Carry Challenge 2014

Starting January 1, 2014 we will have a 15 day carry challenge using woven wraps, full buckles, ring slings, and Mei Teis, with a new carry every day.  To participate in the Carry Challenge, you will simply make an album (titled with your name and “Carry Challenge” - much like we did for babywearing week) and upload your picture each day. I will post the title of that days carry and a video instruction on the facebook page each day.  Pictures must be uploaded that day, into your album, to count for prizes. But I would love any picture (a different day for example) to be posted in the daily carry thread on the facebook wall.

We have AMAZING prizes donated and all prizes will be awarded based solely on participation, EXCEPT for one prize for  the most creative carry. So the more carries you try, the more likely you are to win a prize! I decided to do the prizes based on participation because there are still several wraps available in the lending library if you want to check them out and participate. Table clothes, or bedsheets could be used, and 6 of the carries are done with carriers other than woven wraps. So there is plenty of opportunity for everyone!

Remember only pictures uploaded the day of that specific carry will count towards your total carry score for prizes. This will be more fun for everyone with daily participation rather than waiting until the last day and doing each carry for 2 minutes to take a picture.

The Creative Carry challenge can be ANY carrier type and any carry method. It will be up to a group vote and the winner will be allowed to choose ANY prize (except the grand prize). So if you ONLY want to participate in the creative carry - that’s fine too! The best entries will be a new carry with detailed instructions that the group can re-create on their own.

The Carry Challenge will follow this list for carries:

PRIZES!

We have FANTASTIC prizes donated for this event! Our grand prize was donated by Lauren Hyatt from Mums N Bums and is a Girasol Ring-Sling! Mums N' Bums is Owasso's newest addition to mommy and baby care! Mums N' Bums will provide eco-friendly, organic, natural products that will help you and your baby feel at your best!

Danielle J. Ethington is providing a custom Nipple Beenie for your cutie-pie! They are also available for purchase at oui oui cloth diapers!

Haylee Hager Barney is donating some adorable custom burp rags made of white cotton prefolds,  backed with Flannel and trim added. We have 2 sets of two donated.

Kristin Riffe has donated a coupon for a free customized suck pads with any fabric from her fabric library at:

http://pitterpatterstitches.weebly.com/drool-pads.html

Holly Foley has donated a gorgeous collection of custom hand-made bows that will go to several winners.

Ashley Richie of Tulsa Teethers has  donated a wrap scrap ring AND wrap scrap earrings!

And Kim Harris of Blue Marble  Market is donating a doll mei tei carrier for your little one to carry their little babies in! So cute!

If you have any prizes you would like to donate for the challenge please let me know! The more prizes the more fun for everyone! Also, remember, there are still woven wraps  in the lending library ready to  be checked out for this event! There is no reason not to participate.  I hope everyone has fun with this event and we can make it an annual occurrence!

Tiffany Johnson is a breastfeeding, baby wearing, co-sleeping, attachment parenting mama to three beautiful children. She is currently taking a leave of absence from her busy career as an estate planning attorney to focus on her home and family. In her spare time she loves crafting, reading a good book, red wine, all things geeky, and loving on her babies.

Carry of the Week: Jordan’s Back Carry

Before we jump into the carry this week, I thought a general introduction to back carries would be helpful. A lot of people (and babies!) prefer a back carry over a front carry because the baby is able to look around more and see what is going on around him. It is also very helpful for the wearer to have free mobility of both arms. I almost always do a back carry to cook dinner or give my older kids a bath for example.

 

Back carries can be a little intimidating at first, especially for newer wrappers. I generally try to get my LO as high as possible (if I can’t lean my head back and touch the top of his, I re-do), and make sure I have the passes on his back as tight as possible. When I want to just double check on him, I often tickle his feet to feel him wiggle around. It is always best to practice a back carry over a bed, or soft area, and have someone there to spot you the first several times. It can also be helpful to practice in front of a mirror.

 

There are several methods for actually getting your baby on your back, the hip scoot and superman are two favorites. This link shows several methods for getting your child on your back with picture and video tutorials: http://www.wrapyourbaby.com/babyonback.htm

 

Once your baby is on your back, getting a good seat is very important. If my son is wearing pants when I do a back carry, I will often tuck the bottom rail into the top of his pants before I put him on my back to get the seat started. You always want material between the baby and you and the aim is to get the seat from knee to knee. A good seat is probably the most difficult part of back carries and one that takes lots of practice to master. C.J. made a great tutorial for getting a good seat using your teeth, and this is the method I most often use: https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=746420530375

This week we had a request for a multi-pass back carry that would show the design of the wrap as much as possible. In meeting that request the Carry this week is the Jordan’s Back Carry (JBC). This is a slightly more advanced carry but I think if you have experience with a back carry you should be able to master it without any problems. This carry can be done with a size 4, 5, or 6 wrap.

 

Jordan’s Back Carry is basically one rebozo pass (a rebozo pass is one tail going over the wrappers shoulder and the other going under the wrappers arm, on a diagonal. A rebozo pass goes over both of the baby’s legs and stay on the baby’s back), one cross pass, and one torso pass. The steps are:

1 - Centered rebozo pass over baby on wrappers back;

2 - using the end of the pass going under the wrappers arm, flip it back up over the shoulder;

3 - Cross pass over the baby

4 - Take the other tail of the wrap and come under the wrappers arm;

5 - Torso pass over the baby (this will show off the wrap design),

6 - Tie off in front.

 

There are several variations of this carry that add an extra rebozo or cross pass (rebozo passes help with leaning children and cross passes help with leg straighteners). Since this is already a mixed pass carry, it is good for most wiggly babies and an added pass variation can help if your is an exceptional wiggle-worm.

Picture Tutorial: http://www.birdiesroom.com/c-425-jbc-back-carry.aspx

Video Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_6cO_gQctY

Variation: Chest belt (size up for this) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVpKCThuztU

Variation: Half-Jordan Back Carry can be done with wrap sizes 2, 3, or 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcshSFS7HhI

Please post your pictures of the Carry this week and let us know if you have any suggestions for next week’s carry or would like to write the next CoTW blog post!

Tiffany Johnson is a breastfeeding, baby wearing, co-sleeping, attachment parenting mama to three beautiful children. She is currently taking a leave of absence from her busy career as an estate planning attorney to focus on her home and family. In her spare time she loves crafting, reading a good book, red wine, all things geeky, and loving on her babies.