Babywearing shouldn’t hurt!
This isn’t the act of a martyr mom – doing what’s best for her baby at her own expense.
A good baby carrier should make your life easier and better and more comfortable.
So what if it does hurt? Read More
There are so many wrap carries but they are made up of combinations of a few standard woven wrap passes.
Understanding woven wrap passes offers you these benefits:
So here’s a primer on the different wrap passes that make up nearly every back carry: Read More
Why a breastfeeding Front Cross Carry? This carry is easy to adjust into a nursing position and then back again when baby is done.
Nursing in your wrap is about the handiest thing you’ll ever learn – or rather, the most hands-free thing you can learn!
It’s the most convenient way to breastfeed your baby when you’re out and about or when you have other things to do or kids to take care of!
In this video tutorial, Kristy shows how she wraps her baby in Front Cross Carry (FCC) and then lowers baby to breastfeed in Front Cross Carry in an upright position: Read More
If you’re wrapping but want to keep from overheating this Summer, then Rucksack TAS (tied at shoulder) is your best bet for staying cool while wrapping up!
You can do Rucksack TAS with a short wrap up to 3 sizes shorter than your base size. Here’s how to do it: Read More
The best baby carrier for Summer is one that will keep you comfortable in the heat.
You’ve been babywearing for months and you’re not willing to give it up:
Your baby calms immediately once wrapped.
You love the freedom it gives you to get things done.
But suddenly . . . Baby, it’s HOT outside!
Your wrap makes all the difference! Read More
For successful babywearing breastfeeding, first establish a successful breastfeeding relationship. Learning to nurse in your carrier is a complication that need not be added until you and your baby have found a comfortable and workable breastfeeding routine. After all, this is a matter of your baby’s health and well being. So give yourself some time to get that going well before you add babywearing into the equation. Read More
Did you know you can do a Double Hammock Tied at Shoulder (TAS), a Double Hammock Carry variation that ties at the shoulder so you have no wrap around your waist at all? Read More
Kangaroo Carry is a wonderful carry for a newborn, older baby, or toddler and it can be done with a short or long wrap. Kangaroo can usually be done with a wrap two sizes shorter than the wrap length you need for full length carries like Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC). We call this Base – 2.
I’m going to say something controversial here.
Ready?
Why not?
Let me explain. Read More
When you learn a poppable carry with your woven wrap, you get the same functionality as a Ring Sling!
Many parents love Ring Slings for quick errands. This is because you can quickly slip on and adjust a Ring Sling. This ease-of-use makes them popular for a day that will have a lot of ins and outs such as errand day or any day when baby rides in the car between several stops.
When it starts to get chilly in the evening and early mornings, wrapping parents are presented with the challenge of dressing themselves and their babies for a day with fluctuating temperatures. Of course, layers are always good – you can remove them when it gets hotter, and put them back on when it gets cooler. Read More
No, your baby – even your toddler – is NOT too big for a wrap! How do I know? Keep reading and you’ll see!
For a toddler wrap, you will want to get a good woven wrap. You will not get the support you want from a stretchy wrap. With a sturdy toddler wrap you will find out how comfortable wrapping a one year old, two year old, three year old, or four year old can be! Read More
Wrap: Ellevill Tri-Spice
FWCC stands for Front Wrap Cross Carry and it is the most popular way for parents to wrap a baby in a woven wrap front carry.
You can use a woven wrap so many different ways. We call each different way of tying ‘a carry’ and give each carry a name. Read More
The Front Wrap Cross Carry Newborn Twist is a trick that may make your newborn Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC) work better for you.
Using this twist is not wrong or right. It’s a tool for you to use if it fits your needs!
How to tell your baby is positioned safely: Read More
Summer babywearing in Florida means knowing how to keep everyone comfortable in a baby carrier in hot weather. Here are my suggestions for lighter Summer baby wraps, recommendations for cooler carries to use with your wraps, and tips for surviving hot weather wrapping so you don’t have to stay in-doors all Summer!
Sometimes I hear that wrapping is too hard. It has a steep learning curve. There is even a popular meme circulating that begins with “Dear New Wrapper” and promises that as terrible and frustrating as it is to learn to wrap, it will all be so worth it.
I disagree. Wrapping doesn’t have to be hard.
I get emails all the time from parents who just received their wrap, tried it on and LOVED IT. And that’s what I want to happen every time I ship a wrap.
But it is not uncommon for a parent to try a wrap for the first time and end up with a big mess. Baby crying, wrap not supporting them, back hurting . . . what went wrong?
Read More
Babywearing Fitness guest post by Blair Williams, Yoga Instructor and babywearing mother of two. Want to learn more about Yin? BlairWilliamsYoga@gmail.com or Facebook- Blair Williams Yoga, LLC.
It’s World Breastfeeding Week when we focus on normalizing breastfeeding so that eventually it won’t be upsetting or alarming to anyone. And so it will be more common and easier for new nursing moms to learn.
Woven wraps can be a wonderful breastfeeding tool. It is far easier to nurse on demand when nursing in a wrap because you are no longer glued to your house. Bonus: all that physical contact between baby and mother encourage a perfect supply of milk for baby’s changing needs.
Here are 15 carries, 15 different ways to wrap for breastfeeding with the same wrap.
A guide to the differences between different kinds of fibers that are used in weaving wraps by Marcia Stewart, the artist/weaver at Golden Thread Mistress:
*Disclaimer from Marcia: this is all from my experience and you may find things to be different. Hope you enjoy the read!*
Cotton:
Many wraps are woven with 100% cotton. All cotton is easy to care for (machine wash, tumble dry low), resilient, and pretty worry-free. Wraps that contain other fibers usually are primarily cotton, with a smaller percentage of the featured fiber.
Some people move to stiffer fibers when their babies get heavier, but I have found cotton to be just as supportive as a hemp or linen blend, if it is woven densely. Thicker all-cotton wraps are excellent for toddlers. Thinner or less densely woven cotton wraps can be saggy, and can require more precise wrapping to be comfortable with heavier babies. All of this can depend on wrapping preferences. [note from Diana at WYB: Storchenweige is an example of a very supportive all-cotton wrap with a dense weave that is great for toddlers and older kids.]
Linen:
This is often recommended as a fiber choice for heavier babies. Linen is also popular in the summer because it is known to be more breathable. Wraps that are 100% linen in plainweave have very little cush because of the flatness of the weave. A linen wrap that has more texture to the weave may have a little more cushion on the shoulders. The fiber itself has very little stretch, so carries in 100% linen tend to be solid and don’t budge.
Sometimes linen blends can be known as “ropey” because they can have less cush than cotton does. So much of this ropey feeling is contributed to by the weave, and also how broken in the linen is. More wear makes the linen moldable and you may find that a linen wrap you didn’t like when it was brand new wraps beautifully with time and use.
Hemp:
Hemp is very similar to linen, but some people find it to be less breathable of a fiber. I personally haven’t found that; thick hemp wraps that are very dense may have contributed to the impression. Hemp combined with cotton can make a wonderful wrap. Hemp provides lots of support for heavier babies without the bulk that may be necessary for an all-cotton wrap. However, hemp is also less stretchy and yielding than cotton, so it may not have as much bounce. People who prefer their carries not to budge tend to like hemp.
Hemp can be washed in the washing machine, even on hot. It’s a tough fiber.
Silk:
Delicate silk is sought after for small babies. Silk blends can be supportive enough for heavier babies, but silk wraps are often thinner and potentially less supportive. Silk itself is a very strong fiber, but again, the strength of silk in the fabric depends on the size of the silk yarn and the weave of the fabric. The softness and sheen of silk is so beautiful. Gorgeous silk wraps are luxurious.
Silk requires more delicate laundering and must be air-dried to maintain fiber integrity. Silk is also more expensive than other fibers.
Wool:
Autumn and winter months call for wool wraps! Wool blends are snuggly and cozy in cold weather, but wool is a very breathable fiber. It can be worn comfortably even in summer because of the way air moves easily though it. Wool has an amazing bounce and usually makes wraps very cushy and comfortable.
Wool can require more delicate care to avoid felting the fibers. Handwashing (either actually by hand or in a machine on the handwash setting) is the best method to prevent felting, and it is important to avoid extreme agitation or temperature changes during the wash. Then, wool must be air-dried.
When purchasing a used wool wrap, it is wise to ask for the width measurement of the wrap because felted wraps measure narrower than their unfelted counterparts.
Alpaca, cashmere, and mohair are all similar to wool in wrapping qualities and care.
Bamboo:
The bamboo I have wrapped with has been very soft and comfortable. Bamboo is known to shrink so a cold, hand wash is often recommended; followed by air drying. If you prefer to machine wash, you can purchase your wrap in a size longer than you intend and then shrinkage will not matter as much.
A lot of moms wonder how you carry a diaper bag when you wear your baby. Here a few different ways you can do it:
Messenger Bags are great for slinging over your wrap job. Here you can see a messenger bag with a back carry or a front carry.
Galen is wearing a messenger style bag over her right shoulder and the strap is laying over the wrap that is holding the baby on her back.
Messenger Bag style diaper bag slung over baby wrap. The bag is on Carissa's right shoulder in this picture.
