Guest Post from the Wrap Your Rainbow Project

Happy Saturday, Midlands Babywearers!

Today we're pleased to share a guest post. Introduction is written by one of our admins, Chris N, and the post itself is written by Kristi Bothur. You can read more from Kristi at www.citymomsblog.com/columbiasc

Babywearers of the Midlands is all about spreading the babywearing love.  But our purpose runs deeper than that.  We love to talk about carriers, wraps and slings, but our real goal is to support families in their parenting journeys.  Sometimes those journeys can take unexpected and difficult turns and we want to be there to help support your family as a babywearing community through both the good times and hard times.

Infant loss impacts many around us and yet we often have no idea.  It can be a lonely experience that people are uncomfortable talking about or acknowledging right when someone most needs support. That grief can be a deep, dark place. 

Just as after a dark and terrible storm a rainbow gives us hope and reminds us of beauty, the birth of a child after a loss often brings joy and hope into a heart that has been shadowed with grief.  For this reason, a child born after a loss is called a Rainbow Baby.  A rainbow does not erase the changes brought by a storm, but instead brings light and hope.  Babywearers of the Midlands is happy to support Naomi’s Circle in their ministry of reaching out to families in times of loss and celebrating rainbows babies through babywearing.

Kristi Bothur is the founder of Naomi’s Circle, the creator of the Wrap your Rainbow Project, and a mother of five children, three angels and two who are here with her on earth.  Read more about her journey and the Wrap your Rainbow Project below.

 Wrap Your Rainbow - by Kristi Bothur

My first tentative steps into baby wearing were after my daughter was born.  My mom had given me a ring sling she had picked up at a consignment sale.  I figured out how to use it as best I could and carried my baby everywhere in it for the next several months.  Unfortunately, it never quite felt like it fit.  The edges were padded and I could only tighten it so much before they got caught in the rings.  Once, I saw a magazine picture with a mom carrying her baby in a different kind of ring sling, and it looked so much cozier than mine, but I could never figure out where to find one, and no one else I knew had anything like it, so by six months or so, babywearing had faded into a sweet memory of something I'd had a taste of, but never really got to savor.

Four years later, I was preparing for the birth of my son.  In the intervening years, we had lost three children during first and second trimester miscarriages. I was scared, anxious, excited, thankful, apprehensive...you name the emotion and I probably felt it!  But I was also eager to try different things with this baby, things I hadn't fully experienced the first time around.  Like cloth diapering and babywearing, in particular.  A good friend, Dawn, got me started by letting me use her Moby wrap.  Another friend, Chris, loaned me some of her ring slings, and one of them - a Maya Wrap - was just like the magazine picture from when my daughter was a baby!  Yes!  I had found my sweet spot of babywearing.  For the next year, I explored as many kinds of carriers and wraps as I could find or make, I joined The Swap on Facebook (dangerous, but fun!), and had a blast learning how to wear my sweet Rainbow baby, as a baby born after a loss is often called.

Wrap Your Baby's donation: an Easycare Rainbow

Then one day I was checking out the Wrap Your Baby Facebook page and found that they were advertising a new rainbow wrap.  The description of it included mention of the strength that it takes to move on after a loss and the hope that a rainbow represents.  I was suddenly seized by the beauty of a rainbow baby being worn in a rainbow wrap.  An idea tickled my mind.  After our losses, we had begun a local ministry called Naomi's Circle (www.naomiscircle.org) for fellow bereaved parents.  What if we could acquire several rainbow wraps and, through our ministry, loan them to local rainbow moms as an expression of the love of God and hope for the future?  I wrote to Diana of Wrap Your Baby to tell her what her post had inspired, and she immediately offered to donate a wrap for our outreach, an act of generosity that encouraged me to pursue this idea.

Shannon: the 1st Wrap your Rainbow Recipient

Over the next several months, we acquired several more wraps and ring slings, and in September 2013, our first Wrap Your Rainbow mom was selected.  The way the outreach works, we open a form on our website for requests from Rainbow Moms every two or three months.  If there is more than one applicant, we choose someone at random.  Recipients, who must be local, receive a woven rainbow wrap to use for a year, after which time they are asked to return it to Naomi's Circle for a new Rainbow parent.  Other details can be found on the Wrap Your Rainbow page of our website.

Carolynne: another Wrap your Rainbow recipient

If you are a parent who has lost a baby in pregnancy or early infancy, my heart goes out to you.  I hope you will check out our website for information about where and how to find support for the journey you are on.  It doesn't matter how long ago your loss was - sometimes reaching out to others even years later can be incredibly healing.  If you are the parent of a Rainbow baby, I encourage you to check out the Wrap Your Rainbow page.  We want to offer support to you, too, at a time of both intense joy and surprising tears as you celebrate your baby on Earth and remember your baby in Heaven, and this was the most tangible way we could think of to do it.


We hope all of you - whether you are parents of a rainbow baby or not - make your way to www.naomiscircle.org to check it out and see if there is a way you can find or offer support to other parents who have been through so much.

Next up on BoTM calendar is our weekday meeting on Thursday, February 27th at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Broad River Road and we will discuss the Ergonomics of Babywearing. Our March meetings will focus on Babywearing on a Budget!

Week of Love Giveaway and our love of Ring Slings

Happy Sunday, Babywearers of the Midlands!

When we did the cold weather babywearing meeting at the end of January, we had no idea how often we would have a chance to use what we learned this winter! Mother Nature sure has thrown us a curve ball. We hope all of you stayed warm, kept busy, and that babywearing helped mitigate the cabin fever running rampant through your house while we were all shut in the majority of this past week.

Since we were all closed in, and had little but our families and technology to occupy us, we hope everyone got a chance to enter in one of our fantastic giveaways this week. The prizes and winners  are below:



We'd like to thank the contributors, in no particular order: Bravado Designs, Diva Cup, Cupcake, Dr. Bronner's Soaps, Chocolate Monkey, Macaroni Baby, Snappi, Hape Toys, Marah Rutland, DC, Skyebaby Dipes, PURE, Bella Tutus, Silly Lily, and Charley Mae Designs.

 Ring Slings

What is a ring sling? Ring slings are long rectangles of fabric that thread through two rings for adjustability.  The tail is the piece of fabric that hangs down from the rings. Pulling on the tail tightens the sling. Three key bits of Ring Sling anatomy: Tail, Rings, and Shoulder.

The Tail is the fabric hanging down from the ring. It does not matter, from a safety perspective, if you have six inches of tail or a whole yard of tail. That is personal preference. A longer tail can be flipped up for a nursing cover or wrapped around the rings for padding if you do not like it just hanging down.
The Rings: it is of utmost importance that the rings be made specifically for babywearing, smooth and with no welded joints that could break or fracture from stress. www.slingrings.com is the place to purchase them if you are sewing your own ring sling or want to try some for a no-sew ring sling. Either aluminum or nylon offered on the site are perfectly safe. Most people prefer the aluminum rings. I have nylon in my water ring sling, and like them for that purpose. Please do not buy craft or hardware rings for this purpose, and if buying a ring sling off of Etsy.com or another WAHM maker, be sure to ask if sling rings were used, if the listing does not say.
The Shoulder: is the way the fabric is sewn, coming from the rings, to fit over your shoulder. There are several different styles, and nearly every ring sling user out there has a passionate preference. It's a personal choice, and it is really hard to say what makes one style preferable over another.
A short word about SBP (Sleeping Baby Productions/Jan Andrea) Her website is an endless fount of information on babywearing and ring slings, including tons of DIY tutorials. In fact, you can see her summary of shoulder styles and how-to here.
 

SBP (sleeping baby productions, sewn by Jan Andrea of www.sleepingbaby.net) - this is a pleated shoulder, a very common one you will see listed on babywearing swap pages

Eetsi - another shoulder style offered by Sleeping Baby Productions. it's a hybrid gathered/pleated shoulder. Many parents prefer this style for wrap conversion ring slings (abbreviated WCRS)  - where you can send a woven wrap into a maker to be made into a ring sling.

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Gathered: one of the most common of DIY sewn shoulder styles

 


Padded or Lightly padded: The Maya Wrap ring sling has this sort of shoulder.



Hot Dog - this is a narrow pleated style that fans can be spread out. The term "hotdog" comes from the observation that the fabric, when folded in towards the center several times, makes a sort of hotdog-bun shape. The sling's edges end up inside the folds, rather than along the outside of the sling.



 Ring Sling Fabric:

 
Most woven fabrics can be used in a ring sling. 100% cotton, silk blends, linen and linen blends, all find their way into ring slings. I would not want a stretchy or jersey material for a ring sling. It will not hold tension as well and will be less safe for your baby. In water slings you will see athletic mesh used; this is safe as long as the material is not too stretchy. Whether you make your own ring slingare or go to buy one, keep some things in mind about the fabric used. You want durability - in general, you'll want to look for "bottomweights" -- that is, fabrics that are used for sewing pants and skirts. This includes twills, linens, and heavier woven cottons. Within that category, you'll want something fairly lightweight. Weaves like twill and jacquard, which are woven in a complex pattern, will not tear easily (good!). Simpler weaves, often called "plain weave" because the threads just go over and under each other, like a checkerboard, can tear more easily (bad). This is the case with calico and many shirtweight fabrics.

Sizing:

Ring Slings are sized from extra small to extra large, starting at 65 inches and going up to 85 inches. The sizes increase in increments of 5 inches, thus a medium is 75 inches long. The size is measured by the length of the fabric from rings to tail. It does not necessarily correspond with shirt size. The majority of people can use any size ring sling, the only difference will be the amount of fabric hanging from the tail, which, as stated above, is personal preference. Most people like the tail to hit about hip level, but that is, of course, a preference that varies from person to person.
 

Use and trouble shooting:

 
Ring slings are generally fairly easy to use. You slide it over your head, with the rings at shoulder height or higher with the fabric cupping a shoulder. (which shoulder you choose is personal preference. I wear my rings on my left shoulder so I can tighten right handed. Some choose to wear the rings on the dominant side because they tend to carry baby on the opposite hip). Before you put your baby in the sling, make sure the fabric on your back is well spread out and the bottom rail (the edge closest to the floor) is fairly snug by tightening the edge of the tail furthest from your body. Now you can put your baby in your sling, facing you, in an upright position. In most cases, you want baby's legs out of the sling so their bottom is sitting in the pocket. While holding your baby close to you, tighten the top rail of the sling by pulling down on the edge of the tail closest to baby until it is snug. Baby's knees should be above their hips if they are seated comfortably, and they should be high enough to kiss and check their airway. (see last week's blog post about TICKS). The top rail should reach the baby's shoulders, and the bottom rail should create a nice wide knee-to-knee seat, with some fabric in between you and baby. With an older baby or toddler, you can have baby on your hip as you tighten, and they can wiggle their arms out if they prefer, as long as the top rail remains snug under their armpits.

 
 The most common complaint we see about ring slings is the shoulder - it creeps up the neck or is just plain uncomfortable. This week, on our Facebook page, Emily helped troubleshoot these problems. If the troubleshooting suggestions do not work for you, you may want to try a different shoulder style. Don't be shy to ask the members in the Facebook group. Often one of us has (or has had) different types of ring slings and may be able to help you find one to love.
 

 
 
1ST PIC - I seem to have problems with the wrap creeping up my neck (and this is an Eesti shoulder - it's even worse with a gathered shoulder - if anyone has a box or hotdog shoulder we need to connect ).

2ND PIC - my first solution. I loosen the top rail and flip the top of the shoulder over to keep it off my neck without having to slide it too far down my arm pinning me down. Then I re-tighten the top rail.

3RD PIC - my second solution. I start with the rings almost on my back then when I'm done adjusting it ends up in that dip right in front of my shoulder below my collar bone. I find it creeps less and doesn't pin my arm down as much when I do it this way.

The two things I find most helpful when adjusting baby are: 1 - make sure the fabric is evenly bunched in the rings and not overlapping (helps it not slip and you can tighten easier) 2 - When I tighten my bottom rail, I pull back and down towards my hip (away from the center of the rings - again helps it to not overlap). When I tighten my top rail, I pull the opposite direction - so up, out and away from my body (again away from the center of the rings).

Lifting baby's weight with my other hand make adjustments easier as it lessens the tension on the rings. Some people keep the wrap tight and then have minimal adjustments. I had a hugo baby and found that frustrating so I loosened a lot and got really good at adjusting Some people take baby out of the top (hubby does) but I pop baby's seat and lift the RS over their body and take them out that way - easier for me to move the fabric than the baby. I think it started when he would fall asleep.



 If you have other questions, or just want to connect to other local Babywearers, head to our Facebook page, or come to a meeting or playdate!
 
Our next meeting is Thursday, February 27th at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Broad River Road. It starts at 10 a.m. We'll be talking more about the Ergonomics of Babywearing.
 
Our March meetings cover a hot topic - Babywearing on Budget! Come join us the first Saturday at Expecting Well on Gervais, or the last Thursday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Broad River. Both meetings start at 10 a.m.
 
We will also have play dates scattered throughout the month. Hope to see everyone soon, and happy Babywearing!

Ergonomics - Why we wear and how -

It's Saturday again, Midlands Babywearers!

That means it's Blog Day, and it's also our first official Saturday Meeting at Expecting Well on Gervais St. We have some exciting things in store for all of our followers in the week ahead, including a giveaway!

Your Babywearers of the Midlands Admins LOVE what is happening in this group. We have been hard at work this last month planning awesome things for you and working on a great way to celebrate our first month. We will kick off a WEEK OF LOVE starting Saturday morning at our 10:00 AM meeting at Expecting Well.


This LOVEFEST will run through Valentine's Day (only fitting, right?) Come back and enter daily for a chance at one of our great prizes! We've had some generous local and national vendors make donations. 

Our first prize that will be given away Saturday morning at the meeting is a Hape Push and Pull Galloping Zebra toy.  Attend the meeting and enter for your chance to win!

The focus today is Ergonomics. What is Ergonomics and how does it apply to babywearing? We are glad you asked!

From About.com: "At its simplest definition ergonomics literally means the science of work. So ergonomists, i.e. the practitioners of ergonomics, study work, how work is done and how to work better. . .
It is used in design in many complex ways. However, what you, or the user, is most concerned with is, “How can I use the product or service, will it meet my needs, and will I like using it?” Ergonomics helps define how it is used, how it meets you needs, and most importantly if you like it. It makes things comfy and efficient."

Ergonomics, in other words, has everything to do with babywearing. From the carrier you choose, to why you choose to babywear, and what you do while babywearing. It can be the reason why you got into babywearing, and it might be the reason why some of you gave up trying to babywear (if the ergonomics were not working for you).

Ergonomics for You: the parent (or grandparent, or caregiver)

Chris - wearing her newborn

The main reason why many of us first choose babywearing is that we want to be able to get on with life and get things done, while having our hands and arms free for tasks other than just holding our baby. We want to do that in a way that is comfortable for us, is user friendly, and is accessible. One reason why there are so many different types of carriers out there is that what may be comfortable for one person and fit that individual perfectly may not work at all for another person. The wide variety of carriers out there ensures that there is a carrier available that meets your needs and wants. If you have narrow shoulders, are full busted, are petite framed or a tall babywearing dad, you want to find a carrier that works for you.

When considering ergonomics for the parent, you want to consider how well the carrier distributes the weight of the baby on the wearer.  Spreading the weight of your child to shoulders, back and hips takes the pressure off specific muscle groups. What you want to look for is a carrier that holds your baby in nice and close to your body, rather than one that allows your baby to lean away. This is particularly important if you have pre-existing lower back issues as you don’t want to be leaning backwards to compensate for this. Woven wraps, ring slings, SSCs (soft structured or buckled carriers), and Mei Tai are all designed to hold your baby in close, therefore minimizing the strain on your body. They each have different ways of helping to disperse the carrying weight of the baby appropriately on you, the wearer.  Of these, Ring Slings are probably the least ergonomic for long periods, as they are worn on only one shoulder. Ring Slings are great for quick trips, toddlers who want up and down often, and newborns. Wearing a Ring Sling for a long period of time can become uncomfortable for some wearers due to the one-shouldered nature of the carry. Many parents gravitate towards woven wraps due to their versatility. They can be worn with baby on your front, back or hip and can be wrapped in many different carries to vary how the weight of the baby is dispersed. SSCs and Mei Tais are perhaps the most user-friendly option but are less versatile. Still, baby can be worn on your front or back (or even hip, if you prefer) - and different brands of SSC and Mei Tai fit individuals differently.

Wearing your little one should be as easy on your body as it is for baby.  The support of a well-designed carrier helps prevent exacerbating old injuries, creating new injuries, or causing headaches.  Pain while carrying should not be ignored.  You may need to evaluate the weight distribution of the carrier itself.  Exercises can be done to strengthen the muscles that take most of the weight. Starting off wearing for short periods of time and building up to longer periods is another method of achieving muscle strength.  Having multiple carrier options (yes, you have our permission to get more carriers!) can help decrease repetitive stress to muscles and joints.  Whenever possible, use a carrier or carry that distributes to both shoulders and hips or alternate sides if using a ring sling or hip carrier to keep more balance in the muscle groups. 

One of the more common comments I get when I'm wearing one of my children out and about is "I

wore mine in a Bjorn (or other narrow based carrier) or stretchy wrap but had to stop because it got uncomfortable" Or "we tried but my baby HATED it". Baby Bjorns, and other narrow based carriers that allow for front facing, are less ergonomic for both you and your baby. They are not unsafe carriers and using them for short periods does no harm for most babies. (Caveat: if your baby already suffers from hip dysplasia, or is otherwise prone to hip dysplasia, narrow based carriers can exacerbate that issue).  The problem with these carriers for the wearer is that when baby is facing out, their body weight is pulling against your center of gravity as they lean forward, which throws of the wearer's center of gravity. Especially as baby gets bigger and heavier, that can cause the wearer to lean backwards to compensate and eventually will likely become very uncomfortable, if not painful. Past a certain weight (usually 15 lbs or so), stretchy wraps have the same difficulty. They sag, stretch to far, and begin to pull on the wearer's shoulders, causing the wearer to lean back to compensate and eventually become uncomfortable, and sometimes even painful. There is nothing wrong with either of these carriers - I know people that use them and love them, and the babies are happy to be worn! But if and when they become uncomfortable for either of you, just know that there are other options out there that will be more ergonomic for both of you.

If all you have is narrow based carrier, and no budget for a new one, there are ways to make it more comfortable and ergonomic for both you and baby. We'll demonstrate this at the meetings this month, and here is a blog post on how.

Ergonomics for Baby

Babies love to be held. One of the cardinal rules of babywearing is you want to wear your baby (especially your newborn) in a position similar to how you would hold them in arms. There is a wealth of information out there on why babywearing -ergonomically- is great for baby. You can learn more by reading here, here, and here, just to start. I want to cover two basic, easy to remember principles: TICKS  and the M position.

TICKS stands for:

Katrina with 3 day old Theo in a ring sling

Tight - slings and carriers should be tight enough to hug your baby close to you as this will be most comfortable for you both. Any slack/loose fabric will allow your baby to slump down in the carrier which can hinder their breathing and pull on your back.
In view at all times - you should always be able to see your baby’s face by simply glancing down. The fabric of a sling or carrier should not close around them so you have to open it to check on them. In a cradle position your baby should face upwards not be turned in towards your body.
Close enough to kiss - your baby’s head should be as close to your chin as is comfortable. By tipping your head forward you should be able to kiss your baby on the head or forehead.
Keep chin off Chest - a baby should never be curled so their chin is forced onto their chest as this can restrict their breathing. Ensure there is always a space of at least a finger width under your baby’s chin.
Supported back - in an upright carry a baby should be held comfortably close to the wearer so their back is supported in its natural position and their tummy and chest are against you. If a sling is too loose they can slump which can partially close their airway. (This can be tested by placing a hand on your baby’s back and pressing gently - they should not uncurl or move closer to you.) A baby in a cradle carry in a pouch or ring sling should be positioned carefully with their bottom in the deepest part so the sling does not fold them in half pressing their chin to their chest.

M Position:

There is an ideal leg position which centers the leg bones in to the middle of the hipsocket and thus aids the development of baby's hips. It's described as M-position, frog-position or spread-squat-position and means that baby's knees are higher up than his bottom and that his legs are spread apart. Babies automatically assume this position when lifted up, because it's also ideal for being carried on the mothers hip. Also babies treated for hip dysplasia using a harness or pillow have their legs in this position.

A baby carried in the M-position will have a rounded back because the tilt in the pelvis causes the spine to become rounded and vice versa.
In a cradle carry (baby is lying on her back in a hammock-style sling) a correct M-position cannot be achieved because her legs cannot be spread. So this position is not recommended at all by hip dysplasia specialists. Instead upright positions, especially on the mothers hip are better for the hip, if a carrier supports correct positioning and a round back.

Here are some pictures showing the M-position in a newborn, a 4-month old and a toddler:

Pictured are all babies in woven wraps, but this ideal M position can be achieved in Soft Structured Carriers, Mei Tai, Ring Slings, and even stretchy wraps (with young babies), as long as the fabric is supporting baby from knee to knee.











Ergonomics is important for both you and your baby, to keep you both comfortable and happy, and wearing for as long as you both would want to. With an ergonomic carrier, I have, and you can, easily wear your growing toddler and even your preschooler, when they are wanting to be held. It has saved my arms from growing numb holding my children in arms, and helped my back stay pain free. I hope you have learned a lot from this, and wear your babies ergonomically for many months, and even years, to come!

Happy Wearing!

Find us on Facebook and don't forget to enter our week long LoveFest Giveaways!

Soft Structured Carriers - an overview and reviews of two favorites

It's warming up, Midlands Babywearers!

With all of the snow (all two to four inches!), I'm sure many of you got to put into practice some of the cold weather babywearing techniques we learned only a little over a week ago. And true to South Carolina weather fickleness, the temps are rising already and it will soon feel like spring. Which means a lot more outside time. Hiking, gardening, trips to the zoo . . . what do you have planned for spring?

One of my favorite carriers for being outside is a Soft Structured Carrier. I often refer to a Soft Structured Carrier by it's abbreviation SSC or Buckle Carrier. A Soft Structured Carrier is a carrier which incorporates padding, stitching and/or stiff fabrics, rather than a rigid frame, to provide the structure. Most often refers to a modernized version of a mei tai that has a firmly padded hip/waist belt in place of the waist straps, and well-padded shoulder straps with buckle adjuster/fasteners.

A SSC has one of the shortest learning curves, is daddy/babysitter/grandparent friendly, and it is well known for its ease of use. There are many brands available online and in stores, and finding the right one for you can be a challenge. Things to look for: height and width of the body panel, length of straps and waist band, extra features (sleeping hood, infant insert, pockets), and adjustability, both for the wearer and for wearee.  This chart is one of the most comprehensive I've found, and covers pretty much all the bases for some of the most common SSCs available.

Two local SSC favorites are the Ergo, which is available in many stores (TJ Maxx, Target, BuyBuyBaby, and BabiesRUs) and the Kinderpack available online here. The Ergo has a lower price point - bought new, it ranges from $105 - $148 (depending on the model. There are a few differences, but the basics of it remain the same. Mostly the materials and sometimes the length of straps and waistband may differ). The Kinderpack starts at $164.00. It is important to note, like most carriers, if you take good care of it, carriers retain a good portion of their value. The Ergo (depending on model, color choice, etc) can be resold for 50-75% of its value and the Kinderpack (depending on the fabric, condition, etc) can be resold for at LEAST 75% of its value. The ones I see on the facebook swap are selling for $120-$150. 

A more in depth review of the Ergo is below. It was my first SSC, and my oldest son and I had many happy babywearing moments in it. This review is from Melissa, and her daughter is Hannah. The pictures you see are of Hannah at ages 11 and 13 months. Above and to the left is Carmen and newborn Tristan.

I came to own my first SSC, a cranberry Ergo, when a friend recommended it to me and offered to sell me hers.  I purchased an infant insert and waited for my daughter to be born! I impatiently waited and practiced using my carrier with a teddy bear.  June finally arrived and my little girl replaced the teddy bear in my arms and in my Ergo.  The Ergo was fantastic for giving my arms a rest, keeping her snug, and helping us battle her acid reflux.  Although I had heard complaints about the Ergo being hot during our Columbia summers, I found it no hotter than normal in this blazing heat when a small warm body is tucked up closely to you.  The infant insert took a little more practice that Teddy hadn’t been able to provide now that I had a wiggling, breathing baby. Initially, I wasn’t sure we needed to spend the extra money for the insert but we definitely used it for her tiny self to fit comfortably.  As my daughter reached 5 months of age, we ditched the infant insert and graduated to using the Ergo with an elastic hairband to cinch the bottom of the seat and push her up higher during this transition time of growth spurts.  At 6 months of age, she was finally able to sit comfortably in the Ergo without any aids.  The Ergo has several sets of straps for adjusting which made it great for when we flipped back and forth between front and back carries.  The padded shoulders were cushy for long, long periods of wearing her and I could even cross the straps for a different weight distribution in a front carry.  The structured waistband helped carry some of the weight on my hips so my shoulders weren’t taking the brunt.  Although it is easy to wash, I purchased suck pads to protect the straps from chewing or spit up which also helped add a bit of pizzazz to this generally neutral carrier.  This SSC was our main workhorse carrier until my daughter was 14 months old. At that point she was no longer supported knee to knee, she was tall enough to lean back over the top of the seat and my shoulders, back and hips started hurting during the longer carries.  We moved up to another larger size SSC and confidently passed along our Ergo to another little one.  I have no problem recommending an Ergo to other parents knowing what a good experience we had using it for our daughter.

A closer look at the Kinderpack is below. I'm reviewing the standard size. (They are available in infant, standard, toddler, and preschooler).

Pictured below is my 3 month old nephew being worn by his grandma, my 10 month old being worn by my husband, and last is Ashleigh, wearing her 1 year old daughter.

 I love woven wraps. They are beautiful, practical, and so versatile. That said, I found myself needing something faster for when we are on the go. I have three children, ages 4, 2, and 10 months. I often take them out by myself, and I need something I can use quickly, in a parking lot, that I don't have to worry about getting destroyed by muck. I also needed something I could comfortably use for both my 2 year old and her baby brother, since I wear both frequently. She (Norah) is 35 inches tall and about 26 pounds. Her baby brother (Theo) is now about 30 inches tall and 21 pounds. I needed a carrier that had a wide enough base to grow with my youngest (who was already pretty big) and would support Norah pretty much knee to knee. The Ergo I had from when my first was little is only 14 inches wide and about as tall. The Boba I had switched to after he had outgrown it was no better. Many of my local friends had a standard size Kinderpack and loved theirs, so I gave it a try. At 16 inches high by 17 inches wide, it seemed like it would be a much better fit for the two children I frequently wore. It also has features I found enticing - like a stuffable sleeping hood for those floppy headed naps and PFA's (perfect fit adjusters) so both my husband and I could adjust the straps for a more custom fit. He is 6'6" tall and I'm only 4'11" - finding carriers we are both comfortable with isn't easy, and the option of a kool knit/comfort mesh panel to maintain breathability during the hot, South Carolina summer. So I bit the bullet and bought one brand new, so I could get a pattern I loved and it wasn't really much more expensive than buying used.

My husband, children, and I love it! The straps are very comfortable, the waistband adjusts easily for both of us, and most of all the fit is great on both kids. The only thing I do not like is that the straps aren't quite long enough to cross in the back when worn in a front carry (which I prefer, so I can avoid the awkward chest clip and don't have buckles rubbing under my arms). That's ok, though, I have another carrier that works perfectly for that (an Olives and Applesauce SSC, which you can find more about here. I'll review it at a later date)

In the future, we plan on doing a lot more reviews, and would love your input. If you have a carrier you loved, hated, grew to love, or grew to hate (it happens!), we would love your feedback and reviews. You can message me, Katrina, on Facebook, or contact us through this blog.

We hope to see all of you at our next meeting, February 8th, at Expecting Well on Gervais Street. We'll start at 10:00. The focus will be the Ergonomics of Babywearing, but, as always, there will be time to chat, ask questions, and try on carriers.