Advent calendar: 8. On babywearing

I wholeheartedly recommend babywearing to any parent. It allows you the time and ability to actually do (some) things even if you’d otherwise have a sleepy or grumpy baby in your arms. It also provides closeness and comfort to you both. Sometimes it’s the only way I’ve managed to get Polly to sleep. Sometimes it’s the only way I’ve managed to get some work done. Sometimes it’s the only way I’ve managed to get out of the house. It’s saved my sanity, and also saved Polly a lot of tears.

Our first wrap, I bought second hand off eBay. It is a long, stretchy, warm one from UK based company Calin Bleu (French for “blue hug”, where the blue is supposed to represent calm not sadness!). I can’t find the exact design on the website any more, but it’s black with a panel of large rainbow coloured dots. She’s in it right now. This photo is of her toes at four months old:

When she was smaller, I used to always use the Pocket Wrap Cross Carry because I could easily slip her in and out of it all day without having to tie it up again. When she got bigger that got more awkward, and I preferred to tie it fresh each time. Those times (and now, in fact), I used the Front Wrap Cross Carry instead.

In Spring time I wondered how long I could use such a fleecy wrap as the weather warmed up. I decided to get a woven one, thinking it would be cooler. I chose the Ellaroo wrap from Little Possums – probably simply because of the lovely rainbow colourway choices. It is shorter than the Calin Bleu Wrap, but for the ties I do (and for my size) it’s absolutely fine. For a while I preferred it because of the temperature, and also with it not being stretchy it felt firmer.

I can’t tell you anything about ring slings because I’ve never used one. They do look good though – see BabyEtte’s etsy shop, plus I enjoy her Twitter feed for pictures and other babywearing related things.

I never got the hang of any back wraps. I tried a couple of times (though to be honest, when Polly was a fair bit smaller) but it either didn’t work or didn’t feel safe. I just can’t do it! In order to carry her on my back, I recently bought a Patapum carrier. It’s still a little nerve wracking and I haven’t gone out with her in it yet, but I often bob her in it on an afternoon, for example while making dinner. She seems to like it. Neal even carried her in it when we were shopping once, too.

Polly is currently attached to me with the stretchy Calin Bleu wrap. she has been for the whole time I was writing this post (even though it was spread over more than twelve hours).

If you’re into attachment parenting, babywearing is an absolute must.