BWI Newsletter!

I'm sorry posting has been sporadic lately, with planning for the International Babywearing Conference, I just haven't had time for blogging. We'll have info on the conference over the next few weeks and we'll get back to consistent posts after the conference.

Babywearing International has released its latest newsletter!  An article from our blog on adoptive wearing has been included.  There are also issues about woven wrap weaving, hot weather wearing, the upcoming conference and more!  You can download issue 4 as well as the past issues of the newsletter here.  You can also sign up there to receive future issues directly to your email.

We hope to see you at an upcoming meeting, and don't miss the babywearing event of the year which will be taking place in our back yard!  See you at the conference!

Why Do I Tell the World about Babywearing?

Many people seem to think it's strange that I'm so passionate about sharing babywearing with the world.  Today, I read a story that clearly expressed what it is that babywearing means to me.  Babywearing changes your outlook on the world.  It changes how you deal with problems with your children or family.  When a parent is struggling to make dinner for their family while their infant cries in the evenings, babywearing can save the day.  As baby grows to a toddler, a babywearing family sees carriers as the solution to a scary situation for a toddler like the hospital or even the circus.  And a babywearing mama faced with a challenge for an older child uses her changed perception to improve things for that child.  This was the case with the mama I read about today.

This mama in addition to being the mom to a toddler, is also a 2nd grade teacher.  She has a student who uses a wheelchair.  The class had a planned field trip to a nature center that included a nature walk that was not accessible for the wheelchair.  The teacher was thinking about how she could solve this problem and it came to her mind that this little girl wasn't much heavier than her toddler, and she wears her toddler all of the time, so why not wear this student?  An altered perception of what COULD be and this little girl got to participate in her class field trip.  THAT is why I love to share babywearing with other families.  I know that there is always someone out there for whom this could be life changing.

If you want to read this teacher's story and see a few photos from the field trip, read her post on thebabywearer.com

Coming Soon! International Babywearing Conference 2012

So, if you've been to a meeting recently, you've probably heard talk about this summer's International Babywearing Conference.  Our group is hosting June 29-July2nd, 2012 in Washington, DC!  The conference is a chance to meet babywearers from around the world and share tips, techniques, teaching methods, and just socialize.  Many creators of your favorite carriers attend, so it is a chance to learn directly from the creators.  You can read about the last conference in these posts. 

We've planned an exciting conference with a little bit for everyone.  Fri-Mon there will be classes to appeal to every level of babywearer, from the newest beginner to the seasoned educator.  There will also be non-babywearing classes on a variety of topics to appeal to parents.  On Saturday, there will be a public day with a Green Baby Expo vending hall, and general basics classes for those with only a casual interest who aren't up for committing to a multi-day conference.  This will be a great chance to see a variety of carriers in person, try some out, and purchase directly from the manufacturer! And as a special treat, Rachel Coleman from Signing Time will be our keynote speaker on Sunday!

This past weekend, we held a photo shoot downtown with Aimee Buxton Photography to gear up for the conference.  If you missed the shoot this weekend and still would like to participate, we will be having a second session with Melody Yazdani Photography on April 17th.  Email us for more details, or watch us on Facebook.  beltwaybwers@gmail.com.  While we wait for the photos from Aimee Buxton to be edited, Here are some unprofessional but still great shots caught by Joy from BWI of Delmarva who came to join us for photos.  It was a great preview of what it will be like to spend time with so many babywearers in our Nation's Capital!

Being models is tough work

A few families grabbed a chance for some fun, too!

So many babywearing parents!

The kids got in the act too!

I thought I was a Klutz: A babywearing journey

My experience with babywearing.  Well, it’s not an easy story, but it has its happy ending.  When I was pregnant, my friend gave me a long knit fabric (Moby) with some weird instructions which I assume where in English and I thought: “gee, this is a long piece of fabric and it seems complicated, just watching it makes me dizzy”.  She also gave us an Ergo.  Not as long but equally daunting.  

Once I had my squirmy gorgeous baby in my hands I noticed he loved the upright position and I took the booklet of instructions mentioned before and to the best of my abilities I tried to insert that squirmy being into the Moby.  With no avail.  I wanted so bad to “babywear”, and I remember my summer in the year 2000 in Germany, watching all these tall moms carrying those cute blond babies.  You don’t know me but I see myself as a klutz, or clumsy.  I'm a great cook, I dance like no one, I'm ok at yoga, but crafts, fabrics, strings, no, they are not for me.

Eager for someone to help me “wear” Jacob, my husband found Babywearing International, thank goodness for the internet and I thought:  “ Wow, a group of mums that help other people wear their little ones”.

The first meeting I found a group of relaxed, loving women and lots of happy little children also wearing their dolls.  It was a babywearing oasis, but to me, despite how helpful they were, they sounded in another language. This is totally on me, not a reflection of the group.  [Editor's note: We know we can be overwhelming, please tell us if we need to slow down or simplify.]

Many more scary long fabrics and a thousand contraptions did scare me but while I was there I was able to wear Jacob and I also learned that I had to practice.  I said my goodbye to the Moby but my husband and I found another carrier, one that  finally clicked with us.  I don’t think there are good or bad carriers, they all have advantages, its just a matter of trying and keep practicing.  We liked the Mei Tai and we kept carrying Jacob.

Catalina with Jacob in Bogota

The more I use the carriers the less it’s a scary thing.  We have a stroller, which we take when we will be out for many hours, and most of the time it’s useful to carry the diaper bag, the bottle of water and snacks.  I didn’t want to publicly acknowledge my stroller ownership but I do it in case there are more families who think that you should use either or.  I must say, when I have Jacob on a stroller I feel a bit guilty, I stop constantly to check on him, to talk to him. I feel an ocean of distance separating us.  While he is in the mei tai, I don’t have those feelings, he is usually happy, talks, babbles, sings and he still loves to cat nap while carried.  

I go to my birth country with frequency to be with relatives and having a carrier in the plane has been super useful.  I have scoliosis and I can't carry a 20+ pounds in arms for long.  Also, one day I was travelling solo (super hard) and I was picking up the luggage plus the baby. I had no extra hands, no one was around to help.  I put all the luggage on the cart including the stroller which wasn’t useful since I was already pushing a cart, and I wore Jacob.  When I exited the doors of Dulles airport all you could see was a mountain being pushed.  The carrier saved my life then.

Most of the time when I carry Jacob people smile at him, interact with us and I can see in their eyes that they “approve” or like seeing us walking that way.  But one time as I was getting ready to get Jacob for a walk in Bogota, a relative started teasing us, calling me “an Indian [indigenous]”.  That, to me is NO offense, but it got me thinking. Around the world, the middle classes use the standard stroller as the norm and it is traditional cultures that continue to wear the babies.  While I'm not passionate against a stroller (as you read I have one), I can tell you that being able to wear Jacob has been a wonderful experience, one that has augmented my joy of being a mother and being close to him, heart to heart.   

So if you are clumsy, have your doubts, think it is too hard for you, I tell you convincingly to give it a try, to practice and in no time your baby will wrap his legs around you as a sign that he loves and expect you to wear him or her.

Posted by Catalina

The New Obimama!

About a month ago, you all helped us to win a new carrier for our library from Obimama!  It came in the mail and several of you have had a chance to try it at meetings, so I present some beautiful photos of our lovely mamas and their babies trying out this beautiful wrap conversion!

Tutorial: Rucksack with a Woven Wrap

This carry is a popular choice for those looking for a high back carry. The creation of the seat is the MOST important point of this carry. If you do not carefully ensure that the wrap is tucked well between you, it can pop out from under baby creating a fall hazard. I regularly reach back when using this carry to double check and make sure my wrap hasn't wiggled loose. Another thing to be sure of, you want that bottom rail to be snug, but if you pull it TIGHT, you will likely have worse butt popage. While this carry looks "easy," I actually find it to be one of the more challenging carries to get correct. Please practice kneeling on the floor or on/next to the bed until you are confident with your carry.




If you want additional help, please come to a meeting and we'll be happy to give you some hands-on help.

Posted by Ann Marie

Winter Newborn Wearing

Last winter I did a post talking about Winter Babywearing, and a lot of what I talked about could apply from newborn - toddler, but today we're going to focus on those newbies.  Wearing your baby leaves your hands free to hold railings when walking down potentially slippery stairs. 

One thing to consider when wearing a newborn is what type of carrier will be a good choice?  Many of the best choices for newborns in general are also great for newborns in winter.  A ring sling, stretchy or woven wrap can be a great choice because they are easy to put on under your coat before leaving the house.

I have had 3 winter newborns.  I didn't wear all of them, but I did get a chance to try out a variety of ways for keeping newborns comfortable in the winter.  None of the carseat/stroller cover/blanket combinations that I tried made me feel as confident that my baby was comfortable as babywearing did.

A few general notes:  Always make sure that your baby has an open airway and a path to fresh air.  If it is so cold out that your baby will suffer from breathing the fresh air, it is too cold and you need to find shelter.  I like to dress babies in layers.  With my oldest I always put a onesie under her clothes, my second and third were warmer babies and didn't like the extra layer.  I also used fleece footie jammies a lot.  Babylegs (or cut off adult knees socks) over or under pants were nice because they could be removed if you were moved into an indoor location that was warm.  I preferred to use my jacket instead of trying to put a jacket on baby.  It made loading them in the sling a lot faster, and it meant they shared in my body heat.  I always knew if they were too warm or too cold because we were sharing the same heat.  So, if I was hot or cold, so was baby.


As for how to do the carrying.  I recommend putting your carrier on before you leave the house.  Wrap or ring sling under your coat.  Then when you get to your destination, you can pop baby out of the carseat and into the carrier before they've had a chance to register the cold.  With a woven wrap a FCC or kangaroo carry can be a nice poppable option.  With a stretchy, the standard PWCC works fine.

I do recommend a hat for your baby.  It can easily be removed when you get inside and tucked in your pocket.  I also recommend unzipping your jacket or removing it once inside to help prevent baby from overheating.

Use extreme caution if nursing in a carrier in a coat with a newborn.  I did do it with my 3rd while taking the older kids to the playground, but I made sure to remain VERY aware of when the suckling slowed so that I could readjust her position.  If you feel you are in a situation that you will be distracted, I recommend not nursing inside the coat.


When wearing a newborn, you do not need a babywearing coat, an oversized jacket that you wore while pregnant will do the job just fine.  Once baby is a little older and you are regularly doing back carries, a babywearing jacket might be a worthwhile investment.  You can also DIY.  Hiking with baby in a back carry under a coat is a wonderful wintertime activity.  Enjoy the fun of wearing your baby and sharing your heat. :)