Newly pregnant and trying to learn all the things before baby arrives is like trying to drink water from a fire hose. There are so many ways to parent! Most of us grow into functional adults, so I decided all the variety is out there because we are all different people with different life goals.
Early on in the planning process, I knew I was going to lean toward the natural parenting method. Breast feeding was never a doubt in my mind, cloth diapering sounded adventurous, and babywearing looked intriguing. I won't go into the first two choices, but babywearing has become such a staple in our lives as a family, I decided to blog our adventures.
The first weeks at home with my little were a blur. I had a complicated post-partum period on top of being a first-time parent. Sometime during her first week of life, I bundled my precious, floppy little girl into a stretchy fabric carrier. We loved that thing. It was so easy to keep her close and comforted while I tried to pick up my house or take a short walk. I soon found out the weight limits on stretchy carriers are generous. Once she weighed about 12 lbs, I found wearing her in our trusty stretchy wasn't comfortable and it tended to sag with time.
We graduated to a soft structured carrier at about 6 weeks post-partum. I started attending a babywearing exercise class, and the SSC with infant insert worked well for the class even if it was a tad warm. I also wore her in the SSC for the occasional outdoor winter walk. Unfortunately, due to the bulky straps and waist band, I found myself wearing her less and less around the house or for short ups when out running errands.
Thankfully, I found a local babywearing group through social media! My first meeting was mostly timid observation on my part. Because I wasn't sure how I wanted to continue wearing, a couple of nice ladies suggested a ring sling. I bought a budget friendly version and wore my little several times around the house and a few times while out. I appreciate the ease of use, the quick in-and-out, and the ability to nurse in a ring sling. However, I just don't find them comfortable for long wear. I don't really like bearing all her weight on one shoulder, and off-center carrying is painful for my hips and back.
Finally, I found my way to woven wraps! Remember that first babywearing meeting? I watched from the sidelines as a few moms learned to use long, beautiful pieces of fabric to carry their babies. I was intrigued and quickly went to work researching wrap brands and fabrics, the language, and types of carries. There is a wealth of knowledge out there, but it can be difficult to find. My best resources were moms and dads who have lots of experience in the wrapping community. After a month of learning, I finally went out on a limb and bought my first woven wrap.
So that's how this whole adventure started! As a result, I have a little who loves to be worn and a supportive family that wears! We use a variety of carriers for different purposes and different family members find certain carriers and carries more comfortable than others. This blog will focus on our wearing adventures, carrier reviews, favorite (and not so favorite) carries, and all the in-between. Stay tuned for more!
