My (Extensive) Babywearing Journey
Back when I was a very young mommy and I didn't know very much, I wore my baby in an Infantino crotch dangler. I also had an Infantinto sling that was recalled twice on me. It's too bad, tho because I really did kind of like that sling. More on this later.
I soon heard of something called a ring sling and ordered one on
ebay. I wore L in this carrier alone for much of our babywearing together. This particular sling has a *very* long tail (for discrete nursing) which I no longer enjoy, but wearing her in this sling made me a true babywearer!
Here I am wearing a 3 yr old L in my ebay sling while pregnant.
Soon H was born...
I wore him early and I wore him much more often than I had with L. His personality requires
it. When he was 5 wks old, we went to the beach and he spent a lot of time in my Hotsling. When fall arrived, I learned to use a stretchy wrap for the first time.
I found it easiest to nurse H on-the-go in our old trusty ebay sling.
Early on, I began experimenting with the replacement product Infantino sent me for my recalled Sling Rider. A product I have since altered slightly, the Wrap & Tie is proving to be a very handy carrier to have. It's versatile and dumby proof.
H's birth stirred up the true babywearer in me and I experimented with DIY carriers. The sari I wore at my sister in law's wedding became my first (and as of yet only) woven wrap.
Once, while at a playdate at the park, I found a Balboa ring sling. I waited hours for someone to claim it, but no one ever did. I took it with me when we left that day and its aftermath has convinced me that God himself placed that carrier there for us to help cure H of his woeful ways. That child has spent many an hour in my Balboa and I will gladly reimburse the rightful owner should I have have the pleasure of passing ways with her.
H is nearly a year now and backcarrys are becoming our thing. I frequently use my Wrap & Tie and have recently purchased an Ergo on craigslist. You can see pics of me and my kidlets in these carriers on the previously linked April Babywearing post.
2 other carriers that have seen their way in and out of my life are a framed backpack carrier by Snuggli and an Infantino 6 in 1 rider. I have since sold both of these carriers (as well as my original Infantino crotch dangler.) A friend gave us the Snuggli but I hated its bulk. The 6 in 1 came to me thru a search for a soft structured carrier that I could wear on my back. My efforts (in retrospect) were futile because I had NOT found a mei tai or woven wrap or beco, etc. (Shaking my head...)
So- that's it. My lengthy story of babywearing: beginning to present. I certainly do not feel I can say that this is the end. As our needs as a family change, the go-to carrier changes and who knows what the future will hold for us? More kids? More travelling? I'm not sure, but babywearing will certainly be there one way or another!
Join the fun and show off your skills! Link up your babywearing post here!
