Baby carriers

My experience with baby carriers has not turned out to be what I thought it would be before I had this baby. Honestly, I don't remember while growing up actually seeing any moms who carried their babies in anything other than their arms. This baby-carrying business seems like it's a somewhat new trend (at least in America) and I have to say I like it and agree with the philosophy behind it. Babies, especially newborns, need to feel secure and safe. It is not spoiling them to carry them often. It actually aids in their brain development and helps them form better emotional attachments. Why else would we swaddle them if we didn't know that they preferred being tightly bundled? The next logical step to swaddling is to carry them with you and not leave them by themselves too much. It generally leads to less crying, and more productivity if your hands are free!

So, when first brought Louisa home, we had two types of carriers in our possession. The Baby Bjorn and the New Native. The Bjorn worked best for going out on walks, going to the store, etc. We both liked to hold her in this when she was super light. After a while, she began to outgrow it (I'd say around 6-7 months) so I would recommend getting one of these if you only plan on carrying your baby for a few months. Also, they are nice because the baby can either face you or face outward - which Lou started to prefer as she became more observant. This is not good for nursing, unless you nurse your baby upright...which I've personally never done but I've seen women do.

Now, the New Native began to be our best friend once we figured out how much Lou loved it. The biggest advantage, as far as we were concerned, was that Lou felt so comfortable in it that she would often fall asleep instantly (especially with her daddy). Wherever we were; it didn't matter, all we needed to do was whip out the new native, and we had a sleeping baby. (It was funny because we would start to feel panicked when we forgot it at home!) The only problem with this is that Lou has pretty much outgrown it now. I noticed at Whole Foods that you can buy different sizes, so we thought about getting a larger one (the one that was given to us is a medium) however, we just couldn't justify spending the money for another one (they are pricey) So, the New Native is absolutley great and I recommend this to all the pregnant mom's I know! (I often tell strangers about it too, even though I'm sure sometimes I'm offering unwanted information...hmmm, oh well!)

Later, I made a sling using 5 yards of fabric. This guy worked o.k. but it was never my nor Louisa's preferred carrier. It would be nice for someone who didn't want to spend too much or if you wanted to take it on a trip with you (they are easily transported) Also, they can be fashioned so that you can nurse in them. This is cool if you have a frequent nurser, and are tired of being tied to the couch all day.
The real reason I'm bringing all this up now though, is because Anne has recently renewed my interest in carrying Lou around with her amazing hand-sewn mei tai. She brought it to church last week and let me try it out - and I was surprised to find that it worked so well for a near 1 year old! Granted, while Louisa is still pretty petite, she is getting heavier and so consequently I had not been carrying her around as much. I really love this carrier though. (Thanks Anne!!) I would say it's more similar to the Ergo, which many mama's out there have and it was something we were going to save up for (since they are pretty expensive). But I like Anne's because of the adorable fabrics. I also like all the padding and the level of support I feel while she is in it. A few additional things to note:

-Yes, Lou is much more active and getting close to walking, so I don't carry her nearly as much as I did when she was a newborn
-Still, it is ideal for going on walks outside, or when she needs a snooze and I don't feel like spending the time to get her to sleep in her crib
-Good for church, too. Although lately, she's been wanting daddy to rock her to sleep, or wants to nurse
-I like using it while doing certain chores - like vacuuming (for some reason Louisa is going through a phase where she is deathly afraid of the vacuum cleaner...) and putting away clothes

-I've never held anyone else's baby in it before (or any other sling for that matter). I've heard that all babies are different in their preferences. Louisa has been more than obliging to be held in all four of the types of slings we've owned. I'd say she prefers the New Native above all, but this new mei tei is better for the size she is now. She is sleeping right now, as I type, and seems more than content :)
"Yikes mom, this is a long post! You've put me to sleep...I wonder how many other people are being put to sleep, too?"

Finally, I just want to mention (perhaps I don't even have to) that there is something sweet, so sweet about holding a baby close to your own body. I'm convinced God designed it this way for parents (and others) as one of the consolations to them for all the hard work they do while raising children. When you are holding a baby, (especially a sleeping one :) next to your skin, I swear it releases all sorts of endorphins. It makes you feel content. It fills you with love. It renews your faith that for all the chaos and suffering in life, there are still some things that are right in the world.

...and not to mention that when you have them in a carrier, you can actually get some things done :)



...a special thanks to Anne, who inspired this post. I can't wait to pick out fabric with you!*