Umm, How Old is Your Baby?

Let's face it, babywearing an infant is totally different than babywearing a toddler. You get completely different stares when you are in public and the range of carriers available to use is different from size to size. Let's start with infant wearing.

Such a Cute Baby

When you have a teeny little squishy baby connected to you in some shape or form people love it. They think it's adorable and ooh and ahh over your new little package. I babywore Hannah when she was little for a few different reasons. First of all, I didn't really wear her at home as much because at that point I was so overwhelmed by just having a new baby to care for that the process of putting her in a carrier was too much for me. By the time I got her in and adjusted she wanted to eat again or needed a diaper change. So, mostly I only wore her when we were at the store. I did this because I didn't want people touching my fragile little 9 pound chunker and was told that people are less like to want to touch and kiss your baby if they have to get all up in your business to do so. I agree with this minus the random little old lady who has no concept of personal space. I also baby wore because infants sleep so much but wake up at the most inconvenient times, like while you have a crap load of stuff to buy and your only half way done. Babywearing took some of the anxiety out of those shopping trips. Not all though because I totally remember being stressed out in the beginning and mostly because I was terrified of breastfeeding in public. 

As a new parent and therefore beginning babywearer most people start with the well known carriers that are easily accessible. That doesn't mean these are the best carriers out there or the best ones to fit your needs but they are always a great gateway if you enjoy babywearing. Typical infant carriers are the Moby wrap, the baby bjorn or similar and the Ergo. I had a Moby and an Ergo and although I seriously considered the bjorn somehow skirted that one. Here is my opinion on each of the hot carriers for newborns. 

Moby Wrap

The Moby wrap is great but the boba wrap is better and a Gypsy Mama Wrap even better! The moby is stretchy and forgiving so it hugs you and your newborn however the material is thick and is really hot for places like the Texas summer. If I was back in Michigan I probably wouldn't care so much about the thickness. I loved my moby in the beginning. Moby does say that they can be used up through 35lbs or so but that isn't actually super accurate. Around 15lbs they start to sag and your back will hurt. Also, they CANNOT be used for back carries. DO NOT DO A BACK CARRY IN A MOBY. It is dangerous and you are just asking for your child to get hurt. I will repeat, don't do it. Now, I say that the Boba wrap is better because it's actually cheaper and made of slightly different material that is thinner and has a different stretch. My bigger selling point is that it's cheaper. And Gypsy Mama has two wraps that are hybrids and are great for hot weather wearing and wearing through toddler hood. You know I like to get the most out of my money. 

The Bjorn is a carrier that I haven't ever had the opportunity to wear. It has a bad reputation in the babywearing world and you will hear people toute that carriers like it are dangerous for your child and can cause hip issues. What we actually know is that there is no evidence of this unless your child is predisposed to hip issues which most people wouldn't know at that stage anyway. The main reason I don't recommend it to people is that it typically becomes super uncomfortable for the wearer as your baby gets bigger because all of the pressure is put on just your shoulders and back. They are about the same price point as an Ergo which will last you longer so again, why not get more for your money! I had a friend that used a bjorn for a while because her child had a club foot which required a cast. It worked awesome for them. I also know lots of people who have used them and liked them and used them and hated them. Use what works for you and enjoy wearing your baby. That is most important!! 

Ergo

The Ergo is actually not super great for a little bitty baby but really starts to shine around 4 months or so. They provide support for both the baby and the wearer and can be found easily at big box stores. I know lots of people who love their ergos. I was not one of them. If you want a similar carrier there are TONS of choices out there and I always recommend finding a babywearing group to look through your options before you spend the money on one. Some other good options similar to the ergo for infants specifically are the Pikkolo, Lillebaby, Beco Butterfly II, Beco Gemini and the Kinderpack Infant size.  

Ring Sling

My personal preference was the stretchy wrap and a ring sling for the newborn floppy stage. Both for ease of use and portability. Once you move on from the newborn stage to the infant stage you will probably prefer something else if you have the opportunity. I loved my ring sling through about a year. I was able to do both front and hip carries which are great when baby wants to see out into the world. Around 6 months I got my first woven wrap and mei tai. I didn't really fall in love with woven wraps for a while but I LOVED my mei tai for back carries until she outgrew it. We also used our Beco with lots of love until she outgrew that. Once she outgrew those however, we were moving into toddler wearing. 

So, How Old is Your Child

Toddler Kinderpack

When you are toddler wearing this is when you get those super strange looks. People ask if your child can't walk or assume they are delayed or spoiled. I do notice my husband gets far more adoring looks than I do when carrying out 25 plus pound toddler. Another reason daddy wearing is a big plus! Toddler wearing is not for the weak of heart. When you wear at this stage you mostly do back carries because front carries start to get uncomfortable long term. Your child also probably wants up and down a bunch so you want something fast and easy. Your child can also express when they want up and when they don't. Mine always chooses babywearing meetings to NOT want up. Mostly because there are tons of other kids to play with and who wants to be confined then! You already know all the reasons I choose to continue to wear so I won't go into more details about the whys. 

What I would love to talk about are the various toddler size carriers out there. There are a few very popular ones so I will talk about those more in detail and try to share a more extensive list as well of just names. One of the most popular out there are the kinderpacks. In fact, kinderpacks come in four different sizes including preschool! They are popular for a reason. They are comfortable for most people, have regular and plus size straps, have the option of mesh in the middle of the carrier for better airflow and have straps that unbuckle so if you do want to wear a larger child in the front you can cross the straps on your back for more support. We sized up to a toddler early but my child has always been tall and I'm confident that she would actually still fit well in a standard size even at almost 18 months old. We knew we would we extended wearing though so we opted to again, get the most out of our money. I will say that I tried one out before I bought it though and always recommend doing so before you spend the money. 

Standard Tula, 17 months roughly 34 inches, 25 pounds

Another super popular toddler carrier is the Tula. These are a hot commodity right now for a few different

Toddler Tula, 15 months and
roughly 32 inches and 23 pounds

reasons. People love them and find them comfortable. They are in fact my favorite carrier for my body type but again, not everyone finds them comfortable. The one thing you need to know about toddler Tula's are that they are huge! Fitting into any toddler carrier is more about your baby's height and their leg length than anything else. Companies always give you weight ranges but that doesn't mean much if you have a short chunky baby because their legs may not spread far enough to make a toddler carrier comfortable. 

So Kinderpack and Tula are probably the two MOST popular toddler carriers when talking about buckle carriers. Of course woven wraps aren't toddler specific but are great for carrying toddlers. You can also find wraps that have been converted into mei tai's and some regular material mei tais that are in toddler size. Some brand options for toddler size carriers besides the ones already mentioned are Babies Beyond Borders, the Moby Go, Jumpsac toddler, Beco Soleil, Bamberoo toddler, Kanga, and Angelpack MAX. I'm sure I have forgotten some but this is a good list to get you started.

Note: I also had a friend highly recommend the comfy joey toddler size ring sling. She says it ROCKS for toddlers and unfortunately her comment isn't showing up so I wanted to share with you all regardless :-)

Nothing holds a toddler down like a wrap though!

The Places You Will Go

Since we are just coming off of the stroller topic, lets talk about the things that babywearing allows you to do that would either be made difficult or impossible with a stroller! Babywearing allows your child to become an extension of your body. It compacts two people into the smallest possible space which makes the impossible, possible for parents.

Out back at the fire pit keeping warm!

Every Day Activities

• Cleaning up - sure you can put your child in a pack and play or activity bouncer or even for some tummy time on the floor but my child never stayed happy long enough in those places for me to get anything done and if she was in the stroller she wasn't happy unless it was moving. Don't even get me started on trying to clean up with a toddler running around
• Feeding your family - you do have to be careful around hot sharp items but it has frequently allowed me to make dinner instead of heading to the local fast food chain at the last minute because I just couldn't get  myself together enough for dinner
• Taking a shower - if you have a water sling or wrap then  your problems are solved. I can't tell you how many moms I know, including myself, go without a shower for more than one day
• Walking up stairs - either in your house or somewhere else, since your baby is attached to your body you can actually walk up stairs without having to figure out how to maneuver with a stroller or find an elevator. I have lived on the second and third story apartments and I promise you I would have ditched the stroller before baby even came just thinking about the chaos.

  

  Goin up?

• Breastfeeding - now, I'm not super skilled at this one but that's a whole other story. However, I know that babywearing allows you to breastfeed if you can get it down pretty much anywhere and generally you can't see anything that is going on because the carrier is blocking any view.

  

  I had actually just finished breastfeeding here!

Lets Have Some Fun

• Hiking - obviously uneven terrain and off roading isn't something you normally think of doing with a baby because it's just not that easy...unless you babywear!

  

  The Japanese Tea Garden

  
• Tourist attractions - I immediately think of the Japanese Tea Garden or River Walk in San Antonio. The tea garden is FULL of random tiny pathways and stairs and the River Walk, well if you have been there you can understand that sometimes you are afraid you are going to fall into the river because of the lack of space there is NO WAY I want to push my child in something that has wheels on it. 

  

  Riverwalk in San Antonio

• The Beach - enough said
• Busy events or festivals - so many people and not enough room. I pretty much hate anywhere with large crowds but add on something huge that I have to navigate around with my child in it and I would so much rather stay home. I remember going to Zilker Kite Festival with my cousin last year and I felt so bad watching families struggle to navigate with flimsy umbrella strollers through the grass and dirt. I mean, it's possible and lots of people do it but that doesn't make it any more enjoyable. 

  

  Zilker Kite Festival

• Boutique stores - you know, those stores that you can barely fit through the isles, yeah those. 
• Dancing - no lie, one of my favorite activities to do with my child. If I have her in arms at 25lbs + I get so tired so fast but if I can attach her to me in a comfy manner we can dance the night away and have at more than one wedding. 
• Swimming - yes, you can take your child with you in the pool or in a body of water. When I say swimming I guess I really mean walking but you get the point. 

  

  Texas State Capital

  
  

  

  The Zoo

  
  

  

  The Fair

I could keep going but you get the idea. I would love to hear some other ideas! Share your thoughts and activities below!!

The Detroit Tigers store is seriously not easy to navigate

The Airport

At the airport

I'm going to tackle this one knowing that this is one of those where people have very different viewpoints. But you know I'm slightly biased so here I go. The first time we flew we really debated what we wanted to bring with us. My vote was no stroller because I hate hate hate having extra things to carry along especially when I'm flying. We finally decided to forego the stroller and boy were we glad we did. Generally how we function is we check a small bag each and then carry on just an essentials bag that is packed in a backpack. That way we can put the backpack on our back and baby on our front or divide the duties so each person has one. I have done this easily when I was flying solo with baby too. There is no stroller to check, most of the time I can walk through security and I don't have to take her off and depending on the air line or flight attendants I can just leave her attached to me the whole flight which is awesome if she is sleeping. This arrangement is particularly awesome since we fly into Detroit which is a massive airport with lots of escalators. The reality is that you are walking the crazy amount of distance anyway so yes, you will be tired but I can get to my destination so much faster if I don't have to worry about navigating with a stroller and I have my hands free for picking up or dropping off  my checked luggage. Easy peasy.

I'm Just Going to Watch You Stroll

You read that right, I'm going to watch you stroll as I wear my baby. I'm going to smile and interact with you the same way I do any other parent/child combo with lots of smiles and a willingness to have conversation

with a complete stranger. I shared a history of babywearing so how about the history of strollers!

Here is a cool picture history of strollers over at The Bird Feed NYC. And I also came across this written history by Gary Edwards, the owner of EveryDayStrollers.com which is a stroller review website. The thing that is interesting to me about strollers is that they originally started as a status item designed to mimic a horse and carriage. Strollers were built as a wealth symbol where traditional babywearing has been seen as a poverty symbol yet they both provide a form of transport for our little ones. Do, I prefer one over the other, most of the time but NOT all of the time. Gasp, I know!

Using a stroller is more than just a wealth versus poverty thing nowadays, it's a cultural thing. In America it is the accepted way to transport your baby. Accepted along with toting your child around in one of those infant carseats that are so stinking heavy. Yes, I own one of those too and will probably use my snap and go stroller with baby #2 if it fits into our lifestyle. It's so accepted in the US that most people don't even know about babywearing until they actually have a baby. It's completely normal to put your child in a contraption where they look at everyone's knees and have absolutely no contact with their care takers as someone pushes them around from behind. They actually tried to market strollers in Africa not too long ago and here is how far they got: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/African-mothers-see-baby-strollers-as-abhorrent-2757589.php

My History of Strollers

I grew up in rural Michigan where you used a stroller or carried you baby in arms (or made someone else carry your baby in arms). It's still very much that way which is odd because you can get so much more done outside and in the rugged terrain without a stroller but it is what it is. As I have mentioned before, there is always a stroller option when we visit even though we never use it. We were the ONLY babywearers at a wedding this past summer with several other babies who wore cloth diapers (baby steps right). I'm not saying they go hand in hand but both are viewed as hippie actions so they often do go together. At the wedding I was told that people kept asking if I was trying some new contraption out for a company or something. I laughed and responded, sure, and I paid a lot of money to try this out for a company! 

The Bumble Ride Queen B lived here for about 6 months

I started as a stroller fanatic too! When I was pregnant I was obsessed with strollers. I had to find the exact right one for each situation and I for sure wanted an awesome deal on something amazing so I scoured craigslist for the perfect stroller. My parents bought us a BOB jogging stroller as a baby shower gift and because I was bound determine to start running post postpartum...hahahaha. That didn't happen. I also wanted something where I could actually see my tiny little baby when pushing them so I opted for this HUGE carraige/pram type stroller that I got used. We also got a snap and go stroller to use when out and about with our car seat because we had been warned about the dangers of putting your car seat on top of a shopping cart and I was not about to do that. Word to the wise, DO NOT PUT YOUR CAR SEATS ON TOP OF CARTS! It's very dangerous. Literally, babies have died this way. It is not safe. If you must bring your carseat with you put it inside the cart. Loosing room in your cart is much better than loosing your baby! That's my PSA for the day. 

I did not enjoy using this stroller when she was
newborn but Will insisted, hence the blankets!

Anyway, Hannah came along and I had my beginner babywearing stash and my awesome strollers. I was ready to take on the world. Except that I couldn't walk very far for weeks after giving birth so I'm super glad for the strollers because they offered me something to lean on while walking. We did mostly use the huge stroller at first because she could lay comfortably in it and I could see exactly what she was doing. When we went anywhere we would just take the car seat out and put it in the snap and go and off we went! It was easy and pretty awesome but do you know what I remember? I actually remember being super high anxiety when we used the stroller out and about because she would get fussy and we would have to do all these things to make her stop being fussy and it just ended up being a lot of stress! The non stressful times for us were when I was able to put her in the moby and she would sleep through our entire shopping trip. I still wasn't a full on convert though. Once she had a little more body and head control we did use the BOB more to walk the neighborhood because, well, it's amazing. That meant we used the huge carriage less and less because it didn't steer very well and it was super heavy so it really was only good for walking the neighborhood and the BOB was better. Then we decided to tell the big stroller. And then she outgrew her snap and go which made me very sad. We found a more toddler friendly stroller on Target on clearance and jumped on it cause it is a great brand. It mostly just sits in our garage now. It got used quite a bit at first because Will was still more comfortable with the stroller. Hannah got more and more unhappy being forced to ground level so we slowly made the transition to full on babywearing probably around 9 months or so. 

So when do we actually use our strollers you might ask since clearly you know we typically babywear when shopping. When it gets hot down here, we use our strollers more for sure. Not a lot compared to the typical parent but when it's over 100 degrees, the last thing you want is another body attached directly to you. Trust me, I have done it in the middle of Texas summmer with no shade because we forgot the stroller. Man did I wish we hadn't! We also love our BOB jogging stroller for walks around the neighborhood and for actual jogging when it does happen. You cannot jog and babywear, it's just not safe. That's pretty much it for us though. I had having my hands confined and when I want to try on clothes Hannah just goes with me into the fitting room and plays. I love being able to be hands free and take a super small cross body bag with my essentials and I'm good to go. I love being able to walk into the store and easily open the door, take the escalator and browse through tight areas. All these things would be made impossible with a stroller. But that takes us into the next post so I will stop there! 

What Have We Been Up To

Well, we have been busy busy busy. You are probably tired of seeing Will's backside with a child hanging on. I mean, I never get tired of seeing his backside but I'm not assuming everyone feels the same. Lots of working and quite a bit of sewing going on. I finally finished my new ring sling which I haven't had the chance to try out because Hannah actually told me no when I asked if she wanted to go up the other day. I said ok and we moved on because I didn't actually want to carry her for more than just trying it out. With my back continuing to be a problem I just haven't been babywearing that much but I did try a torso carry. I will say that I randomly tried to tie something and it totally didn't work. I took a picture anyway. And then we proceeded to take the dogs out for their evening pee. Will wore Hannah yesterday before I got home because she just wanted to cuddle so I walked in to daddy with baby on his back. Always love that sight. We went to the store and came back for the evening where I took a short minute for snuggles in our Micah's Rainbow. It was Zachary and Micah's birthday yesterday so we wanted to honor that and feel the sun shining down on us as the weather got cold outside. This wrap is probably going to be Hannah's legacy wrap because it's so special to us and if you want to know more about the story behind this wrap head over to elephant ears.

It's a WRAP!

When you are some random person walking through the store and you see a child literally wrapped to a mama you probably think she is crazy. This judgement is probably true but not in the she's taking medication kind of way but in the she is deep in the babywearing world and has a healthy addiction kind of way. Some people call it jumping into the black hole, they are at least being honest about it. Wrappers are crazy, crazy for wraps!!! This had to be a whole post on it's own because, well it just does.

Nap in a Wrap

I may have shared this with you already but it needs to be reiterated. When I went to my first babywearing meeting carrying my baby in my ergo and eagerly wanting to learn how to breastfeed and that's it I looked over at the wrap workshop and immediately thought, "Wow! That totally looks scary and I'm never venturing there". Well guess what, it took me a whole 6 months of babywearing to not only venture there but buy my first wrap. Wrapping isn't just about wearing your baby, it's about the process of learning crazy new carries that are kinda like learning how to fold a new origami creature. It's also about the fabric, OH the fabric. The designs, the blends, the lengths, the quality, the artsmanship. I can justify wraps because they are the ONLY carrier that will literally take my child from newborn to toddlerhood and will consistently fit them and me perfectly. Do I need more than one, of course I don't but why wouldn't I want more than one! I like diversity in my wrap stash and feel guilty if I have overlaps like I currently do.

But how do you afford it all? I will first turn this question on you and ask, well how do you afford your daily starbucks fix, that super nice dinner that you enjoy regularly, getting your nails done once a month, those jeans you just spent over $100 on. I afford it because I cut down on other areas of my budget. I save a LOT. We have a rule and I don't get to buy a wrap on a credit card. I save my money, I buy on payment plans, I trade for something, I sell clothes on craigslist that don't fit. If I can't afford it, I don't get it! Plain and simple. I also wait for good deals and rarely buy at full retail. So, enough with the questions, let's get on to the stash!

Size 2

Tablecloth!

Size 2 wraps are consider shorty wraps because they are, well, short! Size 2's are roughly 2.7 meters long and yes all wraps are measured in meters. You are limited with this size because again, it's short. I'm a bigger girl and I had issues with a size 2 that lived here briefly so I hadn't ventured back until recently and I only ventured back because I bought a tablecloth from target for $5 and split it down the middle to make a shorty and a ring sling. Waaalaa! A shorty wrap for about $2.50 and no harm done if I hate it. I don't hate it though. I kinda like it! But, I have been wrapping almost a year now and my experience is that much more so I have finally mastered the ability to use a shorty. 

Size 3

As a scarf

Size 3 wraps are also shorties but a little longer at 3.1 meters. This was the first shorty I was successful with. It's a natibaby (brand) stardust (specific wrap name). You will hear natibaby wraps referred to as nati's. Some people like them and some don't. They come in all ranges of fabric weights/thickness, blends, etc. I love nati's although originally I didn't think I did. My 3 is a hemp/cotton blend and I love it. It's cushy and soft like something you just want to cuddle in. It's also awesome for carrying a toddler because it offers great support and with less fabric to work with you can do quick and easy wraps when you are out and about. It is all cream though and has a gorgeous design of unicorns which is what drew me to it originally. It needs to be washed because I have seen spots of discoloration but quite frankly I let the idea of it getting dirty go because 1. wraps are meant to be used and 2. I plan on having it dyed at some point I just haven't decided what two colors I want! Sometimes, I also wear it as a scarf :-)

helping sick baby sleep

Size 4

Size 4 is 3.6 meters and is the first shorter size I would recommend to a beginner because you have a little more versatility in terms of what you can do with it. My size 4 wrap is a Kokadi Sudsee or translated Kokadi South Seas. It's bright and colorful and ridiculously soft. Kokadi wraps are known for having long tapers (the end part of the wrap can range from blunt to super long tapers) so they wrap a little long. All this means is that they make you feel like you have a little bit longer wrap because the tapers give you a little more length sometimes. My Kokadi is 100% cotton and it ok with my 25 lb toddler but not the best support for long carries. I'm really looking forward to using it with new baby when they arrive. 

Size 5 & 6

I actually don't have either in my stash right now. Size 5 is 4.2 meters and size 6 is 4.6 meters. I start with a size 6 and both are great I just don't have either right now :-) Keep in mind I'm a plus size mama so that plays into what sizes work for me. 

Size 7

Size 7 is 5.2 meters long and is currently my base size. That means I can do LOTS of different carries with

Christmas Day excitement in PJ's

this size although it's a lot of fabric and can be super overwhelming to start with. In my size 7 stash are the following. My Girasol Micah's Rainbow which is 100% cotton. I fell in love with this wrap this summer when I discovered it through the mama whose baby it is named after. If you want to learn about their story head over to the Micah Smiles facebook page. You also have to know that I am from Michigan and went to Michigan State. This wrap is full of Michigan colors but I don't care. I can put my school rivalry on hold for this. This wrap means a lot to me not only because of the sweet little boy behind the design but also because as I'm here living in Texas it connects me back to my home state of Michigan and my love for holding my baby close. There's a lot of sentiment in this wrap if you couldn't tell! My parents actually bought it for me for Christmas after I convinced everyone that our day trip during the most recent visit needed to be to Ann Arbor so I could go to Elephant Ears and look at this wrap. Yep, I'm crazy! 

The second size 7 I have it an Oscha Braids Pine. Again, Oscha is the brand, Braids is the design and Pine is the color. This wrap is a linen/cotton blend which is highly recommended for both it's support and it's breathability for places like Texas where it gets freaking hot! Again, I went to Michigan State..GO GREEN...so I may or may not be drawn to green. I seriously love green. I love the design and it's green. Like a pretty good Michigan State green. So that's about it for the story that one. GREEN!

Braids Pine back from the park

Lastly I have a size 7 Natibaby Bikes Whisteria. This was kind of a random purchase but I just really love the design. It's all old bikes! So cute and vintage. It's also cream and grey which is strange because wraps that have made their way through here are generally bright and in your face. I'm so glad I bought this wrap though. It's also linen/cotton but thicker than my Braids Pine so I think it offers a little more support but can also be hotter in the summer. Don't care, I love it. That's the joy of collecting, it's all about picking out things that you love and fit your life. Full disclosure, I don't bike. In fact, I didn't even have a bike until this summer because my husband lent my bike out years ago and never got it back. I have held it over his head this long because I could and he finally broke down and replaced it. I think I have ridden my new bike like three times because bike riding is really hard. No joke! 

Bikes Whisteria helping baby refusing her nap to sleep

I LOVE my wraps. My husband on the otherhand things they are cumbersome and has no interest in learning how to use them and I'm totally fine with that. Wraps can be my thing which means I get to pick all the colors and designs without first consulting him. I love the process of wrapping and the ability to change things up. In my first trimester recently I couldn't stand anything on my stomach. The only carriers I could use were wraps because of that! I could easily choose a carrier option that didn't tie off on the waist! So awesome. If you are interested in learning more about what kinds of carries you can do with different sizes head over to this page. Also, if you want a little more in depth information about wraps head over to this blog. It does a GREAT job at breaking everything down so you can learn more!

Everything But The....

The wraps that is! I'm going to share my stash with you today including everything but the wraps :-) And just sharing pictures wouldn't be much fun so I will also explain to you why I like having these things in my stash! So lets start and I'm going to give you notes along the way to help you understand the lingo!

The Ring Slings

No my baby but why wouldn't you want to cuddle with this cutie!

I currently have three ring slings in my stash soon to be four. Why so many you may ask. Because I can! The first ring sling (rs) I owned and probably won't ever leave is still one of my most favorite patterns and is technically a wrap. It's a sleeping baby production (sbp) ring sling made out of Kokadi Erna im Wunderland. Now a little insight into wraps. Kokadi is the brand just like Gap is a brand and EThrna is the color way and im Wunderland is the pattern. Hope that helps to break it all down! I love Erna. She was my first wrap really and helped me snuggle my Hannah for hours on end easily. She, yes she, also helps me teach newbies how to use a RS and it's super soft. I bought her off a local mama who had the other half but has since sold it so we are no longer twinsies. I won't lie either, I was so excited after picking her up that she sat on my lap all the way home and I kept petting her. 

I also have a linen/cotton RS that I made from material I bought from fabric.com. It's really important if you

are thinking about making your own that you know what type of material is safe to use including the weight of the material, rings, thread etc. I don't sell RS because there is a huge liability attached so please don't ask because I will send you to Jan over at sbp. I made this RS because I like making things and linen is breathable and supportive for the heat and bigger babies. It's also a good go to RS when I don't want to have to worry about getting it dirty or anything. It's also my loaner so when people are interested I can let them borrow it to try it out! If you are interested in making your own visit Jan over at SBP by visiting this link here: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/sling.html

Last but not least is my water rs. I actually had one made of mesh that I made and quite frankly it was horrible! It had way too much stretch and I don't recommend making one of your own. Luckily a local mom had a professionally made water sling that she was selling at a super great price and I jumped on it. These are AWESOME for the pool and for taking a shower with your little one because in water they get so slippery! 

I also have a table cloth that is awaiting conversion in my sewing closet. I paid $5 for a tablecloth at target that is all cotton and got a short wrap and a ring sling out of it. Not too bad for $5! Who says that babywearing has to be expensive. Plus I get to experiment with a different type of shoulder area to see if I like something else better than what I already have. It just add a little cheap variety.   

The Pouch

I only have one of these and I don't use it super often. I actually bought mine at a garage sale for $10 and I was lucky enough to found the perfect size because this can be hard. The one I have is reversible and doesn't fit us now that Hannah is bigger because it's not adjustable. It's an awesome carrier though for under 1 when you are looking for something cheap and easy to pop baby into and out of. I just kept mine in the car so if we forgot to bring our intended carrier we had something to fall back on. Plus it fits into the diaper bag without taking up too much room so it's awesome.

Note: I do not recommend ding a back carry with a pouch.
It is a very advanced carry and works in a pinch. I am doing one
here in preparation of taking my babywearing educator test :-)

Mei Tai's

We have two mei tai's total. One for me and one for the hubby. Our first mei tai was purchased from AnnaCarrieBaby on etsy. We bought from her because she had great reviews and was super affordable. Also, she carried this fun comic book material and I was trying hard to get hubby into babywearing at that point. This carrier will also probably never leave although we don't use it that much. She was really easy to work with too. With that said, now that I know more about babywearing the material she used is pretty stiff and thick which in hindsight is why we couldn't ever get it to mold to us when Hannah was little. Because of the thickness though it's been pretty awesome to use as she gets bigger. 

The other one is a Freehand mei tai (freehand is just the brand). I bought it from Frogmama who is an online retailer when she was doing her end of year clearance sale and you could make offers on carriers!! So I made an offer that I will admit was pretty low but I always say, the worst they can do is tell you no. Needless to say I probably wouldn't have bought another mei tai but since I got such a great deal I went for it and am SO glad I did. The one I got is reversible so it's floral on one side and plain on the other and it's so soft and floppy. It's too small for Hannah now but was really great from about 4 months through I would say 9 or 10 months for us. Hannah is tall to she has outgrown things quickly. You could definitely use it past that point but I have so many options I like to use what fits her best in the moment. This was my go to for when we were flying because there is no metal on it and I could easily nurse in it or do a back carry without too much fuss. It has served us very well and will stick around.

Back picture but sleeping baby win!

I will note that the great thing about all of the above carriers is that you can easily avoid the dreaded carrier muffin top. It's a win win for all. Plus, especially for the mei tai we can easily switch between users without lots of adjustments because of the way it's made. 

Buckles or Soft Structured Carriers (SSC's)

I don't care what you call them but we love ours. We currently have two, one for me and one for my husband. I currently have a Tula as my SSC. Tula is again just a brand of this type of carrier. I LOVE my
Tula but not everyone feels the love for them and that's totally ok. I got mine for an amazing price on an after Christmas sale from one of my favorite retailers, Heavenly Hold. I super love them because they are really easy to work with, communicate really fast AND offer layaway which makes affording your favorite carrier do-able on pretty much any budget as long as you are willing to save and pay as you go. Needless to say I have  bought more than once from them and have my eye on something else even though we are on a tight budget. I chose to go with a standard size tula which is comparable to the size of other well known carriers like the boba, beco and ergo. It is really too small for Hannah right now but I bought with the intention of really using with the new baby once they get here! I also did a review/comparison video if you are interested you can find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NghBZJhuASs

The other buckle carrier we own is a Kinderpack. Again, kinderpack has been awesome to work with and I'm always happy to promote other businesses when I have had good experiences with them. My husband actually chose this carrier when we were looking at a toddler carrier. It was between this and a tula and he chose the kinderpack because he liked the prints available at the time better and we really liked the option of having a mesh panel so that it can breathe better in the hot summer here in Texas. Since we have purchased that carrier, Will almost always wears Hannah when we are out and about as you have witnessed in this series! He loves his carrier. It's one of the very few we have bought at full retail and new and I wouldn't change a thing. It fits us both great and will last us well into toddlerhood as long as Hannah wants to be carried!

What Have We Been Up To?

Well, you know the drill by now. Not a whole lot of babywearing the past few days outside of going to the store for a random item or two. This is one of the hard parts of living so close to stores, you are always there!!! I will say that my back has been hurting a lot the past few days so I probably shouldn't be doing too much babywearing but sometimes I can't help myself. 

On Friday I finally chopped into one of my tablecloths and made a short DIY wrap that cost me less than $5. I will talk more about it tomorrow I promise. Hannah and I took it for a spin on our walk with the dogs around the neighborhood and it's pretty stiff so we need to beat it up some.

Yesterday I did some more sewing and need to get back in the game working on items for my itty bitty business! Outside of sewing yesterday though Hannah and I went and played at the park in the morning and took the dogs for a walk in the afternoon. I also took the opportunity to try out the carry of the week in our babywearing group since I get to pick which carry we are going to try out that week. It's fun to learn new things, especially when you get to involved your kids!

This is Jordan's Back Carry (JBC) in a size 7 

And in a size 4!

What's in Your Stash?

First of all, let's clarify that by stash I don't mean what food or other particles of weird things are handing out in your mustasche. I know, I live in hippy Austin and we commonly refer to that weird eighties lip hair still hanging around on hipsters as a stash because we can't take the time so say the whole word but that is not what we are talking about here. I promise. By the way, I actually had to google how to spell that correctly. Sad day for me.

Moby wrap with itty bitty Hannah

Anyway, what is in your stash is a common question that gets asked in the babywearing world. Sometimes your super cool if you have a gazillion carriers and sometimes people totally judge you for spending all your money on these very potentially expensive items that you will only use for a few years of your babies life. Depending on what circle you run in, sometimes you are super cool if you only have a huge DIY stash that you poured your blood sweat and very little money into. It's all in the eyes of the beholder. I could care less what people's stash looks like. I don't lust over carriers just because they are popular or because they are super expensive or hard to find. I lust after carriers because they are pretty and functional. My obsessions in life have moved on with my life stages. Pre kids I would spend my money on collecting awesome shoes and purses. I still hold on to a few of my favorites but quite frankly high heels are horrible to walk in and cloth diapers don't fit into my cute little purses so off they went. I just moved on to things that were more functional for my time in life with those things currently being baby carriers. I actually started with cloth diaper's as an obsession but baby carriers are more fun to me...and also more expensive. Let me also say that being a baby carrier enthusiast can also be kind of embarrassing unless you are in the right crowd. Some of my friends are babywearers because they want to babywear and don't care how it gets done. To them I am know as the girl with all the carriers. They don't get my excitement over a new carrier or why I would

My very first wrap! A natibaby organic size 6 wrap in emerald

even need a new carrier. However, in the babywearing world there is no shame. There is no need for a 12 step meeting because you have more than one or two carriers. There is just an appreciation and an excitement that people now get to try out so many different other carriers because you have something that they don't. I have actually found it very similar to how pet owners are viewed. You can be a one or two pet owner and that's totally cute and normal. OR you can have 4 or more and you are an animal hoarder and possibly crazy. I am that possibly crazy baby carrier owner and I'm ok with that.

My homemade mei tai.

My project wrap :-) Size 4 didymos indio dyed emerald

Chrysalis Designs Table Cloth Mei Tai

Natibaby Fairyland Fenny Size 6

Beco Butterfly II visiting the San Antonio Zoo

Let's start with what has been in my stash because I have rotated the carriers out that didn't work for us. That is one of the great things about baby carriers, you can resell them for almost as much as you had into them! My very first carrier was a moss green moby wrap gifted to me by a friend at my baby shower. It was my gateway drug so thanks Rebecca!. The next carrier I bought I was a blue ergo organic carrier. It was a

Oscha Starry Night Orchid in size 6

demo version for a local baby store going out of business so I got a great deal on it and bought it with hubby's permission. Then, I borrowed a ring sling from our birth teacher and sadly I don't think I have a picture and of course that was a borrowed carrier. It stayed with me for a month or two though! This was the beginning of the downfall :-) It's all a blur from there but I have also owned a beco butterfly II, a Chrysalis Designs table cloth conversion mei tai, a table cloth conversion mei tai I made and a bunch of wraps. The wraps I have had cycle through here but currently don't live here include a natibaby organic emerald green in size 6 (my very first wrap), an oscha starry night orchid in a size 6, a size 4 didymos indio that came to me with a bad dye job and I redyed, a Hoppediz Pune Turquoise in a size 6 and a natibaby fairyland fenny in a size 6. I THINK that is it for ones that I don't currently own but have in the past. I may be forgetting something but it's been over a year since this process started so I can only remember so much!

So, are you curious about what is in my current stash? I don't blame you for being curious, I always want to know what is in people's stash. Which brings me to my request....I wanna hear what's in  your stash! Leave a comment below so we can share in our obsession even if you are a one carrier household I wanna hear because that's still awesome! No shame here :-)

HORRIBLE picture but here is my hopp pune in a size 6

Didymos indio dyed emerald green by me in size 4

Itty bitty Hannah in our ergo

What Have We Been Up To?

Well, you know the drill by now. It's Friday which means I have survived the chaos of Tuesday - Thursday working and living. On Monday we went to a playdate with TONS of littles. The only time I babywore on Monday was out to the car because I had brought all my current carriers so a mom could try them out. I did try our this amazing ring sling my friend just bought but unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of both! I'm totally slacking on pictures but it's because both my camera batteries have died and my phone camera is really horrible. 

I don't remember anything about Tuesday, I'm not going to lie. On Wednesday, Hannah and I had a play with with a friend and they destroyed the house with toys. It was super awesome and there was lots of happy screams in the house. Seriously, my favorite. We also went to the Mall in the evening and my loving husband took me to buy new bras. This is a huge process for me because bra's are like jeans, you have to try on a gazillion to find just one that fits right. Anyway, he wore Hannah at the Mall so I could try on by myself. Yesterday we didn't babywear at all because Hannah spent most of the evening with Meemaw and Peepaw while we worked on the sink because the handle randomly broke on me on Wednesday! 

Stay tuned because tomorrow I'm going to unleash my current stash on you. Prepare for your mind the be blown...or for the opportunity to totally judge me and call me that crazy carrier lady! Don't forget to leave a comment :-)