Summertime Water Fun with Babywearing!

J demonstrates a mesh sling with a toddler in a local lake

One of the trickiest parts of taking babies and young toddlers in the water is that they become very slippery and tricky to hold.  Whether you're at the beach, a lake, the sprayground, or the pool, babies want to be part of our summer fun!

Babywearing can be a lifesaver, both literally and figuratively.  If you have older children that need hands on attention while you also hold the baby, a sling can make a world of difference.  While you always need to be aware of where baby's head is in relation to the water, and you will need to monitor the baby for chill, a sling can allow the whole family to enjoy summer water play.  Front or hip carries are the safest choices for being in water to best monitor baby's airway.  I know sometimes, even with baby on front, I've gotten too exuberant with our play and baby has gotten a mouth full of water.  It's easiest to recognize and remedy errors in judgment when baby is in front of you.  It's also easier to teach water fun like splashing when baby is in front and can see you patting the water.  We want our babies to associate water play with fun, not fear.

A shows us how a sling makes it possible to parent 2 children in the water.  She supervises her older son learning to boogie board while holding her younger son safe out of the waves.

One place I do not recommend wearing near water is on boats.  Babies and children need a Coast Guard approved floatation device on at all times in a boat, and the flotation device will not work properly while attached to an adult.  I love to babywear, and I see how wearing seems like the safest way to keep baby from falling overboard, but if there is an emergency requiring everyone to abandon the boat, you may not have time to remove baby from your carrier and add a proper floatation device.

Now, on to the carrier options:

Ring Slings:



K demonstrates a mesh sling at the beach with her toddler

I loved water ring slings.  I owned a few over my wearing days and they are quick in and out for baby, they dry fairly quickly, and they have a handy tail which makes a fabulous kick board for preschoolers learning to swim.  In general they are made from Athletic mesh (like gym shorts) or Solarweave (a material similar to men's swim trunks).  On the used market you may find some solarveil slings as well.  These materials have the qualities of handling water well, and drying quickly.  The concern of weight distribution is less important when wearing in water that at least comes to the baby's body because the water helps carry some of the weight.

M demonstrates a mesh sling at the beach with her sweet baby.  This shows excellent sun hat usage too!

K uses a mesh sling at the beach

C demonstrates using a solarweave sling in the pool with a 7mo old Z.

Grandma demonstrates a blue solarveil sling in the ocean with a 4mo old baby.

 

A Zanytoes Splash at the pool with a sleeping newborn

Several companies sell water slings.  A couple of our favorites are Zanytoes for the Zanytoes Splash (the solarweave slings pictured).  Comfy Joey,  Beachfront Baby, and Sweet Pea Slings  offer mesh slings in a variety of colors. KoKaDi has recently introduced their own water sling in pretty prints!  As mentioned, several companies once sold solarveil slings, these are available on the secondary market.  Always rinse your carrier after use in water to rinse out chlorine, salt, etc.

 

Wraps

 

Water wraps are great for those needing the symmetrical support of a wrap even when wearing in the water.  These wraps are often made of a stretchy material, similar to a women's bathing suit.  They are lightweight, pack small for your bag, and are simple to use.  Like most stretchy wraps, you can always wrap first and then add baby once you have the wrap prepared.  At one time, water wraps came in only black, but there are wider arrays of colors available these days.  The two most popular water wrap brands are the Wrapsody HDuO and the Beachfront Baby Wraps.

M shows us how to have fun on the beach and still be covered from the sun!

R shows us how to stay covered and cuddle baby at the beach in her water wrap.

P demonstrates for us nursing on the go at the beach!  Sun hats are great for nursing coverage.



Mei Tai and Soft Structured Carriers

There are fewer options in more structured water carriers.  There are some that are good for splashing, being on the beach, but just toes in the water.  But there are not a ton of options for really being IN the water with a carrier.  One buckle option is the Bitty Bean.  This carrier claims it is good for water use with a rinse immediately following.

M demonstrates the Bitty Bean at a local water park!

Another potential option is the WaterTaiTai by KoKaDi.  These are a newer entry to the water carrier market, but they are cute, have 2 shoulder support, and I expect them to be a popular choice for many families.

C shows us how to multitask at the pool nursing in her KoKaDi Water Mei Tai with rainbow dots.

Once water play fun is over, the water carrier can also be useful for after swimming showers.  Or even for your daily showers.  As I said before, wet babies are slippery.  Wearing in the shower can help everyone to feel safe while also getting clean.

G catches a shower before hitting the pool at a local rec center

Hope that this helps you find a carrier that will work to keep your whole family comfortable during water fun!  And take pictures so that next year when I ask for water wearing pictures, you all have some to share!  I love to see where you wear on your summer vacation.  Thank you to all of the members who shared photos for this post.

Hot tots, and their hawt mamas (and papas)

The birds are singing, our cars have an artistic yellow-green coating, and shorts and flip flops are being seen in the frozen foods section of the grocery store.  That must mean it's almost summer!  Summer in DC can be quite warm.  Who am I kidding?  Summer in DC is sticky, hot, and often sweltering.  Certainly there are days when a stroller might work out better for you, but lots of summer activities (and some babies, too) aren't stroller friendly, so how are parents to cope when it is time to strap an adorable little heater to themselves?  Do we need to hang up our carriers until fall?  Never!  We have a few suggestions to make summer wearing more enjoyable for everyone.

The first suggestion comes from Matthew, he says wearing tech fabric clothing yourself helps.  So those fancy shirts designed to make you stay cool when going for a 30 mile hike?  Yeah, a day at the zoo with a toddler is comparable, you might as well dress that way.  I often find back carries FEEL less hot than front carries.  It isn't like your little inferno suddenly becomes a Popsicle(who knew that was a proper noun?), but I find I tolerate the heat better against my back.  I like a mei tai or soft structure carrier, but a one layer wrap carry can also be a great suggestion, especially in a light colored wrap.  Sometimes leaning back a bit from time to time to get a little air between you can be a great thing.

Lindsay has a suggestion that is great when little one likes to be wrapped for nap, but it's 90 out and you need to get things done.  This carry is not only for when it's hot, it's hawt.  Lindsay is sporting a double hammock carry topless.  Since there is a torso pass that is spread across your chest, it allows for a modest topless carry.  This one is really only good at home or in your garden though, there isn't a solution for getting baby down without becoming quite a show.

There are also some fabrics that can be better choices than others.  I don't think I would choose a fleece pouch for July in DC, for example.  Figuring out which fabrics are terrible choices can seem easy, but which fabrics are good choices?  There are traditional summery fabrics like linen or 100% cotton.  Linen is a great summer carrier.  You can get linen ring slings, linen blend wraps, and even some linen mei tais.  Linen is light and airy and very breathable in warm weather.  Cotton gauze is also a great summer wrap fabric (and it is easy to DIY).  It requires more careful wrapping to avoid pressure points, but it can provide a supportive carry with quite a thin fabric.

Some parents are concerned about the baby overheating more than themselves.  There are carrier choices that can help with that.  Dress baby lightly (or even just a diaper) and use one layer carriers over them, a single layer wrap carry, a ring sling or pouch, or even a lighter weight mei tai or soft structure carrier can help keep baby from over heating. Some parents will also occasionally place a damp towel between them and baby to provide some temporary cooling.


However, if your little one is truly a mini-furnace, another possibility is to use a special extra breathable fabric carrier.  Solarveil is a material that is no longer in production, but there are a lot of carriers around that use it.  It is a durable mesh-like fabric.  It provides some sun-protection and is also quite breathable.  Another bonus for solarveil is that it dries quickly when used for and entire pouch/mei tai/ring sling/ or wrap.  This can make it the ideal choice for wearing in the pool, ocean, or lake.  When trying to wrangle a toddler or preschooler in the water while also keeping baby safe, wearing is the perfect solution.  Another fabric that is often used for this is solarweave.  Solarweave has a UPF 50 and there are several sling and soft structure choices that use it.

No matter what style of carrier you choose, make sure both you and baby remain well hydrated.  Remember that you must replace all of that water you are sweating out.  Also remember that while ice cream or a Popsicle (still a proper noun, thanks spell-check) may sound like a great summer treat, you do NOT want to let them eat it while in the carrier. Otherwise carrier, you, and your hair will all be colorful, fruit flavored, and even stickier than you were with just the heat as a contender.

The final thing to always remember when wearing in the hot DC sun is to protect those tiny noses and toes-es.  A solarveil carrier cover like a Monkey Pocket can be a good choice for keeping baby out of the hot sun.  A sun protective hat with a chin strap is also a necessity.  I have a sun-protection cape that I use on my daughter when she is in the carrier.  This is especially important for babies younger than 6mo as the pediatrician usually recommends waiting until after 6mo for sunscreen.  Something you may not be aware exists and can make any clothing UPF is Rit Sun Guard.  While your little one might be amused by turning the color of Elmo, you probably want to avoid the associated misery.

So, get out there and enjoy the sweet, sweaty, summer snuggles brought to you by babywearing.

Posted by Ann Marie
Pictures from Nicole, Ellen, Lindsay, and Ann Marie