Why I love Babywearing

I knew that I was going to wear my first baby before she was even born. As a first time

mom, I had a lot of time on my hands to scour the internet for all things baby. I read a

multitude of articles on parenting styles, feeding, diapering, finding the perfect name,

and *babywearing*.

I didn’t know much about babywearing other than the claim from a friend that it would

make my life with a newborn much easier. In the list of

must-haves for baby to be was the Moby.

I got the olive Moby. I loved it. It was such a wonderful

feeling snuggling my newborn daughter so close. A few

times I even got my husband to wear our baby girl

*swoon*. I loved having her close. I wore her to the fair,

the zoo, the park, and even in a cave.

Unfortunately, the Moby soon became a tad

uncomfortable due to my rapidly growing baby and it’s

tendency to be quite stretchy, so I invested in an Ergo.

The grey galaxy ergo, to be exact. This was the

beginning of my babywearing adventure. I fell down the

rabbit hole and I have yet to find my way out. I’m on my 3rd baby, I’ve owned *dozens*

of carriers, it’s an obsession. I love every bit of it. The obsession is not a necessary part

of babywearing. ;-)

So, your friend keeps telling you that you *need* to wear your baby. You like the idea,

but you’re not really sure if it’s for you. You wonder if it will really be all that comfortable.

Can the baby breathe in there? Is it expensive? Will it really get that much use? You’re

on the fence and not sure if you’re ready to take the plunge.

I get it. Parenting is full of choices, some much more trivial than others. So, I surveyed

some moms, dads, grandmas, sisters, etc and asked them why they wear their babies.

My hope is that their experiences will shed some light for you and help you to make a

more informed decision. :-)

That’s a half-truth. My hope is that their experiences will convince you that you *must*

babywear! #wearallthebabies

“Babywearing makes my life easier because I can keepmy baby happy with snuggles while getting things done!”

-Jade

“I made an army of 6 children that will overrun my house and cause utter chaos in public if I didn't have some way to contain them. Oh, and the bond, you know, because babies love to be glued to their caretaker/food source.”

-Laci

“I have 5 young children. If it were not for babywearing, I would have a hard time getting things done and I would miss out on lots of snuggles….Whether you have one child or a whole bunch, babywearing can literally be life changing.” -Ashlee

“I baby wear because I refuse to leave the house without makeup on, because I like to cook

dinner every night, and because my girl ADORES being worn. Anything that keeps baby and

mom close to each other's hearts is a win in my book!” -Shelby

“Couldn't do photography without my baby pack” -Gerry

“I love that she holds and hugs me while I'm wearing her.” -Manda

“We are still able to do things like hike and sight see when traveling, just as if we didn't have babes -- because they're along for the ride. It's just what makes the most sense for our family.” -Madison

“It's a way to instantly soothe cranky babies and children. They love to be snuggled up to Mama, and I can get things done at the same time.” -Kristin

“I love being heart to heart with my littles, I love having my babies snuggled into me, breathing in sync with each other and just being… it creates this world in which parent and child can be utterly close and hearts overflowing in any situation.” -Jen

“I missed the hands free fun and interaction with my 3 year old, like playing at the park or just exploring. It's so convenient to be able to do the things he loves without tired arms or wrestling with a stroller. It helps me give them both the attention they need at the same time.” -Chelsea

“I started because I'm cheap. I hate big bulky bucket seats, and wanted the price tag of the convertible. Without a car seat, I knew I needed a carrier. That's when I found a mei tei for $9. It was just what I needed. Once baby came, I found out how calm he was snuggled close to me. I found how nice it was to snuggle his tiny head. I found freedom to move and grow stronger as I carried him. I have found my way to raise my baby, and it's right next to me.” -Lori

“I travel for work and I have used baby wearing in assisting to keep a close relationship with my son.” -Ryan

“It keeps baby happy and helps with my ppd. I love all the different kinds of carriers and how you can always find something to love… It's an amazing experience and when you get a new carrier or learn a new way to wrap you feel like a superhero.” -Kelly

“I have 3 kids and I need to carry the baby so I can hold hands with the older children. It's all about safety and convenience for me.” -Ashley

“I have 5 kids (7,4,3,22 months, & 6 months). It makes it easier when we go out and it's also easier when I am doing things around the house and my son wants to be held.” -Rebecca

“I wanted to hold my baby all day and found a way to do that.” -Lauren

"Baby wearing made my life easier whenmy second baby came and I really got into it and I was able to chase a toddler, nurse, and hold my newborn all at the same time! -Corie

“I am particular on who gets to hold my baby, and babywearing tends to keeps others hands off. Also, carseats get heavy and strollers are a pain. I love the bonding and the cuddling. I was mostly afraid of the price for a carrier. I wasn't sure I would get my money's worth out of it or even use it at all. Now that I have one, I use it everyday! It's a life saver!” -Chelsea

For all you need to know about baby wearing and more check out the rest of the blog. You’ll find reviews, different styles of carrying, safety information, and more. :-)

                                                                                                                                                     

Jessica Eubanks is a chaser of toddlers, a wearer of babies, and a lover of her husband.

B/S/T: Buy/Sell/Trade & What You Need to Know

[Babywearing Around Tulsa] 

[B/S/T: Buy/Sell/Trade & What You Need to Know] 

So you purchased your first babywearing carrier but after trying it out for awhile you decide you would like to try something different...now what? 

You have been bitten by the babywearing bug and now you want to try all the carriers! The babywearing world is so vast and you have only just begun! For some it is an easy decision, for others it is a dilemma of trying to decide to sell and buy new or used, or trade for another. The search for a new carrier begins. With a little experience under your belt, you have a better idea of what your needs are and what you are looking for. So what do you do now and how should you decide which avenue to take? 

Buying New: Buying new is probably the easiest route to go. You are not looking to get rid of what you have, you are looking to add to your stash. Can't ever have too many, right? When buying new you have the ability to take your time on a decision, research the different brands, blends, retailers, to find just what you're looking for. Just like any brand new purchase. Pretty easy.  

Selling: You have decided to sell your carrier to purchase something new or used. So where do you go to sell? Luckily, BWAT is growing larger by the day and the local For Sale or Trade album is growing also, so you have the option of keeping it local and not worrying about invoicing, shipping, etc. But, no one is really biting and you have your eye on something else and you would like to make a quick sale. You decide to put it on a B/S/T page with the most popular being the Facebook group, the beast, 'The Babywearing Swap.'  

There are a few things to consider when selling on a large B/S/T group.  

• How much do you want to sell for? 
• How far are you willing to ship? Stateside? Globally? 
• Are you comfortable using PayPal? 

It is a good idea to keep in mind that you're selling a "used" item. It is likely that the carrier has been sucked on, drooled on, vomited on, pooped on, the list could continue... So be honest about what you are listing and price accordingly with fees and shipping included so you can be on your merry way to purchasing your next carrier! Yay!  

But, is it always that easy? I would like to say yes, but we are dealing with humans here and sometimes we get a little messy.   

Sometimes people get buyers remorse and feel guilty about purchasing your carrier, or an unexpected bill comes up, etc, but they are not going to tell you that so they ask for a refund. But, wait! You have already shipped the carrier and purchased your new item! It is only natural to ask why, right? This is where it can get a little hairy. 

People can be dishonest and that really blows.  For instance, they are saying something is wrong with the carrier you sent and it is not in the condition that you described. (I don't know about you but at this point my cheeks are burning and my heart rate is up!) How could they say that? You have worn it, inspected it, even washed and dried and saw no issues!  

Please, please protect yourself. PayPal has your back! Always use the invoice option so you can describe the carrier in detail if need be, that way the "buyer" is completely aware of what they are buying. Stains, pulls, thread shifting, weavers knots, slubs, nubs, wrinkles, discoloration, whatever it is--write it down. You, the seller, can sell on YOUR terms. They do not have to buy your carrier if they do not want to. If they file a claim, 99% of the time, PayPal will back the buyer and most likely you will need to issue a refund and that really sucks. But, it is part of the BST world and you can always choose to stay local!  Most of the time, the transactions go smoothly. 

Trading: You have decided you would rather not deal with buying and selling. So, trade it is! Your carrier has a trade value, just like it has a retail value. Typically, the trade value is close to retail. If it is a popular carrier, your trade value could be market value which is sometimes way more than retail value!  A little confusing, but there are such Facebook groups to help you determine the value! Trading is very similar to buying and selling but there are generally two options when trading,  

• PayPal backed trade 
• Non-PayPal backed trade  
• Local Trade

A PayPal backed trade is where each party sends the same, agreed-upon, amount of money to one another. Basically, you are cancelling it out, but regardless, you have made a PayPal transaction and you are covered if something happens to the carrier in the mail, etc. A PayPal backed trade is the safest way to trade. 

A non-PayPal backed trade happens when both parties are comfortable paying for shipping and sending the carrier. Ideally, both parties agree to ship the same day and pictorially document the receipt from shipping and update with tracking numbers via USPS, FedEx, UPS. 

A local trade is easy! You meet up with the person that has the carrier you want and, Voila! Immediate satisfaction of new to you carrier in hand. And, maybe a new friend!

And, finally...Feedback plays an important role in an online B/S/T  transaction. Feedback is a link with your picture from the huge Babywearing Swap Feedback group. Each person you have done a B/S/T transaction with has commented on the experience they had during the transaction, positive or negative. If it is negative feedback it can't be emotional as the admin may delete. Just a simple or in depth description of the transaction experience.

Once your transaction is complete, which is carrier in hand, you leave honest feedback on the other party's feedback link they provided in their listing. Describe in detail or little about your B/S/T experience.  

So now you have bought, sold, traded, and you are stalking your postman for your epic fluff mail or already using your new carrier!  #BWAT #wearallthebabies

My name is Lauren Hyatt and I'm a SAHM

I have two littles under two.

I enjoy eating and spending time with family and friends~

To learn more about me, friend me on Facebook!