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I write a babywearing tip of the week each week on my blog and am looking for more tips- I'll gladly link to you and your involvement in NaBloPoMo ... so please share!
I should go though your archive to see what you've already said, but I have several ways that I've worn my 30lb 2yr-old in our Maya. Sometimes I put my 5yr-old in it too, if she wants to be carried on my back. It does give more support and doesn't seem to be in any danger of tearing!
I have two boys who are three years apart in age. Last spring, when my youngest was around six months old, we were attending an art class at the community center. It was a challenge to get there on time with everything I needed, and one time I forgot to bring the Ergo -- and my backup didymos that I always kept in the car wasn't there!
It was too late to drive home and get a carrier, but I remembered that the teacher had some big scarves in the toy area, so I decided I would try that. I spent art class with Mica wrapped up in a big rainbow silk cloth. It was pretty, but not very comfy, and he wouldn't fall asleep.
After class, we went to the playground with friends, and I decided to use my sweater as a sling. It was a boucle sweater (somewhat stretchy) but it worked great! I held it up like I was going to put it on backward, and then placed one sleeve over my shoulder, the other around my waist and then tied them sleeves in back/behind my shoulder. Then I wrapped the bottom part of the sweater around me, and buttoned the bottom few buttons in the back. Now I had a little pocket for the baby to sit in. I did have to support him some of the time with one arm, but we spent over an hour at the playground, and he actually nursed to sleep.
I had TWO moms come and ask me what kind of sling I was using! LOL!
So, if you haven't figured it out already -- you can use your sweater (or almost anything else!) as a sling if you need to!
I've never uploaded pics in comments before, but here are two (re-enacted at home later that day):
Sure! That would be great! You know what? I had to do it again yesterday! This time I used my fleece jacket with the same tying technique.
How do you post the tips? Do you post what I've written above (if so, I noticed a typo and might want to tighten things up a bit), or do you just paraphrase what I've written? If you're able to link to my blog that would be swell :) it is http://mama-om.blogspot.com.
Let me know -- you can email me at stacy at primarymotion dot com!
I tired emailing you at that above address and it came back undeliverable- I hope you get this reply:
Thanks for offering up your tip! What I usually do is just include the
story just as you wrote it (and I will fix typos, etc.) or you can
rewrite it. It's up to you! And I definitely will link to your involvement
with NaBloPoMo and your personal blog!! Can I use one of the pics you
sent, too? And anything else you'd like to add- just let me know! I'll
post it this Friday.
Steph, Here's a tip, or more of an anecdote: I know some people complain that the Maya wrap has too much fabric, but I've really found the extra to come in handy! When my son was first starting to walk fast (12-mos)and unpredictably, I cinched the rings up around his chest/trunk and used the fabric tail as a tether. More recently (2yrs), when I'm wearing him around, he'll tell me "monster coming!" which is a cue to me that he's tired. I adjust the sling to let him tuck his arms inside and then flip up the tail over his head so he can hide from the "monster." He's usually sleeping within 15 mins. Also, for a quick blankie, I've pulled the fabric all the way out and covered him up; it makes a nice, familiar coverlet.
OK, here's my tip again! Hopefully it will post! :)
Babywearing can help illuminate sibling rivalry - or at least help! Even "cousin rivalry"!
Zachary, is pretty jealous of the new baby - even though it's not "my baby" he sees me with Rylan and NEED's my attention RIGHT NOW.
Yesterday we were in the mall - my sister, Rylan, Zachary and I. I was wearing Zachary (in a podeagi), and Katherine was TRYING to shop, of course hold the baby (we brought the stroller but it was used for everyone's stuff NOT the baby or Zachary). I offered to take him, and instead of carrying him, I put on the mei tai I had brought as well.
I had Rylan in the front, and Zachary behind. He was so cute, rubbing Rylan's head!
I have also worn, both my 2 kids at the same time. Zachary was a newborn, and Aubrey was 4, we were on the way home from the park - a long walk UP hill...and Aubrey was exhausted (I wore her out, so she would sleep good!) Anyway, we were walking home and Aubrey fell down, and got very upset, not because she was "hurt" but she was tired, and wanted some good old mama attention too.
I had brought both a mei tai and pouch, Zachary was in the pouch, so I put Aubrey in the mei tai on my back. It was a LONG walk home, Aubrey was 40ish pounds and Zachary was 8 - so they were heavy, but I was so happy being able to provide BOTH OF THEM with what they needed at exactly the time they needed it!
Babywearing, defiantly helps in those kinds of circumstances! (A good friend of mine, who has twins, wears her babies all the time too, either in 2 mei tai's or a pouch and a mei tai!)
Hey Steph, you can always link to any of my stuff. Look here. There's a series on the benefits which is not exactly tips, there's also stuff on what to look for when buying a carrier, babywearing dads. HTH!
This isn't a tip so much as a question, but maybe you can turn it into a tip! Which carriers work best at which ages? I know you can use just about any carrier with any size baby, but I think some work better at some stages than others. I like a thin cotton ring sling with a newborn, for example, but a stretchier cotton for a bigger baby, and a silk ring sling for a toddler... and I know there was a stage with my last one where I preferred a pouch (maybe around 6 mos?), but what about wrap styles, or mei tais? Any thoughts?
That is an often asked question! I find the Sling Comparison Chart at Mom4Life helpful! Personally I like a ring sling & wrap for newborn, mei tai & ring sling for when they are holding their head well, and then mei tai & ring sling as toddlers (but mostly mei tai and I just recently got the new Pikkolo by Cat Bird Baby from MamaKanga.com and like it very much for toddler!!)- that's just me!
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