Linen - It's All About the Blend

Happy Blog Day, Midlands Babywearers!

 

I love meeting people who love babywearing out in the wild. Some won't be wearing - maybe you'll see them struggling with a bulky stroller through an apple orchard as you're picking apples, maybe you'll see them carrying a tired, heavy toddler that refuses to sit in the stroller through the crowds of Soda City . . . the best thing you can offer parents that you think might find babywearing to be a useful tool, is commiseration. You can still chat them up (you are both parents, after all), and if they show interest in your carrier, invite them to a babywearing meeting. Yes, I know some people find babywearing laughable. But that's because they haven't tried it. Or maybe they tried, and with out support, weren't able to be successful. Most parents that see me out wearing my increasingly heavy toddlers tell me they wish they could do that. That's a great opportunity to hand them one of our cards and invite them to a meeting. So next time you see a parent struggling with carrying their child in arms, commiserate a bit, and invite them to a meeting - we love sharing the babywearing love!

In the midst of this mild winter, I'm looking forward to true warm weather, wearing shorts, tank tops, flip flops, and what wrap goes best with those? Linen!

Linen

The last time I talked about fibers, I talked about wool, and clearly was so convincing, that several of you have since added some gorgeous woolies to your stash. Linen is a different beast altogether, and I am using the term beast intentionally. Linen gets hard knocks because it can be so difficult to break in, but like any fiber you'll hear me talk about, not all linen is created equal.

What is linen? Linen is a plant fiber known for its lightweight and breathable nature. It's a summer favorite due to both these qualities, and a favorite for those wearing heavy babies and toddlers as it is universally lauded for its sturdiness. Lightweight, breathable, and sturdy - sounds fantastic! Where's the downside? Linen also has a reputation for lack of cush and digginess. I know those aren't real words. Where as wool has a lot of natural cush and is almost always comfortable on the shoulder due to that attribute, linen is the opposite. Linen by itself (that is 100% linen) has almost no natural cush. That said, if you wrap carefully and spread or sandwich passes on your shoulders, you will still find linen to be a comfortable option even for heavier babies and toddlers.

Linen is also great for warm weather because it is so sturdy and supportive. It will rock a single layer carry, which means, to me, that it's ideal in shorter and mid-length wraps. You can kangaroo, do any number of hip carries, rucks and ruck variations, rebozos. . . . the possibilities are endless.

*Sidebar*

Cush: the feeling of a wrap on your shoulders, often equated to marshmallows, fluff, comfort. Wraps that are cushy are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Though wraps that are usually described as cushy tend to be on the thicker side, it is not universally true that thick = cushy.

 

Dig/Diggy: basically the opposite of cush, it is an undesirable quality for sure, though there are things that can be done to counterbalance it. It most often happens with thinner wraps and ruck straps, where it feels like the fabric is going to dig into your shoulders. But, again, just because a wrap is thin, does not mean it is diggy.  Many wraps will become less diggy and more cushy as they break in and soften up. You may want to avoid carries with ruck straps, as ruck straps tend to compound digginess.

DIY and 100% Linen

100% Linen by Didymos

I know many DIY'ers buy bottomweight 100% linen for homemade wraps. You will also find this in Etsy shops. Didymos makes a 100% linen, as do a few other wrap brands. I've tried Didymos 100% linen - trying to break it in for a friend - and while it was certainly lightweight and breathable, I am not always the most careful wrapper and found it uncomfortable on my shoulders after a while with my 2 and 1 year olds.








In most cases, linen is blended with at least one other fiber to add some softness and wearability to the wrap.

 

Linen/Cotton blends

Linen by Oscha

Linushka Linen

You will see a variety of percentages with this blend, but in all cases I've seen there is more Cotton than Linen. The more cotton, the softer and probably easier to break in the wrap will be. Cotton also breathes well, so I don't think you need to be concerned with less linen meaning less breathable or being more hot to wear. I think my favorite linen/cotton blend was a Diva Milano - it was so soft and thin, and felt lovely on my shoulders. Like anything in the woven wrap world, "love" is subjective - what I like someone else probably thinks is horrible - I can only offer my opinions. Most woven wrap companies offer a linen cotton blend.

Linen/Bamboo

Linen/Bamboo by Natibaby

Bamboo is a tricky fiber . . . it's technically natural, but must be so processed in order to make fabric, that by the time it reaches your hands it is really not "natural", but a kind of naturally sourced rayon. I'm not saying this to discredit bamboo as a fiber choice for wraps (there is Repreve that is made from recycled plastic, yet I hear wonderful things about its wrapping qualities) but just as an introduction - when I say tricky, I mean that it is not easy to care for - you can not keep it submerged for more than 40 minutes lest it harm the fibers. So when you wash it, it must be gentle and quick in your machine and moved out of the washer to lay flat to dry or handwashed in order to maintain the fiber's integrity. (Now that I think about it, this is probably why my bamboo cloth diaper inserts do not hold up - my washing routine is probably too intense for this delicate fiber).
And yet - bamboo makes an excellent counterpoint for linen. It is smooth, buttery soft, and has a lovely silky sheen. I had a no-cotton linen/bamboo blend from Natibaby and it was a favorite blend for me. The sturdy grippiness of linen married to the soft, slide of bamboo I found to be a great combination for wearing my toddler in a shorty. (She was not a fan of the neutral color, alas, and the wrap was sold).

Tri-Blends



Didymos Jade Indio Tri-Blend

You will also see linen in a ménage a trois with cotton and silk. Oscha Slings is the most common maker of the tri-blend. They offered a vanilla roses tri-blend and a small Japanese knots in it, at the very least. In a tri blend, you get the soft sheen of silk, comfort of cotton, and the sturdy support of linen, blended together to make truly wonderful wrap.

Didymos offers at least one Indio now in a Cotton-Hemp-Linen blend (Jade Indio) and I have heard nothing but good things about this wrap.

Breaking in the Beast

The most frequently heard negative thing about linen is how beastly it can be to break in. Being a plant fiber, it's naturally stiff and takes more work to break in than the animal fibers (wool and silk for example do not need much breaking in at all). Of plant fibers, cotton is the easiest to break in, as it is in structure most similar to wool, hemp takes a little work to break in (it often feels like screen mesh brand new in box - but a wash and iron can have it feeling soft and buttery in hand), whereas linen often requires quite a bit of work to get that magical broken-in feeling in hand.

Natibaby Linen Feathers

Break in linen by washing it, ironing it (according to manufacturer instructions), using it, sitting on it, braiding it, using it as a hammock or swing, send it to your friends to use . . . and eventually it will soften up and feel lovely and floppy in hand. Some brand's linen breaks in easier than others. Natibaby linen doesn't take much work to break in, neither does Diva Milano. Didymos linen takes some work. Ellevill and Little Frog also offer linen blends and fall somewhere in the middle as far as ease to break in.


Want to try some linen? Our Lending Library has a Natibaby Linen feathers in a size 4 that would be a great thing for you to try.

Superbowl Sunday and Super Changes to Babywearers of the Midlands

Happy Blog Day!

If you have been over on our Facebook page, you may have noticed that we've implemented some changes recently.  We've added some new admins, changed our lending library policy up a bit, and have overhauled our meeting/play date schedule. I thought I'd take this first Sunday in February to expound upon all these changes a bit, because they are easy to miss in wall posts, and the pinned post on a group page is often overlooked.

 At the heart of Babywearers of the Midlands (BotM) - we haven't changed at all. Our mission, our core purpose, has always been, and will continue to be, that we are a friendly, welcoming environment for parents to learn more about babywearing, and to share that passion and skill with other parents. We are a peer-to-peer group, meeting parents wherever they are in their journey, and celebrating each victory along side them. We strongly feel that safety is the number one concern and also that there is more than one perspective on what each family considers to be the right choice for them and their children.

We are not affiliated with BWI (Babywearing International) - but there is a local affiliate here in the Columbia area, and we have many overlapping members. The focus at BWI Columbia is more educational based, and the group is led by Volunteer Babywearing Educators (VBE's). This expert led format is one that appeals to many parents, and they provide a valuable service to families in the area.

Admin Team:

Our former admin team consisted of Emily, Chris, Jackie, myself (Katrina Siron), Ashleigh, and Minde. Due to various life circumstances - moving, business, etc, Emily, Chris, and Minde have stepped away from the admin role, while continuing to participate as actively as they can.

As you can see from the brief bios below - our admin team are all parents, and they all love their kids and babywearing. That's what we have in common. Some have large families, some have only one baby. Some of us stay at home, some work at home, some work outside the home.  Some of us have been babywearing for several years, others are newer to it. We have varying skill levels, we all have our various strengths and weaknesses, and we are all still learning. There are new things that develop in the babywearing world all the time, and as a team, we try to stay on top of it. That's the beauty of having our team set up the way we do.

Our new admin team:

Jackie - a stay at home homeschooling mom of 6 between the ages of 13 and a squish, 4 boys and 2 girls. I have been babywearing for almost 13 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.



Katrina  - a mostly Work at Home Mom of three, ages 5, 3, and almost 2. 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 3 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 - a special education teacher and mom to a spunky 3.5 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!

 
 

 Andrea - I have one boy, 18 months. I started wearing as soon as he was born. A friend introduced me... and I keep wearing because it allows me to be productive while also being completely in tune and mindful of him.

Laura - My husband Guillermo and I are originally from Puerto Rico but we moved to Lexington almost 7 years ago. We have 5 children. Guillermo is 11, Elena is 10, Ignacio (Iggy) is 8, Maria (Mia) is 2 and Lucia is (almost) 1. The two youngest were born here in SC where we live away from family, so babywearing became a survival tool, especially with Lucia. She was a preemie who spent her first two weeks in the hospital so I've always wanted to keep her especially close.




Erin -  has 4 kids 15, 13, 3, and 1.  I was introduced to baby wearing at a kids expo. I stuck with it because I had a toddler and needed to. As I started wearing more and more I started noticing my postpartum Anxiety/ depression was losing ground over my life. So the reason I love baby wearing is because it gave me the connection to my little one I was looking for when I was feeling at my worst and helped me care for a toddler who needed me.




Tori -  Phia is currently 16 months. We've been wearing almost since birth and it helps me keep a strong bond with her since I work and can't always be with her.










If you are interested in volunteering with us, helping set up and coordinate events, and other various duties, both in front of, and behind the scenes, let us know! The more admin/leaders we have, the more parents we can help.

 

The Lending Library



Natibaby Winter 6

Natibaby Feathers 4

We used to keep one big library, and it got passed around among the admins as necessity dictated. This quickly got overwhelming, as we added more carriers to the library. We thought and considered various options, and then decided to break it up into  mini libraries, housed with admins in different geographical locations throughout the Midlands. We hope that this strategy makes it easier for people to check out carriers, and easier on the librarian admins to both check out carriers and have them returned.

 

How the Lending Libraries work

 

Check out the spreadsheet in the pinned post in our Facebook group. It tells you which librarian has what, where they are located (geographically. Not their actual address), if a carrier is checked out, and when it is due back.

 

Each rental is $5. This $5 goes into our Lending Library fund to purchase more carriers for the group. When you check something out, a 100% refundable deposit for the replacement value of the carrier is also required. This is usually in check form, but you can also talk to the Librarians about what other options are available. We don't cash this check; it's either returned to you or destroyed when the carrier is returned to the library. Are you someone who wants to try it all? No problem. We cap the rental fees at $30 in a year or six rentals.

 

You get to try a carrier out for two weeks. If you would like to try it out for longer, you can renew your rental if no one else is waiting to check it out. Don't worry about washing the carriers. We expect these to be used (that's the point, right?) and the librarians with wash and maintain the carriers on an as needed basis. Most carriers do best, and last longer with infrequent washing. With that in mind, when you are using a lending library carrier, avoid using strong perfumes, smoking, etc. If you or a family member is allergic to any pets, you may want to alert the librarian prior to check out so that the carrier can be cleaned prior to you checking it out (some of the librarians have pets, and the carriers may have been around a pet or two in their travels).

 

The librarian will go over with you how to safely use the carrier you check out prior to lending it. We want to make sure, to the best of our ability, that you are comfortable using the carrier before loaning it out.

Jackie has the biggest of our Libraries in Irmo. She has:

Didy Geckos 7

Toddler Tula - This is a very popular Soft Structured Carrier.
Didymos Geckos 7 - a 100% woven wrap, great for plus sized parents and those that might be tandem (carrying two children at once) wearing
FireSpiral Moonlit Birch 5 - this mid-length for most parents (but base size for smaller/petite parents) - wrap is also a beautiful learning option.
Hotslings pouch - Toddler Tula
Didymos Geckos 7
FireSpiral Moonlit Birch 5
Hotslings pouch  - pouch carriers are great for hip carrying toddlers, and can be used with newborns when sized appropriately.
Peanut Shell pouch -pouch carriers are great for hip carrying toddlers, and can be used with newborns when sized appropriately.
Inda Jani RS - This ring sling has fringe. Ring Slings are great for all ages,  newborns to toddlers, for quick ups and downs. They pack up small, easy to fit in a large purse or diaper bag.
Colimacon & Cie 6 turquoise - Size 6 is the average base/starting size when learning to wrap. This C&C is 100% cotton and a solid choice for anyone wanting to learn more about wrapping.

 

 

Erin, in SE Columbia has:

SBP Ring Sling

Boba 4G - This SSC/Buckle carrier is a great choice for parents with kids that may be outgrowing an Ergo, but aren't ready for a toddler carrier yet. It's high back, comfortable shoulder straps, and other creature features make it easy to use.
SBP ring sling - SBP is Sleeping Baby Productions, literally the mother of all WAHM (work at home mom), is the gold standard for ring slings that are comfortable, safe, and constructed with impeccable attention to detail. This one is made of natural colored linen, a great choice in hot climates and sturdy enough for toddlers.
Moby wrap - this stretchy wrap is a top choice for newborns, and can be used throughout infancy with careful tightening. For front carries only.

 

Melissa, a volunteer, is centrally located in West Columbia, near downtown, and has:

Standard Tula - this popular SSC/Buckle carrier is well liked by parents of all sized. Can be used from baby - around 18 months, depending on the size of the child.

Infantino Mei Tai

Toddler Kinderpack  - This carrier has a Solar Veil panel making it especially comfortable in warm weather. The deep seat and comfortable shoulder straps make it a popular option.
Wrapsody Hybrid Stretch - This soft, breathable stretchy wrap is a hybrid - it has more structure and less floppiness than a Moby making it a  great option for learning, and is compatible with back carries.
Wrapsody Breeze - This is a sturdy gauze wrap, very breathable in hot weather, but not as soft as the Hybrid Stretch.
Hoppediz Acapulco 6 - This all cotton base size (for most parents) is a great option for learning. One tail has a pocket.
Infantino Sash Mei Tai - This affordable mei tai option is great for learing  with. Best used with babies with some head control, through early toddlerhood.
Lenny Lamb Ring Sling - This newest addition to our lending library is a wrap conversion ring sling ordered directly from Lenny Lamb.



The Beco Soleil

Laura, in Lexington, has:

 

Beco Soleil - This SSC went traveling throughout the Midlands. You can read local reviews here.
Natibaby Winter 6 - This is a wool wrap, soft and so amazing to work with, especially in the base size. Wool is amazing!
Natibaby Graphite Feathers 4 - This linen blend wrap is a great option for shorter and mid-length carries. The linen adds breathability and support that is great for toddlers.
Boba Wrap  - similar to a Moby, this is a stretchy wrap great for newborns and infants. Not for back carries.

 

 

 

Play Dates!

Last year, we met twice monthly at indoor meeting areas - our meetings were mostly education based, and were alternated being centrally located and in Irmo. This year, we want to be more accessible to more parents in more areas of the Midlands. To that end, we've decided to focus on play dates, versus educational meetings. Meetings are a great way to focus on education and teaching aspects of babywearing, but we want to engage and be more active with everyone. At a play date, our kids can hang out and play, and we can catch up with old friends, make new friends, and help each other learn new ways to carry and perfect and tweak things we are already doing. It's a great opportunity for all of us to learn together.

Meeting vs. Playdate

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st Wednesday- Lexington- Corley Street Park - 10:30 a.m.
2nd Saturday- NE- Polo Road Park - 1:00 p.m.
3rd Friday- Downtown- Heathwood Park 4:30 p.m.
4th Thursday- Irmo Community Park - 10:30 a.m.

Our hope is that by meeting in more places, at varying times, we can reach more parents. The Friday and Saturday play dates are in the afternoon, to hopefully enable working parents to be able to join us. Dads are ALWAYS welcome, as are grandparents, expecting parents, other caregivers, older siblings, and anyone really that wants to come hang out and learn about babywearing, or just talk about babywearing.

 

Now, all of these locations are outdoors, and we know weather happens. In the event of inclement weather on Wednesday and Thursday, we can meet at All Star Gym in Irmo for their open gym, or the Columbiana mall play place. The open gym is $5 per kid to play and a great place for kids of all ages to have fun.  For the downtown play date, if weather is bad, we'll go to the children's area of the Richland Public Library.  If anyone has suggestions for an indoor alternative for the NE  Saturday Meet up, please make suggestions on the event page.  We'll announce any location changes on the event pages the day of the play dates.

Other Random Changes:

We love supporting local businesses and connecting parents with other resources and groups that may be helpful. To that end, we are going to introduce Merchant Monday. The first Monday of the Month - Starting tomorrow, February 2nd, if you are a local business, or a local business representative (Jamberry, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, etc), you can post a picture or description of your services  any time that day. This is not a competition, and we are not exclusive. It's okay if we have a dozen different Jamberry representatives, or if more than one seamstress offers custom babywearing accessories. We are adding this online resource to help our members find local people and businesses to support, and to help the businesses advertise. It's a win-win, as long as we keep it friendly, and limit it to the one da a month. At the end of day, we'll move all these to a document or album for members to find. The next month, all you have to do is bump your picture in the album by commenting on it. This way, you can advertise monthly specials, discounts offered to members, and any other business changes.

 

Any business posts on the wall NOT on Merchant Monday will be deleted. The other days of the month are for babywearing chatter. We do allow some off topic chatter, but we try to keep it to a minimum. You can check out our resources document for other local groups that might fit your interest and have more insight to some of your questions.

 

We will continue our fabulous Wednesday Night Chats. These happen anywhere from 8-9 o'clock and are usually begun by an admin. This is an opportunity for us to chat and catch up with each other about anything, and off topic is not only welcome, it's encouraged!

We look forward to getting to know all of you better and making 2015 a fantastic year for babywearing in the Midlands!