Largest Supermarket Chain in the World puts Babywearing on the Map

        Let me start by saying that this will not be a discussion on the ethics of Walmart and its' owners. I have always gone to Walmart to shop due to ease, regardless of how I feel about the other shoppers I surround myself with.

         Now, Walmart is getting attention for a whole new reason. Babywearing parents are lifting the supermarket chain up in celebration for taking on Chimparoo, a French Canadian baby carrier design and manufacturing company. Their shelves are now stocked with cross-twill woven wraps by Chimparoo, which have been revered as being lovely and worth the investment by the babywearing community for years.

        Despite the positive attention babywearing has received in the recent decades, many parents still claim to be stared at and even approached by strangers who believe that babywearing must be for lower class families and that wraps are "cuts of tablecloth". As an avid babywearer myself, I always try to answer questioning looks and questions about babywearing when I am out in public, because knowledge is power. There will come a day when no one questions or stares because it will be a societal norm, and that day will come much sooner with the help of this marriage of Walmart and Chimparoo woven wraps.

        I truly believe that Walmart, yes Walmart, is doing a noble a good thing here by giving access of the art of babywearing to such a broad range of people, and I hope to see more mothers and fathers wrapping their baby close enough to kiss.

        My favorite part of the listing is this "Woven in cross twill certified free from toxic chemicals- The woven wrap is the preferred choice for those who want to wear their child from birth until about 34 years of age, and who plan to carry their baby frequently for long periods of time". Legitimately laughing out loud over here! 

Favorite typo ever.

        This typo (or is it?) gives truth to the favorite babywearing meme of the moment:

       

Babywearing at the Natural Parenting Expo and Great Cloth Diaper Change in Denver

Guest Speaker Jill Krause (Baby Rabies) is one of my all-time favorite female bloggers, and this past weekend at the Kangacare Natural Parenting Expo and Great Cloth Diaper Change in Denver, Colorado, she asked the crowd of parents: "Are you the parent you thought you'd be before you had children?" Needless to say, she was answered with the giggles a telling laughter of about a hundred parents who knew all too well the answer.

Jill Krause (Baby Rabies) with her son, Lowell on the left and Rachel Gullett (Babywearing It Out) with my daughter, Lily on the right.

I am most definitely a different person now that I have a child. Even though my child may not be able to speak or walk yet, or even express happiness when she was a newborn, she has changed me and changed how I go about living. For instance, I just drug both her and my husband out to a parenting expo when we've been parenting for only four months (and I'm sure he thought I already knew everything there is to know about natural parenting), mostly just to hear my favorite blogger speak. Maybe having a baby has made me crazy, or maybe she's made me care about someone other than myself. However you choose to see it.

  Regardless, I entirely enjoyed everything the expo had to offer, from the raffles (which many deserving women and men won) to the vendors (of which my favorites were Boba carriers and The Babywearing Workout), to the loot bags (they even included baby sunglasses). I'd have to say about three-quarters of the crowd was babywearing, which was wonderful to see! There was even lots of toddler-wearing! For me, it was a day of firsts. It was my first time participating in a world record, as well as my first time using the restroom with a baby strapped to me. These are learning experiences, folks!

My first Great Cloth Diaper Change.

Forcing my husband to take a picture of us waiting in line.

Lily and I were diaper change number ninety-nine.

The simultaneous cry of 187 babies being held in the air against their will.

The Sling Diaries, Sakura Bloom Slings' Babywearing Mother Manifesto

        I recently discovered something that I should have been aware of ages ago: The Sakura Bloom Sling Diaries. For those of you who are like me and have not heard of The Sling Diaries, they are a type of motherhood manifesto sponsored by Sakura Bloom Slings. About every six months or so, a new group (usually around 15 or more) of mothers and their children are chosen to contribute their photos and diary entries, one each month for a half year of their lives. 

A photo from one of The Road Is Home's diary entry for Delight.

        The diary entry may contain any number of words and may be written in any style, but must portray the overall theme as well as a monthly sub-theme, and also include pictures.. I am truly fascinated by this project, which fits me too perfectly to not audition for the next round of diarists being chosen next month. So, I have been putting together a small diary entry on courage, as per Sakura Blooms' guidelines, and I'm going to reveal a bit of it here, with you:

"Now, you reach for my face knowing it will one day be your own, and wrap your tiny limbs around me. And I feel your strength. I see your courage each day, with the trust and love that you already exhibit. You meet my gaze and smile a toothless smile. You are already so much more brave than I, and you will only continue to amaze me with your own fearlessness." -excerpt from Babywearing It Out's Sling Diary entry for Courage

        I am very excited for this opportunity andI hope that Sakura Bloom is too. This is only an excerpt of my entry and I'm only withholding the rest in order to not jinx myself, as this is an audition.
        I encourage other babywearing and especially sling-wearing mothers to audition as well, the deadline is May 1st (so very soon!) and the guidelines are on their Instagram: @lovesakurabloom. My Instagram is @babywearingitout , just in case you'd like to follow my photo adventures, and this weekend, see my full entry.

        Also happening this weekend is The Great Cloth Diaper Change, and I will be attending for my first time in Denver, Colorado tomorrow! My family is so excited not only to take part, but also to meet more parents like us in Denver. You can find a list of where you can participate tomorrow here. As always, I will have a new blog post about it up on Monday. Have a lovely weekend and tell someone how much you love them.

Why Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets are the Ultimate Babywearing Accessory

There are a million and one ways to make use of an Aden and Anais swaddle when you have a baby, and I have started to realize that they make the ultimate babywearing accessory.

Channing Tatum here demonstrates my favorite use of and A & A blanket as a hood for a wrap, along with how to be an adorable babywearing father.

I bought my first A & A swaddle while I was still pregnant with my first, just to see what all of the hype was about. When you become involved in baby-related groups on Facebook and mommy sites, it is almost impossible to avoid the market saturation that Aden and Anais has created. Everyone and their mother (literally) seems to have a stash of these muslin and organic cotton beauties for their little one. And for good reason because, as I have learned in the first months of being a mother, You should ALWAYS keep a blanket on your person. From spit-up to cuddles, this is the ultimate light, airy all-in-one blankie. Oh, and did I mention I'm totally obsessed?

Here are my top uses of an Aden and Anais swaddle as a versatile babywearing accessory:

1. Makeshift Hood and Sunshade Most newborn carriers lack a much needed hood attachment, like the popular Moby for example. And with a newborn's sensitive skin, sunburn is to be avoided at all cost. A hood also works as a sunshade for when you snuggled baby falls asleep while babywearing and you need to be in the sun or even indoor light.
2. Nursing Cover I hear mothers everyday complaining about how hot and heavy the blanket they use to discreetly nurse in public is, and everyday those mothers are encouraged to use Aden and Anais as a substitute. I personally believe in the mantra "You don't want to see my breast when I feed my child, put a blanket on your own head", but when you are around family, or simply uncomfortable with whipping a boob out in front of people, these swaddles are your go-to cover.
3. Infant Insert Most baby carriers fit infants around twelve pounds and over (unlike wraps that adjust to fit smaller babies) and offer something called an infant insert as a kind of full-body cushion that helps a smaller child fit correctly in the carrier. However, instead of spending money on top of the actual carrier itself, an A & A swaddle, rolled as it comes in it's package and inserted between the legs of the infant for height and another behind the neck for support, works just as well and is just as safe when properly used.
4. Neck Support As mentioned in the last use, a rolled swaddle will work perfectly as a neck support in a wrap or carrier while babywearing. Especially as a newborn, babies have very little neck strength and need help holding their head steady when they are upright.
5. Bib and Drool Guard A lot more carriers nowadays are including a removable drool guard to protect the carrier's clothing from large "drool pools", as I like to call them. I have found that an Aden and Anais blanket wrapped either around the babywearer or the.... babywearee? works just as well for soaking up any fluids leaking from either person.

Now I know you're just itching to ask where you can find some of these miracle swaddles, and I'll tell you "www.AdenandAnais.com, of course!" You can also find lower prices on gently used swaddles on Facebook Buy/Sell/Trade groups.

American Baby magazine's Babywearing Safety Controversy

       

        To the untrained eye, this May cover of american Baby magazine may simply depict a modern mother wearing her infant while taking a stroll. However, the babywearing community is ablaze with talk of how incorrectly the child is wrapped. Of course, in a modeling/photo shoot environment they aren't exactly looking for the manual for the wrap in order to showcase it correctly. In fact, like most new mothers or simply new-to-babywearing mothers, it was probably just a moment of "I can do this myself". Unfortunately, this incident has made American Baby slightly less reputable as far as where they're gathering information from.

        Fortunately, the backlash from their cover caused American Baby to make a public apology which hopefully reaches those parents who are babywearing beginners and have seen the photo thinking it is the proper way to carry a baby.

        Here is the apology statement that American Baby released on Monday:

Thank you for your messages about our May cover. We love that American Baby has such well-informed fans, and we regret that the infant pictured wasn't wrapped properly. We're studying up on the technique now and will use what we learn to plan a story on baby-wearing safety in an upcoming issue. Please keep reading—and commenting on—AB!

Sincerely, 

The Editors of American Baby

        In the next issue of American Baby, they intend to include a spread about how to safely babywear, which is a great step forward and will hopefully encourage more parents to learn about how to keep their baby close. Let's just hope they include TICKS guidelines:

T– Tight, The importance of a sling or carrier being tight is to hold a baby safely against the wearer, it supports the spine in a straight-upright position and stops baby from falling out of the wrap or carrier accidentally.

I– In view at all times, Seeing your baby at all times allows you to be constantly monitoring your child’s breathing and general demeanor, you will have the ability to make sure the chin hasn’t dropped and they are happy. You will also be able to check temperature and feeding cues.

C– Close enough to kiss, This is greatly important also, as the lower the child the less you will be able to tell about your child, placed in an upright position you should be able to lower your head and kiss the top of babies head, if you are unable to do this, then it’s advised your re-position your child higher.

K– Keep chin off chest, if your child is tight, in an upright position and spine is curved with legs in the squat position the likelihood of the chin dropping is unlikely, this is the most optimum position for safety, development and comfort. The rule of thumb is a child should have a gap of roughly 2 fingers width underneath their chin.

S– Supported back, the tightness of any carrier will be crucial in the support of a babies spine, it’s also important not to over tighten. The carrier should be tight enough to keep the child against the parents body without a gap, but still have the ability to slide your hands into the carrier with ease if needed. Generally in an upright position, if the carrier is adequately supporting the spine the chin will not drop, but its important to follow all the steps carefully.

        There are many more aspects to safety when wearing your child, however these are the most basic and most crucial, if you feel unsure if your carrier supports these guidelines it is advised you seek further advise either from your local sling library, babywearing consultant, or babywearing group. Never be afraid to ask questions!

        Also, here is a side-by-side photo of a correctly wrapped infant just for kicks:

The one thing we all have in common is Mother Earth

        The one thing that everyone has in common on Earth Day, is hashtags. I mean, Mother Earth, totally meant to say that. 
        Many Earth friendly businesses celebrate Earth Day by doing giveaways or releasing new products, like gDiapers and their new Great White gPant for Earth Day 2014 :

        Or, like Apple, raised awareness for sustainability by leading by example.

        My family celebrates the prosperity of Earth each and every day by cloth diapering. The amount of waste produced by one child from birth to potty training with disposable diapers was a sacrifice of our environment that my husband and I were not willing to make. Sure, it means a few extra loads of laundry and extra measures to ensure the longevity of all products involved, but overall it is the only choice for me and my family.
        There are many steps I intend to take to be a greener in the future with my current child and those that follow:

1. Making my own baby food.

        I love Wean Green's small glass cubes as sustainable storage for homemade baby food. More and more, I see the prices of smaller pieces of tupperware rise, but with glass, storage will never have to be replaced. They easily switch over to simple snack holders for toddlers and older children too!

2. Unpaper Towels

        The unpaper towel is essentially a roll of around 12 towels snapped together placed around your ordinary paper towel holder, made with cotton terry cloth and either cotton printed fabric or stain resistant fabric and are completely washable and completely reusable. Thinking about how many paper towels my family goes through makes me a little bit sick when I'm trying so desperately to reduce our footprint. Unpaper towels were the answer to my unasked question. I never knew they existed until I started cloth diapering, and like my diapers they are both pretty and functional. But mostly... Ooooo pretty! Imagine my surprise when my husband actually agreed to use these in place of his precious paper towels! Now to convince him on "family cloth". More on that story another time...

And finally...

3. Wetbags and reuseable trash bags

        Along with unpaper towels, I never knew these beauties existed until I discovered cloth diapering. A wetbag is the go-to waste storage for a cloth diapering momma like myself and Planetwise is my favorite brand. I own a long wetbag that hangs on the wall by my changing station by a picture hook as well as a pail liner that I use for my dirty wipes. They are completely waterproof and hold in all of the lovely odors that a child can produce. They also make smaller bags for on-the-go cloth diapers and snack bags for older children.

How are you being green all year-round?

Ergobaby's new 360 carrier causes 'front facing' backlash

        According to ERGOBaby's website in July 2013, facing a baby forward: “will compromise its basic capability to regulate stress reactions, which in the long run can become detrimental to mental and physical health”. A few months later, and they release a four-position Ergobaby 360 that encourages the use of a forward-facing carry.

It hurts my back just to look at it.

        What is most shocking about this FAQ Ergobaby had on their site, is that it was removed just a few months before the 360 carrier was announced. I'm sorry to call them out on their blatant hypocrisy, but this isn't some new scientific study they have found that proves a forward-facing carry is healthy or even comfortable for you and your child.
        Ergobaby's new FAQ reads:

In the past you have championed the idea that children are subject to a great deal of distractions/overstimulation when carried "facing out". How can you reconcile this with your previous philosophy? Are you not sending mixed messages to parents?

We view the front-outward position ('facing out') as a supplemental option for short, active periods and not as the primary carrying method over multiple hours. Now and again, situations arise where parents — and children — prefer this position. Naturally, there is a greater risk of overstimulation than with the 'facing in' position, since the child cannot actively turn away. Yet on the other hand, the ergonomic posture ensures very close body contact that allows parents to actively perceive the signals their children are giving. Parents know their children best and can tell when their child is fussy, tired or "zoned out" and it is time to switch to the 'facing in' or back carrying position. As a manufacturer of comfortable, ergonomic carriers, we want to offer parents a choice of all options for ergonomic carrying. Our goal is to encourage and embrace all parents to wear their babies for as long as possible by giving them a comfortable, healthy way to do so. Additionally, by giving parents who insist that their carrier have a front-outward option a choice within our product line, it allows us to communicate with them about overstimulation in all of the activities and products that they choose for their baby. We are hoping that this will make new parents more educated about all of the situations that can lead to overstimulation and make them more attuned to baby's cues that she is overstimulated.

        Which only proves more-so that they are sending mixed signals to parents. This is a very poor marketing strategy on Ergobaby's part, although I understand that there is a demand for a deeper seat in a FF carry, there is also a demand for more Elmo toys and that doesn't mean that it is making your experience with your child better or safer. 

        I fear that this new carrier is a prime example of what we in the babywearing community call a "crotch dangler". Bjorns and other similar carriers are what we call crotch danglers. The baby is being dangled by his or her crotch which is a position that is at best uncomfortable for mom and/or baby but at worst can cause problems with your baby's hip and spinal development. I guess I should clarify, it is a bad idea to wear your baby facing out all the time or for long periods of time. However, as a parent you alone get to choose the products you will use with your baby and gauge their safety yourself. I, personally, don't find a forward-facing carry to be comfortable and much prefer a high back carry or even a ruck tie when using a wrap.

        Ergobaby also answers other FAQs about their new carrier such as:

What do midwives and baby wearing consultants have to say about Ergobaby's new Four Position 360 Carrier?

Is the Front-Outward position ergonomic for the baby?

How do I know if my baby is ready for Front-Outward facing position?

There is a belief that only the 'facing in' position puts children in the anatomically correct spread-legged sitting position. How did you resolve this problem?

As a parent, how do I decide: What is better for my child, facing in or facing out? And how can I know?

Is the new Four Position 360 Carrier safe?

Which you can find at the Ergobaby site.

Babywearing Dads

        More and more on my babywearing groups and social media, I am seeing beautiful photos of fathers wearing their children. However, iStock Photo still only has images of a mother babywearing in their archives. The more positive recognition that babywearing itself receives the more comfortable people become with it, such as it's association with the recently trending topic of attachment parenting. 
        Personally, I never saw any reason not to babywear once I discovered its benefits. Benefits such as promoting closeness and calmness with both parents equally, nine months in the womb nine months skin-to-skin, and even advanced healing properties. However, some mothers and especially fathers seem to be uncomfortable with wearing their baby in the view of the public eye. Some parents worry that a baby who is constantly held or worn will become a fussy baby, always crying for attention. Actually, the opposite seems to be true. In cultures where babies are constantly in the arms of caregivers, infant crying spells are virtually unheard of. A study in North America showed that babies cried less when parents were instructed to wear or carry them for several "extra" hours each day.
        As with most aspects of parenting, you can meet some pretty unsavory opinions on whether or not you're thinking about your child's safety. Which, I'm willing to bet that most of you are each and every minute. Babywearing is not a danger to you or your baby if it done correctly and with the right amount of preparation. Like with all things, only in moderation and with proper instruction.
        I think the movement of babywearing becoming more prominent in fathers of modern day is a wonderful message of how our children will treat their own children.
        Here is my own babywearing husband with our daughter Lily:

        Here are some other awesome babywearing dads that prove there are good men out there, from one of my favorite Tumblrs, Babywearing Dads:

'Frozen' In My Tracks

        Since Frozen is being released on Netflix this week (a million children just squealed simultaneously), I decided to dedicate an article to this latest crazy train that moms around the world have jumped on.

        When I was a little girl, princesses were all the rage. Nowadays, the rage had turned into a feeding frenzy. With the 2013 release of Disney's Frozen, the princess-centric Disney culture seemed to be fully revived to the days of Cinderella and Belle. A few months later, and Disney stores literally cannot keep Frozen merchandise on the shelves. The demand is so intense, many parents are willing to dive to "Black Friday-esque" depths in order to please their children. 
        My opinion is that Disney has been reaching for the original princess movie audiences of yesteryear with recent anti-princess films such as: Brave, The Princess and The Frog, and Tangled. I also think that Tangled has hit closest to the mark as far as compelling their market. But Frozen seriously has hit it out of the park by appealing to all three children movie markets: parents, little boys, and little girls. The family and sisterly love theme of Frozen definitely drew the parents in, Olaf the Snowman seems to be a huge hit with little boys, and hardest to please of all, little girls are absolutely obsessed with Elsa and Anna. 
        So, what isn't there to love about Frozen? Not much. As a stay at home mom to a three month old, I've already watched it about ten times of my own accord. I know I'll regret it when she finds her attention fixated on some kind of singing zombie princess movie that Pixar churns out in 8 years. But until then, I'll just keep being a big ole' kid... or princess, rather.
        My mom-session with this kids' movie is not limited to simply watching it on a loop, I have dreams... Dreams that one day there will be a Frozen wrap that I can babywear with. In case you're looking to make me one and be eternally loved by me, I think this print would be awesome:

        Or, at least I could grab a Natibaby in Magic Carbo and customize it myself... so many options!

        And, Tula just released a Woven Wrap and Wrap Conversion in "Elsa"! How perfect!

        I also happen to be sucker for modern songs turned into lullabies. It's a simple change that new parents will thank their ears for, and luckily they've already done it the Frozen soundtrack:

'Frozen' soundtrack Lullabies

The Moby Wrap Vs. The Ergobaby Wrap

        A good wrap/carrier should fit like a good bra, at least that's always been my opinion. Where as an over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder comes in different cup sizes, a wrap comes in many lengths.

There are three factors that you might consider in choosing the size of your wrap:
1. How you plan to use your wrap (e.g., which carrying positions you want to use)---this is by far the most important consideration;
2. Your size (height and weight)---this can play a role depending on #1; and
3. Your baby's size---surprisingly, this hardly matters at all. It's a good thing, too, because babies tend to change size rapidly.

        My very first baby wrap was a Moby, gifted to me at my Halloween-themed baby shower, and it was definitely my most-used present as I discovered the joys of babywearing. After using the Moby for Lily until she was three months old, I then found the Ergo baby wrap. 
        The main difference between the two is that the Ergobaby Wrap has a "4D stretch" material (explains the 5% spandex that Moby does not have) which is a sort of extra layer over the front of the wrap that will be up against your little one. I have heard that this extra piece of material makes for a better seat than the Moby, which means no hassle of repositioning and rewrapping. However, it is always in how well you wrap that provides a sturdy seat for your baby. 
        The weight limits of both wraps end around 35-45 lbs making them pretty equal in that respect. Both wraps claim to "grow with your baby", a definite plus for the economical mother.
        Overall, I much prefer the Ergobaby Wrap for my 11 pounder, since hug hold is her absolute favorite and she sleeps longer in the Ergobaby wrap because I don't have to unwrap and rewrap when I'm wearing her around the house.

Moby Wrap in action!

The Ergobaby Wrap:

•  The right amount of stretch makes it easy to tie right.
• Doesn’t sag throughout the day from baby’s weight.
• Moves in every direction with you and your baby.
• 95% Cotton, 5% Spandex
• Machine washable

The Moby wrap:

• Perfect for babies 8-35 lbs
• 100% natural cotton
• Machine washable
• Encourages parent/child bonding
• Adjusts to grow with your baby
• Petite and plus size friendly

I have provided several links for you to find your wrap, buy, and use it so please make use of them!


The Babywearer Chart of Wrap Styles w/ Lengths

Where to buy the Moby Wrap

Where to buy the Ergo Wrap

How to tie the Ergo Wrap (Newborn)

How to tie the Moby Wrap (Newborn Hug Hold)