Babywearing: Lots of Ups and Downs

We started out on our babywearing journey with an Ergo I found on Craigslist while I was still pregnant with my little man. It was a great carrier and it served us well, but then my son started protesting it. He was never really content if I was just standing around, but things deteriorated until he was crying, running away, or putting it away every time I pulled it out. I thought he was done with babywearing altogether and that made me really sad.

Then I found Babywearing Around Tulsa and read the term knee-to-knee. I googled it and instantly realized the problem. Silly me, before that I thought that an Ergo rated for 45 pounds could actually be used until a child weighed 45 pounds. Once I knew that the Ergo was probably super uncomfortable for my 2 year old I dug out two ancient ring slings I’d been gifted and started trying those. They were not at all ideal for a 2 year old either. (I actually think one of them might be a converted bedsheet.) Caelan did tolerate them for quick ups but they were really, really unsupportive and uncomfortable. I started looking for other options.

I bought a Tula from a sweet BWAT mama and got a quick lesson on SSCs and tried out a wrap. And I was hooked. I started out slow but I’ve collected a stash of several wraps and a wrap conversion Mei Tai. I can’t claim that my toddler was always cooperative- each time we got a new carrier or wrap, I would be sooo excited to try it, And Caelan, with his inconvenient mind of his own, would tell me “No carrier!” or “No, THIS

carrier!” THIS carrier was never the new one I wanted so badly to try on. But we’ve made so much progress. Caelan has gone from refusing all carriers to accepting (almost) all of them. At first he only wanted to ride in front, but he’s willing to do hip and back carries now. And the big one: he tolerates wrapping! Front, back, or hip carries. He often still wants to choose, but I’ll take it. There were plenty of times when I was building that stash that I wondered if he would ever let me use them. My husband was amused at the irony of me having a new hobby that relied on the baby when the baby didn’t like it.

I have no words to describe how happy I am that babywearing is working for us. I hope our story encourages others to keep trying when they hit a rough patch. (I should note: a lot of white chocolate, marshmallows, and highly preferred activities have been used to encourage the little one to go up. It’s worked!)  

Babywearing is one way we can maintain the closeness of our bond as we approach weaning. As a working mom, I’m always looking for ways to connect with my little. Babywearing overall and BWAT has been a really fun way to do that and make friends while exploring a practically unlimited number of cute options.

Wear all the babies!

Lisa is an extended nursing, full-time working, full-time grad student mom of one ridiculously cute 2.5 year old boy. She actually can NOT do it all, but babywearing allows her to almost keep her head above water.

Newbie

I have been baby wearing for about 7 months now. We didn't really get started until my son was about 5 months old. We got a narrow based carrier at my baby shower and we tried him in it a few times but with my lack of experience and help at the time I just didn't feel comfortable or safe because I was not tightening it correctly.

I saw on a ladies instagram, a picture of a Tula and I was like that looks just like a back pack I carried one for years in college and even after for work. This is what I need. So I went to a local store to find to try one. It was the first carrier I actually used and felt comfortable wearing. 

The person on Facebook told me that I should try and see if we have a local baby wearing group and man did I hit the jack pot! 

Since becoming a member of Babywearing Around Tulsa and learning more about different styles and types of carriers and what each could be used for I have since added a ring sling, a mei tie type carrier, and wraps to my collection. 

 
All this to say we are all newbies at some point. Everything has a learning curve and being a part of a group like Baby wearing Around Tulsa you can get safety tips, wearing tips, and allow yourself and little one to be comfortable in which ever type of carrier you choose. I attended a few of the mini classes to get hands on help with my wrapping skills that are still a work in progress. I highly recommend these type of classes if you are wanting more instruction and instructors to watch you wrap your baby, help you make a seat, problem solve what is happening for your situation and carrier. They typically offer Intro to Wrapping, Advanced Back Wrapping, Soft Structure Carriers, and are planning to try and add other classes if they have interest. (Note I am sure I missed some classes offered those are just ones I was interested in or personally attended). I hope that everyone can have a great experience like I have and utilize the knowledge of our instructors, volunteers, and members to have happy and successful baby wearing. Wear all the babies!

Kelsey Deerinwater is an athletic trainer turned stay at home mom for the time being. Mother to Race who is all boy, very energetic, always on the go, and strong willed little man. I enjoy getting out and meeting new people and having someone for Race to play with.

My Wrapping Journey

I’m a wrapper!!! I’ve wanted to say that for so long and now I can.

One year ago when my second daughter was born I entered into the wonderful world of babywearing. I had an Ergo which is a great carrier, but was determined to master wrapping.  I mean how hard could it be? All those mamas on YouTube made it look so easy. Making a seat in one graceful movement, perfect gliding passes…yeah not so much. I was having the hardest time figuring out all of the different carries. You should have seen us after trying our first back carry. There were definitely tears.  My daughter was crying too. She was super wiggly, I couldn’t get a good seat and passes would not pull tight.  (Don’t worry. I always practiced over a bed as any new wrapper should).  I don’t know exactly what it was. Maybe it was just my stubborn nature.  But every time I said I was going to quit something always brought me back to practice again.When my daughter was about 6 months old and after watching countless YouTube tutorials, I finally learned how to get her up on my back safely. A couple months after that I could get her up on my back fairly easily. I was even getting pretty decent at spreading passes. However, it still was not completely comfortable to me or my daughter and definitely not my first choice of carrier. I would still reach for a buckle carrier first. Not that there is anything wrong whatsoever with a buckle carrier. But I wanted to like wrapping. Correction, I wanted to LOVE wrapping.

I don’t know when it happened exactly.  But one day I was wrapping and it just worked. It felt right. After all those months of practice, tears and sweat, it just clicked and I wrapped my almost one year old with ease.  Then it happened again! And before I knew it I started choosing wraps over buckle carriers. It was even super comfy.  I was a wrapper!!! It may have taken almost twelve months but it happened!

Now, I am not writing this to, flaunt my “wrapping skills” or anything like that. I’m writing to encourage every person out there who wants so badly to wrap but feels that they just can’t.  Who wants to so badly to do a back carry but just can’t make a seat or tighten those rails. Who thinks that if he/she can’t master wrapping in a couple months they must be a failure. You are not a failure. You are learning a new skill and it takes time.

Here are a few tips I have gathered over the year that can really help the wrapping journey.

1.       Find a babywearing group. If you don’t have one in your area, at least join one on Facebook. They are an endless fountain of support and knowledge. I am eternally grateful for my group Babywearing Around Tulsa. I could not have made it this far without the lovely women I met in that group.

2.       Don’t give up after a couple tries. Be patient.  It may take some people longer than others but with time you can do it. Don’t hold yourself to a time table.

3.       If possible try a few different wraps.  Different blends, weaves and thickness can make all the difference in a wrap job.  Now I understand I’m not made of money either.  That’s why I became a compulsive churner.  I have rarely owned more than one wrap at a time. With being able to trade or sell what I currently had I have been able to try a bunch.

4.       Don’t make the mistake I did and try back carries before you have mastered front carries. There are things you learn when front carrying that are essential to back carrying. Believe me. You will save yourself a lot of trouble.

5.       Lastly, don’t lose sight of what babywearing is about.  Don’t let the desire of obtaining a skill make you lose out on the bonding experience between you and your baby.  If you are getting frustrated, take a break. Carry your baby how you know best. Kiss their head and breathe them in.  After a few days or weeks try again.

I hope my ramblings have helped a little. I wish you all the best in your own babywearing journeys.

Blessings and happy babywearing

Megan

Megan Kloker is a God-loving, babywearing, cloth diapering, health nut who loves being a stay-at-home mom to her three children (Aiden, Nyah and Lena) and wife to her husband (Grant). She, grew up in Leona Valley California with her 10 younger siblings before she got married and moved to Springfield Illinois. Megan and family have since lived in Tulsa Oklahoma and have rencently moved to Fort Worth Texas. Megan loves being around people, drinking coffee and playing Dance Central.

Carry of the Week #5 - Double Hammock (Poppins and Saltwater variations)

There have been some requests for a more advance carry so I thought I would start with a basic double hammock (DH) and spice it up with a couple of finish variations. A double hammock is a secure back carry but it can be a more difficult carry to master because it can be challenging to get the rebozo passes tight enough white trying to keep a chest pass tight. This carry may take a little more effort for those who aren’t as comfortable with a variety of back carries. But I encourage you to try it and for everyone who is ready for the next level, choose one (or both!) of the finish variations to show off!

I also want to point out that a back carry should never be attempted before you are completely comfortable in front carries. I highly suggest seeking the assistance of an instructor before attempting to back carry for the first time but it should always be tried with the help of a spotter and/or over a soft surface (such as a bed) until you are entirely comfortable. It is difficult to gauge how a child is going to react to a back carry (both being wrapped and being taken down) so it is always better to have another set of hands around until you are both very comfortable with the process. This is a great reason to come to a meeting even if you aren’t a new wrapper!

 

The DH, also called Chunei back carry, is a very secure carry because there are two rebozo passes going across your child (like a double hammock!). Remember, a robozo pass has one end going over your shoulder and the other end coming under the opposite arm. This wrap is best done with a size 5-7 woven wrap. The basic steps are:

1 - Start your middle marker at your chest and wrap around to your back; the point your wrap touches the middle of your back is where your new middle marker will be and where you should begin.

2 - Put baby on your back with an off-centered rebozo.

3 - Using the end of the pass going under your arm, spread a torso pass across your chest.

4 - Bring that chest pass around and make a second rebozo pass over the baby, tightening torso pass as you go.

5 - Bring your straps back around and under your arms, bunched or spread reinforcing passes over then under the baby’s legs. and tie off in front. If your wrap is not long enough to tie in front, you can tie under bum (TUB).



 

Picture Tutorial : http://www.wrapyourbaby.com/doublehammockcarry.html
Video Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SnNIMyk-WjI

Video Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYvZNx45isE *Good tips on how to get a tight chest pass!



VARIATION 1 - Poppins Double Hammock (PDH)

This is a DH with the finish inspired by the Poppins hip carry. It is a very pretty variation and great for special occasions, or, if you prefer a one shoulder back carry. You follow the basic double hammock instructions above but instead of bringing your second rebozo pass over your shoulder, you want to bring it under your arm and twist with the tail on the other shoulder to make the “poppins” look. You then wrap around to tie under bum.

Video Tutorial - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVsLNQeg7Gw
Video Tutorial - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgDX9iK9Z6s

Here is a picture of Sol and I’s first attempt at this carry (it’s not perfect!) - We loved how tight and secure it was but how the one-shoulder carry gave him a bit more freedom of movement to one side.

 

 

 

VARIATION 2 - Saltwater Double Hammock (SDH)

This is a double hammock with a very pretty finish but it also helps take pressure of the shoulders so it can be a great variation for those who feel a regular DH is too much strain. Again, you follow the basic steps of a DH but once both your tails are in the Y position over your shoulders you bring them in front, twist at chest pass, wrap the top tail through the chest pass (the bottom tail goes over the chest pass), twist again at the bottom of the chest pass and bring around to tie under bum or, if you have a size 7 wrap, you can go over and under the legs and tie in front.

Picture tutorial - http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/07/30/a4amurup.jpg

Video Tutorial - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rI8uXsamB4

Video Tutorial - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pWIME2NE2o *at 2:00 mark there is a great tip on how to get a tight rebozo pass using your elbow!

 

 

Again, the carries this week are more of the advanced nature but I would love to see some pretty variation pictures. And, please, share any tips or advance, along with those pictures on the facebook page. Everyone’s feedback directly determine next weeks carry, so please let me know what you want to see (or if you want to volunteer to guest post!). I hope you have fun with this carry, I really enjoy having a “special occasion” look I can pull out when needed.

 

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.