Babywearing

If you've even glanced at my blog recently or ever, you know about my love for babywearing. I'm more obsessed with carriers than I care to admit. But I couldn't get by without them really. They've saved me so many times. I can distinctly remember one time in Belmont in the cold at the grocery store. I had Marisa on my back (in a carrier) and Elena walking beside me. We crossed the street and Elena began having a meltdown there in the middle. She refused to walk the flight of stairs that led to the grocery store. Feeling overwhelmed and panicked not knowing what to do (We all know the sheer determination and plain stubborness of a toddler),I picked E up and carried her. My problem was quickly solved and I continued on with my grocery trip but I couldn't have handled this well had I been carrying Marisa in arms. There are so many other instances like this that I won't bore you with but I thought I'd give a little insight to the carriers themselves and why I LOVE them.


The pouch--


This an easy carrier in my opinion. You slip it on like a sash, pop the baby in and go. I love the pouch because it's quick no messing with straps, buckles, or rings. The down side is that they are size specific. For example, Omar and I can't wear the same pouch. He needs a larger one. There are some adjustable ones although Omar still can't wear the small it does allow for adjustment for wearers more similar in size. Before K was born I found a used (Most of my carriers were purchased used) Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch which has been great for the winter. The cute one in the picture is a HotSling. A great gift from Julia. Thanks Jules!

The ring sling--
If I was stranded on a deserted island :) and could only pick one carrier, it would be the ring sling. It's by far my favorite even though I think it's the trickiest carrier with a bit of a learning curve. It was my first baby carrier and perhaps the reason I like it so much. After Elena's birth I quickly learned that if I was ever going to eat I needed to wear her in the ring sling and prepare and eat my meal that way. I love it because of it's versatility. I can nurse in it discreetly anywhere and it is usually more comfortable for me to nurse in the ring sling than sitting down without the support of a nursing pillow. I also like the way newborns snuggle in a natural position in a ring sling.

The wrap--


A stretchy wrap (The Moby wrap in the picture) is my favorite wrap for newborns. Ironically, I haven't used it much with Karina because she pulls her head back and can't seem to get comforable, but it I loved it with Marisa and still recommend it for newborns. You can see comfy,cozy Marisa in a stretchy wrap here.
The increasing weight of your baby around 4-6 months makes a stretchy wrap less supportive. A two shoulder carrier like the two below are good options after that.

The Mei Tai--
While Elena lived in the ring sling, and Marisa in the Moby, Karina lives in the this Babyhawk mei tai. The headrest keeps her from pulling back and she quickly falls asleep. The mei tai is my favorite carrier for front carries for longer periods of time. The long straps can be cumbersome but the straps are what allows this carrier to work from newborn to 40 lbs and it can fit wearers of different sizes. A mei tai can also be worn on your back.

The Soft Structured Carrier--
I think structured carriers are user friendly and favorites among dads. I love this carrier because it's quick and easy and super comfy to wear with baby on your back especially once baby begins to get too heavy to wear on the front. These carriers are typically for babies who have head support (4+ months)to 35 pounds. Here's a post on this carrier that I posted previously.

Finally if you want to read up more on babywearing, this is a great forum with more info and reviews. You can also purchase used carriers on their For Sale Or Trade thread for great deals which is where I purchased most of my carriers. Also, if you want to try carriers before purchasing what is right for you check out your local babywearers group where you can try on and borrow carriers. I recently attended the one here to try and learn how to back carry a newborn and I was impressed with the extensive lending library.