwFBDZqTc228Cpb5DMq6wvGbXIL3NK5zCljd4BA_2sPA5sh8xUGpy8JLKV-zX0lmEYhGgciJ5ozmRaGqLFhbsDZ0g/s1600/12166237_1726746984203392_161167960_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ4gukLuaJCDSNBJz1lkfbW0ehVwYkmpj1lkkLz6fsPU7cPONSp-iwFBDZqTc228Cpb5DMq6wvGbXIL3NK5zCljd4BA_2sPA5sh8xUGpy8JLKV-zX0lmEYhGgciJ5ozmRaGqLFhbsDZ0g/s320/12166237_1726746984203392_161167960_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A large group of women wearing headscarves and babies pose in front of a beautiful mural of a tree</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Babywearers are from everywhere. I love this little microcosm of the world, brought together by the universal love for our babies. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My own babywearing experience has intersected with my experience as a Muslim American woman in a variety of ways. I hadn’t really thought about it much until I was asked about how my headscarf impacts babywearing. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4YhH57ZkQmaOh4m-7kNnp8mJsu94TOH-SeG0_RZghCErQf4Z_Q6VV0M6pKkq_SylKKvsORoBAA8TNB5Y9B3hQFujl4HZkKGwejirz_bAKG9pDUOXjO_nA_bo64Whi3ypRpYkfBK7-seD/s1600/12166510_1726669207544503_1777718327_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4YhH57ZkQmaOh4m-7kNnp8mJsu94TOH-SeG0_RZghCErQf4Z_Q6VV0M6pKkq_SylKKvsORoBAA8TNB5Y9B3hQFujl4HZkKGwejirz_bAKG9pDUOXjO_nA_bo64Whi3ypRpYkfBK7-seD/s1600/12166510_1726669207544503_1777718327_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mama wears an older baby in a mei tai and a yellow hijab, her son poses in front of her</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-Y-O9eyp3HbT_45Iv3donTfZtRc9c2zIxUcbAlMDIyMkI659ZbIN6HM9bULM9a1-dwG5howbfPOnG1kdaANjfmhKZNz6iN112pdL3SPmiEZtJJQ_wyYlL8R46V8TCbGn8NjbRw5rM7ox/s1600/12071694_1726747017536722_1423527566_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-Y-O9eyp3HbT_45Iv3donTfZtRc9c2zIxUcbAlMDIyMkI659ZbIN6HM9bULM9a1-dwG5howbfPOnG1kdaANjfmhKZNz6iN112pdL3SPmiEZtJJQ_wyYlL8R46V8TCbGn8NjbRw5rM7ox/s320/12071694_1726747017536722_1423527566_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A woman wears a toddler in a ring sling on front in a pink to<br />
blue grad sling and a matching pink hijab</td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First, the practical: When I was learning to wrap, there was definitely a lot of fabric going on. First, does the scarf go over or under the wrap? And you’ve already got the wrap catching your shirt — add a scarf while you’re still getting used to back carries and there’s fabric tangled everywhere. Once or twice I ended up with my head pulled over to the side, with all the grace of a young horse trying to scratch its ear with a rear hoof. (If you haven’t seen that, believe me, they do that, and they still have better balance than I do. Granted, they do still have three legs on the ground.) Anyway, I learned quickly to flip my scarf out of the way or lean my head forward to create enough slack in my scarf. Problem solved.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When my baby got older and got the memo that he was supposed to pull out my hair, I chuckled. HA! I had the solution. I put on a scarf. Then he pulled on my scarf and tried to strangle me. Sigh. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_fFULSOjUUCgP4gGRYtLPRDjpn_YdYQrOp-KY7Fhj9xI9ruwEV8OwrLAMCYcYfkZP0gZKspgrI8Lj7cBuZTY8S2H0tYSoJY90TwBi0ueRwRowKtJdizpEp6gkXxRhyphenhyphen4aUFUWwT7K16Wz/s1600/20150412_193901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_fFULSOjUUCgP4gGRYtLPRDjpn_YdYQrOp-KY7Fhj9xI9ruwEV8OwrLAMCYcYfkZP0gZKspgrI8Lj7cBuZTY8S2H0tYSoJY90TwBi0ueRwRowKtJdizpEp6gkXxRhyphenhyphen4aUFUWwT7K16Wz/s320/20150412_193901.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of cherry blossom trees, a<br />
mom in a patterned scarf wears her<br />
toddler on her back. <br />
The scarf drapes down her front.</td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For some women who wear a scarf as part of a choice of overall modest dress, there’s the issue that some carriers and some wrap carries accentuate the chest. As one friend put it, “Hello, boobs!” Well-placed scarf tails can help with that. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some people ask if we’re hot in extra layers. My thin scarf is not what’s making me hot — it’s the little heater on my back causing that. But I’m fond of the little guy (plus, wrap snuggle!), so he can stay. At least longer clothes also mean less sweat, sunblock or other toiletries on the wrap. This is a good thing because with three kids, I’m washing enough emergency laundry already that if a wrap makes it into the pile, I may not see it for awhile, and I will miss it. Once in awhile, I make sure to visit and say hello to my old permastash Gira ring sling that’s been waiting for a courtesy bath for … maybe a year? So less laundry is better here.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was really only one practical issue that lasted — matching. I had a system built up over the years — solid-colored shirt and a patterned scarf to match. Voila: dressed and out. Wraps messed that all up. I drooled over tri-colored Zaras on the swap, looking so elegant on a simple wooden table for their beauty shot. They did not look so elegant next to my floral scarf. I have relatively low standards for being presentable, but I couldn’t work with poor Zara tri-blue — sadly, it was just too much. The natty phase was a bit of a relief.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7pFnx07N0UeR8gLbd2mEtTPyymznPeKEiBw8eAISy7VDrZ3BbMRsvCAvHOUMgd_6GQhyphenhyphenbYO4pV1zkFFcmOchvFixr9_rYty8tidNrWy73nC3pMWkc7276TY-DTMxcBj4ND-to0_dpqZf/s1600/20150319_174428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7pFnx07N0UeR8gLbd2mEtTPyymznPeKEiBw8eAISy7VDrZ3BbMRsvCAvHOUMgd_6GQhyphenhyphenbYO4pV1zkFFcmOchvFixr9_rYty8tidNrWy73nC3pMWkc7276TY-DTMxcBj4ND-to0_dpqZf/s320/20150319_174428.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wraps did give me some great ideas for scarves though. I found a scarf with a purple to white grad and made it mine. Now that I’ve gotten my loom up and running — yes, I’ve reached that stage of babywearing — I’m planning to weave lots of scarves in grads.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuOrew28j35hIEpVrckvmI5wHJqctjinIGQH64VVWURBymX7slSdR5eH5UYBO8QoGFPYCgW61yJdvlk-CbEE7noPa7J6ooKA5DP-yiiVfjqwOfkq9Ysp7hIKDNYolmzfD5JdNUF92zQbj/s1600/SM__8446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuOrew28j35hIEpVrckvmI5wHJqctjinIGQH64VVWURBymX7slSdR5eH5UYBO8QoGFPYCgW61yJdvlk-CbEE7noPa7J6ooKA5DP-yiiVfjqwOfkq9Ysp7hIKDNYolmzfD5JdNUF92zQbj/s320/SM__8446.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A woman wears a purple to white graduated scarf and a blue wrap. The hand of a <br />
toddler is seen reaching over her shoulder as she grasps the little fingers </td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With most practicalities out of the way, there remains the issue of visibility. When women go out in a headscarf, we stand out. When we go out with a baby in a wrap or carrier, we stand out. Add both and you are definitely a curiosity. I’m used to that, though, so I quickly stopped caring. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A babywearing and hijab-wearing friend pointed out that the baby in the carrier diverts some of the attention away from you. We’ve both struck up good conversations with strangers who otherwise might not have talked with a Muslim. In today’s climate, with rising Islamophobia, we truly welcome those interactions.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1LEZkGG-FbgVc_WrrXWlfUQ0UXtZo_PuCUlaZFanzcXn2lTzM_30-OujTW9gXfrWJ8fsugI9fH2pe6GK6Zhd4SrXKKkAAnhWwWdywzeSQvYZgksYuWQRcWEDxHFb-VlQFn_EnDJU3muB/s1600/12166886_1726671374210953_1010657639_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1LEZkGG-FbgVc_WrrXWlfUQ0UXtZo_PuCUlaZFanzcXn2lTzM_30-OujTW9gXfrWJ8fsugI9fH2pe6GK6Zhd4SrXKKkAAnhWwWdywzeSQvYZgksYuWQRcWEDxHFb-VlQFn_EnDJU3muB/s320/12166886_1726671374210953_1010657639_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A woman wears a blue hijab while wearing her toddler on her back in a rainbow wrap<br />
The overlook a wooded area with water in the foreground.</td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another babywearer who chooses to cover her face wrote her thoughts on this: “I get a lot of looks, and many times people are nervous when they see me, but babywearing often puts them at ease or is an ice-breaker. Just the other day a man stocking the dairy section at the grocery store shouted out to me, ‘Wow! I love that back pack thing!’”</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fmYg-ZY7cFvmOtZmSg8lCwA4rr-6_6w46FvFt9hSPZWQT1LL5tw8KQdIM68oDc0UkeH80KDJMFnDBzRT-sMWNv69AiGsaU-kr2ya7In5HrqsVCZw9RHdiBGXJ0_m_AWc847bUapIV61b/s1600/12167470_1726669177544506_604952818_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fmYg-ZY7cFvmOtZmSg8lCwA4rr-6_6w46FvFt9hSPZWQT1LL5tw8KQdIM68oDc0UkeH80KDJMFnDBzRT-sMWNv69AiGsaU-kr2ya7In5HrqsVCZw9RHdiBGXJ0_m_AWc847bUapIV61b/s320/12167470_1726669177544506_604952818_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A large group of women make hearts with their arms while wearing <br />
their babies and headcoverings in a wide variety of colors</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "cambria"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And that’s really what it all comes down to. No matter what we wear, or where we’re from, or what you did (sorry, wrong song), we all appreciate these back pack things and the sweet babies in them. Thank goodness for babywearing!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Posted by Lina</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photos provided by wearers from around the world</span></b></div>
Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-18176564786944997692015-11-06T07:27:00.001-05:002015-11-06T07:27:28.723-05:00So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu!<i>One of our VBEs recently headed off on a new adventure for her family. They had made great friends here in the DC area, but the time had come to accept a transfer to Texas to be closer to family. We are going to miss Esmeralda a ton! But she was still thinking of us as they packed up and headed south and sent me some pics for a blog post.</i><br />
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Babywearing is an invaluable tool when families need to move. Whether across town or across the country, a baby on your back keeps them out of harms way when heavy items are being moved around.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKRRWLlOUJcUiONseqF6mtV83B4VEXfEtxtOTEHdR5lB3uZcDMplBiwomCyEyWQSB7-5FYtQmeP9uHGuwpuLHIL6lm3_nCDG4cxCwrjNKZYxBqfyDDJsI3a9YuK5P22gmhKp7Pl6rltGu/s1600/12112655_10207872499717226_1032278276_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKRRWLlOUJcUiONseqF6mtV83B4VEXfEtxtOTEHdR5lB3uZcDMplBiwomCyEyWQSB7-5FYtQmeP9uHGuwpuLHIL6lm3_nCDG4cxCwrjNKZYxBqfyDDJsI3a9YuK5P22gmhKp7Pl6rltGu/s320/12112655_10207872499717226_1032278276_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Esmeralda with baby on back inside the moving truck finding a place for a large play structure piece</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SWy5FSr0MPQcHbtfs98vDDYoUfmRlGvzQMtWY-mW-R-gT6jCelQsEtRpl1E9jU-IqrPpOadpO_ghPseeg6Xa1mBlih6LPLBAXWxB-ZNS8B5aoKMMCna3nJZmehVzBz-obW-PFBC-Y0lD/s1600/12124539_10207872500277240_1864662754_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SWy5FSr0MPQcHbtfs98vDDYoUfmRlGvzQMtWY-mW-R-gT6jCelQsEtRpl1E9jU-IqrPpOadpO_ghPseeg6Xa1mBlih6LPLBAXWxB-ZNS8B5aoKMMCna3nJZmehVzBz-obW-PFBC-Y0lD/s320/12124539_10207872500277240_1864662754_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting more pieces of the play structure into the truck</td></tr>
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It also leaves your hands free to carry smaller items to the truck yourself. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiCFs9ER1mnTGd_VfLPzQ0624I-p4MiOAJqDgqpzcEI-V7MXBdY7fO0FHHD2-yuedMZ7_XQ6Yj_zvyDEBxnCpEafqMciQm_mr2F1KxcoJsw25p7oXE3NMzTumIoKpXVJlRxuaNei5-2tf/s1600/12119432_10207872499237214_1630665882_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiCFs9ER1mnTGd_VfLPzQ0624I-p4MiOAJqDgqpzcEI-V7MXBdY7fO0FHHD2-yuedMZ7_XQ6Yj_zvyDEBxnCpEafqMciQm_mr2F1KxcoJsw25p7oXE3NMzTumIoKpXVJlRxuaNei5-2tf/s320/12119432_10207872499237214_1630665882_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Esmeralda on the loading ramp to the truck carrying a bed headboard with a toddler on her back</td></tr>
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Once the truck is packed and you hit the road, babywearing becomes a way to contain and connect with baby when popping in for meals, bathroom breaks, and overnights.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CLILglVWdoRQIOdNWrDfLNlaL-QVxdWNa8z9e8b71dOrUXmHX9PafisEc_p7u3yDLXAb9oPadib4rd3k-r1Rg_HIAxVs6Y5S5xeVa8KKj7qyKbw3ntjXhA_vonpj5IuBrpTXqO1Gy4ZJ/s1600/12162524_10207872495997133_896414538_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CLILglVWdoRQIOdNWrDfLNlaL-QVxdWNa8z9e8b71dOrUXmHX9PafisEc_p7u3yDLXAb9oPadib4rd3k-r1Rg_HIAxVs6Y5S5xeVa8KKj7qyKbw3ntjXhA_vonpj5IuBrpTXqO1Gy4ZJ/s320/12162524_10207872495997133_896414538_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Esmeralda in a parking lot with the moving van in back, a preschooler girl stands in front<br /> and the smile on the baby on back's face says "I'm so glad to be out of the carseat!"</td></tr>
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Babywearing will also come in handy when you have to stop at Target for essentials along the trek. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUniwpWcqdX9aIzRg0WzkVl2Pt_VN4M7hMXZUnYq8fCK0NUVNekgpA3XFwKNg6YPW5TWbqccOul0QSbKWPBYkvlyS61QQX3L6h1HTsFNK5eKpyU-dIHmsfFxb3EX9SrHVEaunUQFVGWGV/s1600/12163006_10207869406959909_1787211265_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUniwpWcqdX9aIzRg0WzkVl2Pt_VN4M7hMXZUnYq8fCK0NUVNekgpA3XFwKNg6YPW5TWbqccOul0QSbKWPBYkvlyS61QQX3L6h1HTsFNK5eKpyU-dIHmsfFxb3EX9SrHVEaunUQFVGWGV/s320/12163006_10207869406959909_1787211265_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler in a ring sling drinking from a water bottle with a moving van and Target in the background</td></tr>
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And finally, you arrive at the other end of the trip, ready for a good night's sleep before starting the process of unloading in the morning! Babywearing has made the process of moving a young family 1,500 miles across the country a breeze. Ok, I'm lying, it's not a breeze, but certainly more bearable.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdqp3Idv2hsep9EWCjSIkpRVtiiVtSond9qx6xaRegTfL0Iqi9Qzrfm-jbwmBtMKrGEFhR0JZeSOSDckkSXjD8LCUhdBmQHjAChEeDhLHbGmxleep4H9_xT9EqXBhcTRSygxi2ws0JPDx/s1600/12079141_10207876191529519_6437375336553780472_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdqp3Idv2hsep9EWCjSIkpRVtiiVtSond9qx6xaRegTfL0Iqi9Qzrfm-jbwmBtMKrGEFhR0JZeSOSDckkSXjD8LCUhdBmQHjAChEeDhLHbGmxleep4H9_xT9EqXBhcTRSygxi2ws0JPDx/s320/12079141_10207876191529519_6437375336553780472_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Esmeralda wears her toddler in front of a hotel in the dark. Her older daughter <br />stands next to her with her rolling ladybug suitcase.</td></tr>
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We will miss you, Esmeralda. I hope you find awesome new friends in Texas, and visit us often on Facebook. Until we meet again....</div>
Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-33839911085730208782015-10-28T09:42:00.000-04:002015-10-28T09:47:33.305-04:00We Embraced our World!This year, International Babywearing Week was celebrated with the theme "Embrace Your World." This of course had the 2 fold meaning of baby being our world, but also, getting out there to embrace what our local community has to offer. So we did both!<br />
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Our chapter planned several fun and informative activities during International Babywearing Week. One thing we planned was an auction to benefit the chapter. This was a great success and raised $400 for our local chapter!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyu925H7dOuKAAwMoM9gocWrAhLdgTKzfZxcv1T6x0Znpo1gnfjqmcofSjAEabRsuq7dbhB6JzljjaoRlhcyisHlEn3WecTULNCarxKu-BdJfSJU0-pDcDDHslykhk-e0uw4q6idf7Gjag/s1600/12038795_10104327796952112_3748969031223699135_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyu925H7dOuKAAwMoM9gocWrAhLdgTKzfZxcv1T6x0Znpo1gnfjqmcofSjAEabRsuq7dbhB6JzljjaoRlhcyisHlEn3WecTULNCarxKu-BdJfSJU0-pDcDDHslykhk-e0uw4q6idf7Gjag/s320/12038795_10104327796952112_3748969031223699135_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of one of the baskets won by the participants!</td></tr>
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Our chapter did a day at Cox Farms in Centreville VA to enjoy the slides, music, and donuts! The members who attended Cox Farms had a great time!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5pRnWmtAWxXQUhRYqwZd2NFTxVNgMVVTXhG66fsT0kTEIdK_IkckhfFcphhQGYEJWEU08Fovnp6FgNF3J-bccOKULCAuzuw0kOR4RmQpc-Gyzn3HPxYT3bdtJndx8ZEY1J0p0w9yZI3P/s1600/12094865_10101484791033789_9109509883868505392_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5pRnWmtAWxXQUhRYqwZd2NFTxVNgMVVTXhG66fsT0kTEIdK_IkckhfFcphhQGYEJWEU08Fovnp6FgNF3J-bccOKULCAuzuw0kOR4RmQpc-Gyzn3HPxYT3bdtJndx8ZEY1J0p0w9yZI3P/s320/12094865_10101484791033789_9109509883868505392_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A group of members wearing their little ones at the farm</td></tr>
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Another day we hit the Smithsonian National Zoo in DC! It was a gorgeous day and we saw lions, tigers, and pandas, oh my!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHKkrdpKdm-YicE5Da6U5Iv07OAabWE2HJVyK7jfDXVhpyWMLTSpMTQmOL24QFW5jmAmgNrv-NPStNiwsIy0Y04ljf4Q3MdB5UHYSVg4jI2kpuU-OkxrKrRgDwA5TxBM2Nvb44Rwx7Rf-/s1600/2015-10-09+10.55.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHKkrdpKdm-YicE5Da6U5Iv07OAabWE2HJVyK7jfDXVhpyWMLTSpMTQmOL24QFW5jmAmgNrv-NPStNiwsIy0Y04ljf4Q3MdB5UHYSVg4jI2kpuU-OkxrKrRgDwA5TxBM2Nvb44Rwx7Rf-/s320/2015-10-09+10.55.34.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L and her little one look out over the elephants</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaWnALrPwvG3yYdDMSaI9PFEC0ZNo62nzxK12jxj5EGnXzYQbc-69wuoFq0pYtsFerxV_LNRMWl7yNZosSjIE5hXLBsiVdgzFlSPfJh4mHa-oCEOBDG04cnk8TfGdJUrVi8cx3yRLNWsM/s1600/2015-10-09+10.57.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaWnALrPwvG3yYdDMSaI9PFEC0ZNo62nzxK12jxj5EGnXzYQbc-69wuoFq0pYtsFerxV_LNRMWl7yNZosSjIE5hXLBsiVdgzFlSPfJh4mHa-oCEOBDG04cnk8TfGdJUrVi8cx3yRLNWsM/s320/2015-10-09+10.57.07.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">M wears baby on her back while observing the elephants, and big kid S photobombs in the background.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2Hff49Hl3gR85_yTFXFpWQEMUBiXut33K-rjG81kPtFbUw2vmYHHtN_jvvsTcK5ze11x7cCA98Q-DJYlSZcjcsnCDIec0B0_dfxOKZn9lXqo1IOqkiA9dMo0ACxLS6HWLZbr2efZYFRa/s1600/2015-10-09+11.42.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2Hff49Hl3gR85_yTFXFpWQEMUBiXut33K-rjG81kPtFbUw2vmYHHtN_jvvsTcK5ze11x7cCA98Q-DJYlSZcjcsnCDIec0B0_dfxOKZn9lXqo1IOqkiA9dMo0ACxLS6HWLZbr2efZYFRa/s320/2015-10-09+11.42.08.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even 5yr olds get tired. M let me borrow her wrap when my 5yr old announced she was worn out</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half our group meets up to see the big cats!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioYhNSbj3Vdb2OL7wa9ezdO7R3vMHUbB82ebaXE22mpiDJwJL-syz0agQYbWdi5a23Xus1YmQCwPzMSGbHjAVcxnqnZ1IGbQ1LquVhLhKaSpl6y6flh3eNMzxaR7oqcBYYezjviKYH2M-/s1600/2015-10-09+13.14.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioYhNSbj3Vdb2OL7wa9ezdO7R3vMHUbB82ebaXE22mpiDJwJL-syz0agQYbWdi5a23Xus1YmQCwPzMSGbHjAVcxnqnZ1IGbQ1LquVhLhKaSpl6y6flh3eNMzxaR7oqcBYYezjviKYH2M-/s320/2015-10-09+13.14.29.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another chunk of the group plays with the bears</td></tr>
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On Sunday we had an event with Takoma Attachment Parenting that gave us a chance to do a little outreach while the bigger kids did crafts!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNxfxBSZhuFP521wYm423h4BWjJoRtxqbRzSoJsICG3oW1POvvHgU8YLt7K0HsTbIuGioNZU7OxD3S9kOgGeFjTaiVhpSHncYHXtauEj9ngioS32Zns9b-enXV-rhXYmqyAv57P7tdQhl/s1600/12038652_10154351968759768_3956793707912559864_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNxfxBSZhuFP521wYm423h4BWjJoRtxqbRzSoJsICG3oW1POvvHgU8YLt7K0HsTbIuGioNZU7OxD3S9kOgGeFjTaiVhpSHncYHXtauEj9ngioS32Zns9b-enXV-rhXYmqyAv57P7tdQhl/s320/12038652_10154351968759768_3956793707912559864_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AM demonstrates using an SSC to a group of parents</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYziJcfmZ2JwDbGkQbBtxEPFCHlkCgLyXbK5fT7snQT3iW5eTS0xEwyBqMkGl8OQbuQd_ZJOzDlGlEiy_MkbFSPHurb1_olOdH59K86AirjFFRIAEG5NAtf5tz7FyFiQDXfxW2yQJ9iUrd/s1600/12087123_10154351968769768_8097953235168429586_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYziJcfmZ2JwDbGkQbBtxEPFCHlkCgLyXbK5fT7snQT3iW5eTS0xEwyBqMkGl8OQbuQd_ZJOzDlGlEiy_MkbFSPHurb1_olOdH59K86AirjFFRIAEG5NAtf5tz7FyFiQDXfxW2yQJ9iUrd/s320/12087123_10154351968769768_8097953235168429586_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids enjoyed making crafts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Our friends at Honest Soul Yoga in Alexandria hosted us for "Rogue Monday." This has become a DC-MD-VA tradition where we host an event outside of the exact dates of IBW, but on the federal holiday to give working families a chance to participate. This year we did a fitness and yoga walk. This was a lot of fun!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcVnyAOxDzzA6EGawlq_xqFPoO-q1Uhh0xyuiG3rFQgnSgmLhCBalcecBBWNKsZA1SOZC4fjtEz1DtHFFusOE8-rKC0_GHqJjHFGGJDSZdN7pxXfEAyRHLaC6rqTrWkvXXUhZ1UzA8OM-/s1600/2015-10-12+11.12.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcVnyAOxDzzA6EGawlq_xqFPoO-q1Uhh0xyuiG3rFQgnSgmLhCBalcecBBWNKsZA1SOZC4fjtEz1DtHFFusOE8-rKC0_GHqJjHFGGJDSZdN7pxXfEAyRHLaC6rqTrWkvXXUhZ1UzA8OM-/s320/2015-10-12+11.12.21.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group warms up in the studio before the walk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiGSmu0CJlsRqvyl1vrv2l-6bnmx5j_66NOuMG2Tqr5Y8hUkjzD8i7f-z3uv2wKHTAFQLDkTxO2wgcwP5KXIGXp-bES0XthyphenhyphenmKVijh-gYv32iK-3SK6yXYR0O1o3tc0T0DVJ94NGp4ycK/s1600/2015-10-12+11.26.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiGSmu0CJlsRqvyl1vrv2l-6bnmx5j_66NOuMG2Tqr5Y8hUkjzD8i7f-z3uv2wKHTAFQLDkTxO2wgcwP5KXIGXp-bES0XthyphenhyphenmKVijh-gYv32iK-3SK6yXYR0O1o3tc0T0DVJ94NGp4ycK/s320/2015-10-12+11.26.16.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making our way out and working on some yoga poses</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fhA_1xoVL9_Ydab6ufIBf0y1I6s_IDtt2RQGPlSkzApM3J5IPUuyjMkdlNqwrXPWuT1WcsFEhaEFqdajvzPSP4uNqeAsYqYMengGKgQjn9BTyP35ue0uMRDmaIXTFf0xeViDVkUv_r9H/s1600/2015-10-12+11.30.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fhA_1xoVL9_Ydab6ufIBf0y1I6s_IDtt2RQGPlSkzApM3J5IPUuyjMkdlNqwrXPWuT1WcsFEhaEFqdajvzPSP4uNqeAsYqYMengGKgQjn9BTyP35ue0uMRDmaIXTFf0xeViDVkUv_r9H/s320/2015-10-12+11.30.40.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group spread out down the path on the walk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifL8Xtfpn2Unr6jljFAzGudoDaXuUL47V7ZuqNilts2vPhnGKO_tjwnQhfEeH83JZMk8s2XJLrBm-NvEXVNpHpAGJB3KScW8OWuChovUc5a5ORq6P9yLxPy9or4IvXqOfmJOHXsSjHCh7u/s1600/2015-10-12+11.31.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifL8Xtfpn2Unr6jljFAzGudoDaXuUL47V7ZuqNilts2vPhnGKO_tjwnQhfEeH83JZMk8s2XJLrBm-NvEXVNpHpAGJB3KScW8OWuChovUc5a5ORq6P9yLxPy9or4IvXqOfmJOHXsSjHCh7u/s320/2015-10-12+11.31.32.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then we gathered together for some more yoga</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9ypOsIn8m1x4At9LLzkClhusMHPFx0ov8tpjmKL-scmJvz1cif_PGRfIuEmT5t-3snmG81xmYPnR8GxiWROIMzd_tqNS-jlZ5NqYUyqoW3_isJkh7W3_w-Tnlxj0CDDqQo6dDG11-qdr/s1600/2015-10-12+11.31.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9ypOsIn8m1x4At9LLzkClhusMHPFx0ov8tpjmKL-scmJvz1cif_PGRfIuEmT5t-3snmG81xmYPnR8GxiWROIMzd_tqNS-jlZ5NqYUyqoW3_isJkh7W3_w-Tnlxj0CDDqQo6dDG11-qdr/s320/2015-10-12+11.31.41.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stretches!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_nLz0ILKZebl-TDnRB65-RFcfzHmeOIWn2XTTysa5bafPO-Ux2t7-Wx5lWuAxlW8bYIW5TdsBxI8dF8Qo5fvR8bJAgtht9QpWBXZVfED9H7U7KO8L7nzzmLuXtJNtWTzXwJHRnvOly37/s1600/2015-10-12+11.38.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_nLz0ILKZebl-TDnRB65-RFcfzHmeOIWn2XTTysa5bafPO-Ux2t7-Wx5lWuAxlW8bYIW5TdsBxI8dF8Qo5fvR8bJAgtht9QpWBXZVfED9H7U7KO8L7nzzmLuXtJNtWTzXwJHRnvOly37/s320/2015-10-12+11.38.10.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was a tough one, arm dips on the edge of the playground</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2D8w3KhL5-3ZD00XLr9YIeQ07j9vhIXkS7Mqp09O-k8V7O5QDxvcYmtZr9ugP-mUsmx3TKn0_0GwUZnl7DfWiMVUjP0p49GCCXg3mB-8EObajOTqbi6Ay_l3PBAVq8paefJFvy5faZ1O7/s1600/2015-10-12+11.43.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2D8w3KhL5-3ZD00XLr9YIeQ07j9vhIXkS7Mqp09O-k8V7O5QDxvcYmtZr9ugP-mUsmx3TKn0_0GwUZnl7DfWiMVUjP0p49GCCXg3mB-8EObajOTqbi6Ay_l3PBAVq8paefJFvy5faZ1O7/s320/2015-10-12+11.43.40.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little relaxation break</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbmQBfCtsmx4SMxwGYOnIIZHiO7WOPR9_sLokrIHOUcE-R1jyXwp739jkKByu0oW6bjhQoDwOCafLuSlgBnnPut7KILjKy2tlJV3a-MKqJrmoGjn7NyCsdMYeNw4Oifbp-i4J5DtP_TM3/s1600/2015-10-12+11.57.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbmQBfCtsmx4SMxwGYOnIIZHiO7WOPR9_sLokrIHOUcE-R1jyXwp739jkKByu0oW6bjhQoDwOCafLuSlgBnnPut7KILjKy2tlJV3a-MKqJrmoGjn7NyCsdMYeNw4Oifbp-i4J5DtP_TM3/s320/2015-10-12+11.57.01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool down back at the studio</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And finally, while IBW was kicking off, several of your leaders were taking an opportunity to grow in their knowledge with the second part of the Center for Babywearing Studies course. We joined leaders from several local groups including BWI of So. MD, BWI of Central MD, and Quantico Area Babywearers to become better educators to our local members.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdLHFauujrJFf1hPSZppGN0cT8iQKxQ6U6jkMQj36LEAifxqkjlsDjtgnlTENoLMph8U16g1NNenMZTIEKCU48bjNFpxbbSEmwo3DpiN6VF5W34xcbacpZaIQmBtGPlwblq9tekYiW5sv/s1600/12140997_10154286491891038_7663842926058073815_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdLHFauujrJFf1hPSZppGN0cT8iQKxQ6U6jkMQj36LEAifxqkjlsDjtgnlTENoLMph8U16g1NNenMZTIEKCU48bjNFpxbbSEmwo3DpiN6VF5W34xcbacpZaIQmBtGPlwblq9tekYiW5sv/s320/12140997_10154286491891038_7663842926058073815_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A group photo with Joanna from Center for Babywearing Studies<br />
and a group of educators including Angelique, Jessica, and Ann Marie from our chapter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Overall, IBW was an amazing week and we had a great time spending it with you! We look forward to seeing you at a meeting soon.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Posted by Ann Marie</span>Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-62456902230732849192015-10-02T09:17:00.001-04:002015-10-02T09:25:32.828-04:00International Babywearing Week 2015!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvt5n8ipY4dDt6g5aop_rHLNIv7qNSOuUUKwdLoMoIQV7dXqxY_9y2wxPuLabrn1Ci5sdrtkRrBE3tDViotQwD_EfY47lMTLWBWXwAi0lTvrxjlWMEoJ9cIw_AH9cPdtKc8pA2PdK3nJD/s1600/General-IBW-Logo-FC.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvt5n8ipY4dDt6g5aop_rHLNIv7qNSOuUUKwdLoMoIQV7dXqxY_9y2wxPuLabrn1Ci5sdrtkRrBE3tDViotQwD_EfY47lMTLWBWXwAi0lTvrxjlWMEoJ9cIw_AH9cPdtKc8pA2PdK3nJD/s320/General-IBW-Logo-FC.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHKS6czbwyEEyBy2qn2u5exvTARQplPhw1Tujox_yHe2W7Zp3wT_xeJQfH04TaMEEjdHcsIZCeTiAYTPcZulMb0gEy7UIcjbA-o2VBXWMwB1QQI1cVnJ0rRDrQBCAF-l7QLtlXJ48U8wD/s1600/Facebook-Profile-No-lower-text.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHKS6czbwyEEyBy2qn2u5exvTARQplPhw1Tujox_yHe2W7Zp3wT_xeJQfH04TaMEEjdHcsIZCeTiAYTPcZulMb0gEy7UIcjbA-o2VBXWMwB1QQI1cVnJ0rRDrQBCAF-l7QLtlXJ48U8wD/s1600/Facebook-Profile-No-lower-text.png" /></a>It's just about time to kick off International Babywearing Week 2015! This year the theme is "Embrace Your World." We are looking forward to embracing all of the things we love about wearing and the little ones we love wearing. We have a variety of activities, from family outings to the zoo, farm, and yoga, to regular meetings, supporting local businesses that support us, and finally supporting our community. This year we are excited to be hosting a carrier drive to benefit Mamatoto Village. <a href="http://www.mamatotovillage.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mamatoto Village </span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, aims to combat the high rates of preterm birth, low-birth weight and infant mortality in the D.C. Metro Area/Baltimore through the advancement of two programs. The Birthworker Program offers training, education, and practical</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">experience to women of color who are dedicated to the advancement of maternal health equity in underserved communities. Mothers Rising, allows expectant teens and lower income women under age 25 to receive prenatal education, emotional support, and career planning from pregnancy through the first year of the child’s life. Carriers will be collected at all IBW events and will be delivered along with a workshop on carrier use for the Mamatoto Staff following IBW.</span></div>
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Our full schedule can be <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BypSV4fBIrHUdVJWX3V4WHpxWGs/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">viewed here.</a><br />
For more details on any event, see our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BWIofDCMDVA/events" target="_blank">events tab on Facebook</a>.<br />
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Tuesday, October 6 - Cox Farm 10am-6pm Fall Festival all day. </div>
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Wednesday, Oct 7 - Tysons meeting. 10am-noon.</div>
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Thursday, Oct 8 - Bethesda meeting. 10am-noon</div>
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Friday, Oct. 9 - Zoo Playdate 10am (meet in front of the visitor center at the main entrance)</div>
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Sunday, Oct 11 - Family Activities Day with Takoma AP - 3:15-4:45pm</div>
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Monday, Oct 12 - Family Yoga and Walk at Honest Soul Yoga in Alexandria. 11am-noon</div>
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All Week - Baked by Yael (across from the zoo on Connecticut Ave) will be giving 10% discounts to anyone wearing a child in a carrier.</div>
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All Week - In previous years we have held a fundraiser raffle for IBW, but this year, we have decided to try holding an online silent auction. We have some great items available for purchase to support BWI of DC-MD-VA in the coming year. Please take a look and consider supporting our organization. http://bwidcmdva2015.eflea.ca/</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzY6fPDG2LBxUmk5YiEu1UWyzoGhQsxSs_fzpI77hKMCmysAHmVPJmWpfv9turok5lTweAFh8-SOR_-ReF-vmiYxJpobfjn41qJhlXJAxu06hZNM9gAeb7q8GTQY1bbjQQOa0gYoSLw2Cg/s1600/cfc+ad+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzY6fPDG2LBxUmk5YiEu1UWyzoGhQsxSs_fzpI77hKMCmysAHmVPJmWpfv9turok5lTweAFh8-SOR_-ReF-vmiYxJpobfjn41qJhlXJAxu06hZNM9gAeb7q8GTQY1bbjQQOa0gYoSLw2Cg/s320/cfc+ad+final.jpg" width="320" /></a>We hope you will join us for a few activities to celebrate babywearing during this fun week. Also a final note, the Combined Federal Campaign is currently taking place for federal workers. If you, your spouse, your parents, or anyone else you know is looking for a cause to support with the CFC, we would like to remind you that this year, we are an eligible charity. Our CFC# is 60645.<br />
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Thank you for all you do to support Babywearing International of DC-MD-VA.</div>
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Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-33316335650684269442015-09-24T09:30:00.001-04:002015-09-24T09:30:22.931-04:00Confessions of a Babywearer: Nursing Troubles<i>This is the second post in our series of anonymous posts. Sometimes after baby is born everything doesn't go as perfectly as we hoped, and we need to adjust our world view. And sometimes, babywearing helps us find our way to the parent we want to be.</i><br />
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I just had my second baby in June. I wore my first baby, my son, a little bit with the Moby and had started to get involved in the babywearing group but it took me a long time of borrowing a couple times to buy a carrier I knew we would both like. This was a whole new world to me because I didn't know anyone who did it. I ended up with the a Mei Tai wrap conversion and love it! Then I got pregnant with my second baby and just didn't have time to make it to a meeting to figure out how to wear my son while pregnant. But I knew that I loved babywearing and the whole concept of it and that I had to learn more. <br />
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In June I had my beautiful daughter. I identified myself as a sort of a natural mom...a nursing mom, a babywearing mom, a part time cloth diaperer. When my daughter was born we had trouble with nursing. I had trouble with my son as well but we worked through it and I nursed him till he weaned himself at 18 months. My daughter ended up having a lip tie, a tongue tie, and a high pallet. Some well-meaning but not so great advice from an LC resulted in our nursing getting way off track and she started to prefer the bottle after 1 month. <br />
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I'm exclusively pumping breast milk for her and have felt like I lost my natural mom/nursing mom "card". I felt like a huge failure, like I failed her. She is two and a half months old now and I continue to try to get her back to nursing but I have also accepted the fact that exclusive pumping might be our journey and I need to be proud that I can still provide her 100% my milk. Babywearing comes into this equation by being one of the ways I remain bonded with her and in tune with her. We do skin to skin baby wearing in the house and I try to baby wear whenever we're out and about to get better at it and to encourage her to love it. When she falls asleep against my chest I feel so connected to her and proud of myself for learning this method to care for and be close to my baby. While I still feel saddness about our nursing troubles, I don't feel as much in despair as I did in those early days and I look to baby wearing as one of the ways to bring my confidence back as a loving mama to my beautiful girl. <br />
I'm looking into a second carrier so I can tandem wear with my toddler as well! Thank you to all of the leaders for volunteering your time to share baby wearing with all of us!<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-33951990008388283982015-09-16T17:57:00.000-04:002015-09-16T18:02:14.990-04:00Don't say it's over...<b style="font-weight: normal;"></b><div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-0951f1ca-d81e-bb91-5b9d-49dd64e5dc5a" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just as I thought my babywearing time was coming to an end I get a second chance…</span></span></b></div>
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<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When my daughter was little, from the time she was born to about the time she was two I wore her all of the time. Wearing an infant and having two hands to get things done around the house definitely makes life easier. As she grew bigger and began asserting her independence she wanted to go up less and less. And finally around the age of two she let me know that she was no longer interested in uppies…and I cried. I put my carrier away in the closet with little hope of using it again. But, I refused to let it go just yet for hope of a chance to wear her again.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fast forward a year and a half. My daughter is now a full blown threenager and going through the developmental and emotional stages that all three year olds go through. The emotional ups and downs of a three year old can sometimes lead you to believe that they might be bipolar. Because of the increase in extreme emotions we have had to have a lot more snuggle time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The other day we needed to go shopping at Costco. Usually, she loves the idea of running through the store and trying all of the samples. This day she had no interest in going at all. I talked to her about the trip and tried to see what would make her happy and how I could entice her to go. I tried every trick and bribe in the book. Then, I opened the closet and saw the carrier hanging there. I pulled it out and asked her if she wanted to go uppies on my back for the Costco trip. She finally agreed. We arrived at Costco and she rode on my back for the entire shopping trip. It was great! She was able to get the extra time and I was able to complete a Costco shopping trip without having to wrangle a crazy three year old! WIN WIN!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQKnUaO0uA780WsPt4In8gUd03tlwuFuwEDPjY442YNprA_QGaUJ2XF3OposIBN3SRsdU0652bF2tehgcpv1HD-9YFfH7s54nagL42Sm3VZiHIghvK6CUCKAO1S6L6lBKBCFWJGUeUlt0/s1600/20150912_144700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQKnUaO0uA780WsPt4In8gUd03tlwuFuwEDPjY442YNprA_QGaUJ2XF3OposIBN3SRsdU0652bF2tehgcpv1HD-9YFfH7s54nagL42Sm3VZiHIghvK6CUCKAO1S6L6lBKBCFWJGUeUlt0/s320/20150912_144700.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three Year old asleep on dad's back while dad enjoys a beer.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since that day we have used the carrier more in the past couple of weeks than we have in the past year and a half. Last weekend we went to a craft beer festival. The festival happened to cut right into nap time. Usually, my daughter would sleep in the stroller or our wagon but she asked daddy if he could hold her and she could sleep on his shoulder. Thankfully, we had the carrier and she went up on daddy’s back and fell right asleep. It was the best hour of the festival for us…no stroller to push, no child to wrangle, and two free hands.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am so glad that we have had the option of babywearing to help us get through some of these tough times.</span></span></div>
</b><em>This theme repeats throughout our blog, here's an oldie but goodie<a href="http://beltwaybabywearers.blogspot.com/2010/08/just-when-you-think-its-over.html" target="_blank"> story</a> of a similar bigger toddler wearing.</em><br />
Posted by LindseyMetro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-19747352605440068692015-09-10T09:29:00.000-04:002015-09-10T09:29:27.809-04:00Babywearing Saves the Day! Touring Europe with a Toddler in Tow<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-025cfbed-b75b-3486-4689-d42332444550" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I was fortunate enough to recently embark on a week-long trip to Europe with my children (ages 6 years and 19 months), husband, and in-laws. In a period of nine days, we experienced three countries, four cities, two transatlantic flights, two shorter flights, two train rides between cities, and rides on trams, subway trains, water buses, and a gondola. We visited countless museums and churches, ascended bell towers, and ate a lot of gelato. We didn’t bring a stroller, carseat, or any other baby gear except a soft-structured carrier and a pouch sling. The ways in which babywearing helped make this trip possible and enjoyable are too great to innumerate, but here are the top ways babywearing made this an awesome, doable trip.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="764" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wScSKjzuqEuWwqVS-v2nKukuKup1HdwgDk4o3Acmz5-m-EJn1gXGSbMCO1yAssk-E3OcIQzwDDqTk73pHffsiOiza24H2X-xUU0B4M_8Ut1kKFhG6PA3-y7D-iy5FET5kxZxw6NZ7zmSZDbZ" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="509" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With toddler in SSC about to climb some stairs at the Doge’s Palace in Venice, Italy</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;">1. Stairs, stairs, and more stairs</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;">: As many know, Europe has a lot of stairs. Every few feet in Venice, one must cross a bridge with stairs. There are stairs—and often no easy access to elevators—in subway stations, train stations, and within museums. We even boarded the huge airplane for our flight back to US from the tarmac… using stairs. While a free-ranging toddler (or one trying to wriggle free from your arms) or a stroller are less than ideal in these settings, a carrier makes stairs a non-issue.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/FhMx8yr2iftwAVKk_ioDqbQcey2skAaiEehj3n3-ba6X5Rg-H02izZ3ZL-puxPuTS03tvyvfL21YN_VIBHxc2FWT3wYjsiqungy7pA9kYQcXB35VGCx1ZQQKYec7gfq6bu9U-KgmPtW-_FV5" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom, toddler, and big brother all stand atop one of the many bridges in Venice, the canal can be seen below</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Naps on the go</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: In addition to normal napping, babywearing allowed my daughter to conk out whenever needed as she adjusted to the 6 hour time difference. She could sleep contentedly on my back (or front), and we could keep sight-seeing or go out to dinner—a win for everyone.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Art museums and glass shops</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: No one wants a one-year-old running free when priceless works of art or breakable merchandise abound. No better way to contain the child and still experience the artwork than to toss the toddler into a carrier. An added bonus is that having the baby up at your level allows you to share what you are seeing with one another.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/fp9s_KcA0gr4tgST_rbajmx_z1qfj2BZiMq_ytFFGZEgCtiOPcs6V173VybLWgtfpHg-yZ12gs22CaYziDOqgN6ZBH4gkmqbqK50AgO2x2ThOaXRUI8h1_i2CZAZGFgRQNO_zGEBFXX9exis" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler in front in SSC pointing to art with brother at art museum with religious icons in the background</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Transportation</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: This trip involved a lot of transit time in a variety of vehicles, and babywearing helped us get through the airport, to the train station, or onto the water bus with ease. It freed up our hands to carry bags and kept the baby content and contained as we traveled around.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gM0DUvivSdZ5YyzgHkPEZeE27sFu7K_CYX3-lEA3eRw60IbR7qR61mzgh3gGraRdkHyzLQ4REdu23CNTK2ypnQ1aksThT_pOUF_R_Dm9F-FzdR3_wzhXNNPZKXkxglPrK83TZHViuaziqYTq" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler in front in an SSC on a gondola ride in Venice, Italy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LpnwdOlqjg5uvM2iDjK2wZEA7p9JCdThWjTiLItoNgXoGoJPdZIWruvt1Mk9t3punJ_TYPaUBlkfRCT4xjvn2G8x4vCrxDLmHbG26-nBz3eM0_nRWyEwmsq-ZglDVgzZEev8LIb4EbUS5yi5" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler in SSC next to 6yr old brother on train to Florence</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Climbing stuff</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: Some of the most fun things we did on this trip, especially from the perspective of my 6-year-old, involved climbing bell towers and the Duomo (dome) in Florence. Taking my toddler up the hundreds of steps through narrow passages would have been basically impossible (and unsafe) had she not been securely strapped to my back.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="785" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zudHMVAHViB_x_RxFhTf0SUxXUmwMus87B6wDAzIeUlRlYBq5kPVZS6DmQVcYXxRWc4yTbG0aJscf0hkVvOzEH-6kp4b2H0kJ2pRb-52re5PJPAqbLcVVixcuy6kXRODQwsEt9bMDrxyRwJ6" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="524" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler barely visible on back following 6yr old in a dark narrow staircase c<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">limbing the Duomo in Florence, Italy</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="815" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/w6F-TZxjdChImZqobQskmQEtR54ttvE7dE7VrkwK68ChIjJKlU3TQb7Gk-DzPhQYIusykICfCJnMfKxjQbP2nTAIU6C3LHl_Ff_4dsQuNAJ2gRfpmv-7o3soTTupYxlUFCtyuULnUlqi-lYv" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="543" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler grins in SSC in dark hallway climbing Duomo in Florence</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 400 14.66px/1.38 Calibri; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="593" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/quDR9xzjtjfH5hxF5ygwBFE1tzIRC8fhNfEAdCUQW1_2bkoVgp6GEc24zZh0o4CBqgO9H3MY2eYXGe2CjkQe67myyghpcR0AwjJdXMan73iDn7EPj3mpOfOSFuXqV_e0aP-Zls8FrjUHXEZp" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="502" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom with sleepy toddler on back and beaming 6yr old boy atop Duomo after climb, <br />
the city and mountain view spreads below</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/HC_JD4z0O7QHedrYEoPuk4QMCngWDLq0J2JrqeTX9d-Xr7EGTHI7WE4LIGVdEmNkNT2DuQpq_6BmJQh6t6Ll125PTf7l7iDeI0DxSYgq7B6kMpaKWuDOveMW_Tyb2bpjYap6VnUCI-nZhx_3" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler can be seem reaching towards the view atop the bell tower in Florence with a church dome and the city beyond</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 400 14.66px/1.38 Calibri; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span> </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 400 14.66px/1.38 Calibri; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Crowds</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: August in a crowded time of year in Europe, and keeping my baby close and safe in a carrier (and not needing to fight my way through the crowds with a stroller) was invaluable.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/jEPPvKaZaX8jRbyf0xNuxAdo1aW6GvljkoKpRlTal5SqVeP5U_v2ZNYKl4IKMMJPycDb9jytrbY522527qWheZFo0yuKh8Q27B3RIFXkL_GcyDryIMwECytpzv-qQbGUiGl6376BA4SLBU-f" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler enjoys a snack from the safety of mom's back during the trip</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span> </div>
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<div style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sharing</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: As is always a benefit of babywearing, having my daughter up on our level, where we could tell her about what we saw and listen to her reactions to what she was experiencing, meant that she came on this trip as an active participant (albeit a young one), and we got to share the places and sites with her up-close. Fun examples include when she noticed an elaborately decorated ceiling in the Vatican Museum and proceeded to point it out to us from my back saying, “See? See?” and her signing “horse” (with sound effects) when she noticed statues of horses.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pheD8yGUXneiIEY99hm5AUeu3XFG2pa0acRIC6YCO3lQCam7mrT5Rhn6GrWV8Gq6ZrkRVJ5ZpvN29AsKAIOVt5fTiRU_s5Lcq3pT3ihJXCEDql2fGtDSJeHGAIKFWwMuH28tFYPBhYyD5lrT" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Back wearing underground in the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, Turkey</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="812" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YnuDPSXYeRhyWibL78PSom6hRTDbmaL-5WFZJTieuxmQSCpsd5EAVKTo2Mu8N7nT3pQmlDBnrEb35NpJq6Wch_3d1yK5N069hLOe44SVeM2-znYmTx_pUq20IdpFO_kpsxGa5eEtNJ4Ij9ES" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="541" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler on mom's back as they stand before the lit Colosseum in Rome in the evening</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. Peace of mind and lack of worry</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: This one is difficult to articulate, but having babywearing as a tried and true option made situations on this trip that might have seemed complicated or problematic with a toddler, non-issues. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All in all, it was a fantastic trip, and babywearing was an invaluable asset that helped make it that way.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img height="416" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/8XY4KHvo2Vz8JITI__J8v8NUEesJs2wFuR_YNAoH-asPDqCa4Tn-uUSUws6aJzma7ZrpclULpUI1a-vCh0ZHTIomZYpJnoPX-v1xY7_eQy1J73NJE0XT79vaoOfNTlh9SfS6yCcMOpJwqT95" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border-image: none; border: currentColor; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></span><br /><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Genevieve </span></div>
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</h4>
Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-22648148685527529112015-09-02T19:54:00.000-04:002015-09-02T20:24:43.845-04:00Oh! The Places We Go (on public transit)!<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>With our babies we love to vroom,</strong></span> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_p_LCe2cn1StBE_qxBEEbXJuVgWnNit6VgysSOuNj-vwn5ss_cyorBY1GHjhhhFMCLftMKLSqcvsr2EjgLE1b1butPSLr4Rs_jvJ34RW_iqIVP3uShFXHGrTStwB3lyaxOSs0pWGFz1O/s1600/304609_10151399192884768_952686987_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_p_LCe2cn1StBE_qxBEEbXJuVgWnNit6VgysSOuNj-vwn5ss_cyorBY1GHjhhhFMCLftMKLSqcvsr2EjgLE1b1butPSLr4Rs_jvJ34RW_iqIVP3uShFXHGrTStwB3lyaxOSs0pWGFz1O/s320/304609_10151399192884768_952686987_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C wears Z on her back in an SSC on the Metro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>Public transit helps us zoom.</strong></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbeVmTzfY6YgsSs3m8_s8U8M3fkPlxVNasD3GWUCJlbcvI2VlBfs2o0rpztPu9arc5zlCz24VBUlj9AJZpGVH_JnzWc6UyfSQHgo4UPSXYqjzLn2wEsETgx8mLEWiw1Jx2wGg00kf11TW/s1600/11986440_10208165676766477_9103263632909758871_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbeVmTzfY6YgsSs3m8_s8U8M3fkPlxVNasD3GWUCJlbcvI2VlBfs2o0rpztPu9arc5zlCz24VBUlj9AJZpGVH_JnzWc6UyfSQHgo4UPSXYqjzLn2wEsETgx8mLEWiw1Jx2wGg00kf11TW/s320/11986440_10208165676766477_9103263632909758871_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D wearing her toddler in a wrap on the Metro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zCX3zhfz5Ex36He_acMhBAiSnsqjD_ZeV61RNHFBRi6fbGUKvIDB27XSytoUUIsD-qFz1UdmOBaUvdbOCMeh2JBtiqQi0sURRyzG61jgiWM9umK_ryujR6MGdDYBxk4A20pcGU8eqZyN/s1600/10401444_10154315634295023_5648098906022781134_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zCX3zhfz5Ex36He_acMhBAiSnsqjD_ZeV61RNHFBRi6fbGUKvIDB27XSytoUUIsD-qFz1UdmOBaUvdbOCMeh2JBtiqQi0sURRyzG61jgiWM9umK_ryujR6MGdDYBxk4A20pcGU8eqZyN/s320/10401444_10154315634295023_5648098906022781134_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">M wears her little on the NY subway</td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>We love to visit lots of places,</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>where we see exciting new faces.</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>We wear our babies on the bus,</strong></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oX6WYChM85lra5amo7TQsILMb1lhegDw_e31W9bBz3HG2X9A-b3wv-P7gWn17rVgIxCod1x1d7ucd92e4sXt8Ic7PvCoOT-yMJRJjaGs2GvMOTdhMoIYcF5hxfQRawTE9JOyPyq161dE/s1600/20150719_111615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oX6WYChM85lra5amo7TQsILMb1lhegDw_e31W9bBz3HG2X9A-b3wv-P7gWn17rVgIxCod1x1d7ucd92e4sXt8Ic7PvCoOT-yMJRJjaGs2GvMOTdhMoIYcF5hxfQRawTE9JOyPyq161dE/s320/20150719_111615.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woman in wrap paying for the bus</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziIhjBnaHTR3ouAQq5W8Bs19agKGAHgieyrVvpMfzaus1CknpRWJ5fffesYFBrRuQzm5dHz-nvtkelSIK8pRdxnhPiSADbNrCGJ0jFc-qoPdHUirk0h6RwbGIXpvHRJ75GHO8sece4Xjy/s1600/184142_10150387083259768_6342247_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziIhjBnaHTR3ouAQq5W8Bs19agKGAHgieyrVvpMfzaus1CknpRWJ5fffesYFBrRuQzm5dHz-nvtkelSIK8pRdxnhPiSADbNrCGJ0jFc-qoPdHUirk0h6RwbGIXpvHRJ75GHO8sece4Xjy/s320/184142_10150387083259768_6342247_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Z rides on C's back in a wrap on the bus</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KpVMpgemvpJKfe3Y3i79M96P-FJmhyphenhyphenznHwMoalTMndEyhNkk4OcILP1rarOWT6hPgl2Y5f0Fjg5zBcPergKnqf-bdFLbKF5O__6HKivkllttQ7mCnHIdhoitrn4QOeA0StMqjBILGktF/s1600/IMG_5795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KpVMpgemvpJKfe3Y3i79M96P-FJmhyphenhyphenznHwMoalTMndEyhNkk4OcILP1rarOWT6hPgl2Y5f0Fjg5zBcPergKnqf-bdFLbKF5O__6HKivkllttQ7mCnHIdhoitrn4QOeA0StMqjBILGktF/s320/IMG_5795.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L wears in an SSC on the bus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>it gets us there with no fuss.</strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsyRqikkY-0c508uO9uwLIl8j1rt926I1m84bIe85OxI6a2iO7FHcNx8YeOAuZ1ozF7dD8G4JB4Vuc0ZjWAmF94Txk17INl83dXPNiK9FbUavDf9JzXxkEaYSF1cnS6yXU2gZSEM56vT2/s1600/30824_455768581037_4354082_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsyRqikkY-0c508uO9uwLIl8j1rt926I1m84bIe85OxI6a2iO7FHcNx8YeOAuZ1ozF7dD8G4JB4Vuc0ZjWAmF94Txk17INl83dXPNiK9FbUavDf9JzXxkEaYSF1cnS6yXU2gZSEM56vT2/s320/30824_455768581037_4354082_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wears A in a hip rebozo carry on the bus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>On the platform we often wait,</strong></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdlMindybA14G9HX7mdgwTPq9rBXeHCEUbrO-AOBJspQj-TlyNiy3IrfnLqhwKIyRc3VPN1iPVfyJi650-YKPi_mDV0HkSS9Qw5Ffgh38xcR7wysMb-oyAeznhOqvR7DrPj05EaL6GEdf/s1600/11895952_10103096588159443_2847634209822959073_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdlMindybA14G9HX7mdgwTPq9rBXeHCEUbrO-AOBJspQj-TlyNiy3IrfnLqhwKIyRc3VPN1iPVfyJi650-YKPi_mDV0HkSS9Qw5Ffgh38xcR7wysMb-oyAeznhOqvR7DrPj05EaL6GEdf/s320/11895952_10103096588159443_2847634209822959073_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S wears an SSC on the DC Metro platform</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL5nr0NmmmHIB1tQWmImzd_XFSZUuVn7nBMvQ5fOLYUj39PvtrbsFfM6cp_dKEZ_ePpJPbZBSs0SxzqJiV5knF_a3vEMg3u6vlwmHi3CjZ0K5REEiFj1o0RtHXTNl5CoHVfMuavOAWC07/s1600/11953187_10208165678246514_8232976281047050839_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL5nr0NmmmHIB1tQWmImzd_XFSZUuVn7nBMvQ5fOLYUj39PvtrbsFfM6cp_dKEZ_ePpJPbZBSs0SxzqJiV5knF_a3vEMg3u6vlwmHi3CjZ0K5REEiFj1o0RtHXTNl5CoHVfMuavOAWC07/s320/11953187_10208165678246514_8232976281047050839_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D wears her toddler in a wrap on the Metro platform</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvL-9_wADOccDkxoKofBnIwsv-pFUy7UpyUE_rAkKPyatq5lLoiWlPaTf5juisFsUWb8JJB45jN1_nkwX3yFei8wRvWlatr9HbpAGvELThXpGh-GVjVMSgwHBo6k7DR6zQFMQQmH7FKBG/s1600/IMG_5796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvL-9_wADOccDkxoKofBnIwsv-pFUy7UpyUE_rAkKPyatq5lLoiWlPaTf5juisFsUWb8JJB45jN1_nkwX3yFei8wRvWlatr9HbpAGvELThXpGh-GVjVMSgwHBo6k7DR6zQFMQQmH7FKBG/s320/IMG_5796.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L wears her daughter waiting on the Metro platform</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>So we can head out on our date.</strong></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizyGp5cVIPb7JT0An6fvUFx6PWBJifl2qiL2JrXjlB6Kczh4V2A5YkcYERtC4zjJYyS6Wzwyrnz7pwtkYWfLfkla3nGcYoweHBaX9tP4oadVNadl-9To7sW2rvr_frLdzP9adS99i3SK4P/s1600/metro1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizyGp5cVIPb7JT0An6fvUFx6PWBJifl2qiL2JrXjlB6Kczh4V2A5YkcYERtC4zjJYyS6Wzwyrnz7pwtkYWfLfkla3nGcYoweHBaX9tP4oadVNadl-9To7sW2rvr_frLdzP9adS99i3SK4P/s320/metro1.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woman wears baby on train while husband looks on</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Zb0SVzyK-G0enMZwMZamS_-4kzv4GZBITjRM-OuVXJwl1S8ER5AhH_iqJnSqoLb2alnWo6aQbAVKeTq2cDAqTGLYsC-gwabKmpqlEHjJ11CVMcBx1NUe-8MPKk440xsZdOW1TZoxLYU4/s1600/11960286_10102416038271887_8091803436248409919_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Zb0SVzyK-G0enMZwMZamS_-4kzv4GZBITjRM-OuVXJwl1S8ER5AhH_iqJnSqoLb2alnWo6aQbAVKeTq2cDAqTGLYsC-gwabKmpqlEHjJ11CVMcBx1NUe-8MPKk440xsZdOW1TZoxLYU4/s320/11960286_10102416038271887_8091803436248409919_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and Dad both wear babies at the subway station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHk5czakjE-LbDOSvMVV14OSJT0z8TQt11-bMvM_Bmd11fjBVgm8wcN5UX4aUJlKjLgI_hqYij59_RwVo4O2WaM-M-4HZMMBjP8X5m5mquC71E2ak2uvFxUlw0_UR52IhhYRVkNWx8J1Bi/s1600/472627_10151056056001038_2016378811_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdlMindybA14G9HX7mdgwTPq9rBXeHCEUbrO-AOBJspQj-TlyNiy3IrfnLqhwKIyRc3VPN1iPVfyJi650-YKPi_mDV0HkSS9Qw5Ffgh38xcR7wysMb-oyAeznhOqvR7DrPj05EaL6GEdf/s1600/11895952_10103096588159443_2847634209822959073_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong> We can wear our babies on the train,</strong></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOjVa1cH9x_-DIiUJ_jL380M_QRv6mL6Iw_NnxJI77r4G5uJphjrA0h9f0UbGkKm2bywUNIqz-TrpHTtS9Jx2Jzvjsxc6QFHC29Ki7Aas3zIbmQNW0z_A17NTn3NaUafYl1AVdfVXeWTj/s1600/11949150_10103096590035683_7989350459407301314_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOjVa1cH9x_-DIiUJ_jL380M_QRv6mL6Iw_NnxJI77r4G5uJphjrA0h9f0UbGkKm2bywUNIqz-TrpHTtS9Jx2Jzvjsxc6QFHC29Ki7Aas3zIbmQNW0z_A17NTn3NaUafYl1AVdfVXeWTj/s320/11949150_10103096590035683_7989350459407301314_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad with baby in front carry on Metro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyQxAqiZQc4eutP5AAaFchpt5nNAGSsexuIMagzKHAIKMxDm9BAa6Vsh5ipjJntDMjoEVJa1U7pzroluDuyeqUV-A3BuEfidsOOGyHz1uSZT0SUXMsRNOk_MdjrAabiFWgczTzzo2Eo7f/s1600/20150711_150411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyQxAqiZQc4eutP5AAaFchpt5nNAGSsexuIMagzKHAIKMxDm9BAa6Vsh5ipjJntDMjoEVJa1U7pzroluDuyeqUV-A3BuEfidsOOGyHz1uSZT0SUXMsRNOk_MdjrAabiFWgczTzzo2Eo7f/s320/20150711_150411.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom wears baby in SSC on the Amtrak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIj1-rm83HQIuTI6mSgU4OLfK4zJo2KX3X4NfEWw0vZ5WQv3KXLqcKmdbMThlZxpftB9LzhIpqFvwVEsXWn2gQqGXpwa0d_yHyDeKxwwcedHihg2YyMOg4gLhdpIlSpfPBlrtqONauuU7e/s1600/20150822_092444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIj1-rm83HQIuTI6mSgU4OLfK4zJo2KX3X4NfEWw0vZ5WQv3KXLqcKmdbMThlZxpftB9LzhIpqFvwVEsXWn2gQqGXpwa0d_yHyDeKxwwcedHihg2YyMOg4gLhdpIlSpfPBlrtqONauuU7e/s320/20150822_092444.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S wears baby in front with Grovsner Square station visible through train window</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwH-6S4uVc9Ge3qtbz9QxlV6ozqTrS0hrGMyzeG9drnP7c3ivamUYOAajY7yEmgf5oCh61bXDgELMsSR2uYFxWlqE4mAFKxoqQPIrM3egkZ4jzddFhQbmN614neRndM5VNo03WTYwQ4pp/s1600/20150823_112840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwH-6S4uVc9Ge3qtbz9QxlV6ozqTrS0hrGMyzeG9drnP7c3ivamUYOAajY7yEmgf5oCh61bXDgELMsSR2uYFxWlqE4mAFKxoqQPIrM3egkZ4jzddFhQbmN614neRndM5VNo03WTYwQ4pp/s320/20150823_112840.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">R wears baby on back on Metro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovZRItA82WwbXxcGPp0_gNxKlvGuWgYHsdD_3vtNmMsBr6y0p831o5PdnMPR0ysi3f26L8wMH2qwR_QFOR9MnFFY2etoc7ZyIkGNOs-0LQ3qc1AzJbLV6tDkgbFST6bF7bqbl_kLHxM4E/s1600/11692563_10155746107515023_4489342744252265814_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovZRItA82WwbXxcGPp0_gNxKlvGuWgYHsdD_3vtNmMsBr6y0p831o5PdnMPR0ysi3f26L8wMH2qwR_QFOR9MnFFY2etoc7ZyIkGNOs-0LQ3qc1AzJbLV6tDkgbFST6bF7bqbl_kLHxM4E/s320/11692563_10155746107515023_4489342744252265814_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">M wears an SSC with her toddler on Amtrak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkQCw3nPGBG3V8RS812zbXOt6llPvkKsij85FTkoloi_zfqy9hn1yMv4tPsAXvsiKMr0D7By1DHgKQhxF94AftO9HuQNM0dPg0-oSgnE0Z1SUUy4jAohy1K04j189Bfic4lcTl0pLQwsu/s1600/0530151136a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkQCw3nPGBG3V8RS812zbXOt6llPvkKsij85FTkoloi_zfqy9hn1yMv4tPsAXvsiKMr0D7By1DHgKQhxF94AftO9HuQNM0dPg0-oSgnE0Z1SUUy4jAohy1K04j189Bfic4lcTl0pLQwsu/s320/0530151136a.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby on front of woman in SSC on Metro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh734BOTd7IngITcJeQ3d_owiF1jopQ3DCckt8N6lpgGmikAZK_jXl_Ng7Q_WHW3cB9LN4T1b3Ih3wlAJHID7dNcDaIIfQUVyd-m9U-fsTk8G01aWgQ_KP4ClLUVaxwz-1ch1B6V9YNmvau/s1600/image2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh734BOTd7IngITcJeQ3d_owiF1jopQ3DCckt8N6lpgGmikAZK_jXl_Ng7Q_WHW3cB9LN4T1b3Ih3wlAJHID7dNcDaIIfQUVyd-m9U-fsTk8G01aWgQ_KP4ClLUVaxwz-1ch1B6V9YNmvau/s320/image2.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man wearing baby in a wrap on Metro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>and wrap them before we board a plane.</strong></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgniFfdIXbljLLo_XmLSe4Igx7L5oNL40df27rLdF7h0v0NBIy0Im9GECM9cxNZKr68U90BX5_Zpt3sgxhOVYid4fULS0oZz9C2d_bckO_mOiPV9RCxNIo5U7WmrthywgQqa3GpxchLBrb/s1600/10401974_10153004946986038_5414016313644630413_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgniFfdIXbljLLo_XmLSe4Igx7L5oNL40df27rLdF7h0v0NBIy0Im9GECM9cxNZKr68U90BX5_Zpt3sgxhOVYid4fULS0oZz9C2d_bckO_mOiPV9RCxNIo5U7WmrthywgQqa3GpxchLBrb/s320/10401974_10153004946986038_5414016313644630413_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler wrapped on front on plane</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6Nn2gwDjbGbdqMXjNuEX1CjskLelggGNO46VO_6JoHn4mE7pMAy59XlXmD-XGn-qhJEVDkBnHxwQYt0cZ3WlWCr392LoyOFTCjSPkgxsmwVrrZsUNFpibLnyYpZylhybIVMjKDA3fqve/s1600/11954633_966158937802_3488202464650385637_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6Nn2gwDjbGbdqMXjNuEX1CjskLelggGNO46VO_6JoHn4mE7pMAy59XlXmD-XGn-qhJEVDkBnHxwQYt0cZ3WlWCr392LoyOFTCjSPkgxsmwVrrZsUNFpibLnyYpZylhybIVMjKDA3fqve/s320/11954633_966158937802_3488202464650385637_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newborn in stretchy wrap on plane</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>We wait in ports and stations,</strong></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWehIrMiHVw2d6gtgnYyG8o1vSazSzK1QGmc1PJmguKr6fq-5yUegQX8AjOKsf45HDa2Tt7g9h5CX3hoDNeqMj2l38YQcPCXPuBEw9Tpzpe_7pGVQSmLX2jUFaZvXGPzLxcL6kMDzSmVXi/s1600/10362257_354724554716678_1472008535_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWehIrMiHVw2d6gtgnYyG8o1vSazSzK1QGmc1PJmguKr6fq-5yUegQX8AjOKsf45HDa2Tt7g9h5CX3hoDNeqMj2l38YQcPCXPuBEw9Tpzpe_7pGVQSmLX2jUFaZvXGPzLxcL6kMDzSmVXi/s320/10362257_354724554716678_1472008535_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A buys tickets at the station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ua7RF_uV3zG5aBsnE9LZZ4HhYFUL65OnIX7UVT9hau7bLTd3Ovx6Hmltx0SGwPk6t3kCDIGYyO69eNoOciFksIV2fIuAbLqujzEMPyrnwB5G6ejDL7QLeCOsyE-E2M61qrk3YpGrHMxx/s1600/20150811_094631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ua7RF_uV3zG5aBsnE9LZZ4HhYFUL65OnIX7UVT9hau7bLTd3Ovx6Hmltx0SGwPk6t3kCDIGYyO69eNoOciFksIV2fIuAbLqujzEMPyrnwB5G6ejDL7QLeCOsyE-E2M61qrk3YpGrHMxx/s320/20150811_094631.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler on back in wrap at airport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9dDGALltqsqKMploLN_C0KOpTWqiF3Iu3JnT0IRlKUJy98zRBfIxLPuhYMHxLerFZfn8E_7FHAzKMFEWY2fpNV1dMNcRb5gfJVops4RHnECszPGvXO2amfRYSPL9JqbjErXI18I2oF57/s1600/20150811_111117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9dDGALltqsqKMploLN_C0KOpTWqiF3Iu3JnT0IRlKUJy98zRBfIxLPuhYMHxLerFZfn8E_7FHAzKMFEWY2fpNV1dMNcRb5gfJVops4RHnECszPGvXO2amfRYSPL9JqbjErXI18I2oF57/s320/20150811_111117.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler on front in SSC at airport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHk5czakjE-LbDOSvMVV14OSJT0z8TQt11-bMvM_Bmd11fjBVgm8wcN5UX4aUJlKjLgI_hqYij59_RwVo4O2WaM-M-4HZMMBjP8X5m5mquC71E2ak2uvFxUlw0_UR52IhhYRVkNWx8J1Bi/s1600/472627_10151056056001038_2016378811_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHk5czakjE-LbDOSvMVV14OSJT0z8TQt11-bMvM_Bmd11fjBVgm8wcN5UX4aUJlKjLgI_hqYij59_RwVo4O2WaM-M-4HZMMBjP8X5m5mquC71E2ak2uvFxUlw0_UR52IhhYRVkNWx8J1Bi/s320/472627_10151056056001038_2016378811_o.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toddler on back in mei tai with big sister at Metro station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUd6-hDdm5MilU0E0YaX5es8_NrNNOutC-6yKACjZN3t1gbd6DbiobjvkBnaaSXVOQ6x6XooXTzzAws8EUGoNTUUC7ALXAwVi2JGBQ_rsoAztiwPNtiETQ5UWKMeicOoIfOp9dg6e5JnDW/s1600/11954556_10103096661717033_6608844080707490464_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUd6-hDdm5MilU0E0YaX5es8_NrNNOutC-6yKACjZN3t1gbd6DbiobjvkBnaaSXVOQ6x6XooXTzzAws8EUGoNTUUC7ALXAwVi2JGBQ_rsoAztiwPNtiETQ5UWKMeicOoIfOp9dg6e5JnDW/s320/11954556_10103096661717033_6608844080707490464_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom with newborn at Metro station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2R-kmEK8Y-RuvoFX829ZPAR1zNElB-aHuozRPfvC72XXf324wMOwr1L-xGZjbcKfFB21rLtu8gPuhtGkK1SwdjOeXA-ea8W5-uLxcETD3FyCLM4W5drKl1-npb-OHbAQfM4_0Sgw5c8Ai/s1600/11924541_10103096598808103_1725024894830098175_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2R-kmEK8Y-RuvoFX829ZPAR1zNElB-aHuozRPfvC72XXf324wMOwr1L-xGZjbcKfFB21rLtu8gPuhtGkK1SwdjOeXA-ea8W5-uLxcETD3FyCLM4W5drKl1-npb-OHbAQfM4_0Sgw5c8Ai/s320/11924541_10103096598808103_1725024894830098175_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad wears baby AND kilt at the Metro platform</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQcc_mWN7VdKm2woQdgAEMIHKSltf1E9Eg2RcYLO8FoFVZ6K4k6oIJIgXafRhj4U7KXiPsvmZ0pjKRn7SRDl2oBCcMXMRwUloMoetF6vkDvZEduoGgQpFhp1Whyphenhyphen9TNF1pGlu1L-QhF5jn/s1600/20150812_130157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQcc_mWN7VdKm2woQdgAEMIHKSltf1E9Eg2RcYLO8FoFVZ6K4k6oIJIgXafRhj4U7KXiPsvmZ0pjKRn7SRDl2oBCcMXMRwUloMoetF6vkDvZEduoGgQpFhp1Whyphenhyphen9TNF1pGlu1L-QhF5jn/s320/20150812_130157.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom wears toddler in wrap on front at Judiciary Square station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>then we're off on our vacations.</strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWW6Og8oiPYpdki0UarBSzxo8nQEmAL7U13b4wn8lsNl4G8v17xMnbh2UnY03o2xz2SxnIoIFOZMQmy66jF8sAPXgOv4r2-eYXTUAEJRIjQcV-MulbA8vRy3eIdqtgah6SnxHTyCzgrGXO/s1600/25713_412840436037_412671_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWW6Og8oiPYpdki0UarBSzxo8nQEmAL7U13b4wn8lsNl4G8v17xMnbh2UnY03o2xz2SxnIoIFOZMQmy66jF8sAPXgOv4r2-eYXTUAEJRIjQcV-MulbA8vRy3eIdqtgah6SnxHTyCzgrGXO/s320/25713_412840436037_412671_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wears newborn under babywearing coat at station with suitcase</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>We carry babes on things pulled by bikes,</strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHOyLZ6E3lVlje9xTsTR7ltd9qCvlFiIo29iqDhDxP1SJUJo6hmZfN9uUBmQn1AkSt3gExAuqnEMdjACbTn-xwL8fDwR9QwWCSqlpx93Kdo3JfblVmHWkuaHTdVFpV1FRNOeBzDOV8LX3/s1600/11925952_10207623017520327_341318997_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHOyLZ6E3lVlje9xTsTR7ltd9qCvlFiIo29iqDhDxP1SJUJo6hmZfN9uUBmQn1AkSt3gExAuqnEMdjACbTn-xwL8fDwR9QwWCSqlpx93Kdo3JfblVmHWkuaHTdVFpV1FRNOeBzDOV8LX3/s320/11925952_10207623017520327_341318997_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">E wears baby with friend while riding a bike carriage (modern rickshaw)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>We wear on trains designed for tikes.</strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sE7w5bHotlNmhfb5oCkIt2O4EsIvdBnzx8yibcW5H9mTNg5EuvQVZkGeQYy8vb4fuGXwQkwfgqnWG-w7Z3Ui41K9xz6tRYnjPs6bQR3D1PmyuEfpUOxMJrVwALeIEE-Ftz8mol8NOwkR/s1600/trains1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sE7w5bHotlNmhfb5oCkIt2O4EsIvdBnzx8yibcW5H9mTNg5EuvQVZkGeQYy8vb4fuGXwQkwfgqnWG-w7Z3Ui41K9xz6tRYnjPs6bQR3D1PmyuEfpUOxMJrVwALeIEE-Ftz8mol8NOwkR/s320/trains1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A and A wear babies on toddler train</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheC9ezFAZqRofPgU4qRbkAcp59kbTGW8XQXbVzqiN2Qi8NK5mc502Cv8_fS_5vieBglLC2AiqZdF77Wo2tIFq1bdV82yaZJNKMrJ-TZD7bw5qbdstDppb_T6yua1HuofZetp4VgomCiTZ7/s1600/trainride6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheC9ezFAZqRofPgU4qRbkAcp59kbTGW8XQXbVzqiN2Qi8NK5mc502Cv8_fS_5vieBglLC2AiqZdF77Wo2tIFq1bdV82yaZJNKMrJ-TZD7bw5qbdstDppb_T6yua1HuofZetp4VgomCiTZ7/s320/trainride6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wears S with big sis S on the mini train at Burke Lake Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>We wear our babies when they are merry,</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>and wear them when we ride the ferry.</strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRpfgWbqKRMbG4TiLSY2XIJP2-aBKjckBaz1aXq6A64f_yQX6yjN4mmSmgeuHEGfsqQVvzYFM8Ht6vbjlrTcZRpBQMR0w0moaJCwI54XMWMoRmHYxkd2jDfRFksxvt5uzpwXewYDeAENu/s1600/IMG_8313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRpfgWbqKRMbG4TiLSY2XIJP2-aBKjckBaz1aXq6A64f_yQX6yjN4mmSmgeuHEGfsqQVvzYFM8Ht6vbjlrTcZRpBQMR0w0moaJCwI54XMWMoRmHYxkd2jDfRFksxvt5uzpwXewYDeAENu/s320/IMG_8313.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">G wears her toddler on front on the vaparetto (water bus) in Venice, Italy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVB_p8FCtjg-JYAOmiIq4NZ8nRPWnJKnTnYPTAm8CLpMsafnWsX9M7Uinn70lQNAKZfAOyVmcpGjw_vcrYkTOdcGSUFpt8dVYqjo1UwbC6eHoqRAsZUR2R9Rjz3qKgonzX4TUUfgtFebge/s1600/11924942_10102408887127837_7513071889809403749_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVB_p8FCtjg-JYAOmiIq4NZ8nRPWnJKnTnYPTAm8CLpMsafnWsX9M7Uinn70lQNAKZfAOyVmcpGjw_vcrYkTOdcGSUFpt8dVYqjo1UwbC6eHoqRAsZUR2R9Rjz3qKgonzX4TUUfgtFebge/s320/11924942_10102408887127837_7513071889809403749_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom wears sleeping baby under hood on ferry in San Francisco</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>We wear our babies close to home,</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>we wear them wherever we roam.</strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6U0feu5yiVhJy0nbgmiQfIFovEZYDtsR1Uay4MXbTlntOaKI0cEwLcQAiUatEC83EtGw50mHqpoWo8WNGhizrDTV1FJE23WRenSUcL4X3f5mfomI7OQ1-mpfmgsjkhGMN3FBnuQn5UOt/s1600/10438169_10154315635180023_1792058007630006907_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6U0feu5yiVhJy0nbgmiQfIFovEZYDtsR1Uay4MXbTlntOaKI0cEwLcQAiUatEC83EtGw50mHqpoWo8WNGhizrDTV1FJE23WRenSUcL4X3f5mfomI7OQ1-mpfmgsjkhGMN3FBnuQn5UOt/s320/10438169_10154315635180023_1792058007630006907_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">M wears toddler on the platform for the NY subway</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320181329151829081.post-83661197518213193562015-08-27T07:26:00.000-04:002015-08-27T07:26:12.002-04:00Confessions of a Babywearer: A Twin Story<em>While we would all love to believe that everyone has an easy time following the birth of their child, that isn't always the case. Sometimes new families struggle to find their groove, and sometimes, they fall apart. By working through the struggle, they will find their strength. We begin a new series this week sharing the stories of strength and struggle that our families have experienced after birth, and the role babywearing had in helping find their strength.</em><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-c37a76d1-6ede-3151-dff4-02a6085b49ab" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I began my babywearing journey in an unexpected fashion. During my pregnancy with boy/girl twins, I purchased a Moby wrap and registered for a couple of carriers. I figured that it would help to have the carriers since I would be managing two babies, but didn</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arimo; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">t give it much other thought. </span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvW2Bs8wPSzsWIgQt6jUtyG9mdj2pfb1sjGBYub6MoUdIBR0nx-DNm8zUgq45TjVeYMc18qA2izznQx_moppznNVJBWkE8nYFF-ijdtpt7lT5SGdxqsbjIQPCovVnasOWaXfEY1YBze-Rm/s1600/strengthmeme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvW2Bs8wPSzsWIgQt6jUtyG9mdj2pfb1sjGBYub6MoUdIBR0nx-DNm8zUgq45TjVeYMc18qA2izznQx_moppznNVJBWkE8nYFF-ijdtpt7lT5SGdxqsbjIQPCovVnasOWaXfEY1YBze-Rm/s400/strengthmeme.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After giving birth, I became completely consumed/slightly depressed regarding breast feeding. I didn</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arimo; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">t expect to be hit so hard emotionally with my breastfeeding difficulties, but I ended up with a lot of tears and disappointment. I hired a postpartum doula and she helped me figure out how to wear my twins. During the stress of two new babies and breastfeeding issues, my marriage fell apart. There was constant stress in our home and I often escaped by wearing my babies and going for walks. I began joining pages on Facebook and learned about the many more beautiful options to carry my babies. My depression (undiagnosed but quite real) started to improve as I browsed and purchased beautiful wraps/mei tais/conversion/SSCs. It gave me somewhere to channel my emotions while feeling so overwhelmed and alone. Wearing my babies gave me the closeness to them that we all needed. Looking at wraps/carriers, learning how to use them, and fluff mail all gave me opportunities to feel connected, even though I spent most of my time cooped up in the house. Slowly, I started to feel better as my focus shifted from something unsuccessful that was good for my babies (breastfeeding) to something successful for my babies (wearing them.) When I went out in public, wearing them shifted the conversations with random strangers from them asking me if I was breastfeeding (something that I beg everyone to stop doing because that simple question can flood a new mom with emotions) to asking me about my carrier. It made me feel better and helped me connect more with my babies. Wearing them also gave me the confidence to know that I could handle raising them on my own. It helped me feel like I could logistically manage the situation without compromising the bonding. Now, as a single mother of 16 month old amazing twins who ask to go </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arimo; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">up,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arimo; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I look for more opportunities to wear them and hold them close. In such a short amount of time, so much has changed. I know that wearing them will only last for a blip of time in their lives, but the bond that was strengthened will have an ever-lasting effect. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thank you for letting me share my story and thank you for existing. I didn</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arimo; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">t know anything about BWI during my pregnancy and didn</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arimo; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">’</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">t know anything about this whole world of babywearing, but it truly impacted my life in a positive way that I will forever be grateful for</span>. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Anonymous</span></div>
<br /> </b>Metro DC Babywearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17230431017408673743noreply@blogger.com0