"I've heard you can breastfeed while babywearing. Tell me what I need to do!" Feeding while wearing is a very common topic. Babies spend an awful lot of their young lives eating! It is technically possible to feed a baby in just about any type of carrier. However, it is often a skill that must be learned and practiced, by both wearer and baby, so it is not as easy as one might hope. A number of factors can affect how quickly you might learn this skill, or what carriers might work for you, including breast shape and size, body type, and baby's feeding position preferences. Here are some guidelines that will hopefully help you learn this skill. Safety first! Open Airway: Make sure baby can breathe, and his face is not covered by the carrier or pressed into your breast tissue, if you are breastfeeding. Listen while he eats, for any unusual sounds like grunting, snoring, or other atypical feeding noises. These can signify he is having problems breathing and needs to be repositioned (don't forget to check to be sure his chin is off his chest). Visible: If you use part of the carrier (perhaps the tail of a ring sling), or a blanket or cover for privacy, cover yourself but do not cover baby's face. If his face is covered, he is re-breathing the air he exhales which can be very dangerous. Close enough to kiss: Do not keep baby in the (usually lowered) breastfeeding position after he is done breastfeeding, even if he is asleep. Move him back up to the higher, upright "visible and kissable" position, and re-adjust the carrier. First Steps Ensure that you learn and refine each skill (feeding/breastfeeding, and babywearing) separately and are competent at each, before you combine them. The breastfeeding relationship should be well-established, with good latch and transfer of milk. A very new baby might sleep deeply while in a carrier and miss feedings, so be aware of your baby's feeding needs. Clothing (for breastfeeding) This all depends on your preference. Many mothers prefer a shirt with a neckline that allows them to lift the breast over the top. Others prefer the "two shirt" method, and with a carrier, you will want to lift the top shirt a bit as you are putting the carrier on (otherwise, the top shirt may get caught in the carrier, making it difficult to lift). Expectations You should know that you will likely not be hands free feeding for a while, even with baby in the carrier. You will probably have a hand supporting your baby's head (especially if baby is young), and possibly have another hand supporting your breast. If you are using bottles, you will have to use a hand to hold the bottle. Over time, as your baby grows, and with practice, you may gain a hand or two back. The biggest gain you'll get is the ability to move and feed without bearing baby's full weight in your arms. Mechanics For breastfeeding: In most every carrier, you will lower the baby by loosening the carrier a bit and sliding baby down your body, until baby's head is at breast level. It is also possible to breastfeed with baby in a slightly reclined position, but this can make repositioning baby afterwards a bit more complicated. For bottlefeeding: Generally, it works well to reach a hand under a strap (for buckle carriers or mei tais) or pass (for wraps) and grasp the bottle, then feed. If baby prefers to eat in a specific position, you can shift them in the carrier to be in this position, remembering to reposition when baby is done. Videos: Breastfeeding in the Ergo. (Similar to how you'd feed in a Tula, Bjorn, Boba, etc). Breastfeeding in a wrap. Breastfeeding in a mei tai. Breastfeeding in a ring sling. If you would like some in-person assistance with learning this skill, please attend a local babywearing group meeting, or contact a babywearing educator for private and personalized help. If you do not have access to either of these resources, consider asking at a breastfeeding group, keeping in mind the safety information discussed above. Sources: http://www.bwiaustin.org/breastfeeding-while-babywearing/ http://beltwaybabywearers.blogspot.com/2011/06/babywearing-triplets-feeding-in-carrier
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What if I told you that there was a wonderful type of carrier that is:
Would you jump at the chance to try it? Guess what? There is! It is the mei tai. The What? A mei tai (pronounced "may tie"), simply put, is a baby carrier constructed of a panel (often rectangular) with four straps, one strap at each corner. Two of the straps are tied around the waist, and two of the straps go over the shoulders, cross the wearer's back, and back around to the front, where they may be tied. For a back carry, they may go over the shoulders, cross the front (some men prefer this way) or straight down like backpack straps, back across the baby's back, and back around to the front where they are tied off. The mei tai originates from China, and this source tells us the name means "to carry on the shoulders with a strap." Adjustable, Easy, and Versatile Mei tais are much more adjustable than buckle carriers, which are more "fixed." For a newborn or small baby, you can safely and easily narrow the bottom of the panel, if needed to provide a comfortable seat without spreading baby's legs too far. You can roll the waist to make a shorter panel so baby isn't swallowed by the panel like he would be in a standard size buckle carrier. You can change the angle and function of how the straps cross over and support your baby so you can easily and comfortably trade a mei tai between wearers. Mei tais are generally easier to use than wraps and ring slings, and fairly comparable to buckle carriers for ease of use. Mei tais can be used as baby grows. You can change how the straps support your baby. If you want to venture away from front carries, you can do a hip carry that is generally more comfortable than doing one with a buckle carrier, and you can do a back carry high enough to allow baby to peek over your shoulder while awake, or to rest his head on the back of your neck when he falls asleep. If you want to have only one baby carrier for newborn through toddler days, this might be a great option for you! Types and Brands of Mei Tais There are very simple mei tais, made from canvas or other heavy cloth, with minimal padding. Some mei tais have padding at the waist or on the shoulder straps, and some have wide straps that mimic the function of a woven wrap. These are typically made with woven wrap material, though occasionally linen or other fabric that performs similarly. You will occasionally see a few extra features on both types, including headrests, sleep hoods, toy loops, infant inserts, cinching mechanisms, and more. Some of the more commonly available and popular simpler canvas mei tais are: Catbird Baby, BabyHawk, and Infantino Sash. Catbird Baby and BabyHawk are generally described as more comfortable and able to be used longer than the less expensive Infantino. All of them function the same and are perfectly safe when used correctly. There are a variety of easily obtained mei tais made from wrap material on the market. Currently, these include: Soul's Soul Tai, Girasol's MySol, Didymos' DidyTai, Babylonia USA's BBTai, Fidella's Fly Tai, Lenny Lamb, Chimparoo, Topatop, BaBySaBye. and more! The price point on these is comparable or a bit higher than the higher quality canvas mei tais. Many of these have wide straps that can provide extra support around your shoulders and under baby's bottom. In summary, if you are looking for a carrier that is adjustable from newborn through toddler wearing, adaptable to various body types, and fairly easy to use comfortably, consider a mei tai! Think about all of the benefits that babywearing brings to you, your child, and your family. The comfort, the confidence, and convenience that make life more pleasant, easier, tolerable, livable. Parents everywhere who wear their babies agree with you. Babywearing makes life better for everyone. For some mothers and babies, however, babywearing is something more. It can bring comfort, connection, and the ability to get through daily life when life is at its toughest. One tough situation that faces some families is family violence, specifically intimate partner violence. There are a range of effects on the mothers and children who survive, including physical injury, emotional trauma, cognitive distortions, complete separation from social or family support, instant and extreme financial problems, and lasting neurological effects of witnessing and experiencing trauma, especially for babies and children. Babywearing, when utilized carefully, is a tool that can assist some mothers and children who face these obstacles. One woman started listening Julia Walker is a babywearing mom who decided to do something to help moms and their children who have recently left family violence and are living in the shelter system. She had volunteered as a co-leader with her local babywearing group, and while helping members learn to wear, discovered that some were, like her, rebuilding their lives after fleeing partner violence. Word spread that she was teaching these women to use carriers, and she quickly exhausted her personal resources. She developed the organization World on My Shoulders to partner with manufacturers, community activists, and other caring individuals to collect carriers and raise funds to sustain and expand the scope of this unique project. The story of World on My Shoulders Julia graciously agreed to answer some questions about WoMS to share about the story, mission, and impact of the organization, and how you can help! Q: Can you tell us a little about what you have witnessed about how babywearing helps some moms and babies who have experienced family violence? In what ways can babywearing support some of these families? A: I experienced family violence so I will answer from the survivor perspective. Wearing helped me in several ways when I fled. I was 34 weeks pregnant and had a one year old when I was severely beaten and finally left. The incident broke my glasses and cracked my orbital and several ribs so I was unable to drive and had to wear to walk. We were both shaken so for weeks after that last attack, I was unable to put my elder child down out of fear. I had a moderate sized stash, six carriers, and the money I made reselling most of those gave me what padding I had while travelling through the shelter system on the way back to my safe place. Luckily my stays in shelter were short and I primarily happened across some very nice facilities but that isn't the reality for many and wearing can help keep children feeling safe while helping the caregiver to accomplish the daily tasks required to stay in many facilities. Q: What types of evidence-based practices do you use in working with this vulnerable population? A: My evidence based experience is lived experience, knowledge of the communities I serve, and the listening to the needs of the people I am helping. The goal is filling a void beyond shelter. By giving people a lifelong tool, an escape from their trauma, and a connection to a broader community of babywearers that has replaced the community model that has disappeared in mainstream society. Studies have concluded that babywearing can aid trauma victims by decreasing anxiety and depression for the wearer and the wearee. I have plans for continuing education that will aid me in better understanding infant development and anticipate that will help the wearers also. Q: Women and children who have experienced the trauma of family violence are often at risk for being triggered by close physical contact. What mental health professionals does WoMS consult or partner with to ensure your outreach efforts are based on trauma-informed practices? A: All of us are survivors of family violence, either as children witnessing and suffering from the effects or like myself, adult victims with children. Coupling our basic skills as babywearing educators seeking to maintain bodily autonomy for all that we help with our personal experiences within the system, we all have heightenened sensitivity to those freshly fleeing. Q: Women leaving family violence situations and living in shelters or other transitional housing often are living in very dirty conditions and with minimal or no access laundry facilities or supplies (with which to wash cloth carriers). How do you address this barrier? A: With the locales that we worked in so far, this hasn't been an issue, though I primarily ask manufacturers for the easycare items in their catalog. Soul Slings sent us some all cotton wraps and ring slings and BabyloniaUSA sent some BBTais which are extremely easy to spot clean along with BBSlens and wraps. Q: What cities or community is WoMS currently helping? Who is helping and how? A: Right now, I cover Texas, primarily the eastern portion of the state. Autumn Brundige is in SE Oklahoma and is the closest to myself. Hess Stinson is in the greater DC area and Anastasia West covers NYC, particularly the Bronx. I also have an educator in Houston, Angelique Geehan, who will be assisting with our first full sized in person class July 2016. Q: What are the "next steps" of WoMS? A: Right now I am preparing to speak about WoMS at WEAR (a babywearing conference) in Chicago in May. The class in Houston in July 2016 is next then expanding our library by purchasing from some of the companies that already donated: BabyloniaUSA and Soul Slings being priority. We are also in the process of building a webstore with homemade goods. Then, we can gather resources to help us pursue nonprofit status. Q: How can others help? What kind of support do you need to continue your mission? A: Finances are our main barrier. We need money to ship carriers to those who live far from any existing WoMS chapters. We have a paypal specifically for WoMS that is generally empty. We need supplies for our webstore, most of which can be purchased at any craft store. We all are doing this on a volunteer basis so helping us cover the costs for our continuing education would be great also. Also, WoMS is one of my jobs. Recently I started doing professional babywearing consultations in an attempt to fundraise for my family to survive and for WoMS expansion but jobs are far and few between until word of mouth spreads more. How can you help? As you prepare to celebrate Mother's Day with your babies, little and big, consider supporting the mothers and babies who are helped by World on My Shoulders, through spreading the word, sending good wishes or prayers for success, purchasing an item for sale from the webstore on the WoMS site (scheduled to open May 13th. 2016), or making a donation. "What buckle carrier do you recommend? My friend told me I should get a Tula. She loves hers!" This question has been asked many times! When someone finds a carrier they love, they cannot wait to tell everyone about how awesome it is. Comfortable babywearing is life-changing for a family! So, if your friend has found that her Tula has made such an amazing impact on her life, it makes sense that she would recommend it to you as the BEST carrier. However - no matter much your friend loves her carrier, and no matter how wonderful it might be for her, it may not be the right carrier for you! Every carrier fits differently, and every body (and baby) is different. Would you buy a new cut of jeans without making sure they fit just the way you wanted? Probably not. You try them on, check yourself from every angle, sit down, bend over, and make sure they are the perfect fit. Buckle, or soft-structured carriers are very much like jeans. They might fit your hips, but the shoulder straps might rub under your arm. The panel might be the right height, but the seat might not be deep enough for your (or your baby's) preference. The construction of a buckle carrier means it is adjustable only to a point. There are some things that just cannot be changed, and those are the things that may impact your comfort. Ingredients of a Buckle Carrier There are a few different types of features that contribute to the fit and function of a buckle carrier, and why you may (or may not) like it.
Go to the Fitting Room! When you have a stack of jeans to try, you take them to the fitting room, try them on, and compare. Similarly, the best way to figure out what works for you is to try on a variety of carriers. Most people can tell fairly quickly (as long as the carrier is being used correctly) whether or not a carrier feels good and fits well. Little tweaks in position of carrier and straps do make a big difference, so it helps to have a person knowledgeable about carriers help you. The quickest way to do this is to attend a babywearing group meeting, or to schedule a consultation with a babywearing educator. At a group meeting or a private consultation, you may have access to a wide variety of carriers to try on, and can get assistance with the tweaks and tips that may help you find the right carrier for your body. Just like jeans, when you have found the carrier that fits, you KNOW. And you can buy with confidence, knowing it is the right choice for you and your body!
(This post is the fourth in a series about choosing and using a woven wrap. See Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here). Today's post is for the crafty folks - how to make a DIY (do it yourself) woven wrap. While some people prefer to buy a wrap specially made for carrying babies, others choose to make their own wrap. Hopefully this guide will help. The basic things to know are: type of fabric, dimensions, and "how to." Recommended types of fabric
Fabric types to avoid
Dimensions There is a lot of information about wrap sizes (that's another whole post!) but for now, we'll cover some basics. Wrap sizing can be confusing, but in general, most new wrappers start with a long wrap that will allow them to do Front Wrap Cross Carry. This size is also known as "base size." This list may help you decide which size is for you:
Remember, you can always cut a wrap shorter, if you find it is too long for you - so err on the side of too long! Also this fabric will shrink about 20% when you wash it so be sure to account for that when you buy, and add enough extra so that you'll have the length you want in you final product. Osnaburg fabric is usually 60" off the bolt. A wrap width of about 28" works well for most people, so you will have enough for two wraps! Step by step directions 1. Buy your fabric (see above). 2. Wash and dry it twice (wash on hot). 3. Scour the fabric if using osnaburg or another undyed fabric (see instructions here: http://www.rootsimple.com/2012/05/how-to-prep-fabric-for-dyeing-scouring/ 4. Cut your fabric in half. Measure at the midway point (if your fabric is 60" wide). Cut an inch snip and then rip down the middle. This should be more accurate than cutting with scissors. 5. Cut the tapers. This is not absolutely necessary, but most woven wraps have tapered edges to make tying knots less cumbersome. A 45 degree angle should work fine. Your finished wrap should look like a parallelogram, not a trapezoid. 6. Hem your fabric. If you iron and inch fold all around, then hemming should be easier. You need to do a rolled hem. Cotton thread works fine. Sew very close to the fold! This tutorial is helpful, especially for the corners: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/rehem.html 7. You're almost done! 8. Last step! Make a middle marker to denote the center of the wrap. You can use anything for this: Fabric pen, ribbon, thread in a contrasting color. Most people like to have a middle marker on both edges (top and bottom). You're done! Go wrap your baby! |
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copyright 2016 Beth Secrist All photos used under the Creative Commons license through Flickr. Photography by: littletuesday12 |