Babywearing

Wearing your baby = babywearing

And how do you "wear" your baby?

The more I say "wear" the more it sounds like some strange word that couldn't possibly have any meaning. But anyway, I'm so proud of myself that I actually completed a sewing project!

And not just one sewing project, but two simultaneously!

So here's one way to wear your baby.

The sling I made back when I was preggers has been great, but having all Sydney's 19 (or maybe 20 by now) pounds on one shoulder was starting to hurt. After borrowing a mei tai (a.k.a. Asian-style) baby carrier from one of my friends, I decided to make one for myself, but with buckles ... and a hood/headrest ... and a pocket. I didn't realize how much extra time all these extras would take!

Yes, I could have just bought a carrier from hyenacart.com, but I was excited by the idea of picking out my own fabric and designing it exactly how I wanted. The ones with buckles are a lot more expensive to buy, so I was out to save money, too.

What's so great about buckles?

They make it quicker and simpler to put on and take off. I especially like being able to easily lay Sydney down in her crib after she falls asleep in it. There's also less fabric involved.

My friend Allyson, who has a baby girl two weeks younger than Sydney, also wanted a buckle carrier, so we decided to make them together. She did the ironing and helped entertain the kids while I did the sewing. It was fun!

I'm so glad to finally have my carrier completed. I think I've used it everyday. Sydney gets so distracted and wiggly sometimes when nursing that putting her in the carrier helps settle her. It's also great for shopping with two kids because my hands are free. I love babywearing!


I just wanted to put it out there that if you are interested in trying out different babywearing options or learning more about babywearing, there's a Babywearers of Phoenix group meeting this week: Wed 9/15 from 10 AM - 11 AM at 1740 North Chestnut Circle in Mesa, AZ. You can also check out TheBabyWearer.com.