What are YOU wearing?

There's a term these days that you may or not be familiar with...

babywearing

def: simply holding or carrying a baby or child using a baby carrier

Babywearing isn't really a new concept--just new to our part of the world. Mothers in many of the third-world and developing countries have been wearing their babies for centuries. It's a way of life for them. In America its just now catching on that mothers don't have to stay at home all day with their babies, but can instead just "strap them on" and keep doing the activities they were doing before.

Although it doesn't seem so "foreign" to me, I am almost always stopped or at least stared at while out and about by some concerned or surprised person wanting to know "if my baby can breathe" or if they really "like it in there".

While pregnant (and basically immobile) i spent many hours on the Internet researching, shopping and planning while waiting for my two precious babies to make their appearance. All the beautiful baby carriers quickly caught my eye. I mean, are you even aware of all the different kinds of baby carriers that are available to parents?? I sure wasn't, but let me just say that now, baby carriers are my new purses... they come in all different styles, colors and fabrics and i want them all. Gone is the idea that you have to wear a boring sporty-looking carrier that is unflattering to most new mothers figures as it squeezes in all the wrong places...now you can choose the style that works best for your body, that is also most comfortable for your baby and with the added plus of accessorizing any outfit--and no matter what you say, matching is very important to me!

Not only am i a fan of babywearing for its aesthetics, but also for all the benefits it can provide both mother and baby. Here's a few that are important to me:

1. Bonding: I am sure this is a big point for any baby-wearing mommy, but especially as a mother of multiples, the individual time i am able to spend with my baby while they are in my carrier is priceless. I feel that each day i am just trying to get by and get everything done that needs to get done and i don't get a lot of one on one time with each of my children. Being physically nearer to my babies helps me also feel emotionally closer to them--who doesn't like to be snuggled up with their "little one"??

2. Convenience: Baby carriers allow you to be hands free. I am sure all parents out there know about the days where your little one is just plain having a "bad day". Instead of having to be solely focused on the baby the whole day, baby carriers help the baby feel secure and loved and you can still be hands free. Also as a multiple mom, babywearing allows me to complete necessary tasks like grocery shopping for instance...there's only room for one car seat in the buggy...so you gotta put your other baby somewhere!

3. Accessibility--Its SO much easier to carry a baby and then push a smaller stroller than lug a big double stroller around. Granted, there is a time and place for a good stroller and i have one i love, but when you are trying to move in and out of crowds and aisles in stores, the baby carrier is my lifesaver!

4. Soothing--baby carriers are instant soothers for my babies. All fussiness and crying immediately stops when i put them in a carrier. For this reason alone, baby carriers are like gold!

5. Exercise--its like weightlifting without actually going to the gym--and much more fun! Also baby carriers make it easy to go hiking. Although we haven't gotten to it yet, once they are a bit older i totally plan to get back out in beautiful Hawaii--we loved to go hiking before and i think it will be even more fun with my babies!

6. Breastfeeding--babywearing makes public breastfeeding much easier and more comfortable and also increases milk production--again another big plus since i am feeding 2!

So far, we own a baby bjorn-synergy (that is Mike's go-to carrier, and it is the more manly of the carriers available), Moby Wrap (which i have only scratched the surface of all the different holds possible), Hotsling (these are beautiful), and then my personal favorite as of now--the Maya Wrap. The Maya is easy and quick to put on, Holden and Nora seem to really get comfortable in it, the material is easy to clean, its super comfortable, and it's very stylish. I personally think i need one in every color! I would also still like to try Baby Ktan and the Mei Tai carriers.

Here we are using some of our carriers.

Maya Wrap

Moby WrapHotsling

Bjorn