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  1. #1
    missym's Avatar
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    Default Babywearing 101 - Information and Resources

    This thread has been rebuilt from its original version. If you have links to add to the list, please send me a PM. Please feel free to reply to the thread with helpful information for parents new to babywearing!

    Many thanks to Aija (quikeye) for creating the original thread.

    ================================

    BABYWEARING RESOURCES:

    http://www.thebabywearer.com

    http://groups.yahoo.com/babywearing

    http://groups.yahoo.com/babywearingSWAP

    http://www.mothering.com/discussions...play.php?f=245

    http://www.askdrsears.com/html/5/t051100.asp
    Missy
    Mom to DD1 '03 and DD2 '05

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    Default Where can I buy a carrier?

    These sites have been recommended by our community members. Some of these are sites you can buy directly from the WAHM/vendors, and some are pages about the carriers themselves (you'll have to buy from somewhere else).

    POUCHES:
    www.momandmepouch.com (currently not taking orders except via eBay, but she has a great instructions page that gives you an idea how to use pouches)
    www.chicpapoose.com
    www.hotslings.com
    www.kangarookorner.com
    www.tentoes.com
    www.mammasmilk.com
    www.mayawrap.com

    SLINGS:
    www.sleepingbaby.net/slings.html
    www.zolowear.com - site also has instructional videos
    www.mayawrap.com

    WRAPS:
    www.mobywrap.com
    www.hug-a-bub.com.au
    www.ellaroo.com
    www.mamatoto.org
    www.cottoncradles.com
    www.wrapnwear.com

    MEI TAI's/Asian baby carriers (ABC):
    www.kozycarrier.com
    www.freewebs.com/freehand
    www.sachicarriers.com
    www.doodlebugcarriers.com
    www.cottoncradles.com

    UNSTRUCTURED CARRIERS:
    www.ergocarrier.com
    www.sutemigear.com

    OTHER COMMERCIAL CARRIERS:
    www.newnativebaby.com
    www.nojo.com
    www.babybjorn.com

    ONE STOP SHOPPING VENDOR:
    www.peppermint.com
    Last edited by missym; 03-04-2009 at 05:22 PM.

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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by missym View Post
    These sites have been recommended by our community members. Some of these are sites you can buy directly from the WAHM/vendors, and some are pages about the carriers themselves (you'll have to buy from somewhere else).

    POUCHES:
    www.momandmepouch.com (currently not taking orders except via eBay, but she has a great instructions page that gives you an idea how to use pouches)
    www.chicpapoose.com
    www.hotslings.com
    www.kangarookorner.com
    www.tentoes.com
    www.mammasmilk.com
    www.mayawrap.com

    SLINGS:
    www.sleepingbaby.net/slings.html
    www.zolowear.com - site also has instructional videos
    www.mayawrap.com

    WRAPS:
    www.mobywrap.com
    www.hug-a-bub.com.au
    www.ellaroo.com
    www.mamatoto.org
    www.cottoncradles.com
    www.wrapnwear.com

    MEI TAI's/Asian baby carriers (ABC):
    www.kozycarrier.com
    www.freewebs.com/freehand
    www.sachicarriers.com
    www.doodlebugcarriers.com
    www.cottoncradles.com

    UNSTRUCTURED CARRIERS:
    www.ergocarrier.com
    www.sutemigear.com

    OTHER COMMERCIAL CARRIERS:
    www.newnativebaby.com
    www.nojo.com
    www.babybjorn.com

    ONE STOP SHOPPING VENDOR:
    www.peppermint.com
    Many of these carriers are no longer available! Including (but not limited to):

    DoodleBug
    Sutemi
    Hotslings

    There are lots of other carriers available, including, but not limited to:

    Didymos
    BabyHawk
    Beco

    The "SLING" catagory should be noted as "Ring Slings", to prevent confusion.

    The "UNSTRUCTURED CARRIERS" catagory should be noted as "Soft Structured Carriers/SSC", to prevent confusion.

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    Default

    Also please note that the Infantino SlingRider has been recalled!
    http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10177.html

  5. #5
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    Default Pouches

    Posted by quikeye - 02-24-2005

    Pouches are my favorite, just to let you know of my bias here. They are simple, lightweight, have no excess fabric, have a very easy learning curve, and can be used from newborn to toddler (the same pouch).

    They are basically a swatch of fabric, doubled over to create a pouch for babe to sit in. The fabric can be made of cotton, fleece (hemp or malden mills/polarfleece), solarveil (a meshy type fabric with UV blocking properties), silk/satin brocade... anything with enough staying power to keep babe in and tight against you.

    Cotton will be more forgiving in hot weather than fleece, but the fleece fabrics seem to get more of a "comfortable" approval from mamis on the list that I've read. Fleece also has more "give" and stretch than cotton, another plus. So don't discount purchasing a fleece sling solely based on the weather-- I have comfortably worn my hemp fleece slings for most of the months of the year with no discomfort. The cotton will be thinner & easier to pack in a diaper bag compared to a fleece sling.

    Pouches can either be adjustable or non-adjustable. An adjustable sling will be able to be tightened or loosened against your body by using snaps or zippers, depending on the pouch. An adjustable pouch will serve a range of sizes, so you and your partner could very well use the same carrier even if you have 2 different body types. An adjustable pouch also gives the wearer the option to make the pouch bigger or smaller depending on baby's needs and growth; a newborn lying down in a pouch will take more room than a baby in a hip carry will. An adjustable pouch is also more forgiving on the varying sizes of a mami's bust after pregnancy

    A non adjustable pouch is generally made within certain bust and torso size specifications, in order to make it as well-fitting as possible. The better a fit the sling has, the more comfortable it will be; so it is important to have a proper fit. Some WAHM's also make custom to your size pouches, as well. Non adustable pouches are as simple and as sleek as you can get, with no extra snaps bumping your back and a very aerodynamic look

    It is possible to wear a non adjustable sling from newbornhood to toddlerhood, (I did it with my chic papoose)-- though it may be easier to do so with an adjustable pouch.

    Pouches are very easy to learn to use, and are easy to get baby in and out of. Generally you should not need any help getting babe into any position. It may take some tries to work it, but once you get the hang of it you can pop babe into a pouch anywhere.

    Lots of mamis like the "poppability" factor of a pouch-- just "pop" babe in and out, no tying or wrapping required. This is great for quick jaunts, when travelling thru airport security, and getting a crying baby into a carry as soon as possible.

    They are also very nice for newborns as babe can be carried "cradle"/lying down; I could rely on my pouch to get babe to nap in when he was 1st born... we called it the "miracle pouch" around here.

    Please add more info about pouches by replying to this post!
    Last edited by missym; 03-04-2009 at 04:52 PM.

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    Default Ring slings

    Posted by quikeye - 02-24-2005

    Ring slings are just that, a carrier that uses a ring to adjust itself. Basically a ring sling is a long swatch of fabric, doubled over and whose end is threaded thru a set of rings (metal, plastic). This closes the pouch off, tightens it against the body, and makes the entire sling adjustable.
    Both the front rail (the piece of fabric AWAY from you, that holds babe IN) and the back rail (the piece of fabric against yor body) are adjustable by using the rings. This means a VERY good fit for any size baby or mami. Also, by being able to independently adjust the back rail on a sling, it makes nursing inside easier (you are able to pull down the inside rail while keeping the outer rail pulled up for privacy).

    There is extra fabric that hangs from the rings after you've adjusted them, which is called a "tail". A tail is great as it can serve as an extra coverup for nursing, and some slings come with a built in zippered pocket here where you could store keys, an extra dipe, etc. Also great for peekaboo sessions.

    The adjustability of the ring sling means that different sized people can easily use the same sling, and that baby can be worn from newborn to toddler with very little hassle.

    Slings are often judged on their comfort by the TYPE of shoulder they purport to have. There are 2 types of shoulders on a ring sling: fanned and pleated. A fanned shoulder will spread the fabric more evenly across the shoulder than a non fanned shoulder. A pleated shoulder will look trimmer and not as spread as the fanned shoulder. Do a little reading on the differences-- many have opinions on the best types of shoulder for ring slings.

    Slings can be made from lots of fabrics-- cotton, silk brocade, etc. I can't think of a fleece RS off the top of my head...

    Please feel free to add anything about RING SLINGS by replying to this post! Thanks
    Missy
    Mom to DD1 '03 and DD2 '05

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    Default

    RE: RING SLINGS

    Posted by tarahsolazy - 02-25-2005

    I believe that sleepingbaby.net, Jan Andrea, makes fleece ring slings.
    Tails can be open, meaning a big swath of fabric, or closed, when all that fabric is sewn together into a little strap. Open tails are more adjustable, but more flowy, IKWIM?
    Ring slings can be padded or unpadded. Unpadded slings are much easier for beginners to use, and I think look sleek and neato. Padded slings are bulkier, and IMO, not any more comfortable for mom or babe.
    Ring Slings to Avoid, according to Tarah:
    Over the Shoulder Baby holder - HUGE and PADDED
    Sling-EEZE - SEE above
    NoJo - SEE HUGE and PADDED above.
    JJ Cole Premaxx sling from babystyle, other tony shops - shoulder looks extremely uncomfortable, but I've never tried one.
    Infnantino SlingRider from Target. Has a safety harness for the baby, and a very weird shoudler also.
    I have just recently added a ring sling to my collection, and it is a fast favorite. I recommend Jan Andrea at www.sleepingbaby.net most highly. Her slings are nice and simple, with a very comfy pleated shoulder, and are very reasonably priced.
    Last edited by missym; 03-04-2009 at 04:51 PM.

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    Default Wraps

    Posted by npace19147 - 03-04-2005

    The most popular stretchy wraps are the Moby and the Hug-a-Bub. The Moby is similar to t-shirt material and is less expensive; the hug-a-bub is a thinner, lighter weight fabric and is more expensive. Both of these carriers are excellent with newborns and young babies. Although they are both usable up to about 35lbs or so, my personal experience was that once DD got above 10lbs or so she started to stretch the material out enough so that it wasn't comfortable and needed constant readjusting.

    There are many woven wraps that seem to solve the stretching out problem. The most popular are the Storchenwiege, the Didymos, Girasol and Ellaroo. The Girasol is the heaviest and the Ellaroo is the lightest and best for summer use. The Storch and the Didy are fairly similar, but each has its own following. Both are made of organic cotton and come in many different sizes.

    A wrap can be used over both shoulders and spreads out the baby's weight most evenly. People who love them swear by them, but a main consideration is how you feel about dealing with that much fabric; wraps range in length from 2.7 meters (rebozo length, can only do limited types of carries) to 6 meters (can do all carries but you may wind up with a *lot* of fabric left over) with many sizes in between. Some people feel the love, and others just don't.

    A great source of information on wraps is www.mamatoto.org, which has information on making your own wrap and many instructions and videos of how to use a wrap.

    Happy wrapping!
    Last edited by missym; 03-04-2009 at 04:48 PM.

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    RE: WRAPS

    Posted by carrie_geiger

    The wraps made by GypsyMama are also popular.
    They have a stretch version that some consider to by a hybrid /b/ the stretchier wraps like Moby, Hug-a-Bub, CuddlyWrap and the non-stretch woven wraps. It's called "GypsyMama Bali Baby Stretch".
    They also have a gauze version that is not stretchy but is very light-weight for hot-weather wear. It's called "GypsyMama Bali Baby Breeze".
    I second the referrals to www.mamatoto.org and to www.thebabywearer.com as they both helped me research what wrap was best for me and how to use the wrap once I got it.
    ~Carrie
    ========================================
    Last edited by missym; 03-04-2009 at 04:45 PM.

  10. #10
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    Make your own wrap

    Posted by amaryl02 - 08-23-2006


    It is possible to make your own wrap with minimal or no sewing skills. You can make your own custom-sized pouch with minimal sewing skills too, as I can personally attest! This is of course much cheaper than buying, though it might require some rough tries and experimentation.
    Do-it-yourself instructions, tips, and message boards are all available at www.thebabywearer.com
    This is a site I'd recommend to everyone. You do have to register to use it, but it's free and not at all a hassle.
    Have fun!
    Last edited by missym; 03-04-2009 at 04:49 PM.

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