Wife, mom, babywearer, photographer

How Babywearing Is Useful To Me

Photo and text by Bri @theboysandb

I have been a babywearer since my older son was a newborn, but I found wrapping out of necessity when he learned to walk and demanded that I hold him all the time (and I mean ALL THE TIME) when I was home from work. From the moment I walked through the door (though dinner prep, clean up, evening walks, shopping, prep/organization for the next day, answering email or other work demands on the computer, etc.), I had to carry him.

I found woven wraps and it changed how I managed parenting and a demanding job. Wraps are a way that we get through the practical matters of the day (and, most importantly, through that first espresso) and reconnect. I love to hear the observations over my shoulder and the sweet songs that my boys mutter as they get sleepy.

When my second son was born, I could not take a true maternity leave and did a lot of writing from home. We also went into work together a few times a week starting at three weeks. I cannot image how we could have navigated time at the computer, in meetings, and on public transportation without wraps. Wrapping has also been essential for travel both for work and vacation.

Harness Cords Noir is a collaboration between Libby O’Bryan from her project What is it Worth, an examination of the process, product, and consumption of textiles, Bethanne Knudson of The Oriole Mill, and Pavo Textiles.  Harness Cords depicts an essential part of the weaving machine, the cords that raise and lower the hooks threaded with individual warp ends as commanded by the jacquard head.

Harness Cords is notable for its smooth satin side as contrasted with its more textured side.

Harness Cords Noir · 100% cotton 280g/m2

What Works: Wearing in Southern Florida

Written by Novia @lillychang1

Living in Puerto Rico has allowed me to become *quite* familiar with what does and doesn’t work for us in summer temps, 80°F+ year round will do that to you. Keeping in mind my various needs for carrying both my 20lb 9 month old and my 29lb 3 year old. I present to you my hot weather trifecta: Keshi, Galax, and Ring System.

Keshi: the cool, crisp, papery texture doesn’t hold heat and the forgiveness is nearly unmatched. If you are wearing a big kid, I don’t think it gets better (though I was VERY pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it when my infant was a wee one).

Galax: thin, light, and airy like WHOA yet somehow genuinely cushy. Moldability and stretch give it ultimate obedience. Humidity meets its match.

Ring System: whether heading on a hike or munching on blueberries, ring system hides all of our summertime messes with ease and keeps us supported and comfortable while the mercury creeps us. The summer version of workboots.

What is Bri @theboysandb using to enjoy the last bit of summer wearing?

I grab breathable wraps for base carries and cushy but thin wraps for short carries. In base size, I love Double sling shoulder 2 shoulder, Double Hammock, and Double Hammock with slipknot finish with a long tail (I’m pretty tall so it isn’t a tripping hazard).

Shorties really shine in the summer and my absolute favorite carry is a knotless ruck - it is quick, comfortable due to the chest belt, and just a single layer around the baby’s back.

Some of my favorite summer wraps include: Keshi, Phlox, Andalusian, Parallax, Ring System, Etini (“thin”), and Futurism.

And looking forward to…..

Pictured below Pavo Textiles Galax Fiddlehead (top) Galax Aster (bottom)

The temperature is rising and babies still want to be held. Cleo @motherlilove gives you some helpful tips for keeping yourself comfortable this season.

What to wear: Loose, light tops with a bit of sleeve are my go to shirts; the sleeves give a comfortable barrier between carriers and my skin, and the shirt itself helps keep sweat at bay. My primary wrappee is a 20lb 9 month old and she’s usually sporting a cotton onesie–easy peasy. Sun hats that strap on, give her personal shade and keep her cool and protected from the sun.

Cool carries: For quick ups or when I want max breeze access, there’s nothing like a comfy ruck. When I’m anticipating a nap or otherwise extended period of time I default to a double hammock and when it’s time for nursing or general front snuggles I opt for front wrap cross carry or traditional sling carry. I honestly don’t change my carry repertoire for the heat– I just choose wraps that will best accommodate my needs.

Preferred wrap qualities for hot weather: Lightweight, thin, and airy are obvious choices but I also heavily consider moldability and forgiveness. Moldable wraps help me execute precise wrap jobs that allow lasting comfort and forgiveness comes in handy when I’m wrapping a cranky kiddo that doesn’t want to cooperate–ask me how I know. Cotton or linen for easy washing checks off all of our boxes!

Snacks: Snacking while wrapped is part of our regular routine but when it’s extra warm out I like to pick snacks that help keep us hydrated and also aren’t much of a mess/easily wash out. Grapes, apples, and watermelon slices are all tasty and healthy summer snacks that don’t make me cringe when I see juicy fingers and mouths being wiped on our wraps.

Pavo Textiles, Miel

I am Alli @mikasphotomama​ a professional photographer and linguist. I have been living in the San Francisco Bay Area for the past 10 years.  I am the amma of Annamika (2.5 years old, 26lbs) and Sidhartha (one month old, 9 lbs) and wife and partner-in-crime to Santoash.

I have been wrapping Annamika since she was a month old, and was fortunate to fall in love with Poinsettia Etini, when Annamika was only 3 months old, starting me on an epic journey of Pavo love.

My wrap quality preferences are quite varied, and depend on the size of my wrappee, the carry, the weather, my mood and my very picky toddler’s preference of the moment (for the moment Sidhartha is happy with whatever he goes up in).

I have “favorite wraps” all over the spectrum of gsm, density, stretchiness, etc. However, my favorite carry for my toddler is a Double Hammock TUB, and I prefer a more sturdy, stretchy wrap (diagonal stretch helps me to get a nicer chest pass on my larger chest).

My top Pavos for Toddler DHs are Farrand, Perigee, Sparkleberry, Lofi, Lovebirds (full cotton) and Trillium. For my squish, I prefer a thinner, softer, more moldable and less textured wrap (Form wraps, especially swallowtail and Acanthus have been my go to so far, though my very broken in Perigee and Miel are favorites too!).

Sidhartha is very lucky to have a big sister who is happy to share her wraps and wrapper (me) and has so far only claimed one wrap that he is not allowed to go up in so far, Sparkleberry Geranium, her most favorite wrap.

Hi I’m Natasha @clickwithnkp. Maybe you’ve seen me around in the babywearing groups but let’s get officially acquainted. A little bit about me: I am a family photographer that lives in Delaware with my husband and our two kids. I am a mother to two amazing boys, Tony (9) and Jaxon (2).

My current wrappee is Jaxon who is 30 lbs and marching closer to 3 with every minute that passes. I have become an expert at wrapping quickly, wrapping around toys, encyclopedias, basketballs, you name it. Jaxon has been through all of the difficult phases of babywearing including, seat popping, leaning, bucking, and alligator rolling to name a few.  So why do we keep going?

If we met in real life, I would tell you that I love the art of babywearing. I love the art of wrapping. I love deciding how I’m going to tie it so that I can use it to wear my child. I love that different textiles have different qualities that shine in different carries. I love everything about babywearing.

And here’s a secret…. I do it for me too, not just for my child.

Babywearing makes me a better a mother. It is the best tool that I have at my disposal;  it can quiet a tantrum in seconds, it can provide the comfort of a hug when my hands are busy, it can provide a quiet place to nap in a unfamiliar space, it is an extension of myself, it makes me feel like a fierce unstoppable force. And it’s convenient!

What are you wrapping that 30lb high schooler with? Since we have been wearing a long, long, long, time… we have owned like, all the wraps.

But we love a wrap that is solid, not too much stretch, must have some grip, and at least a little bit of texture.

We spend a lot of time in a quick Ruck or Shepherd’s so having some grip to hold it together, works best for us.

And finally my favorite question of all time… How long you gonna wear that kid? Maybe until I can pass him off to his wife, then she can carry him. :-)

Are you ready for some #morecowbell from Jamie (@craftingoutloud)? Of course you are.

So, here’s the deal folks, I messed up.  I messed up bad.  I don’t know what I was doing when Frost originally was released by @pavotextiles. I clearly was not paying attention, or maybe I was focused on something entirely different.  In any event, I make a mistake.  I let myself go much too long without wrapping with this beauty.

I first tried a Frost when my daughter was 8 months old.  It was a prototype ring sling of Frost California (CA).  

I fell in love immediately.  The stretch, the grip, the texture.  It was all too amazing for words. I made a post here [http://craftingoutloud.tumblr.com/post/124191891669/i-have-had-the-pleasure-of-testing-out-this-pavo] about my love for this ring sling.  Alas, it was not mine to keep and it was returned back to Headquarters.

Fast forward to Christmas when I managed to snag my very own Frost and in wrap form this time: Candy Cane!  Oh, pure joy! The color is fantastic.  A lovely soft red weft (because you know I cannot pull of a rich red to save my life) on a rich, glistening ivory warp translates to a soft, delicious rose.  This is my color.  

Frost embodies all of my favorite wrapping qualities:  stretch, bounce, and grip.

 Texture I can take or leave, it is not something I *need* but is always a nice surprise for a little tactile experience.  Frost weighs in at 360 g/m2, which at first glance, might make you think “WHOA.  That is heavy.”  I assure you, it is not. Frost, while somewhat densely woven (I would put this in a medium category as far as density) has an intricate weave that allows for plenty of movement. 

Frost has fantastic stretch and recoil. 

The recoil I think is important here.  You don’t want too much stretch in a wrap or you’ll end up with a saggy wrap job that you are constantly readjusting.  No one wants that.  We want recoil.  We want the wrap to stretch to mold to us and stretch to accommodate a bouncing baby and then we want that wrap to just go right back to where it was in the first place.  Frost does that.

I also like a wrap that has a knot that stays put.  I want my wrap pass to stick where I put it and to not budge.  Smooth, silky smooth fabrics are fun to rub between my fingers or across my face (don’t laugh, you do it too), but when I am wrapping, I want to not have a sticky sort of feeling in my passes so I know that when I take my hand to tie, the wrap stays there.  The texture on Frost gives us that sticky feeling.  

#morecowbell Courtesy of Novia (@lillychang1​)

Pavo Textiles’ Scalene Hibiscus is a bit of an enigma. Released at the Florida trunk show in St. Petersburg earlier this year, Scalene couldn’t be more perfect for wrappers in a state where summer seems to last for most of the year. Scalene feels thick and textured to the touch, but in hand, it feels light to medium weight, almost frothy. When you hold Scalene up to a window, not only do you see light through the wrap, but you can also make out shapes. This is the magic that is Scalene, it feels thick but it’s airy enough to keep you ventilated even on the warmest of days. It is an incredibly comfortable wrap. I can easily wear my 30-pound toddler for hours even on hot, humid days.

Scalene Hibiscus has two distinct sides: one geranium and the other fuchsia, the colors do not overlap. If you pinch the fabric on both sides in certain places, you can manage to nudge the layers apart just a tiny bit. I find the texture on the geranium side to be a bit more pronounced than the fuchsia side.

The texture itself is soft, spongy and creates what feels like air pockets on your shoulders.

Scalene has a lot of stretch so tight wrap jobs are a must, but once you get everything tightened, it wraps like an ace bandage. Scalene has a good balance of grip and glide. I have no trouble tightening passes, but it holds a half knot with no slipping.

Scalene is appropriate for both newborns and toddlers and can be used by wrappers of all experience levels. It is one of our favorites for year-round wear.

You will like this wrap if:

You like spongy, cushy, textured, supportive, airy wraps with ace bandage-like stretch.

You wear in warm weather.

You are a wrapper with a heavy toddler who needs the cushy support of a thick wrap but wants the airiness that comes from a thin one.

You like cushy wraps but don’t want a lot of bulk and weight.

You prefer multi-layer carries on warm days, but Scalene shines in single layer carries as well.

Collection by Novia (@lillychang1)

My name is Novia (@lillychang1​) and I live in South Florida with my husband and three children.

My wrappee is three years old and 30 pounds.

At three, we wear regularly; mostly for long walks when we go exploring, but we share quick ups for snuggles and wrap naps too. We love traveling and babywear extensively when we do as we find wearing more convenient than using strollers.

While I love thick, soapy wraps that are extremely cushy on the shoulders with lots of stretch and recoil,