Welcome to Babywearers of the Midlands!  We strive to have a friendly, welcoming group where people can come to learn, explore, and share their interest in babywearing.

We have two educational meetings a month, a weekday meeting and a weekend meeting with rotating topics. We will have additional meet-ups and play dates at least once a month.  We'll be using this blog as a place to spotlight carriers, share educational information about babywearing, and follow up after meetings with what we discussed as well as pictures and more.

Our first meeting will be held on Thursday, January 23^rd, 2014. Meet us at the Church of Latter Day Saints on Broad River Road at 10:00 a. m. The topic will be cold weather babywearing. Join us to learn how to wear your baby, stay warm, and save money doing it!

Find us on Facebook for links to events, questions, and discussions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/385538544923566/

 We have 5 leaders who each have different favorite carriers and wearing styles.  For more on our fearless leaders, see below:

  

Katrina- I'm a Work at Home Mom of three, ages 4, 2, and 10 months. I started with a Moby (stretchy wrap) and an Ergo, and now mostly use woven wraps and soft structured carriers. I also love ring slings, especially for newborns and nursing. I still wear my 2 year old almost daily for naps, and often need to wear two of my three at the same time. Babywearing is a skill I love having in my parenting toolbox - I believe it’s something valuable enough that every parent should have it in his or her toolbox. My husband uses Soft Structured Carriers also. I look forward to sharing my experiences, meeting new people, and learning even more about a topic dear to my heart.

 Ashleigh- I am a special education teacher and mom to a spunky 2.5 year old daughter. My first carrier was a baby k'tan and I used it until my back couldn't take it anymore! I then branched out to Soft Structured Carriers and ring slings. Wrapping seemed so intimidating so I didn't try it for a long time. Now I encourage everyone to try it! Each carrier has a different purpose for me, and I have honed my stash down to one SSC, one ring sling, and one wrap. With an independent toddler, I have to make the most of my remaining babywearing days! I'd love to help you find what meets your needs the best!:)

 Chris-I am a stay at home mom of 4, ranging in ages from 8 months to 11 yrs.  I love to read and I am a car seat safety nut!  I started my babywearing journey with a narrow seated carrier, added a Nojo padded ring sling and a frame style backpack carrier.  I eventually retired the padded ring sling (could never figure it out) and added a pouch and was gifted a Moby.  I really broke into the world of babywearing because I needed to travel with three kids by myself and needed something that could allow me to get through airports with a one year old runner and still have enough hands to hang onto my preschooler and drag luggage.  I now love my soft structured carriers for longer wearing stretches, a ring sling for quick up and downs and new baby snuggles, and wraps for sweet baby cuddles and wearing to sleep.  The Daddy in our house likes his Mei Tai and has started rocking Momma’s flowery SSC!   

 

Jackie- I am a stay at home homeschooling mom of 5 between the ages of 12 and 1, 4 boys and a girl. I have been babywearing for almost 12 years. I started with a ringsling with my first. With my second I picked up a mei tai and soft structured carrier, my third I added a moby and learned how to wear two babies at once. I really got into babywearing after I had my fourth. I met up with some awesome mamas who have become great friends and found a whole world of baby carriers. I now love and have a collection of medium and long woven wraps and some soft structured carriers. Babywearing is a necessity for me having so many children, as well as a fun hobby I love to share.

Emily- I’m a stay at home mom to one active little dude - 20 months old. I love cooking, am a birth doula and a Prenatal Yoga Instructor. Before moving to Columbia in the last year, I was very active in the birthing community in Louisville, KY. During one of our many mama events, I wandered by the local Babywearing booth and was drawn in by a gorgeous piece of fabric – later to be identified as a Girasol Amitola Yellow Weft. That was it – I was hooked. Problem was I didn’t have a baby to wear . . . yet. We became pregnant through IVF later that year and I attended several of their meetings before little man arrived. I was given a Moby, made my first Ring Sling and bought a Zanytoes (local for us) Mei Tai when baby was 6 weeks old. That was my stash for 9 months until I bought my first woven (Girasol Snow Rainbow DW) and the addiction began. I love shorties, hemp and linen blends and learning new carries. Early on I tried out Soft Structure Carriers but couldn’t find one that fit both me and hubby (who wears too). Through a wonderfully helpful babywearing friend’s generous lending, I entered the SSC world and love it! Thanks to Jackie, Babywearing helped me with a very colicky baby who had a really hard time transitioning to sleep. It totally saved us. I’m still pretty new in this sometimes overwhelming babywearing world and love helping mamas navigate their way and discover their confidence in their own babywearing journey.