Baby's First Back Ride

When Benny was 5 months old I attempted my first back carry and I was hooked! He was such a good baby and was so content on my back that I soon began wearing him as a matter of practice around the house. So when Katie needed to be close to her mommy, but a rambunctious 2 year old wanted her too, there was barely a blink of an eye at the thought of putting 8 week old Katie up in a wrap.

Well, I was thankful for all that practice I had with Benny because it wasn't quite as easy as I had hoped. When I first started wearing Benny it was in a wrap but over time I became more of a mei tai girl. But no way was I ready to put Katie on my back in a mei tai. I grabbed my pretty Zara Deli and attempted a Back Wrapp Cross Carry with a chest belt. I say attempted because it didn't quite get done correctly. I was having a hard time getting the back passes to go under Katie's legs and still be spread nicely. So since I wasn't going anywhere and she seemed really secure, I decided to just spread the fabric really wide, wrap really tightly and check her often. It worked just fine. (I would later go on to do a lovely BWCC using a super soft BBSlen but of course, I didn't take pictures.)

See how the fabric just kind of holds her against me?

But Katie didn't seem to mind that it wasn't quite right.

My HBAC Hypnobaby

I was 16 days past my guess date (yes, I knew when I conceived) when things finally started happening. I woke up at 11pm on Tuesday night to timeable pressure waves but was able to go back to sleep. A few hours later I woke up again and was unable to get back to sleep. I used the Hypnobabies hypnosis to relax. A few hours later I called my doula to come over. My parents came to distract my son and later in the afternoon my other doula arrived. Throughout the day on Wednesday I stayed in a steady holding pattern of pressure waves every 5 mintues but nothing was really progressing. In the evening I tearfully sent my doulas home and my parents and my son to a hotel so my husband and I could be alone and try to relax. I ate dinner, had a glass of wine, took a shower and went to bed. Just before midnight I woke up to very intense pressure waves. I called my entire birth team (midwife, assistant, doula, student doula) to come. The mood in the house was very jovial. I was in a good mood and talked with the people between pressure waves. I got in the spa we had set up in the kitchen and it felt wonderful. I tired of being in the water and got out. It was great to be in the comfort of my own home and I moved from room to room whenever I needed a change of pace. I sat on the birth ball, laid on the couch, leaned over the bed, I did whatever I wanted and whatever felt good. I ate hard boiled eggs, energy bars, and drank lots of water. The pressure waves were intense but completely manageable with the help of the hypnosis. I was really beginning to tire since it had been over 24 hours since my birthing time had begun and I had had very little sleep. I laid down in bed with my husband and we slept during pressure waves. I would wake him up to put a hot compress on my back during each wave. My midwife came in and talked to me about checking for dilation. I consented because the waves had now been about 2-3 minutes apart for a while, but were getting shorter in length. After more than 24 hours I was only at 5 cm! I had the choice to take herbs to help me sleep or homeopathic remedies to kick things into gear. I chose the homeopathic remedies and after three doses I was back on track. At some point in the early morning, I had fallen out of hypnosis and was finding it difficult to try to get back there. I chose to let go and not try. I continued to use the Hypnobabies cues and although I was no longer in true hypnosis, the relaxation techniques were priceless. I decided to get back in the spa and on the way, my water broke. It was nice and clear. I spent the rest of my birthing time in the water. I don’t remember starting to push but I do know that no one told me to do it and I didn’t make a conscious decision to push. It’s just something that I started doing. My husband got in the water with me. He straddled me and held my hands. My husband behind me and surrounded by women, I welcomed my baby out into the world. With the help of my midwife I reached down, caught my baby, and brought her to my chest. Katherine Marie was born October 14, 2010 at 10:07am. After it stopped pulsing, my husband cut the cord. I got out of the water and went to the bedroom. I nursed my baby for the first time. The placenta had not been born yet and I was not feeling any pressure waves. It had been over an hour so I asked for pitocin. I was given pitocin and after a few minutes the placenta was delivered. My midwife checked me and I had only two small tears that needed one stitch each. I took a shower, got dressed, and cozied back into bed. It was time to do the measurements. We all took guesses. I guessed 8 pounds. She was 8 pounds, 8 ounces! She was long too, measuring 22 inches! When they did the checklist to determine gestational age, she measured at 42 weeks… my dates were right! Soon after the measurements were completed, Benny arrived back home. As he cautiously approached us on the bed, a huge smile came over his face. He was curious and wanted to see the baby, but didn’t want to touch her. It was so cute. We all sat on the bed and took our first family photo. It felt so right. At about four in the afternoon, I finally settled in to take a nap with Katie. I laid in bed curled up around my baby and we fell into a very peaceful sleep.

Why I wore my first and why I will wear the next

It's been a while since I've posted about babywearing. Mostly because I just wasn't doing it nearly as much and then once I hit around 20 weeks on the preggo calendar, we stopped because I was having back issues (pregnancy related... not from babywearing!) So as I sit here (not so) patiently waiting for my little Katie to arrive, I am thinking about all the snuggles I will get to have with my newborn in a sling.

When I was expecting Benny, I had registered for a stretchy wrap not because it was suggested to me or because I had done a ton of research, but because when I saw the picture of the baby safely tucked up next to the mom, it just made sense to me. I had never heard of "babywearing" and I don't think I had ever even seen a sling, wrap, or mei tai. But something inside told me that this was an important part of all the baby gear that I should be buying.

When Benny was born, I had a difficult time bonding with him. I cared for him and made sure he was fed, changed, rested and clothed, but I didn't feel that connection that everyone talks about. I knew that I had to do something, so I took the advice of Dr. Sears and spent as much time with my baby as possible. This is where the wrap came in. With Benny safely secured to my body, I had to spend time with him. We began to understand each other's rhythms. I was able to read his cues quickly because I was always there to witness them. Lo and behold, one day I picked him up after a nap and WHOOOOSH! I felt it!!! I felt that rush of emotion and that connection with my baby. Babywearing was a key part of getting there and I am so grateful for it.

When Katie arrives, I know that babywearing will be a big part of our lives. Not only does it aid in the bonding process, but it makes life so much easier. I can already see myself watching Benny running around on the playground while Katie is snuggled up on me. I'm really good at breastfeeding in public in a sling... I can feed my baby and shop for groceries at the same time! I won't have to lug the big baby bucket car seat around and set her down on the ground far away from me. She will feel safe and secure because she will be close to mommy's heart.

Thank you, Mommy.

We haven't been doing as much wearing lately. Benny is almost two (sniff, sniff) and enjoys being independent. Last week after a long car ride to Anaheim, Benny was standing next to me as we started to unpack the van. It was late and we were in a dark parking lot. So even though he is an obedient child, I was a little nervous to have him just standing there waiting. I got out my mei tai and asked it he wanted to get on Mommy's back. He nodded his head yes and said, "Thank you, Mommy." My heart melted.

Babywearing in the Rain

Well, I love my birthday and I love Disneyland and I love free things. So you would think that a free ticket to Disneyland on my birthday would have been the best thing ever. And it would have been had it not rained... all.day.long!!! I knew it was going to rain and rain hard. But we had already purchased nonrefundable hotel reservations in Anaheim. So off to the Magic Kingdom we went. I was determined to wear my baby at Disneyland come hell or high water (turns out it was the latter that we faced).

Warning! Dangerous baby slings on the market!!!

If you have attended one of my babywearing classes, you know that I warn about "bag style" baby slings. There are several makers of these bag type slings and they are all dangerous. Because of the design of the "sling" it is not possible for your baby to have proper head/neck support. This can cause positional asphyxiation and death. In fact, there have already been two deaths this year alone in bag slings. Also, the bag often closes shut over the baby and there is not proper air circulation. Improper air flow is a cause of SIDS.

If you have one of these style slings, please discontinue use. If you have registered for one, please remove it from your registry.

There are many excellent carriers out there that, if used properly, will provide a safe way for you and your baby to stay close. Unfortunately they are not in the mainstream market place. If you have any questions about carriers or how find or use one, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will help you find the right baby carrier for you. If you already have a sling and need help using it, I will be more than happy to help.

More information about babywearing can be found at www.thebabywearer.com.

In the interest of full disclosure:
I am a hobbyist sling maker. I make and sell ringslings as well as make the occasional mei tai. However, the only interest I have in sending this message out to you is in the interest of your baby's safety.

Chinese style fabric for a Chinese style carrier

As soon as I saw the fabric in the remnants basket I snatched it up. Imagine my surprise when I opened it up and found an awesome dragon right in the middle! When my friend announced to me that she was pregnant by asking me if I would "teach her to wear her baby", I knew I would be using the fabric for her mei tai. I was so nervous (my perfectionism gets in the way at times) that I waited until the week of her shower to start making it. Well, I'm very happy with the result and so was she!