Beco Soleil Reviews, Pictures, and Winner of the Giveaway!

Happy Blog Day!



It's been a long time since we've had a new post, and what better time to kick off blogging again than our ONE year anniversary!

A year ago, several of us had a vision. We wanted a warm, welcoming group of babywearers that could educate each other on a peer-to-peer basis, growing and learning together, and meeting other parents wherever they were at in their babywearing journey, and helping them find and share the babywearing love. Our group has grown by leaps and bounds since this day last year, now well over 500 members! and still growing! 

Thank you for hanging out with us on this wild ride. I know I've been enriched beyond measure in getting to know all of you, and I hope all of you are the better for being part of us. You are what makes this group awesome. Let's continue on this track into the New Year, and see what happens.

Ashleigh, one of our admins, has been in contact with a representative from Beco Baby Carriers for a long time. He was generous enough to hook us up with not one, but TWO Beco Soleil's, and gave us discretion on what to do with them.  Next, you'll get to hear from Ashleigh and the others that tried the Soleil about what they did and did not like about the carrier, and the best part . . . At the end of this post, we are giving one away!


Ashleigh writes:

Beco Baby Carriers was so kind to donate not one, but TWO Beco Soleil Baby Carriers to Babywearers of the Midlands!  One traveled around to gather some love, and the other will be given away at the end of this post! The traveler will live in our Lending Library so future mamas and babies can try it!

Most of us really loved this carrier.  It comes with a hood and a pouch that both snap onto the carrier, which is pretty neat.  The straps can cross in the back for comfy front carries, and the waist and shoulder strap buckles feature a tri-lock buckle for safety.
When I put my 3.5 year old in it she said "Oh, mommy, this is comfy!"  Not what I was expecting from a carrier that only came up to her shoulder blades!  But she loved it, and it was surprisingly comfortable for me as well, considering how long she is!

Mamas and Papas all around the Midlands enjoyed this carrier, from Gilbert to Blythewood, and everywhere in between!  Without further ado, here are their reviews and pictures!

1. Kristina

"I tried it with criss cross straps and I didn't love it over just wearing them the regular way. And I think it might encourage the straps to sit closer to my neck, which I did not like. I haven't tried it without the criss cross straps... I need to do that to compare. I will say though that the panel is probably a good inch narrower on either side than my Tula. Which I did not like for nursing purposes. I'm one to want to be pretty discreet when I nurse which I can easily do in the tula without any kind of cover or even the hood. I guess that extra inch of panel on either side is pretty significant of a difference for me because holy booby overflow everywhere city in the beco! No bueno. Here's a pic of the beco on top of my tula so you can see the difference...”

"It definitely is MUCH more airy and open than the Tula. The panel is also a bit taller so would last longer than the Tula.  And the top part of the panel has a padded part so it's like a little pillow for baby. I thought that was kind of neat. I also like the belt buckle. You buckle into it from both sides so for some reason it feels like you can get a super perfect fit. There are definite perks with this one. But for me at the moment the ability to nurse pretty discreetly is quite high on my list. But for non-nursers or less modest mamas than I am, this is a pretty good option for an SSC as far as my rookie self can tell."

"This girl is forever trying to give me a heart attack. But she held up in it well and unsuccessfully tried to fling herself out. Even though she's too big for it (height and seat-wise), she wasn't going anywhere... And it was pretty comfy for me”

"Had a super fun time with the Beco today....& even made the best memory with it:  DH tandem wearing the babies for the first time ever!  Love it!  It was also the first time my 1st baby (2y/o) got to play in an SSC (didn't wear her much as a baby).  She had the best time.  The giggles were priceless."

2. Brady

"Beco spent the weekend on the farm.  My poor wraps were neglected.  Loved the sleeping hood.  Benjamin found it comfy & so did I."

“I've had it for 30 minutes and have realized that I have no choice other than to sell the Gemini. Didn't know a SSC could be so nice. Sorry to bash the other beco product but this one is miles better.

“Ok. So the Beco Soleil review: It helped me grocery shop, do horses stuff, keep Benjamin happy, and work on some wood projects in the shop! 

For reference, Ben is 6 months old and 20 pounds in these pictures and almost 29 inches long. At first glance I was surprised to see how unpadded the soleil was compared to my Beco gemini. This turned out to be a great thing. It made a more supportive seat, held him closer, and was MUCH cooler. The panel is significantly wider than the Gemini, which really no longer goes knee to knee on Ben (and hasn't for months). The panel does have legs out padding which seemed nice. The sleeping hood was a luxury with many snap options to get a perfect fit. I LOVE THIS! And pockets (built in and snap on) were great too and something I definitely miss on the Gemini. I chose the Gemini because it seemed to be one of the few SSC that you can use from birth without an insert but knowing what I know now, I would have gone a different way, perhaps even purchasing a soleil instead. I really, really loved it.”

 I hope no one has a combo of mom + baby smaller than we are because we have all straps fully cinched. Not for super tiny moms!”

 

 

 

 

3. Jessica L.

 "We had the Beco over the Halloween weekend and Lillian and I loved it.  It was a million times easier to put on compared to my mei tai carrier.  I am so thankful that we got to try it out.  And glad we got to be a part of the Beco's journey through the Midlands!"

 

 

 

 

 

4. Chris

We have it now! Today it went to hang out with a friend for lunch, went to Sissy's school, and took down Halloween.
DS is 18 mths, 25 lbs and wears size 2T clothes. We wore the Beco almost exclusively for 3 days. The fit was good for us, but right at the "will soon be outgrown" end of good. The seat was barely at knee to knee and the back came up to his shoulders so that he could easily go arms in or arms out. I found the body to be lightweight, which will be nice in the hot SC summer. It has a pocket on the waistband that is the perfect size for phone, debit card and keys. There is an attachable pouch that I never used, but it looks easy enough figure out and is the perfect size for a diaper and a few wipes. There is a snap on hood as well. The snaps for the hood and pouch are both covered by a bit of fabric, for hood you flip the fabric down, for the pouch you flip it up to access the snaps. Because they are somewhat hidden, but are right by each other it is pretty easy to get them confused which will either make the hood fit short or make it hard to fasten the bottom of the pouch.

The straps were adequately padded, but I love heavily padded straps so I could have used a bit more. There were multiple ways to adjust them, including fit adjusters at the top so that you can get the straps just right. The straps offered the option to unclip so that they could be crossed and I really appreciated that the shoulder straps had a tri lock buckle that required two hands and some know how to unclip. I have one child that used to unclip my shoulder straps while I was wearing him in a different SSC and that would not happen with this Beco.
The waistband was very structured and quite stiff, and as a result, it pushed my pants down some, but I think it will get better as it breaks in. I had it narrowed down almost as tight as it could go and I wear a size 10 pant, so this might not be the ideal carrier for a petite mama but there was ample room for a plus size wearer.

The waistband also had a tri lock buckle which honestly, was my single biggest pet peeve with this carrier. When wearing on the back, it was just a bit of a learning curve to remember that I need two hands to release the buckle, but when wearing on the front, it took a good bit more coordination and I was really annoyed one day when I forgot about it and went to do a nap transfer and couldn't get out of the carrier the way I normally do and woke baby up trying to push that little button and squeeze the tabs behind my back. Grr!

Overall, the Beco soleil is a solid addition to the carrier market. It fit my big boy pretty well, has a lot of great features and nice accessories, and as a bonus, the new fabric options are really nice and seem to offer a little bit of something for everyone. This is a solid carrier option that I would recommend without hesitation!

5. Vicki

"Juliette and I tried out the Beco today-a walk in Harbison forest with the dogs, the vet's office, and organinzing. Love baby wearing! How else could I take the dogs to the vet (60 lb border collie mix & 80 lb deaf husky mix). Busy day.

I liked the little zipper pocket which was great for the house key. Overall the straps were comfortable and weight distribution was good, but it felt like Juliette would quickly outgrow it compared to the KP. I also had trouble getting used to the safety buckle."

6. Carmen

Woohoo!!! We have the Beco now! So far we love it!! As soon as I put Tristan up in it, he loved it!!

Tristan and I love it!! My son whom is about 22 pounds at 12 months old and wearing size 12-18 months clothes (mostly 12 months) says that the Beco fits him like a glove!! The Beco is very easy to adjust, is soft but sturdy, and very comfy!! The safety feature on the buckles could be a love/hate kind of thing!! Babywearing with the Beco this past weekend has helped me to become more proficient with back carries!!

"Our son appeared very happy and comfortable in it!  The Beco fit my son like a glove!  I enjoyed the fact that adjusting it is extremely easy!  Much easier than our Ergo.  Back carries were much easier & faster!  The Beco makes BWing much more enjoyable than it already is!"

7. Christy (Smurfette)

"Woo-Hoo!  It's finally our turn!

We've had a blast using the Beco!  It was far more comfy than the Ergo.  That's probably only because my waistband is all warped/bent though.  At first glance I thought it would be uncomfortable because of the thinly padded straps (in comparison to the Ergo Sport). But it was uber comfy!  Had a wider seat, so Finny-Boy was more comfortable in it.

I found the hood to snap more closely than the Ergo's hood.  So, it held his head better at naptimes on my back.  This was the first time I had two SSC's in my possession for tandem wearing during "fussy" times.  Z's a big boy but I wear him during "rough" parts of the day!  The design is pretty gender neutral too.  So Da wore Finn & said it was easy to figure out and adjust.

Babywearing has helped this family tremendously & this BWing community has saved my sanity.  Thank y'all so much for lettin' us take part in the Beco's journey."

8. Simone

"This is our fourth SSC we have tried and it is our favorite.  I wore it putting laundry away and when we went to get our Christmas tree.  The straps are so lightweight and comfortable.  I'm on the taller side and this was absolutely perfect.  I would love to have one.

 I like it more than the Tula. I can't even explain it but there is something wonderful about it! She'll be 2 next month and it fit great. The straps were so much softer on the Beco!"

9. Kelsey

"Just got home from work and put him up! First thought is... Holy straps! Maybe I'm just OCD but long straps bother me. We're doing the cross strap carry and it's so comfy!! The straps are soft and way more comfortable than my Ergo. I also like that the waist clip is in the center. I do have it tightened ALL the way, so a mama any smaller than me would probably find it too loose."

"I really loved being able to try out this Beco!  It was so comfortable.  I loved the padded straps- much softer than my Ergo!  I also enjoyed the centered waist buckle and ability to cross the straps.  Levi must have enjoyed it, too, because he slept during our entire grocery store trip! :)  Thankful for this opportunity."

10. Melanie

"We got to try out the Beco at zoo lights and at the Holiday Market and it was a champ.  I loved the cross strap option; thanks for the tip!
I loved how the Beco felt, weight-wise. It seemed like a really light fabric, but sturdy, which would work nicely in the heat. The straps also felt lightweight, which made them easier to tangle, but the padding was nice, and didn't get diggy over the 2 hours that I wore it at the zoo and the farmers market. The two-handed buckles were irritating, though! I can see they would feel more secure, but with chilly hands, I lost quite a bit of time trying to find that third point to press! With that exception, we both liked it, and would definitely find many uses for it, both in our stash and sharing with friends!"

11. Jess B.

"During my time with the Beco, we used it for grocery shopping and Christmas tree shopping. He was weightless for at least an hour before my lower back started aching a bit. (He weights about 17.5 lbs) The shoulder straps were different but I got use to them and actually kind of like how it buckles. Little man liked it for sure! He knocked out very quickly!"

12. Erin

"Today Beco traveled all around Columbia and helped with Christmas shopping.  She is a very light SSC which was nice when carrying bags already. I think it would also be nice in summer for SC.  It was nice to have the chance to try out this SSC."

13. Stephanie

 

"First I tried this out on my youngest but she is small and did not fit very well in it yet. Then I tried it on my 3 year old who loved it. We even tried it while I was wearing my youngest on the front. This is only the second SSC that I have tried and overall I really liked it. It was light and easy to carry my little guy in it and he asked to get in it several times while we had it, which was nice since he hardly ever wants to be carried anymore. I liked the hood and the pocket. The waistband was very supportive and comfortable. One con I had for it was the shoulder straps. I have narrow shoulders so at times it felt like it was slipping off of them. Also the idea of the trilock was nice but at times made it difficult to get off. Overall I would recommend this carrier to a friend but find that it is better for babies that are a little bit older."

 

 

14. Katie

"I only wore the Beco twice and not for a long time. But I enjoyed it mostly. I could easily raise the
waist strap over my baby bump. It provided plenty of support through the shoulders that I hardly felt any pressure around the waist. I didn't like the straps release direction since I am more use to the kp which can release from either direction. I also almost lost the chest clip since it is so easily removable and the Waist band lock threw me off completely with that third little button."

15. Marissa

"I'm a mei tai gal, so at first I didn't care for all of the buckles and straps.

However, once I got her in I found it surprisingly comfortable.  Hunter is 19mo and about 22 lbs.

The extra lock on the waistband is a bit to remember, but not too bad.  The curve of the straps didn't fit me too well, but I'm sure if I spent more time adjusting all of the straps I could get a better fit.

Hunter sat high enough for my liking, and her weight sat pretty easily on my back.

Overall, one of the best SSC's I've tried."

Summary

Pros:

Crossable straps for front carries

Large panel size makes it a great choice for older/bigger infants and smaller toddlers.

Soft, comfortable shoulder straps

Lightweight

Ample webbing to fit many sizes of parents

 

Cons:

Not the best choice for smaller babies

The curved of the straps may not be the best fit for some parents

Not the best choice for very slender parents

The safety waist buckle is a challenge to become accustomed to - overwhelmingly this was mentioned in the reviews

 

 

 

And now....drumroll please....... these numbers were put into random.org, and the winner is.....!!!!!

Christy!!!!!!!
Congratulations, "Smurfette"!

We hope you, Da, Finn, and Z enjoy it SO MUCH!

Thank you all for participating in our Beco travels!  The biggest of thank you's to Alex Kazlowitz at Beco Baby Carrier for showing us an AWESOME carrier that our members will love for years to come!  We are very grateful for this opportunity and your generosity.

Happy Blog Day!

Today is the kick-off for International Babywearing Week, and we couldn't be more excited for what we have planned for y'all this week. Meetings nearly every day this week, joint ventures with BWI Columbia, giveaways, online only events . . . there is a way for every one of our 400+ members to take part.

Recent BotM Zoo Invasion

 

The theme this year is Share the Adventure. This really hits home for me, and I think, should, hit home for most of you. If we were all in a room together and I asked you to stand up if the generosity of a friend or stranger helped you to begin or further your babwearing journey, I would bet big money that not one of you would be sitting down. Somewhere along the line, someone introduced you to the idea of babywearing. Along the line, another someone probably helped you perfect the use of that carrier, or introduced you to a different one that you liked even better. And another person perhaps showed you a different way to wear that carrier. We don't exist in a vacuum, and babywearing is such a community effort. If you haven't already, please check out this fantastic video a local mama made featuring our local babywearing groups:






Babywearing connects us, as parents, with total strangers, all because of a tool in our parenting toolbox. I'm reminded of myself, a few years ago, when I bought my first new car. It was a Toyota Scion XB. The cars weren't all that common then, and still aren't now (which is a shame. They are AWESOME cars). Whenever I'd see another one on the road, we'd wave and honk at each other. Completely silly, of course, but just the fact that we owned the same vehicle forged a connection, albeit brief, between total strangers. Babywearing is much the same - you see a babywearer out in public and nudge your spouse or companion, "Look, honey, she's wearing a Kinderpack!" and shyly wave, or even approach this complete stranger, gushing like you are meeting a celebrity, "I love your carrier! It's a Kinderpack, right? Your baby looks like they love it. Do you like it?" Maybe you invite them to a babywearing meeting. Maybe you never see them again, but for that moment in time, you know you met a kindred spirit, and that is always a remarkable thing.

Rachel, Sharing the Adventure at Finley Park

Now, if I were to ask you how many of you have shared a carrier, or knowledge of carriers with someone (friend, family, stranger) - would all of you still be standing? I know most of the 400 of you, at least in passing, and I'd wager to say yes. Since the first month we launched Babywearers of the Midlands, we've heard stories and seen how generous each of you has been with your personal carriers, loaning them to friends, even giving away, for free or very cheaply, your own carriers to friends or strangers you knew needed them.

Jennifer shared the adventure
 with her husband

You've shared your knowledge within our Facebook group, answering questions, posting pictures, meeting one on one with people that can't make it to a meeting. This sort of peer-to-peer help is what the babywearing community is based on. Historically, that's how it has been done. None of us here are professional babywearers. We don't "do" certifications. But I, and the rest of the admin team, believe each of you has expertise to share. You are experts in how to use the carriers you have. You are the expert when it comes to your own baby and what they prefer. (another analogy, if you'll forgive the churchiness of it, is the idea of the priesthood of believers - that is, in our case, just by being a babywearer, you are an expert, just as by being a believer, you are a priest, and all believers are equal under God). It also means that each one of us, no matter if we have been wearing for a week or a decade, has more to learn. New carriers are being developed, there are new safety standards to figure out, there are new manufacturers and cottage businesses cropping up all over the place. Babywearing is a hot topic right now, and that is truly amazing.

Me, with borrowed Green Wool Fish

One more personal anecdote before I get into what's coming up this week. A few days ago, I posted a blog on how great wool is. Confession: I've never owned it, or really had the chance to play with it for more than a few minutes. I've played with wool wraps owned by friends, and wrapped with the lending library Snowflake wrap, but I've never really tried to really get to know wool. I've been terrified of felting (at one of my very first babywearing meetings, I saw a felted wool wrap. It was devastating). But, since doing the blog post, I've decided to take the plunge and at least give it a shot.

On a different Facebook group, I asked for suggestions for wraps for my nearly 3 year old daughter that loves green.  Many people chimed in with their suggestions (Everything from Yew Indio, to Kokoskaa Fern, to Didymos Pfau in various shades of green), but one person, who used to live here in Columbia but has since moved to Nashville, actually said she'd let me try hers, and mailed to me a wrap a couple days later. So, as a result, Green Wool Fish is visiting, and I have learned something else new.

What have I learned? It really is the smooshiest fiber. And yet, it threw me for a loop when I first tried to get my youngest up, because it has a stretch and moldability to it that I'm not used to (both are wonderful things, by the way) but I had to re-wrap several times (which is not something I do much of anymore) before I finally got both him and I in a semi-reasonable carry. I can't wait until my daughter gets home from visiting her Nana and I can wrap her up in its smooshy greenness! Hooray for generous friends, and Sharing the Adventure!

Upcoming Events

please see the event links for complete details

 

Monday, October 6th - Join us at the Richland County Public Library (downtown, on Assembly Street) for Storytime. In between the two stories, we'll be discussing the benefits of babywearing and will be available to answer questions. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of one of RCPL many free events, meet new friends, and share a bit of babywearing knowledge.

 

 

Tuesday, October 7th - Join us at the LDS church on Broad River Rd where fellow babywearer Kara will lead us in a Crossfit workout, all while babywearing. Wear comfortable clothes, bring your carriers, and babies, and get fit together! There will be toys and room for older children to play as well.

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 8th - Join us for an afternoon playdate - we'll be at the Clemson Children's Garden at 4:00 p.m. until . . . If you've never been to the Children's Garden, it's across from Sandhills, buried at the back of the Clemson University complex. Grab a beverage from Starbucks drive-thru, and join us at this adorable play area. There is a sandbox, kid size houses and gardens, and lots of open space.

 

Thursday, October 9th - Join us for Lunch at the State Fair - your $5.00 admission fee is refunded when you leave before 2:00 p.m.

 

Friday, October 10th - Join us in Downtown Lexington. We are going to meet at the 9/11 monument for a quick photo op, walk down Main Street, and around to Virginia Hylton Park. Bring a friend and a picnic lunch.

 

Saturday, October 11th - Join us as we join forces with BWI Columbia and other SC babywearing groups to invade the zoo, a favorite babywearing destination.

Make it Work!

Good Morning, Babywearers!

It's been a busy weekend, and I'm sure many of you have been out and about babywearing - I've seen you at the Greek Festival, Chinese Moon Festival, Soda City, and all the other usual places like soccer games, grocery stores, Target and the Mall. Well, you know what I mean. I saw posts on Facebook - there's no way in the world I can manage to hit all that stuff in one weekend, even if I wanted to! But I love seeing the variety of carriers each of us use every day.

That's one thing I really, really love about Babywearers of the Midlands - we have parents that use SSC/Buckle carriers all the time, others that are all about wraps, we have moms that love their Mei Tai, and still others that can't get enough ring slings. And yes, we have families that own and use a variety of these carriers, depending on the situations (yours truly, for example). That's one thing that I think is really important about this group as it grows - we see that all carriers are welcome and we can geek out about just about anything. If you are prone to geekery, at any rate.

Update: 09/27/2015: As you can see, this post was originally written and published a little over a year ago. In that year, a lot has changed in the babywearing community regarding recommended safety practices and regulations. The most commonly given  new rule of thumb is: if it is not in manufacturer's instructions, don't do it!

 

Therefore I'm updating this post with some caveats to safety, and when these Make It Work Tricks are ok to do, and when they are not.

 

For ALL OF THESE TIPS - they are not long term solutions. They are things you can do to make a carrier work for a wear or two, not more than that.

Make it Work!

All of us have done it. Bought a carrier slightly too big for our baby. Maybe the baby was smaller than you thought, or the carrier bigger. Or perhaps you were gifted a carrier and you can't get a good fit. I'm going to focus on three "tricks" you can use to make a carrier work for you and your baby, at any size. You may have heard of them, but wondered what they were. They have become so common in the babywearing world that they have become part of the lingo, and often not given much explanation. They are: The Hair Tie Trick, The Blanket Trick, and The Scarf Trick. I'm hear to break it down for you, so you can make these carriers work for you!

Updated Caveat: If your baby and carrier size are serious mismatch - they baby won't fit in for weeks or months - sell or trade your carrier for one that's the proper size. Under each of these tips I'll explain why they are short-term solutions.

The Hair Tie Trick

Who? This trick is used to make carriers work for smaller babies and newborns. It can also be used on a toddler carrier to make it work more like a standard.

What? Used primarily on Mei Tai, because it doesn't usually place unusual stress on the seams. On Buckle Carriers/SSC, this is a short term, do once or twice solution.

Where? At the base of panel, above the waistband.

When? Use this when the panel of the Mei Tai or SSC appears to swallow your baby. Especially with newborns, you want to follow TICKS:

• T: Tight - carrier needs to fit baby snugly to your body
• I: In View at All Times
• C: Close Enough to Kiss
• K: Keeps Chin off Chest - need that airway open!
• S: Supported Back - you want baby upright, with back in C position when they are tiny.

Why? Because a carrier that is too large for your baby means that following TICKS is impossible; a too large body panel means that it fits your baby too loosely. Baby can slump down, out of view, and compromise her airway. It is of utmost importance that baby carriers, like car seats, fit your baby and are used properly at all times. This trick narrows and shortens the body panel making it work for a newborn or smaller baby. It makes it possible to keep baby in view and follow all the rules of TICKS.

How? Easy Peasy. Using a hair band, ribbon, or other loop of elastic, slip it over the waist band (the ties if using a Mei Tai, the webbing if using a SSC), and onto the lowest part of the body panel, above the waistband. This shortens and cinches the panel, making it comfortable for a newborn to be legs out, in an M Position. For more on Ergonomics (like M Position, C shaped Spine, TICKS, and other alphabet soup awesomeness, see HERE. )




an uncinched Mei Tai
See how it does not follow the rules
of TICKS?
(this was Demo Dolly. She was in no danger)



If you look closely,
you can see the hairband at
the base of this Mei Tai

See how well it fits, when it's cinched?



Using a hair elastic to cinch the base
of a Mai Tai







Using a Kinderpack's Storage loop
to cinch the base of a standard carrier



 

Updated Caveat - using the roll up strap to cinch the base of the carrier was a recommendation that even the manufacturer, Kinderpack endorsed not all that long ago. They no longer recommend this particular use of the storage strap, as it places undue and unusual stress on the seams that have not been tested to safety standards.  

The Blanket Trick

Updated Caveat: Only use this trick at the manufacturer recommendation. The only manufacturer that endorses this method is Lillebaby.  Why? most infant inserts sold with carriers not only boost baby up, they also support your newborn around the sides, to prevent slumping and leaning which helps protect that precious airway.  Furthermore, blankets smoosh more than the foam pillows used in infant inserts and can easily become dislodged.  Final recommendation: use this with a Lillebaby if your baby is not ready to be legs out in the narrow base setting. Other wise,  you may want to try and borrow, trade, or buy a carrier better sized for your newborn until they fit properly in the one you have.

 

Who? This trick is used to make carriers work for smaller babies and newborns.

What? Used on SSC/Buckle Carriers.

Where? At the base of panel, above the waistband.

When? Use this when the panel SSC appears to swallow your baby. Especially with newborns, you want to follow TICKS:

• T: Tight - carrier needs to fit baby snugly to your body
• I: In View at All Times
• C: Close Enough to Kiss
• K: Keeps Chin off Chest - need that airway open!
• S: Supported Back - you want baby upright, with back in C position when they are tiny.

Why? Because a carrier that is too large for your baby means that following TICKS is impossible; a too large body panel means that it fits your baby too loosely. Baby can slump down, out of view, and compromise her airway. It is of utmost importance that baby carriers, like car seats, fit your baby and are used properly at all times. This trick boosts baby higher in the body panel, and makes a narrower seat for baby, making it work for a newborn or smaller baby. It makes it possible to keep baby in view and follow all the rules of TICKS.

How? Buckle or tie the waist of your carrier in your preferred location. Most parents tend to do this a bit higher than their belly buttons when using carriers with a newborn, in order to get baby in a higher position. Roll a flannel receiving blanket, and place on top of the waist band. Hold the roll with one hand while placing baby sitting on it with the other. Bring the back of the carrier up, and put your arms through the straps and fasten the chest clip. Many people prefer this method rather than the manufactured infant inserts (like Ergobaby's) because it is not padded and therefore less hot. But please, if your carrier comes with an infant insert, use it, rather than this method. Or let us help hook you up with a cooler carrier! There are a lot of great options out there that are more breathable and work wonderfully for newborns.

Side view of Jackie and H, blanket roll

Front view - placing baby on roll



All done - Baby H is
 Snug, Kissable, Viewable, and Comfortable
and adorable, too!



 

 Scarf Trick

Who? Have a narrow based carrier (made by Baby Bjorn, Snuggli, Evenflo, etc)? This trick is for you!

What? This trick will turn your less than ergonomic carrier into one more comfortable - for both you and baby, by bringing baby's legs up into an M position, and securing baby more snugly to your torso.

Where? Like most of these tricks, around baby's seat.

When? This can be used for babies of any age or size that fit the weight limits of your narrow based carrier.

Why? Contrary to what some of you may have heard, using a Narrow Based Carrier is not going to cause your baby to develop Hip Dysplasia. However, if your baby is prone to this condition due to other medical factors, using a Narrow Based Carrier (NBC, from here. I'm a lazy typist), will certainly not help. This trick brings your baby into a more ergonomic position - that is, a position that is far more comfortable and natural for them, while at the same time, securing them more snugly to your torso, which makes it more comfortable for YOU, the wearer.

Why does it work?  In most narrow based carriers, even when baby is facing you, they are harnessed such that they are really hanging in front of your body, only connected by the shoulder straps (and maybe waist band, if your NBC has one). The baby's weight is pulling away from your center of gravity which in turn, pulls on your shoulders and can hurt your back. This is especially evident if they are up for a long period of time. As far as your baby goes, ever notice - particularly with a newborn - how when you hold them upright, their tiny legs tuck in and up, like a frog? When you are holding them, your hand or arm is almost always under their bottom, supporting this frog-legged position, so that it almost looks like an M with the baby's knees being the top points of the M? You want your carrier to mimic the position you would hold them, in arms, as it feels most natural and comfortable for both of you.

How? There are two ways you can do this. The first, and most common, is to use any scarf that you could comfortably tie around you and baby. Bringing babies legs up into an ergonomic position, use the scarf around the both of you to secure the baby's legs in that M position, tying the scarf in the back.  The second method, you need a couple yards of a narrow strip of cloth. With baby in the NBC, you use the strip tied almost like you would a Moby wrap, bringing baby's legs up into the M position, and the fabric crossed behind your back. This method might be a bit cooler than using a scarf, and may overall feel more supportive than the scarf alone, since it also helps distribute the weight of baby better across your torso and shoulders.

Ashleigh, using the 1st scarf trick
She tucks the scarf up under baby's bottom
to create an ergonomic seat before tying in back.

Chris, using the 2nd scarf trick
She starts like the first scarf trick,
creating the seat, then bringing the ends of the fabric
crossed in back and over her shoulders
before tying under S's bottom.




 

 

Hopefully, this has helped you find ways to make your carriers work for you, or perhaps you can take this knowledge out in your community to help your friends, family, and neighbors use their carriers in a way that makes them more comfortable.  I know so many people give up babywearing because they can't find a way to make the carriers they have work for them, and they don't want to spend more money on another carrier without knowing if they can make it work. If you, or someone you know, wants to try out some options, please invite them, come with them, drag them to, one of our meetings. Ok, maybe not drag them. We are so blessed with what we've been able to add to our Lending Library, and we want to share the love! Plus we love seeing new faces and getting to know each one of you better.

 

Our Lending Library has grown so much over the last year since this was originally published! please contact one of our Librarians, and we will be happy to help you find a carrier that fits and works best for you and your little one.