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!



How To Break In a Woven Wrap

There are many, many ways to break in a woven wrap and every time you ask the question in a large babywearing group you are going to get 100 different answers.  It does seem that the general consensus is that the absolute BEST was to break in a woven wrap is to use it.  The more you use it, the faster it will break in.

But what if you don't have that kind of patience?  What if it is just too darn stiff and you wanted it to soften up RIGHT NOW?  Well there are many things you can do to speed up the breaking in process.

Wash it.  Be sure to follow care instructions for the fiber content of your wrap, but if its safe to do so, wash it and tumble dry on low.

Dryer Balls.  Add a bunch of bouncing wool balls to the drying portion of above or throw the wrap in dry and toss in a damp towel.  The more dryer balls the better they work.

Braid It.  Ok, so its not what you usually think of as a braid with 3 seperate peices.  It is more like what is often reffered to as a daisy chain.  Learn how to do it here.

 

New to braiding?  Check out this you tube vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuXlCdLiTpU

 

 

Donut.  Like the braid, the donut uses friction of the wrap against itself as well as the pulling and tugging and manipulating of the wrap to break it in.















Never made a wrap donut?  Never fear, you can get help here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHpu0JnezDY


Sit on it.  Just fold it up and sit on it.  Or sit on it braided.  Or sit on it as a donut.  If folded, unfold and refold often. 

Sleep with it.  For reals. 

Knot Pulling. Also called knot dragging.  See how here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs2IYwzoQfY

Let the baby play with it.  They know it's important to you so they will want to drag it around and play with it if you let them. Or sleep on it or roll around in it or use it as a blanket.

Hammock.  Always fun, you can make a hammock or swing out of your wrap for your little one to lay in.

Run it through crib rails.  Or chair slats.  Run it back and forth through multiple if you can.  Make sure they are smooth and unlikely to snag your wrap.

Iron it.  As long as it is ok for your fiber content, ironing will help break in your wrap and have the added bonus of making it look pretty.

 

Somer Johnson is a Babywearing enthusiast and Momma to E, a bundle of energy. She is a Babywearing Institue Scholar working towards her certification.  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.

 

Papa bear and his (steadily growing) Cub

After my first “blog” or whatever you would call it, I wanted to write another a few months later. My son Jase, just turned 9 months old last week and in the time from the last time I wrote about my little tater bug until now, some things have changed (mostly good!).

 

I was lucky enough to have a close friend that was able to sell me a Kinderpack at a good price and also was EXTREMELY lucky to win a Boba 3G organic off of Bobas website. I guess I unintentionally shy away from wraps for two reasons. 1.) I know its dumb but they don’t have a ton of affordable “boy/guy” color combos (or at least that I've seen), and 2.) I had so much trouble with the Moby wrap that I think I would have a lot of trouble with a woven. I'm not sure whether either of these statements are true but I guess that’s just how I feel at this particular moment.

 

 

That being said, I will say that I wear my Kinderpack and my Boba all the time and my son and I could not be happier. I think that wearing my son and not really caring what anybody else thinks has been one of the best things that I've been able to do as a father. I get all kinds of looks in the store and malls etc, and even comments from my friends but I sluff all of them off (as I watch their kids run around and break stuff) and think to myself “Thank god I chose to babywear”.  It helps so much in everyday life and the SSC is very comfortable and my son falls asleep in it all the time. I admit that the bubbles pattern might not be, in a manner of speaking, the most masculine print available but it was a well taken care of carrier at a good price and the safety of it matters more than the print to me.

 

 But honestly I get more positive feedback from people saying things like “ well, now that’s a cool carrier thing, where do you get one of those?” Which opens the door for me to totally overdo the next few minutes of conversation by totally feeding them a TON of info about baby carriers that I'm pretty sure they didn’t want to know in the first place. I'm a good story teller (just ask Kim Williams-Harris or her husband Luke) and I'm a fisherman, so I guess you could say I was born to talk J. But when I see something that I know is beneficial to all involved and I am passionate about whatever subject that may be, I go to maiming and killing to convince others as well.  (Kidding!)

 

 

I will say that in the past few months that I have seen the number of baby wearing daddys increase (sadly not as much as I would like) but it is increasing so I can't complain. I know that people like Somer and CJ and others have forwarded on my first blog in the hopes that it might help some shy or prideful daddy to babywear. That makes me happy and if my first writing helped even one dad to strap on their little one and charge into a store like a stormtrooper then it was well worth the (very little) effort.

 

Let me just send an observation to any dads that are just starting to wear or even remotely considering to wear. Do it. It truly is fantastic. The first time your child is in your carrier and he/she lays their head down to go to sleep on your chest and then falls asleep, you'll realize that that is one of the greatest feelings you've ever felt. I feel closer to my son than ever before when he does it.  You might get a strange look from some older person or a rude comment by someone who is ignorant of such new fangled things like this but just remember that these are the same people that didn’t like power steering and power brakes. So its not that they don’t like the carrier or you, they just don’t like change, and that’s ok.

 

For you dads who wear, Awesome! Keep it up for as long as possible! Even if you wear 5 times a year, your still doing better than the status quo. I want all guys everywhere to be as passionate as I am about babywearing because all health benefits aside, it makes me feel good about being me! I can't tell you the number of times I've had women of all ages come up and commend me for being such a caring daddy. Being a dad is the greatest thing ever in my life and I don’t do it for commendation or peoples attention or for any kind of kickback. But I will say that it feels good anytime someone tells me that I'm doing a good job.

 

To the ladies of the BWAT group, and all the others that I've come in contact with who babywear, Thank you for making me feel like im a part of something great. You all have been wonderful and keep it up!

 

Keep calm and carry your kids!

 

-- Jake



 

 

P.S. if any of you ladies husbands want to friend me on facebook, have any questions that they would prefer to ask a guy about etc…. do not hesitate to let me know. I'd love to help be a part of another daddy learning the awesome benefits of baby wearing!


Join Jake and others in his Facebook parenting group Parents of Great Kids.

Travel and Babywearing Go Hand in Hand

Staring at the looming list of potential baby items I could potentially add to my registry was  overwhelming.  With our first wee one on it’s way and an international move in the near future following the birth, I knew that the majority of conventional baby products would not serve us well.  But I was confident that baby wearing accessories were a mandatory add to our wish list.

Waiting in the airport to board our International flight.

Our carriers served us well stateside (a Maya Wrap Ring Sling and Boba 3G SSC) as we did things around the house and ran errands, but I had no idea the absolute necessity for baby wearing while traveling and living abroad.  This is what we’ve learned traveling extensively with a baby, and I hope these wearing tips can encourage you to travel and explore with ease!

We left our hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma when Finn was 5 months old to move to Bologna, Italy.  The 16 hour, 5000 mile trip with a teething babe may have been daunting, but our carriers served us well.

Our 'baby seat' using the tray table in front
with our osnaburg wrap.

Tip #1

Wrap when you fly.

I wore Finn in a size 5 DIY Osnaburg wrap all through the airport, security, and on board.  It was important that we avoided metal on our carrier to ease the security process (you can find out more about TSA rules here-they don’t  specify whether or not  you’re permitted to keep your baby wrapped), so I  was able to walk right through with Finn in a FWCC (ring slings or SSC would not  be recommended during this portion for that reason).  The domestic flight allowed Finn to stay wrapped during the flight as he was a lap infant.  The international flights mandated that he wear a secondary seatbelt for takeoff and landing.  It was an easy transition in and out of the wrap, and the wrap doubled as an extra blanket on board, a nursing cover, and even a baby seat!  The transatlantic travel was practically peaceful because of wearing.

Arrivals gate in Bologna, Italy.

Tip #2

Choose a carrier with long lasting comfortability for travel.

Venice, Italy

Our job involves extensive opportunities for travel, particularly day trips.  Strollers are no match against ancient cobblestones, a lack of handicap accessibility, or the thousands of stairs leading to majestic overlooks atop towers and bridges that sweep the European continent.  Therefore, a carrier must withstand an 10-12 hour day.  My ring sling was a favorite at home, but one shoulder support would have killed me trekking through Venice.  Our Boba 3G and now our Standard KP provided excellent comfortability for long days.  Finn loved riding on our fronts and backs and seeing the sights.  Its also easy for him to nap when both SSCs offer quick snapping supportive hoods.

Tip #3

Choose a carrier that can easily be worn by you or your travel buddy.

No matter how comfortable a carrier is, sometimes you or babe can get tired of each other.  Its important to bring something that your spouse or friend likes wearing as well. 

Milan, Italy

I looooved the ring sling when we moved, but my husband was not a fan.  So when we traveled, we brought our SSC (and still do).  Now that Finn’s heavier, my husband wears him most of the time we travel, but its important to be able to switch if Finn get’s picky about who’s wearing him.

Tip #4

Using the Boba to strap Finn into a standard
chair.

Don’t bring your prettiest, most expensive wrap unless you’re comfortable with it getting the tastes of travels on it.

Traveling involves eating out a lot.  Our carriers frequently double as ‘highchairs’ in the many European establishments that don’t offer one.  We often snack walking around.  I would’ve hated to get Belgian fry sauce on a wrap beauty.  I’m not as attached to the beauty of my travel carriers.  

Tip #5

Travel with your babe!

Wearing Finn has enabled us to not be limited in our work or travels or location of living.  We’ve seen more places in his lifetime than in ours before he was born.  He loves getting to see and taste incredible places around our globe, and baby wearing has made it seamless.

Corno Alle Scale, Italy

Brugge, Belgium

Florence, Italy

Verona, Italy

Lake Como, Italy

Rome, Italy

Mary Paulison is a Jesus-loving, babywearing, nurse-by-trade wife and mom transplanted from Tulsa, OK to Bologna, Italy.  Living life as an incognito hippy, she loves snuggling with her 14 month old son, Finn, circling the globe with her hunky husband, and working with college students at the oldest university in the western world.  In her spare time she can be found crafting everything in sight, decorating their apartment in a 320 year old building, scouring thrift stores, and reading Harry Potter for the thousandth time.

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 - Torso Carry Love

Carry of the Week - Torso Love!

Ok, i’m going to be honest - I did NOT want to do this post. Torso Carries were requested, talked about it, videos linked, promises made. But I didn’t want to do it. The primary reason is I have no core strength. Zero. I’ve alluded to my “back problems” in our group but the fact of the matter is, I have much more than “problems”. A five level spinal fusion to help correct scoliosis when I was 16, with 3 levels collapsing during the pregnancy with my first son, have left me with virtually no core stability. I babywear because I HAVE to (I also love it - so that’s a plus!). Slings are literally the only way I can carry my babies for more than a few feet at a time. So the prospect of putting all that weight solely on my midsection scared me to death. BUT, I love you ladies. So I delved in. And here is what I found: It isn’t that bad! I still prefer to distribute the weight as much as possible but a torso carry was definitely doable. Even for an extended period of time! And Solomon LOVED the freedom of having his upper body free. I almost felt like I wasn’t wearing him because I had so much freedom of movement. And let me tell you, if you have any neck or shoulder problems you are going to love me after this post! :)

When I started researching Torso carries I found that it is basically one carry, used primarily in African cultures, that uses a towel or short piece of cloth to wrap a baby on your back. It honestly is a LOT like wrapping up with a towel - they use the same top rail flip over and it goes under your arms the same. It was very familiar. But I was able to look further and come up with a few far more secure feeling carries. So I am going to show you several methods to Torso carry so you can pick what is best for you. Here is the first video with the “towel” method (I did this with a size 4 gears and tied under bum): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ6h64S-oto

The first method is a front Torso Carry that is based off a Front Wrap Cross Carry.  The idea here, is after you have baby secured in the torso pass you bring (carefully) both shoulder straps under your arms. You still cross over baby, pass under legs and tie in back. I would say this would work best with smaller babies as toddlers can easily lean back in this one. Be aware, this carry is lower on your body so make sure you are always aware of babe’s neck and face and be familiar with babywearing safety (make sure their chin is never on their chest, etc). The good thing about this carry is you could use a size up or down from your base size and make it work (basically sizes 4-7).  The key to keeping this one comfortable is TIGHTNESS. Always start with your bottom and top rails and don’t forget to tighten the middle as well.

Here is the video Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyfwI46s7Wk

The next method is a back torso carry and is based on a double hammock. This is best for older babies because they need to have really good head and neck control to be on your back without the support of a wrap higher up around them. This carry is done with your base size or a size up (usually a 6 or 7). You start this carry like the traditional double hammock (refer back to our earlier blog post on a DH), and when you get to the cheerleader Y pull, you bring both passes under your arms and tie in a knot at your chest (you can see this in my picture). I used my base size so brought my ends back around and tied under bum. If you are sized up you can cross over and under babies legs and tie in front. Whatever is most comfortable for you and what size you have. Here is the Video Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny_jR0DDKhE

There is a similar Torso Carry to the one above done with a shortie (size 3 or 4). It is similar to the DH variant above, but ends with the chest tie. I did this with our size 3 Cheetah and wrapped the tails back under the wrap. Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwum3eybbl8

Finally, we have a Torso carry using a Ring Sling! This is starts out just like a back carry in a ring sling (get baby in the sling then scoot them on to your back) but you slip your arm out before doing the final tighten. Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ_qhMfysEU

OK! I think the Torso Carry compendium is complete! I hope you guys find one of these variations you like and PLEASE post pictures in the group! I love to see people trying a new carry because I suggested it - just makes my day! And, as always, if you have a suggestion or request for the next CotW please let me know and guest writers are ALWAYS welcome.

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.