Babywearing Week 08

Stephanie is hosting a Mr. Linky for your babywearing stories, pictures or tips for International Babywearing week. Head over, sign up and post your pictures or stories and you could win a Nest Sling or a Nest Hatchlings sling from Nonny & Boo.

I had never even heard of babywearing before I started blogging. Then I came across Stephanie's blog and she was carrying her youngest son. I thought it was the coolest, most awesome thing ever. I wasn't pregnant at the time, but we were prayerfully considering stopping birth control for good. I knew that if I did get pregnant, I would SURELY babywear. Once I did find out I was pregnant with Peanut, I asked Stephanie SOO many questions. She has been fantastic to answer all of them. I asked her her suggestions about what type of sling I should start off with and what positions I should carry Peanut in. I just couldn't believe that no one in town baby wore. When Peanut came I had 3 slings- a ring sling, a Hotsling and a pouch sling.

I loved the ring sling because I could cover up his head, in the cold winter months, with the remainder of the tail. He preferred tummy to tummy instead of the tradition cradle carry. I didn't use the pouch sling because it was a little big to do the carry that Peanut preferred. A few months after Peanut joined our family I invested in a Sleepy Wrap.

This has been the best sling! I have baby worn just about everywhere with the Sleepy Wrap. When Peanut was younger he would fall asleep instantly in that sling. I love babywearing because Peanut was so cuddly and I could lean down and kiss his darling head!

My next purchase will be a mai tai and another ring sling for the winter- and I hope to start carrying Peanut on my back. I haven't had an success with that yet(with the Sleepy Wrap), so I will continue to practice.

I was concerned when I started babywearing about whether I would need the stroller or if I would always want to babywear. I have found that there are times its more convenient to use the sling. I use it all the time when I have to pick up Bubbie from school and I need to hold his hand and carry his booster seat out to the car. I can slip Peanut into the ring sling and have one hand for Bubbie and one hand for the car seat. I used the Sleepy Wrap on our recent trip to the Apple Orchard.


I didn't think a stroller would do well on the hills of thick, wet grass and Peanut was WAY too young to be put in a flat bed wagon, so I did the front carry with Peanut facing out and he was fine the whole time we were there. He was able to chew on his hands and he would wiggle his legs and feet.

Babywearing is something, I am still sad to say, its not common around my home. I have seen 2 women baby carry in the last 18 mos.. I see a lot of "fake" slings in the store and I tried those and they STINK! It doesn't give you the closeness and they feel very bulky! You can't position them and the child the way you and the child want to. I am so thankful to have found Stephanie's blog and to be able to say I am a proud babywearing mama!