There are many different types of babywearing options. From slings, carriers, wraps, a piece of cloth or handmade they all have the same outcome. A happy baby and happy parents! Babywearing can br so much fun. Having your baby close to kiss as often as possible and being able to snuggle so closely all while- hiking, bowling, mini golfing, exercising, bike riding, grocery shopping, some house chores or just a simple walk is what makes babywearing enjoyable. It’s worth the investment. The fact that I’m able to move around and be hands-free with a toddler makes the day so much less intense. Both of my sons from birth loved to be worn.

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Moby Wraps, one of the most popular stretchy wraps for babywearing, is currently selling a custom-designed model sporting a “Born Free” butterfly logo, from the makers of The Business of Being Born (that’s Ricki Lake in the promo photo, along with the film’s director Abby Epstein).

A portion of the proceeds from sales of this wrap will go to support the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services, an organization now in its second decade.  CIMS seeks to promote evidence-based maternity care, and states their mission as follows:

The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) is a coalition of individuals and national organizations with concern for the care and wellbeing of mothers, babies, and families.  Our mission is to promote a wellness model of maternity care that will improve birth outcomes and substantially reduce costs. This evidence-based mother-, baby-, and family-friendly model focuses on prevention and wellness as the alternatives to high-cost screening, diagnosis, and treatment programs.

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You might be pleasantly surprised.  From small-business WAHM handmade slings, to big-name brands, there is a wide selection of organic baby carriers out there to choose from.  Whatever style of carrier you prefer, organic options in natural colour-grown fabrics and vivid naturally-dyed colours abound.

Here is just a partial list, to help get your search started.

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Next up? The wrap!

Remember that we’re evaluating each carrier based on its own pros and cons. Each carrier has its own style for wearing your baby, each carrier looks very different, and each carrier may feel very different on your body and to your baby.

All the possible styles of carry are this: cradle front, vertical front facing in (baby’s legs are frogged up as a small infant and spread to fit around your waist as an older child), kangaroo front (a vertical carry facing out, in which baby sits in the carrier and tucks her legs in front of her), hip on either side, piggyback. These mimic ways in which you might carry a baby in your arms, and thus tend to be pretty comfortable and ergonomically correct.

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Next up: the ring sling.

The ring sling tends to be the go-to babywearing carrier for most babywearing parents. It’s very adjustable and fairly versatile, but its learning curve is less than some of the other baby carriers we’ll be discussing.

The ring sling is, basically, a long length of fabric with two sturdy rings sewn into one end.

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Each kind of carrier has its own pros and cons. Each kind of carrier has certain styles of wearing your baby that it’s the best at, and certain styles that it’s not well suited for.

Your job is to do your own pro/con analysis, deciding which disadvantages you’re willing to put up with to gain certain advantages, and deciding which styles of wearing you’re most likely to use with your baby and which you’re not.

The list of all possible styles of carry are as follows: cradle front, vertical front facing in (baby’s legs are frogged up as a small infant and spread to fit around your waist as an older child), kangaroo front (a vertical carry facing out, in which baby sits in the carrier and tucks her legs in front of her), hip on either side, piggyback.

Here’s what the pouch can do:

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And no, I didn’t even go into some of the most awesome benefits–the fact that native-style baby carriers are portable, convenient, and cheap, and the knowledge that by babywearing, you never have to be one of the dozens of couples I witnessed one afternoon at the Louvre, my own eight-month-old snug in her ring sling. The Louvre really isn’t that accessible, friends, and watching all those parents attempt to lug all those HUGE strollers up and down all those HUGE flights of stone staircases? Well, not only did it look dangerous, but it looked like it sucked. Big time. I took a lot of joy in bouncing right past those miserable families, my own delightful burden slung on my hip.

There are some general guidelines that can make babywearing a safe and enjoyable experience for you and your child:

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Many of us practice some form of natural parenting. Many of us choose breastmilk, cosleeping, babywearing, and whole foods for our babies and families.

But lately, I’ve noticed that something is lacking with a few vocal members of the attachment parenting community. Empathy. Yep, that’s putting yourself in another’s shoes.

You don’t have to agree. You don’t have to sanction. But it’d be nice if some APs would understand that it’s not as easy as popping a baby on a breast or in your bed. Life is not the same for everyone out there. Our experiences are different. Our reactions are different.

And until the Attachment Parenting community isolates the elitists, it will be hard to gain ground.

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Or are they?

In this weekly series, we’ll be looking at several baby essentials that really aren’t.  They may be useful in certain situations, but if money or space is tight, or if you’re just looking to simplify and reduce consumerism and waste, here’s how to get along just fine without these so-called “essentials.“

In Part 1, we questioned the crib.   Part 2 bemoaned the bucket.  Part 3 scrutinized the stroller.  Part 4 ditched the diapers.  Part 5 scrubbed the tub.  This week, let’s bust the brain boosters!

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Open any pregnancy or baby book, and you’ll find that list: the baby essentials, the things you absolutely cannot live without.  While many accessories are easily recognized as frivolous, certain items are truly indispensable: the basic necessities for life with a baby.

Or are they?

In this weekly series, we’ll be looking at several baby essentials that really aren’t.  They may be useful in certain situations, but if money or space is tight, or if you’re just looking to simplify and reduce consumerism and waste, here’s how to get along just fine without these so-called “essentials.“

In Part 1, we questioned the crib.   Part 2 bemoaned the bucket.  This week, let’s scrutinize the stroller.

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No, that’d be a dream come true for Motrin. Let me give you a transcription of Motrin’s online advertisement. It’s after the jump and I’d have to advise any mother who has ever worn her baby to have a good stiff drink before you read.

Because you are going to be furious, and I think we all know that a pissed off group of Mommies is (and should be) terrifying.

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I have taken a sabbatical from writing to focus on raising my little bean and trying to be a better mother to my daughter. During my leave, I had the fortunate opportunity to reach out to some Work at Home Mothers who are Eco-conscious and also saavy business women. Starting with this post, I am going to highlight some of the WAHMs I was happy to come across. I would like to support their endeavor because they are working from home to raise their children who gets the best of both worlds by having a stay at home mother who also has the ability to earn an income. (Not to knock on working mothers because I am sure it’s hard to leave your little ones behind) but also because in most instances; WAHMs suppport local economy by employeeing their community and offering them fair wages.

Erika from Naturally Nursling offers natural and green products for Eco-conscious parenting. But futhermore, she offers Hemp Tai Baby carriers that is made with Eco wonder fiber hemp  and Organic cotton which is well touted for its sustainable and renewable characteristics. The Hemp Tais are comfortable, well-made, and a must have for baby wearing parents. I have written about the virtues of baby wearing, and encourage any parent to start this wonderful endeavor. It’s a way to keep your baby close to you while going on with your daily activities. The Hemp Tais are a variation of mei tai which is considered an Asian Inspired baby carriers. Used extensively in China; it has a waist, panel, and long straps that tie around the baby’s back and bum.

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