Celebrate Babywearing this November

This November 12-18 is the first ever International Babywearing Week, presented by Babywearing International Inc. and www.TheBabyWearer.com. How cool is that? Babywearing groups all over the world will have events and focus on reaching out to tell their local communities all about babywearing.

BWI and TBW will be rolling out more info on the official International Babywearing Week programs, but two things are already in the works: nonprofit babywearing groups, even informally organized ones, can register as Official Celebrating Organizations to be eligible for free resources like posters; and everybody can get cool t-shirts, onesies, hoodies, tote bags, stickers, whatever with the official International Babywearing Week logo.

Super DUPER cool babywearing bag you can DIY!

One of the smart, talented moms on www.TheBabyWearer.com came up with this fabulous idea for a diaper bag/whatever bag that works great for babywearers. It features soft, wide straps that you can tie in different configurations, depending on whether you want to wear the bag backpack-style, over one shoulder, or across your body. She’s selling custom bags (although there’s a waiting list), or you can make your own with her DIY instructions. For more info and links to more photos, here’s the thread on TBW.

 

Photoshop Hijinx

I love to see good babywearing out in the mainstream.  In television commercials, on celebrities, you name it.  A mom wearing her baby in a Maya Lightly Padded sling is the cover of American Baby’s May 2008 issue.   That’s really great, except for some unknown reason, the designer photoshopped out one of the rings!

Ring Slings need two rings to work, whether they look a little awkward or not.  Just for the record.

My favorite pouch tip

Pouches are supposed to be simple: there’s nothing to adjust or tie, you just pop your baby in and go.  But here’s the thing: it’s entirely too easy to pop your baby in a pouch improperly in the cradle position and end up with a squished baby with a restricted airway. That is not good. Babies need to breathe. There are some workarounds if your baby just really loves the cradle position. Go read M’Liss Stelzer’s article on correct newborn positioning. If your baby doesn’t insist on lying down, though, try the tummy to tummy position:

 

Many people don’t even realize that the tummy to tummy position is an option for their newborns. But yes, a pouch can hold a newborn in an upright position, and most babies like it. His feet will just curl up under him in the fetal position … which he’s used to! Pull the fabric on the outside of the pouch high enough to support his back well, but make sure there’s still fabric between the baby and your body. If you need to tighten the fabric, try a shoulder flip (see step six here). 

Older babies like this position as well. There comes a time when he’ll need to change from being “feet in” to “feet out.”  When that happens, remember to make sure his bottom is well below his knees … his weight should be on his bottom, not the backs of his legs. Also, you may need to pull the fabric back from behind his knees so it doesn’t dig in to the backs of his knees. 

Newborn Back Wrapping Tutorial

Christine, an amazingly talented babywearer in Ontario, posted this awesome newborn back carry tutorial on TheBabyWearer.  (TheBabyWearer forums are free; sign up if you haven’t already!)

Not that we really need more evidence …

that babywearing is fast becoming the norm, but if we did, one place we could find it is in the fabric store. McCall’s now has a pattern for a pouch and a mei tai.  (The straps on the mei tai look pretty skinny to me, and the pouches look too big for the models, but hey, it’s a step!) 

If you’re a DIYer, don’t skip the free instructions at Sleeping Baby Productions.  I happen to be partial to the Ball Baby Overall pattern, but there are other cool patterns hosted there as well.  There’s even a link to a free downloadable pattern for a soft structured carrier for those DIYers who prefer carriers that click.

Stockpiling

Magic City Slingers is stockpiling cool stuff to use to promote babywearing, particularly during International Babywearing Week, November 12-18, 2008.  We received our first batch of educational materials — several Didymos wrap instruction booklets and DVDs, as well as a Bebina wrap instruction booklet and a Sakura Bloom ring sling instruction booklet — from Becca at Becca’s House.  Becca custom dyes and fringes wraps and also custom knits leggies and hats.  Lots of foks who get their wraps custom dyed are wrapping experts and no longer need the educational materials, which is probably how Becca ended up with a pile of them to give away to babywearing groups and others who needed these materials.  We are grateful for them!  They will help us reach out and educate more people about babywearing. 

If you have educational materials or other cool stuff for Magic City Slingers to give away to promote babywearing, please contact the leaders … leaders @ magiccityslingers.com … we’ll put your items to good use! 

Quick! Grab your preschooler!

And play these fun babywearing computer games!  While you’re there, grab some blinkies for your signature in all your forums.  All hail the amazing Kristine!  (Kristine used to manufacture awesome baby carriers at Baby Space, but now she’s doing web design as well as helping get Babywearing International up and running.)   

Birmingham Brick & Mortar Challenge!

Folks, we have a babywearing community in Birmingham.  We are now averaging 30 adults in attendance at Magic City Slingers meetings, with lots of new folks coming all the time, and we’re still planning more outreach programs.  And yet, aside from some nice fitted pouches that can be had in maternity stores (Mimi Maternity had a couple of Peanut Shells that last time I went in, and Pickles & Ice Cream carried Hotslings the last time I heard), and a few Targets (Alabaster and Fultondale, last I heard, had some Hotslings), you can’t buy a nice sling in the Birmingham area — at least not that I know of.  It’s shop the internet or don’t shop. 

So here’s my challenge.  If you have a brick and mortar store in Birmingham that caters to parents and children, GET WITH IT!   Offer a selection of slings … unpadded ring slings, mei tais, soft structured carriers, wraparound slings, and pouches. 

If you know of a brick and mortar store that sells great slings (besides frontpacks, heavily padded, closed-tail slings, and frame backpacks) for Goodness’ sake, share that information by posting a comment. 

It’s not like there’s not a market here.  Just check our Flickr album and see some of the many slings that have been purchased by Birmingham residents from other places. 

Cheating on the Torso Carry, Take 2

I’ve blogged about cheating on a torso carry before … some of us just need a little help keeping everything up where it should be.  :)  My favorite babywearing blogger recently posted about an over-the-shoulder cheat with a classic torso carrier: the wide-blanket podegi, the traditional Korean carrier.  Check it out over at The Incredible Carrying Cloth.