Artisan chocolate, Hepplewhite, and Baby Wraps

When I say chocolate, what comes to mind?  Is it bar of chocolate from the convenience store, or do you think of that little shop on the corner where artisan chocolatiers craft unimaginable delights in house?

 If your tastes run more to the latter rather than the former, do not fear—you will be able to drape yourself (and your progeny) in the kind of luxury to which you have become accustomed.  Just as Prada gives you an alternative to those dreary Rockports, there are babywearing companies that provide their customers with wraps woven by wood sprites during the vernal equinox using the finest of unicorn hair on looms of moonlight…

…well, maybe not quite, but rest assured- there are baby carriers to suit every possible occasion, even the ones we invent for ourselves.

Just as it is possible to babywear on a budget, you can find a carrier that does the exact same thing for twenty times the cost!  Seriously!  You didn’t think Maserati had that market cornered, did you?  Most companies have regular line carriers, where you can buy the color and size you desire at any time.  Where’s the challenge in that?  Do you really want to just be able to go to a vendor, tell them what model, size, and color you want and have it shipped to your door in 3-5 business days?  Come on!  The real fun is in the limited editions, or LEs.  These are carriers that are made in limited quantities and once they run out, they’re gone.  It’s an absolute gamble whether the carrier will be popular or fall by the wayside, and this will mean the difference between being able to find a resale for retail or below, or a highly inflated market value.  Fun, fun, FUN!!!

I’m more of a wrap girl myself, so that’s going to be my major focus simply because I have only a tangential knowledge of the other carriers.  I can tell you that I have a $40 linen ringsling that I adore (and bought brand new) and that there is a particular silk ringsling that retails for $1200.  I have a few Mei Teis (Asian style baby carrier) that were around $100, and I’ve seen others go for upwards of $800.  But let’s move on to my wheelhouse, wraps.

There’s a Czech company, Vatanai, that makes a particular wrap (Pamir) that is handwoven by one elderly woman (every one ever created was woven by this one artist) on one very old loom.  Because this is the only way these particular wraps come to be, they are very, very limited, and the runs are not regular because if she is unable to weave for any amount of time (injury, illness, etc), production stops (Pamir is currently out of production).  There is quite a bit of buzz about the magical wrapping qualities of Pamir in the babywearing community, and therefore these wraps are understandably a bit hard to come by and the prices are rather higher than retail.  There is only one vendor in the United States that carries Vatanai.  The retail price for Pamir is around $200, though they can regularly be seen resale for around $800 on the babywearing forums or ebay.

One of the Fall 2008 wool wrap releases from Didymos, a German manufacturer of wraps (or Tragetuecher), has become very popular and sought after for both the purported wrapping qualities and the color combination.  It is now fetching 2-4 times the retail price- convenient if you have one and want some quick cash, not so much if you want one.  Didymos also wove a few 50% silk blend wraps.  Their 50% silk indio was much more limited than their 30% silk indio (both LEs) and while the 30% blend regularly brings about $200 in resale, one of the 50% blends was just sold at auction and got $2,000!  If you’re really looking to get crazy, it gets much more complicated than that, because Didy released their 30% silk indios and then re-released them, and the first release silk indios are alleges to be far superior to their counterparts and are much more HTF (hard to find) than the second release.  Are you still with me?

There are a number of wraps that could even be considered collector’s items.  Didymos in particular has been weaving wraps since the 1970s, and a number of their vintage wraps are very, very expensive, if you’re even able to find them.  Amusingly, some European wearers have been shocked to find a wrap that would be a collectors piece being used as curtains or tablecloths in their aunt's home.  Reminds you of the people who arrive at Antique's Roadshow with an authentic Hepplewhite and claim they use it when cleaning fish.

It is absolutely true that babywearing is possible on any budget, and it is a wonderful, viable option for any parent seeking a special bond with their child that is uniquely the providence of babywearing.  One can find a perfectly suitable, comfortable, functional carrier at almost any price point, but if you want your baby wrapped in cashmere or silk, or you want to engage in the challenge of hunting hard to find carriers, well that’s an option too!

Posted by Heather

Carriers shown in order: 

Didymos Rosenholz Indio 

Didymos Kobalt-Zimt Indio

Didymos Spring Green Nino

Vatanai Pamir

Didymos Petrol/Honey Fishe

Didymos Silk Nino

                               

                         
 

The Dirty Little Secrets

Pssst.  Hey … you with the baby … over here.  Yeah, you with the toddler, come on over too.  Pay no attention to the gray hair or the Cheerios stuck to my rear-end.  Don’t worry.  I’m not going to tell you how to be a better parent through babywearing, or through anything else.  As if you’d believe me.  We just met.  You have no idea how competent I can make you feel in comparison.  Today, though, I thought I’d share a few Dirty Little Babywearing Secrets.  Why?  Well, I’ve now been snowed in with my posse for over a week, so it’s distinctly possible that I’m just looking for an excuse to hide from them.  But it might also have to do with the fact there are some, well, less-publicized benefits of babywearing that I just think more of us should be aware of. Because not all of us got started down this road for philosophical reasons, and most of us have discovered so much more.

Dirty Little Secret # 1:  Babywearing eliminates the need for Spanx.

Okay, not really. But you can cover a multitude of sins with a big ol’ piece of fabric and a baby attached to your body.  Muffin top?  What muffin top?  Droopy boobs?  Where?  All I see here is a baby in a ring sling.  And did I mention how cute that baby is? 


Dirty Little Secret #2:  Babywearing allows you to fake it ‘til you can make it.
You know how learning to do something, even, frankly, something as umm … obscure … as a back carry in a ring sling, makes you feel more confident?  I found that being in public and wearing a baby made me feel like, at the very least, I could “play the part” of a mom who had it all together, until I did get it all together.  Sometimes the pretense fuels the reality.  And when I couldn’t get it all together, at least I didn’t lose anyone while I was out in public. 


Dirty Little Secret #3:  Babywearing is like a Homemade Tracking System
I am, unfortunately, someone who has had a child jump out of a stroller while crossing the street (seriously, you cannot make this stuff up-- from a fully secured five-point harness, no less.  Dude’s got some serious talent).  Let me just point out the obvious:  A worn child is a locatable child.  Some might even say an un-lose-able child.  Now, my jumper was not a good candidate for being worn (at the time of his escape or really at most times in his life), but while you’re racing around looking for the bolter, at least you know exactly where one or two of the Other Ones are.   

Dirty Little Secret #4:  Babywearing allows for creative storage

Did you know you can tuck a diaper, a onesie, and a small water to one side of a 4-month old in a tummy-to-tummy carry in a in a stretchy pouch?  And even better, that you can fit your large wallet, keys, a binky, 2 size 3 diapers, a wipes case, your camera, a lipgloss, AND a pound of Whole-Bean Starbucks in the handy dandy pocket of a Kozy MT?  These are not widely-publicized pluses.  Heck, with careful planning you could probably pack for the weekend in the tie-end of a wrap. 

Dirty Little Secret #5:  Babywearing allows you to embrace your inner evangelist and your inner Macgyver.
Everyone likes to be the expert every once in a while.  And babywearing is not exactly a widespread skill. You will be amazed at how often people will come up to you and ask you questions, and if you are open to responding, you get to spread the excitement.  Sometimes, you also get to be creative. I had a great time showing a guy at work how to use a pouch using some adding-machine tape and a stuffed mascot.  We must, of course, ignore the fact that the CEO’s executive assistant walked by at the time. 


Dirty Little Secret #6:  Babywearing reduces your need for Kleenex

Isn’t that green of you?  Whether you’ve been a parent for 3 weeks, 3 months, or 3 years, you’ve probably noticed that babies produce a lot of snot and a lot of spit-up.  Sorry.  I know, but I’ve been covered in one thing or another for almost a decade and have reached grudging acceptance of my reality.  Whether you’re carrying you child on your front or your back, she can take care of that snotty nose or pitter-dribble by herself, conveniently positioned to wipe her face right on your shirt.  Isn’t that great?  So self-sufficient and resourceful.  Unfortunately, Dirty Big Secret #1 is that babywearing can, at times, increase your laundry load.  But heck, isn’t your entire life really all about laundry at this point?  What’s one more shirt?  And when they miss your shirt and get you, well, you’ll need to shower.  But every once in while, don’t you really need a concrete reason to stop what you’re doing and hop into a nice hot shower?  Alone.  Where the sound of the water and the exhaust fan drowns out the sounds of all the people who need things from you … Oh.  Sorry.  Where was I?

Dirty Little Secret #7:  Babywearing presents endless opportunites to freak out your Mother-in-Law and other relatives.
Don’t lie.  Some little part of you enjoys freaking out your mother-in-law.  I love my MIL.  I am one lucky woman.  But … I am not going to deny that one of the reasons I embraced the “Santa Toss” method of back-carry-positioning is because I knew it would completely freak her out.  And my mom, who was a die-hard Snugli wearer, still waffles between being impressed and confused by my dazzling skills.

Dirty Little Secret #8:  Babywearing allows you to believe, at least until someone throws up on you, that you can be La Mom Nikita.
I still remember my very first La Mom Nikita babywearing moment … I was getting dinner ready for my older two (2 & 4 at the time), and my 3^rd was maybe 4 or 5 months old.  She was freaking out, I was freaking out, everyone was freaking out, because what fun is a good freakout if it’s not widespread?  I plopped her in a Mei Tai, managed to get her to latch on, and got dinner on the table and dinner into her simultaneously.  I threw in a load of laundry, loaded the dishwasher, and seriously felt like I could kick some bad-guy booty, if anyone was stupid enough to get near me and my bad self.  

Dirty Little Secret # 9:  Babywearing allows you to totally ignore your children.
Some might not consider this a plus, but let me tell you, in my world, this has been one of the biggest reasons I have been so avid for so long.   Got a to-do list a mile long and a newly mobile child?  Throw him on your back and you are good to go.  Laundry, groceries, bathing other children (watch your balance, now)?  Piece of cake.  All the daily mundane tasks that are impossible to do with someone clinging to your ankles or sticking his fingers in an electrical socket are magically possible when you’re wearing a baby-backpack, and you appear to the outside world like someone completely concerned about their welfare.


Dirty Little Secret #10:  Babywearing is Dead Sexy
That is a total lie.  I just wanted to make sure you were still reading.  One would be hard-pressed to say that really anything about baby-care is sexy in any way.  But … confidence is sexy.  And I can’t think of anything I’ve done as a mother that has given me so many minor and major boosts of confidence as babywearing has. 

Surviving parenthood has so much to do with confidence, learning to accept your personal limitations, and find ways to maximize your opportunities to be successful.  With four children, ranging in age from 9 to 2, I have had a lot of opportunities to come face-to-face with my limitations.  Most would agree I have more gray hairs than functioning brain cells at this point. Through Beltway Babywearers, both online and “in real life,” I have had the chance to meet a wonderful group of parents, some of whom I have very little in common with, many of whom have significantly different approaches to parenting than I do.  I have learned to appreciate that there really is no one “right” way.  It takes all kinds of mothers to mother all kinds of children, and all kinds of fathers too.  The trick is figuring out what kind of parent you are, and what kind of parent your kids need you to be at that moment.  
 

And, of course, not getting too cocky with your competent self, because what worked yesterday is unlikely to work on Day 7 of, say, a blizzard.  

Posted by Nancy

The Care and Feeding of Carriers

Everyone who must wash clothes and textiles discovers their preferred methods. What are your preferred methods for laundering and caring for your carriers?  Do you follow the care label? 

Dry clean only?  Make your own laundry soap?  Toss it in the dryer? Line dry? 

We invite readers to share their methods and mishaps in the comment box below.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Baby it's cold outside!

As we all know, DC has experienced a record amount of snowfall this winter.  But luckily, Snowmom was ready for the challenge.  Here she models the latest in snowperson carrier fashion.  Thanks, Snowmom, for appearing in our blog.

Unfortunately the snow has also made our regular bloggers go a little loopy with snowbound preschoolers and school aged kids. So, as soon as they regain some balance in their homes, we hope to return with some fabulous tips.  I know what these mamas and dads are working on and there are some awesome things coming!

Hope you are all staying warm and enjoying some extra cuddles while waiting for the spring thaw (I think I'll see my yard again sometime in June).

Posted by Ann Marie

Bonding with Dad: A Babywearing Story

As I prepared to welcome our second son, Ansel, to our family, I knew that as a stay at home mom I would need to use babywearing to manage our lives. I knew that there would be times when I would need to hold Ansel, to sleep, to nurse, or just to be close, when I would also need to be able to cook, clean, shop, whatever! So I researched baby carriers and babywearing, joined www.thebabywearer.com and readied myself. I had a few carriers on hand so I would be prepared. As soon as I was physically feeling up to it (which ended up being only a day after giving birth) I started wearing Ansel and began a new routine as a stay at home mom of two!

What I didn't plan on, or expect, was the significance that babywearing would play in the relationship between Ansel and his father, the working parent in our family.

We also had a lot of breastfeeding challenges, and as such, Ansel became very attached to me. Ansel was also a very "high needs" baby (see Lindsay's blog post). For the better part of his first year of life, he would not allow anyone else (including his father!) to hold him. I couldn't even leave the room Ansel was in without having him burst into tears that only I would be able to calm. My husband was admittedly quite disappointed. He and our older son had been very close from the time he was born, and he had often even preferred his father to me. We had all hoped that a similar close relationship would be present with Ansel. Having a baby that wanted nothing to do with him most of the time was very sad. I felt sad for him! But I didn't know what to do.

And then enter babywearing! We had worn our first son, Kadin(who is five years older than Ansel), at times when he was small in mainstream carriers. But primarily because the carriers were not very comfortable, we didn't wear him a lot. Even so, my husband had always loved doing it, and did it more than I did. And when Ansel was born, it was a given that he would wear Ansel as well. At some point, it occurred to me that when I needed to be apart from Ansel for some reason, like to clean the bathtub, to shower, or just to have an hour to myself, that perhaps babywearing could come into play.

We had amazing success with sending my husband out of the house on errands with Ansel and a

carrier (which he patiently allowed me to show him how to use). Because Ansel was breastfed and did not go long between feedings, these outings were quite short, but they were my only time since his birth that he wasn't right next to me. I enjoyed the time very much, even though it was usually spent on household chores. And I very much believe that my husband enjoyed it. At times I would call him, having expected him to already be home, only to find that they were out wandering an electronics store or somewhere similarly manly. My husband would tell me that Ansel was fine, he'd fallen asleep in the carrier, so no need to rush home. Ah, the magic of babywearing!

As Ansel grew, this continued. Anytime we went out as a family, my husband insisted upon being the one to wear Ansel. I was a bit

disappointed at times, as certainly I loved wearing him, too, but this was a special time for the two of them. I was the one who got to breastfeed, I was the one who snuggled him close at night, I was the one who got to stay at home with the kids. I could give up babywearing on family outings. And as Ansel got older, he got more and more comfortable about being with his dad. The bond solidified, and my husband was happy to see that the initial rejection was not a rejection of him, but just a stage in our son's development. At 14 months, my husband even offered his services and completely took over "night duty" with Ansel and helped him to nightwean, which made my life so much easier! Without the bond and comfort they had between them from babywearing, I do not think this would have been reasonable.

Even now, with Ansel over three years old, his father is the one who wears him when we're out of the house.

My husband even wore while being sick. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2009, and while it strained many aspects of his life, he continued to wear Ansel.  Certainly it would have been physically easier for him not to, as some of the medications caused him tremendous back pain, and while he wouldn't likely admit it, I believe he wanted that closeness with Ansel, even if it meant some discomfort on his part.

Babywearing offers a special opportunity to bond with your child and to spend close time. Perhaps at the end of a day of work, with so many more tasks to accomplish before bedtime, it only makes sense to multitask and combine cuddles with cooking(or cleaning!). It can lessen the challenge of being separated from your child during the day, whether you're a mother or father, a single income household or a dual income household.

Posted by: Nicole

Testing your carriers

No matter how gently you treat your carriers they are made of fabric and are not indestructible. They can tear or fray just like any other fabric item, but with a carrier a tear can be dangerous. The best way to prevent potentially dangerous tears is to regularly inspect and test your carriers for signs of weakness.

Don’t be afraid to tear your carrier while testing- while we’d prefer that they not tear at all, if the carrier is going to tear it’s better for it to happen during testing than during use.

Mei Tais, Buckle Tais and Soft Structured Carriers

Begin by inspecting the stitching where the straps attach. Look for signs of popped stitches or unraveling. Pull on any loose threads to check if they’re part of the stitching or simply something left by the seamstress. Next check the fabric itself for fraying, broken threads and holes/tears. Be especially diligent in checking areas near weight bearing seams, like where the straps meet the body of the carrier.

If the carrier is a Buckle Tai or Soft Structured carrier move on to inspecting the buckles and webbing. Check the buckles for cracks or white areas that might indicate the plastic was damaged at some point, and brittleness from age or over exposure to the sun and heat. Examine the entire length of the webbing for holes and fraying, make sure to move buckles aside and look for damage and wear that may be hiding under them.

If your carrier has passed inspection then it’s time for testing.

To test the shoulder straps firmly grasp both the strap and the top of the carrier body then steadily pull them apart with increasing force. Keep pulling until you’re pulling pretty hard. Look and listen for signs of tearing, but keep pulling regardless.  Repeat holding the same strap and the side of the carrier body. Finally, holding the body bunched in one hand and the strap in the other, give a sharp tug (this simulates the sudden stress that bouncing your child in the carrier causes.) Then repeat all steps for the other shoulder strap.

There are two main designs for waist straps- either the waist is one continuous piece, or it’s comprised of two pieces extending from either side of the carrier body. If your carrier has a 2 part waist then follow the directions for shoulder strap testing (minus the sharp tug) on the waist. If your carrier has a single continuous waist then read on.

If your carrier has a padded continuous waist strap you’re going to want to be a bit gentler with your pulling as the goal is not to stress the stitching holding the padding place. Pull outward on the waist strap while hold the waist itself, testing the integrity of the fabric. Then, holding the side of the carrier body, pull the strap down and out (more gently than when you tested the shoulders, but still firmly.)

As a final test, one by one twist each strap and pull firmly out from the carrier body. Re-examine your carrier following the stress test, if it appears to be damaged in any way discontinue use immediately until it can be repaired or replaced.

Ring Slings

Before anything else, examine the rings on your sling. They should be suitable for supporting the weight of your precious cargo. Slingrings brand rings are preferable- they’re made out of either a strong but light aluminum or nylon in a variety of colors and have been tested to ensure your child’s safety. Harness rings (such as those sold at a hardware or tack store) are also appropriate, though heavier. Craft rings are not appropriate- they’re not intended to hold weight of any kind and can snap when used for slings. If your sling has craft rings discontinue use immediately until you can get a new sling or replace the rings with Slingrings.

If you are unsure what type of rings you have, check the fabric and ring FAQ at Jan Andea at home.

Begin by inspecting the stitching where the rings are sewn in; there should be at least 2 rows of stitching, with no loose threads, holes, or fraying fabric.  Next examine the fabric where the rings sit at the shoulder and where it’s threaded through the rings on the body, again there should be no holes or fraying.  Especially look for areas of wear in the pouch area and on the section where the fabric moves through the rings.  Grasping the fabric about 12in apart, move along the length of the sling pulling the fabric with increasing strength (see wrap picture). The last thing you want to do is, holding the rings in one hand and the shoulder of the sling in the other, pull firmly apart, increasing your pressure while listening and watching for signs of tearing or popped stitches. Then give one sharp firm tug outward. Re-examine the fabric and stitching after your stress test. If there appears to be any damage to the sling discontinue use immediately until it can be repaired or replaced.

Pouch Slings

To test your pouch sling, first examine the seam, it should be a French style seam, and there should be no fraying, holes or loose threads. Then, holding the sling bunched in your hands on either side of the seam pull firmly apart, increasing your pressure while listening and watching for signs of tearing or popped stitches. Then give one sharp firm tug outward. Working your way around the pouch, repeat until you’ve worked your way back to the seam. Re-examine the fabric and stitching after your stress test. If there appears to be any damage to the seam or surrounding fabric discontinue use immediately until it can be repaired or replaced.

Wraps

Your wrap should be one long piece of cloth with hems being the only seams. Going along the length of the

wrap examine it for holes, tears and fraying. Then, beginning at one tail, work your way along the wrap, holding the wrap bunched in your hands with about 12in between them pull firmly apart, increasing your pressure while listening and watching for signs of tearing or popped stitches. Then give one sharp firm tug outward. Repeat until you’ve reached the opposite tail.

Should you happen to have one that is seamed in the middle please follow the instructions for testing a pouch sling to test your wrap.

Posted by: Rachel

The Greener Side of Babywearing

There are many reasons to love babywearing, but here is one that may not have been mentioned: babywearing is “green.” These days everyone is talking about how to take care of the earth and live naturally, and babywearing is part of the solution.

Babywearing is biodegradable and reusable:
Most carriers are made out of cloth, aside from a few buckles or ring slings. If people choose carriers over strollers the earth will be spared from 10 or 20 pounds of plastic sitting around for the next million years per stroller. Many people who use baby carriers also choose used strollers, since they plan to wear their babies most of the time and may not rely on their stroller regularly.

Baby carriers can be used from the first days of a baby’s life until they are preschool aged. After that, they can be passed on to other parents for their children, or even transformed! Many wraps have been changed into ring slings or mei tais. Often a well loved, soft carrier is more coveted than a new, stiff carrier. The same cannot be said for strollers. Many carriers will have a long and happy life with a variety of families if taken care of properly.

Babywearing makes walking and public transportation easier:
Try taking the stairs with your stroller and you will soon be looking for the elevator. Babywearers can easily save some electricity and shed unwanted pounds by taking the stairs wherever they go. Looking to ride the metro or the bus? You may choose your car instead if you have to lug a stroller on public transportation, but a baby carrier will make it easy to hop on or off a train. Plus, baby will be kept safe and close, away from dirty hands and other unwanted germy surfaces.

You can choose a safe and sustainable material in a carrier:
These days, most baby carriers come in a variety of fabrics, and many vendors will even let you send in your own custom fabric. You can choose organic cotton, or a sustainable bamboo fabric. There are slings available that are made by traditional methods with fair trade standards in place. You can purchase carrier and know that you have made a positive contribution to the world in the process.

Also, babies and toddler like to chew on things, and recent research has shown us that the chemicals in plastic may not be as safe for our children as we once thought. Chewing on an organic cotton sling, however, should be safe from unwanted chemicals, and maybe even yummy!

It’s so much more than a carrier!
Lastly, baby carriers have many other uses besides carriers. Need a changing pad? No problem. Did you
forget your picnic blanket? Not to worry, just use your wrap. Are your kids grown but you just cannot part with your carrier? Use it as a tablecloth.  Did you run out of tissues or napkins? That’s just what the tail of a ring sling is for!  A wrap can even be used to pull on for more leverage while giving birth, or as a blanket to wrap up that sweet new baby. And what would make a better lovey than an old baby carrier that smells like mom or dad? How about a sunshade, a pillow, a peek-a-boo toy, a nursing cover, a dog leash, a basket, a hammock, or an ice pack. There are endless uses for baby carriers, which is what makes them so versatile

So the next time you are wearing your baby, you can walk proudly knowing that it is good for you, for your child, and for the earth.

Posted by: Carolyn