Blythe is gone from my thoughts – pushed out by pretty nappies, but now the nappies have been replaced too… What the hell is wrong with me…?
Why do I always have a ‘thing’?
Psychoanalysis aside, I have a new obsession & it’s baby carriers. Looking back on past ‘carrier use’, I should have seen this new addiction coming. I should have seen the signs… I wanted to use from the very beginning. I spent hours thinking about how good it would be if I had one. I tried different kinds of them. I kept going back…
With Le Punk I tried a stretchy wrap, a baby bjorn, a sling & finally, happily, the ergo. When we first found the ergo & found it worked for us unlike all the others I was so very happy. That ergo was a life-saver, helping us to navigate around an unfamiliar city on decidedly pram-unfriendly public transport. Punk would sleep in it, laugh in it, eat in it, I found if comfortable for long wear & super sturdy, so when expecting Suspence I was again looking forward to wearing it, I purchased the infant insert & was content. Punk even has her own little ergo!
But then… Suspence hated it. He would have no part of the bloody infant insert… in desperation I bought another sling… no love there. Another second hand baby bjorn too – I hate them but know from Punk that even if I find them objectionable, tiny babies don't necessarily – we were able to use that for a grand total of 2 weeks before Mr Tubby was just too heavy for me to carry comfortably… Then, disheartened, I thought “I’ll wait.”.
I’ll wait until Suspence is big enough for the ergo on his own. I’ll bide my time. I’ll not carry him… impossible. This kid needs to be in arms most of the day! So, when the nappy group I am a part of started a swap event I offered up my brand-new ergo infant insert for swaps & received a ring sling in return; because, ooohparently, I never learn.
I loved the ring sling when it arrived, it fit better than other slings I’d tried & was comfy & easy to adjust – if only Suspence could have felt the love too…! No dice. But. The fact that I personally liked the ring sling when I never thought I would got me thinking; “What else am I missing…?”, so when a Baby Hawk Mei Tai came up for sale on a forum (nappies, again…), I snapped it up. I had never even given the Mei Tai much serious consideration – all that tying looked like a capital pain in the butt & it couldn’t be as comfortable or easy as my beloved ergo….
I. Was. Wrong.
The Baby Hawk arrived yesterday & I am IN. LOVE. It was cute for a start, but most of all it was EASY. Easy to put on, easy to get the perfect fit, easy to wear & according to Suspence; easy to fall asleep in. This thing is so much more comfortable than the ergo that I find it a little hard to believe…
…& now that I know how fabulous Mei Tais are… well… I want another one. Or two. I want a prettier one. With a hood. Or a pocket. Or both.
A quick Google found me a plethora of free Mei Tai patterns & tutes – but I really am kidding myself if I think I am going to get the time to sit down & sew my own any time soon, as much as I’d like to, so now I am going to save up for something special… something like this, or one of these.
Do you baby wear? Have you tried but failed? Do you intend to? What on earth is my next ‘thing’ going to be (because you have just about as much of an idea as I do!)?!
I know exactly what you mean about public transport! Those 80s trams are journey killers, and I don't have any of the new-style low floor trams near me. Love low-floor buses and trains though.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends makes these mei tais, but she's in the UK:
http://picasaweb.google.com/PickCaroline/MamaMadeMeiTaiSOtherCreations#
I made a ring sling for Jack but hated trying to use it. We ended up with an Ergo too.
I hate the old-style infant insert for the Ergo (the little quilt you wrap them in like a burrito) but haven't got around to getting the new frog-style one - probably won't bother now Amy's four months!
I did buy a Bubba Moe sling on eBay - it's like a ring sling but with clips instead of stupid rings. So much better! It's a bit tricky now that she's too big for the newborn positions though.
I think I'll stick with my Ergo.
Ooh, those HunBaba ones are gorgeous! Want. We use a Connecta which is a bit like a mei tai with clips.
ReplyDeleteI LoVe your photos of Suspense, especially the one where he's fast asleep! That'd melt the coldest heart :o)
ReplyDeleteLove the happy Mum & bub pics!
ReplyDeleteI had a hugabub for the last baby but my back couldn't cope after a bit. My husband made good use of it though!
I always seem to have a "thing" too, but with me it's always art or craft related. It's crazy!!
Right. When my girl was an infant, I had a 'Kangaroo Korner' fleece sling pouch that I loved, so comfy and she liked it too. Sadly it looks as though they are no longer in business. Then I loved my ergo too.
ReplyDeleteNever tried a MT...the first 2 broke the bank so I never tried anything else!
Hmmm...I wonder what the next thing will be...Iguana raising?
I hear you on the obsessions...my Huz calls it my "flavor of the month!"
ReplyDeletehmmm as usual i have no idea about this sort of stuff, but i saw something similar my mum made for when we were kids. it doesn't have as much padding, but same idea. and she still has it - 30 yrs later! i've considered having kids just so she'll give it to me, but realised this is not a good enough reason to have kids...
ReplyDeleteShould NOT have clicked those links!! I'm so with you on the Mei Tai love, as you know. I'm wondering if the ergo will get a look in now that Huz can do the Mei Tai all on his own too...
ReplyDeleteI have my ovaries securely tucked away so I can wholeheartedly say that Spence is such a cute, cute, cutie! Not sure about any current "thing" apart from the fact that I can't stop knitting.
ReplyDeleteHa, you're FAST!!! Thanks for the post, but first...
ReplyDeleteVIC!!! Do me a favour and never use a Baby Björn again okay? Every midwife, doctor, and apprenticed "carrying counsellor" (still haven't found a better word than that) said that it's EVIL and will cause some serious postural defects on your baby!
The Ergo Baby Carrier is one of the best choices for both you and your little one, but there are alternatives: the Manduca is quite similar to the Ergo (it just fits certain body shapes better), and a proper Mei Tai is cool, too (if you're cool with it, haha).
Take care that the little baby back is stabilised very well, and that the part of the carrier where the little butt sits is wide enough. The legs should never "hang down" (like they do when you're using evil Baby Björn), baby's knees should be at least on the same height as the butt (tucked up).
Hope that made sense to you since my English leaves a lot to be desired ;).
By the way, 1. WOW - you had looong hair!, 2. Spence is SO cute (I'm so looking forward to another baby), especially while sleeping right? ;)
♥♥♥
Thanks to having an extremely unsettled bubba who hated the prams, I was glad I had carriers. I had a sling (peanutshell) and a hugabub.
ReplyDeleteI was lucky that they suited us. I can't imagine surviving without them.
Oh wow, they didn't have baby carriers around when i had my first baby, then i had twins & didn't fancy looking like a donkey, with my 4th, the Baby Bjorn was ideal as i had one walking, 2 in the pram & 1 strapped to me, or better - Daddy!! My 4 were all very settled & breastfed to sleep, so it was purely a public transport thing at the supermarket, love Posie
ReplyDeleteFinally! Someone who agrees with me. I am the only person I know who is a little disapointed with the ergo. I mean, it's a great carrier (lo is napping in it as I type) but I can't wear it without feeling like I'm on an army march. It's just so...not pretty.
ReplyDeleteMy Babyhawk on the other hand is awesome. Just as comfy as the ergo but sooo much prettier (ok, I admit I'm a carrier snob). You've inspired me to blog about baby wearing now:)