With a snuggly, floppy little newborn, many people prefer to wear their baby on their chest - near the heart and food source, easily kissable and cuddly. But once your baby gets bigger, a back carry is pretty appealing.
You can be on the go with your happy kiddo, like a backpack!
somebody just woke up & needed some snuggles!
Especially convenient for dishes and other tasks that are right in front of you! :)
This video shows how to do a Back Wrap Cross Carry (or BWCC) with a one month old... I've never done a back carry with that young of a baby, but whenever #3 comes along I plan on investing the time and effort into learning how. The technique is basically the same with an older baby or toddler, though, just easier because you don't have to worry about head/neck support, and you can use different techniques to get them on your back. Here are step by step written instructions with photos for the BWCC, with older baby/toddler, with the toss method of putting bebe on your back.
"Key points for safe sling/ baby carrier positioning (check often!):
1. baby’s head at your chest.
2. make sure you can get 2 fingers under their chin.
3. ensure their is no fabric covering their face.
4. should be able to kiss baby’s head (if not then your sling/ carrier is too loose/ low).
5. monitor their breathing- if your baby’s breathing sounds irregular, remove them from the sling or carrier immediately."
There are many reasons I love babywearing- convenience, ease of nursing discreetly in public, the fun of learning new carries, the ability to take a baby (or two) out in public and still have free hands to open doors and push shopping carts...
But I think my favorite thing about babywearing is the connection. The moments, like above, where I am able to go about my day, throwing a load in the washer and washing a few dishes, while simultaneously cuddling my baby as she wakes up, feeling her putting her head down on my back while hearing her coo as she snuggles and watches the world around us from the safety of mama and the wrap.
What are your favorite things about babywearing? :)
Yesterday evening, I raced out of the house, running a bit late for a mom's meeting. I had been behind all day, the toddler had mysteriously not napped at all, and I had a severe case of cabin fever (this snow!), so I knew I had to get out but wasn't doing a good job of mobilizing self and baby (toddler stayed home with daddy.)
So I forgot my sling. And didn't even have my #2 choice, my mei tai. And we had ONE egg in the fridge at home, so not popping in the store after the meeting wasn't an option. But it was bedtime, and I had a snuggly little baby who needed some cuddle time.
So, what's a girl to do? Thankfully, I have an "emergency" carrier stashed in the outer pocket of my diaper bag! This little number saved the day!
I even had a chance to talk about wraps with a new dad... so if you or the new mama are reading, congratulations! And this post is for you. :)
I mentioned that I made this carrier, and here are some simple directions on how to make a wrap. Since your baby is a new arrival, you probably want a stretchy wrap, like the moby wrap - we love ours!
Ok, so now you know how to buy or make one... but how do you use this long, long piece of fabric? If you purchase the Moby Wrap, it does come with a helpful instruction manual, but here is a helpful youtube video (and there are lots of others) showing how to put it on and how to do a few basic carries.
(I will say, for the record, that I'm not a huge fan of the facing outward position, although sometimes my older baby, like around 6 months, really wanted to see the world and I would use it. It just doesn't look the most comfortable for baby or best for their spine- looks too reminiscent of the Baby Bjorn type carrier to me. You can read my post on Bjorn? Ergo? Beco? for more info on the problems with Bjorn type carriers.)
This looks like a helpful video for nursing in a non stretchy wrap. I wish I had seen it months ago! Now my little one (10 months) doesn't need to nurse as often, and wants to be on the go more than she wants to be worn, so she isn't nursing in the carrier as often.
Here is a good page addressing the problems with the Baby Bjorn as compared to the Ergo. While the BabyBjorn has the status factor and name recognition, it isn't as comfortable for the parent or the baby.
It doesn't allow for a back carry (unlike the Beco and Ergo)
it dangles the baby from their crotch instead of spreading out their weight across their bottoms
it doesn't split the weight on you between the back and shoulders
"And by the time she was 16 lbs. I found that carrying her in the Baby Bjorn was causing pain in my shoulders and upper back and even a tingling sensation in my neck. I now realize that a truly comfortable carrier, like The ERGO Baby Carrier I now use, has two padded shoulder straps and a padded waist/hip belt. This configuration distributes the baby's weight in a way that our bodies can handle it. When you think about it, it is not unlike what a hiker would look for in a good back pack."
Any carrier that positions your baby upright with most of the support located in the crotch could cause spondylolisthesis. Putting so much stress on the spine can hinder proper spinal development.
If I were in the market for a structured carrier, I'd definitely go with either the Beco or the Ergo.
(I am not affiliated with either Beco or Ergo in any way. Opinions expressed are my own.)
(registering as a member may be needed, but TBW is the babywearing forum and it is really worth signing up! I've learned a lot by reading some of the discussions there. Plus, they have an awesome For Sale or Trade section!)
With a snuggly, floppy little newborn, many people prefer to wear their baby on their chest - near the heart and food source, easily kissable and cuddly. But once your baby gets bigger, a back carry is pretty appealing.
the other night... 
You can purchase one
from Amazon, or you can make one easily yourself, which is appealing because you're going to spend almost $40 to purchase one, but they're easy to make. Here are some simple instructions to make a no sew, inexpensive wrap for baby.
