My Baby, Mei Tai
"What is that?" Adam asked, pointing at a small piece of brown something in our bed.
"Ew! I don't know!" I said, moving away, expecting it to start crawling at any moment.
Adam inspected a little closer. He pokes at it. Finally he announces, "It's bacon." He looks at me and then to Sweetie Pie who is lying on my chest. "There's more of it in Sweetie's hair."
I look down. He's right. I've covered my darling in trayf. Because the easiest way to eat these days is by simply wearing Sweetie and eating over her head. Wearing you ask? Let me explain.
Maybe you've seen them at the park. Or shopping. Or eating their organic goodies while breastfeeding their toddlers and talking about the Green Party. I'm talking about the babywearers. And I've joined the cult. Babywearing rocks!
Now, I'm not talking about all those folks in their Baby Bjorns. Baby Bjorns are not considered baby wearing, for reasons that I'm not completely sure of. (Some of it might have to do with the allegations that it's bad for a baby's hips. Of course, I wore Doodles in one for about eight months with no problems, so who knows?) I'm talking about the massive pieces of fabric you ensconce your child in on various parts of your body. Babywearers have a language of their own (ring slings, wraps, ABCs). They have e-mail lists (joined!), group meetings (attended!), and lots of support for newbies (used it!).
When I had Doodles, I'd throw him in the Baby Bjorn and it was fine. After a while, of course, he got too big and the Bjorn hurt my shoulders. Also, taking him in and out was a little cumbersome and I had to remove the whole contraption when I wanted to nurse him. I knew that when I had Sweetie Pie, I was going to need my hands free much more of the time to take care of Doodles. So I wanted to get something that was going to be both more comfortable and able to handle a heavier child. I began exploring wraps.
I think I can safely say that Sweetie Pie spends 90% of her waking hours and 50% of her sleeping hours being worn (and for the record, at Sweetie's two-month appointment, I asked Sweetie's doctor if it was possible to wear Sweetie too much. She just laughed at me and said I could wear away!). My wrap of choice is an ABC (an Asian Baby Carrier) known as a Mei Tai (I ordered a gorgeous floral embroidered one, the fabric for which is unfortunately sold out, from Mei Tai Baby. She does amazing work!) Originally, I had thought I wanted a Hotsling. Man those Hotslings are cool. And pouches seemed like the way to go. But luckily, before I plunked out the money for one, the kind women of my local babywearing group came by my house and let me try on their carriers, where I discovered that Sweetie hates pouches and that the mei tai was the way to go for me (babies do have preferences for carriers). The mei tai is waaaaaaay more comfy than the Bjorn.
Of course, that was just the beginning. Off of e-bay, I got a Mama Kangaroo wrap, which is one of those funky big pieces of fabric and when I first put it on, Adam said, "You look like you should be singing folk music in Inman Square." And then, when I put Sweetie Pie on so she was facing out, he said I looked like Kuato from Total Recall. I also have two ring slings: I picked up an Over the Shoulder Baby Holder at a yard sale and a neighbor gave me a Nojo she doesn't use.
Even Adam has gotten into the babywearing thing, albeit just around the house. And when he does, he always reverses the mei tai so solid black instead of flowers are facing out. He also very cleverly covers Sweetie's head when he's eating so he doesn't drop food on her.
There are a few downsides to babywearing. Like bacon in bed. Whenever I eat (like a BLT) when I'm wearing Sweetie, it's guaranteed a nice shower of crumbs will land on her. And then when she falls asleep and I climb in bed to take her off, those crumbs will fall in the bed. Also, she looks like she's wearing a burka when I have her facing me in the mei tai. I also forget about her. When I'm at the park with Doodles, I don't feel comfortable leaving her in the stroller, which I know so many moms do with great success. Instead I strap her on. And then I can chase Doodles without worrying about how Sweetie is doing. On more than one occasion, though, I'll be chasing Doodles, far away from where we started, and I'll panic, thinking, "Ohmygod! Where's Sweetie?!?" And then I'll remember that I'm wearing her and I'll look down at her most often sleeping head and give her a little smooch. Also, all our photos tend to be a game of "Where's Sweetie?" (Can you spot her in here?)
We'll see how the carriers hold up as Sweetie Pie gets heavier. But I can vouch that they really do hold up to 35 pounds. Doodles one day demanded I carry him in it, and it was really quite comfortable. Now, if I could just get my hands on an unpadded ring sling, a nonstretch wrap, and, oh, what about a pouch for easy hip carries? This babywearing thing can be quite the addiction....
"Ew! I don't know!" I said, moving away, expecting it to start crawling at any moment.
Adam inspected a little closer. He pokes at it. Finally he announces, "It's bacon." He looks at me and then to Sweetie Pie who is lying on my chest. "There's more of it in Sweetie's hair."
I look down. He's right. I've covered my darling in trayf. Because the easiest way to eat these days is by simply wearing Sweetie and eating over her head. Wearing you ask? Let me explain.
Maybe you've seen them at the park. Or shopping. Or eating their organic goodies while breastfeeding their toddlers and talking about the Green Party. I'm talking about the babywearers. And I've joined the cult. Babywearing rocks!
Now, I'm not talking about all those folks in their Baby Bjorns. Baby Bjorns are not considered baby wearing, for reasons that I'm not completely sure of. (Some of it might have to do with the allegations that it's bad for a baby's hips. Of course, I wore Doodles in one for about eight months with no problems, so who knows?) I'm talking about the massive pieces of fabric you ensconce your child in on various parts of your body. Babywearers have a language of their own (ring slings, wraps, ABCs). They have e-mail lists (joined!), group meetings (attended!), and lots of support for newbies (used it!).
When I had Doodles, I'd throw him in the Baby Bjorn and it was fine. After a while, of course, he got too big and the Bjorn hurt my shoulders. Also, taking him in and out was a little cumbersome and I had to remove the whole contraption when I wanted to nurse him. I knew that when I had Sweetie Pie, I was going to need my hands free much more of the time to take care of Doodles. So I wanted to get something that was going to be both more comfortable and able to handle a heavier child. I began exploring wraps.
I think I can safely say that Sweetie Pie spends 90% of her waking hours and 50% of her sleeping hours being worn (and for the record, at Sweetie's two-month appointment, I asked Sweetie's doctor if it was possible to wear Sweetie too much. She just laughed at me and said I could wear away!). My wrap of choice is an ABC (an Asian Baby Carrier) known as a Mei Tai (I ordered a gorgeous floral embroidered one, the fabric for which is unfortunately sold out, from Mei Tai Baby. She does amazing work!) Originally, I had thought I wanted a Hotsling. Man those Hotslings are cool. And pouches seemed like the way to go. But luckily, before I plunked out the money for one, the kind women of my local babywearing group came by my house and let me try on their carriers, where I discovered that Sweetie hates pouches and that the mei tai was the way to go for me (babies do have preferences for carriers). The mei tai is waaaaaaay more comfy than the Bjorn.
Of course, that was just the beginning. Off of e-bay, I got a Mama Kangaroo wrap, which is one of those funky big pieces of fabric and when I first put it on, Adam said, "You look like you should be singing folk music in Inman Square." And then, when I put Sweetie Pie on so she was facing out, he said I looked like Kuato from Total Recall. I also have two ring slings: I picked up an Over the Shoulder Baby Holder at a yard sale and a neighbor gave me a Nojo she doesn't use.
Even Adam has gotten into the babywearing thing, albeit just around the house. And when he does, he always reverses the mei tai so solid black instead of flowers are facing out. He also very cleverly covers Sweetie's head when he's eating so he doesn't drop food on her.
There are a few downsides to babywearing. Like bacon in bed. Whenever I eat (like a BLT) when I'm wearing Sweetie, it's guaranteed a nice shower of crumbs will land on her. And then when she falls asleep and I climb in bed to take her off, those crumbs will fall in the bed. Also, she looks like she's wearing a burka when I have her facing me in the mei tai. I also forget about her. When I'm at the park with Doodles, I don't feel comfortable leaving her in the stroller, which I know so many moms do with great success. Instead I strap her on. And then I can chase Doodles without worrying about how Sweetie is doing. On more than one occasion, though, I'll be chasing Doodles, far away from where we started, and I'll panic, thinking, "Ohmygod! Where's Sweetie?!?" And then I'll remember that I'm wearing her and I'll look down at her most often sleeping head and give her a little smooch. Also, all our photos tend to be a game of "Where's Sweetie?" (Can you spot her in here?)
We'll see how the carriers hold up as Sweetie Pie gets heavier. But I can vouch that they really do hold up to 35 pounds. Doodles one day demanded I carry him in it, and it was really quite comfortable. Now, if I could just get my hands on an unpadded ring sling, a nonstretch wrap, and, oh, what about a pouch for easy hip carries? This babywearing thing can be quite the addiction....
2 Comments:
Her dark brown hair and her EYES are soooo beautiful!
Your kids are beautiful!!! It's the first time I've seen pics ;) And, you're looking great, so soon after sweetie pie was born!!! I've been looking for a sling at second hand shops. Audrey's gotten too heavy for her baby bjorn (too heavy for me, the bjorn says she'll still fit).
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