International Babywearing Week 2016 - Best Seat in the House

This year's IBW theme is Best Seat in the House.  We have a slew of on-line and in person events lined up for you!!  Some oldies but goodies are coming back, like Ask an Instructor, the Babywearing Scavenger Hunt, and a carry challenge to keep you busy all week long.  

Need help?  Our kick off to IBW this year is actually our mid-month meeting, so join us at Hardesty Regional Library on Wednesday, October 5th from 11am to 1pm.  Need a carrier for the carry challenge?  You can check one out from our amazing lending library at the meeting.  We still have a really good selection this month!

We hope this line up of laid back playdates and get togethers has something for everyone.  If you can't make it to one of our events, get together with babywearing friends in your area; plan a park date or go on a hike.  And don't forget to share your pictures.  See our list of events below and our hashtags for the week.  Make sure to check in with the facebook group daily for all of the fun online stuff!

And don't forget our fundraiser!!

Proceeds benefit Babywearing Around Tulsa.  We are not for profit and volunteer run.  Fundraising helps us to add carriers to our lending library and serve our community.  Thank you so much for your ongoing support of our efforts in Northeast Oklahoma.

Labor of Love

If you've been to a meeting you've seen those ladies in green shirts.  They are unpacking bags, setting up stations, checking carriers, greeting you when you walk in the door, and so much more.  They help teach at the stations, they direct the lost where to find help and they stay after you have left in order to clean up, often even vacuuming - because, let's face it, where there are kids there are crumbs.  They do a lot to help the instructors insure the meetings run smoothly and everyone gets the help they need.

But did you know how much more they do in the background, how much time they dedicate to making Babywearing Around Tulsa wonderful?  

 For instance, right now many of our volunteers are working hart to add tags to our lending library carriers.

Sometimes they spend their Saturdays in training sessions.  They help facilitate discussions on the board and help to keep our group on topic.  They accept carrier returns prior to meetings for those who can't make it to the meetings themselves and they often take on the duty of washing carriers as well.

And they do all this as a labor of love.

So take a minute to thank a volunteer.  Maybe not even a volunteer for BWAT, but a volunteer for an organization that has benefited you in some way.  Show your appreciation for their hard work.  A kind word can make the "work" joyful.

Thank you, Volunteers, for all that you do for BWAT.





Somer Johnson is a Babywearing enthusiast and Momma to Bitsy and Squeaker, two bundles of energy. She is a Babywearing Institute Certified Babywearing Educator.  She is also addicted to cloth diapers and makes and sells wool dryer balls as SomerKnits. Occasionally she also carves out some time to knit, spin or weave - her main pre-baby passions.

I'm New and Lost

Welcome!

Are you new to babywearing?  Or maybe you still haven't found that perfect carrier for you or your child?  There's so many options that it can be a bit overwhelming.  

First what is babywearing?  Babywearing is using cloth to wear your baby or young infant.  This allows you to comfort your child while still being able to get things done, if you so choose hehe.  It ranges from essential for many parents to an art form.  And of course there is always a price range to normally accommodate all budgets.  

Are you semi local to Tulsa?  If not, feel free to email babyweartulsa@gmail.com and we will help point you to the closest group that we are aware of.  Okay so I'm a bit biased but Babywearing Around Tulsa (BWAT for short) is an excellent resource for you to take advantage of.  BWAT has two FREE meetings per month (monthly and mid-month) that cover safety as well as a brief 101 that showcases all the main options you have to wear your baby.  In addition to the free meetings, BWAT also offers small classes on specific topics for a small fee.  Fees go to benefit the group as well as the instructors gas and time.  Likewise private consultations can be done at the discretion of the instructors for an agreed upon price.  

Instructor Somer demoing a Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC) during Babywearing 101

But where do I start?  Come to a meeting!  Immerse yourself.  Babywearing (BW/BWing) 101 talks about airway safety, spine and hip development as well as comfort for the wearer.  It also goes over the 4 major categories of carriers: Woven Wraps, Mei Tais (pronounced "may ties"), Ring Slings (RS) and Stretchy Wraps (Moby, Boba, etc), as well as Soft Structured Carriers (SSCs) like Boba, Tula, Kinderpack, Ergo, etc.  A demo of a front carry in each carrier will be shown.  In addition to the educational aspect of the meeting, you'll be given approximately an hour to visit stations and even try on a carrier or two.  Will you walk out knowing which carrier is perfect for you, possibly.  More than likely you'll have a better idea of what you would like to try.

Trying on carriers is great, but I don't think I will know if it's the perfect carrier for me in just 5 minutes?  How right you are!  Only time wearing will really determine if that carrier is your ideal comfort for you and baby.  BWAT has another resource.  We call it a Lending Library.  

What is a Lending Library?  A Lending Library (LL) is basically a library of wraps and carriers for member check out (normally 2 weeks to a month).  A Lending Library is great though, as it allows members to actually see if carriers will work for them before they buy them. Our Lending Library is constantly growing and we are striving to obtain more variety. We'd love any carrier that you would like to donate or any amount that you are willing to give. Donations will be accepted at our meetings or via paypal at babyweartulsa@gmail.com.

What's the cost of membership to the LL?  For BWAT we have a yearly membership cost of $20.  If the carrier is damaged or not returned while it is in the member's possession it is the member's responsibility to replace it monetarily (that's the small print :)). To ensure the ability to charge the member for the replacement or repairs cost we hold either a signed credit card slip or a signed blank check in a lockbox that is only accessible by two leaders; the Librarian and the Treasurer.  All damages and costs will be discussed with you prior to charging you.  However if you fail to communicate in a timely manner you will be charged.

So I'd like to try x carrier, how do I go about checking it out?  BWAT has a large LL however it's also popular.  Some carriers are checked out every chance and others go months between check outs.  To simplify the process for our Librarian we have a digital wait list.  You do not need to be a member before signing up for the wait list.  You can only check one carrier out at a time.  Prior to our monthly meeting Tiffany will tag all members that are up for a carrier (and which carrier).  If you can not make the meeting then the carrier will go to the next person on the list that isn't up for a different carrier.  Yes this means that at times the ninth person gets the carrier.  After 11:30 am at our Saturday meeting the LL carriers that have not been picked up become available to check out to the members at the meeting.  This happens a lot!

So when can I check out a carrier, when is it due, what if I can't make it to the Saturday meeting?  Check outs occur at the monthly meeting as well as our mid-month meeting only.  Most carriers are due back by the next monthly meeting (if you can not return the carrier by the start of the meeting then it needs to be returned to a leader BEFORE the meeting).  Late fees accrue for late (even if it's during the meeting) carriers.  BWAT requires and needs the carriers for members and non members to try on during the meetings so this is important!  No carriers can be checked out before the meeting for this reason.  However if you can't make the Saturday meeting you can see if a carrier you want has been returned or not checked out at the mid month meeting or contact Tiffany about picking up a non checked out carrier from her in between meetings.  Some carriers are on two week checkouts which means they need to be returned at the mid-month meeting.  

So where is the wait list? It can be found here:  http://bit.ly/1r2Vdfz
or if you are mobile: http://bit.ly/ZrSZMm

Now I'm on the wait list and I've been tagged, how do I pay my membership fee?  You can pay by cash, check, or card (for a small processing fee) at the meetings.  You can also PayPal the $20 gifted (friends and family) to babyweartulsa@gmail.com prior to the meeting.
Link to pay for membership via PayPal:

Okay so I'm now a member and this will be my first meeting, what can I expect?  First you'll sign in at the meeting and attend BWing 101 (if you arrive in time).  Next you'll visit the stations and play with the carriers.  You'll fill out our Lending Library Form (for every check out) and turn it in.  You will be verified for a current paid membership as well as a "deposit" on file.  At 11:25am carriers are released to be picked up and a leader or volunteer will check to make sure you are leaving with the correct carrier.  If you need to pay your membership fee or submit a "deposit" a leader will be available to assist you at the meeting.

If you would like to print and fill out the forms to bring they can be found here: http://bit.ly/1o6xMO0 and http://bit.ly/1sw3mpq

Have other questions?  Feel free to post in group.  

Happy Babywearing!

C.J. North is the Babywearing Around Tulsa Treasurer.  She is a Babywearing Institute Scholar working on certification.  C.J. stays home with her 3 kids and manages the allergy and special needs of her family while being overly addicted to research.  In her rare spare time she enjoys crafting, reading, photography, and playing video games.

March Meeting

We had an AMAZING March meeting!!!  I mean, just look at this turnout: 

 

 

And thats just the folks who were able to stay for the picture.

Babywearing 101, taught by one of our amazing instructors, Ashley Ritchie, was well attended.

 

Many carriers were tried on and many happy babies worn.

There was a fantastic sharing on knowledge and bonding over the love of babywearing.

There were a couple skeptics though.

You just gotta love them!  Oh, the babies too. (haha)

 

Its awesome being able to bring this kind of bonding to mama and baby.

 

 

Thank you so much for your continued support.  If you didn't make it to our March meeting, try to make our next one.  Due to a conflict with the Great Cloth Diaper change, our "April" meeting will actually be held on May 3rd (same time and place as usual).  We would love to see you there!  As you can see above we have carriers to fit every need.  From wraps to ring slings to soft structured carriers, from newborn to toddler and every stage in between, even in multiples, we've got you covered! 

 

We will also have an information booth at the Tulsa Great cloth Diaper Change.  Stop by and say hi, we'd love to meet you!



New Meeting Structure

Tulsa Babywearers, we are so excited about the continued growth of this group! What started out as a couple of mamas getting together to support each other and spread the babywearing love has grown to a facebook group of almost 700 and a monthly meeting with an average attendance of 40+ adults and their babies. We have had press (thank you, Tulsa Kids!) and done community outreach (GCDC 2013, WIC Breastfeeding Awareness reception) and we have loved every minute of helping people find the babywearing solution that is right for them.

What was originally a generously sized room for the less than a dozen moms who showed up every month to play with each other’s carriers and get help has become a small room for our well attended and very enthusiastic monthly meetings. We can’t thank you enough for this! We are in awe of how this community has grown. 

Due to that growth and our continued desire to help each and every mama, daddy and caregiver who wants to wear their baby find the solution that is right for them, we will be implementing some changes to our monthly meeting starting this month with our September meeting. We thank you ahead of time for your patience as we find the best way to serve this community as a whole.

Our meeting will now be split in to two segments. From 10:00am to 10:45 we will have a time specifically devoted to people who are new. Whether you are new to babywearing entirely or just have never attended a BWATulsa meeting, this time is for you. There will be a carrier demonstration and safety talk as well as an explanation of how our lending library functions. During this section of the meeting we will ask for attention and quiet, so if any veterans arrive early, feel free to socialize in the library, but please wait until 10:45 when we reopen doors to come in to the meeting room.

At 10:45 we will begin sign in for the regular part of our meeting. Check in for lending library carriers will also be at this time. Make sure both you and the leader you are handing the carrier over to inspect it for wear and sign off on the check out form. The stations will already be set up and you can feel free to go ahead and migrate towards whatever station you are wanting. Dive right in! At 11:15 we will take our group photo for the month so we don’t miss anyone who has to duck out early.

As we have the last couple months, lending library carriers will be passed out at 11:30 and paperwork can be filled out at that time. Your Lending Librarian Kim has been working hard to get the LL organized and systematized.

Please know that we are doing the best we can to serve this group. If you have a question or concern, feel free to PM a leader and we will do our best to help you out.

Next Meeting - June 29th

Don't forget about our meeting coming up Saturday!  I know its been a while because the May meeting was so early, so I just wanted to post this little reminder.  If you have anything checked out from the Lending Library, please make sure you can be at the meeting right about 10 AM.  If you are concerned about not being able to be on time, please contact an Admin and go ahead and return your carrier during the week.  Please remember that the meetings are where the majority of people come to try on carriers so if a carrier is checked out and returned late or doesn't show at all someone may have driven to the meeting for nothing!

Now that we have that out the of the way, let's talk about what you can expect at a meeting.  If you have never been to a Babywearing Around Tulsa meeting before, you are in for a real treat.  We have so many mommas willing to share their carriers, time and knowledge and it really makes for a fabulous time.  

When you come in this month there will be a sign in table, so we can start keeping an accurate attendance count.  So please take a moment to stop and sign in.  :-)

At the beginning of the meeting we like to go around and introduce ourselves and our littles.  At that time we also like to share what we would most like to learn or try at the meeting.  After introductions we divide into 4 stations.  There will be an admin or helper at each station to assist you in trying on carriers, learning to wrap or just get a good fit.  

The four stations are: 

• Full Buckles/Soft Structured Carriers - What does this mean?  This is where you will find your Kinderpacks, Ergos, Boba 3g, Wrap conversion Full Buckle Carriers and Reverse Half Buckles.
• Mei Tais - Here you will find all different sizes and fabrics of Mei Tais as well as pods and Half Buckles
• Wraps - All lengths and blends of wraps will be here.
• Stretchy Wraps and Ring Slings - This station will have a boba wrap and a moby as well as different types and sizes of ring slings.  If you are brand new and don't know what you want to try, start here even if you don't think you want a ring sling or a stretchy wrap.  The admin or helper here can talk through your babywearing needs with you and point you in the right directions.

Feel free to check out all the stations!  Also feel free to bring carriers to put at the different stations for others to try on.  Part of the fun is getting to play with each other's stashes.  

Towards the middle to end of the meeting we like to try and take a group picture.  We do hope you will stick around for that!  Its so much fun to do a big group shot!

Lastly, please note that our meetings are getting BIG and our meeting room is small.  We are exploring other venue options but have not yet found one that meets our needs that has our time slot available.  Because we are out growing the space, we are going to have to discourage older siblings from attending.  We understand that this isn't always possible and are not hard line forbidding it, but please understand that the meetings have grown very crowded and very loud.  If you do need to bring an older sibling, please bring something quiet for them to do or play with.  Please also remember that we have to leave the library as clean or cleaner than we found it in order to continue to use the room.  Therefore, if you bring snacks for your child please clean up after them!  Thanks so much for understanding that as our group grows we will have to adjust.  We the admins work hard for you so please send one of us a pm if you have a question or concern.

I can't wait to see each and every one of you at the meeting!  10 AM this coming Saturday, June 29th, 2012.

Somer Johnson is a Babywearing enthusiast and Momma to E, a bundle of energy.  She is also addicted to cloth diapers and makes and sells wool dryer balls.  Occasionally she also carves out some time to knit, her main pre-baby passion.