Changes and a contest!

Good evening! It is almost DECEMBER! I can hardly believe that this year has gone by so quickly. I have finally started my Christmas shopping - the earliest I have ever started. Normally, I wait for snow. Enough about me, on to baby wearing news!

First, a reminder about the next baby wearing meeting. Though the place we meet hasn't changed, you might notice the name on the sign is different. It now reads the (re)birth wellness centre. The lovely ladies inside still offer the same fantastic support and services, just with a new name.

Our next meeting is on Friday, December 2 from 10am til noon at the (re)birth centre, 256 Central Ave. in downtown London. Parking is available at meters on Central Ave. and Wellington St., or free if you are willing to walk a bit further from a side street.

I also wanted to let our followers know about a contest that Michelle from Natural Mother Productions is running just in time for Christmas. Everyone who enters has a chance to win a custom NPM baby carrier! Check out "Natural Mother Productions" on Facebook and check under "Notes" for more details on how to enter and win.

Looking forward to seeing lots of mamas (and daddies, of course!) at the meeting next week!

An introduction.

Hello! I'm Catherine, and I have been given the reins to post on this blog about babywearing. Kendra is a very trusting person, but I think, in this case, it is well-placed.

I am a first time mom to a wonderful little boy. I was introduced to babywearing by my lovely sister in law, who wore her second child and taught me how to carry him in a structured carrier. When my son was born, she once again stepped up and taught me to wrap my baby, when he was just a few days old. I was recovering from a c-section, and wearing my baby gave him the closeness he needed, and gave me my hands back to do the basics around the house.

It wasn't perfect, but it worked for us. I attended my first babywearing meeting in May, and was hooked. I even went home with a new wrap, thanks to Kendra, and a better way to wear him, thanks to a princess called Carly. ;)

Since the Geckos Tanami came home with us, I have steadily been acquiring more wraps and carriers. Each of them hold a special place in my collection, and I am a wee bit ashamed to say I now have a different carrier or wrap for each day of the week. In my defence, they each serve a different purpose, and I chose each and every one of them with care.

I love the idea of babywearing, and am thrilled to be able to pass along what I have leared and am learning to those new to wrapping. As I move forward in this blog, I hope to open a discussion about the benefits of babywearing, different carriers (both structured and wraps) and different techniques to try out.

I look forward to your input! As much as I like to talk about myself, I hope this can become a reader-directed blog, covering what you are interested in. Please leave comments, so I can get ideas about what to look at.

Happy Babywearing!

Next Baby Wearing Meeting!

Our next meeting is this week! We'll be getting together this Friday, October 7 from 10am-noon at Life With Baby (256 Central Avenue). We have an extensive collection of wraps, carriers and experience to help find the right carrier for you and your little one! The meeting is very child friendly, so please feel free to bring older siblings!

A famous London Babywearer!

One of our own just won a babywearing photo contests! Check her awesome picture out below! Congrats Canadace!

http://wrapyourbaby.com/blog/2011/10/thewrapphotos/

Babywearing meeting tomorrow!

Hi all,

HOpe you can come out tomorrow, Friday September 9th to Life with Baby for our babywearing meeting. WE meet from 10-12. Please feel free to bring your older children.

We will have lots of wraps to try and borrow!

Hope to see you there!

Thanks and some info!

Hi all,

Thanks for a great meeting today, it was great to see so many new moms/new to babywearing moms! Hope you found some useful information today! Please let us know if there is anything else you need!

As requested, some information.

This is the website/forum we mentioned that is all about babywearing. It is quite big and busy and overwhelming, but is a wealth of babywearing information, and they even have a for sale section to look at carriers if you are planning to buy! You do have to register.
www.thebabywearer.com

Brands of Woven Wraps: This is not an exhaustive list, but the ones that I know. So you can tell if you are getting a woven wrap, ask for the materials (should be cotton, linen, wool, bamboo - NOT jersey).
*Didymos
*Natibaby
*Hoppediz
*Storchenwiege
*Chimparoo (Canadian!!!)
*Vatanai
*Bbslen


Some great videos for Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC)- the front carry we showed most of you today. IN this one she holds the baby the whole time, which is another way you can do it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRSTW8h5lcs&feature=related

Nursing in a FWCC video I like! Where she leaves his legs in, I would often leave them out. Its just preference.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCs1Rj_6jyA&feature=related

And some great ring sling videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdP_KcN20uw (for a new born)
http://www.youtube.com/user/zolowear#p/u/31/Bkb9vZklVpk (legs out)
http://www.youtube.com/user/zolowear#p/u/33/2wBCKU7hyf0 (Hip Carry for toddler/older baby)

Any of the ring sling videos by the Zolowear are great!

Happy babywearing!

Next Meeting: August 12th 10-12 at LWB

Hi all,

Sorry for the delay in announcing our meeting! We will meet a WEEK tomorrow, on August 12th at our usual location, Life With Baby.

All are welcome, and brainstorm some ideas of other things you would like to see the group doing. Weekend meetings for after you go back to work/daddies? Social ideas? Workshops/specific topics? Let us know what you want!!

See you next week!

Next Meeting and Congrats to our Lotto winner!

Hi all,

Our next meeting will be Friday August 12th at our usual location, Life with Baby, from 10-12. Please join us to try out some carriers, and even borrow some. Feel free to bring older children as well, and if you haven't had your baby yet, don't worry. There are lots of borrow! We also will be taking a photo shoot to catalogue our carriers. Come on out and be a model!!!

And big congratulations to our lotto winner, Catherine! She has won a carrier of her choice! We are working on paying off the carriers we have bought for the library as well as funding some much needed additions. So any donations are welcome - either monetary or carriers that you no longer use!

Thanks

Spreading the Babywearing Love!!

We want to expand our babywearing group and lending library! So here is the deal...

Buy a raffle ticket for only $2 or 3/$5. Winner will receive a carrier of their choice for FREE!!! (Chose from some ring slings, woven wraps, mei tai's) Lots to chose from, including brands such as Didymos, Natibaby, comfy joey and more!!

Winner will be drawn August 1st, prior to our next meeting which is August 5th!

Good luck!

Babywearing meeting Tomorrow!

10-12 at Life with Baby (256 Central Ave). Lots of carriers to try and borrow, and lots of other mamas to talk to! Please come out if you can!

Also, Sunfest is on in Victoria park, right across the road - you can check it out for some lunch after the meeting!

REASON OF THE DAY

so that you have 2 free hands for a tired grumpy toddler! This is a picture from the zoo when my son got tired of walking.

NMMT

I just found out that Natural Mother Mai Tai's is going to be doing a demenstration on there mai tais and buckle tais during out meeting!!!! Michelle is wonderful and this will be a great opportunity for you to try out one of her carriers!

Monthly meeting

just a reminder that we will be meeting this Friday June 10th at Life with baby from 10-12. I hope to see you all there!

Get together tomorrow

Hope to see you all tomorrow - 1pm. The plan is - if there is good weather (aka not raining) then meet at Harris park, by the playground (right downtown off of King Street). If it is raining, then meet at the main entrance of Covent Garden Markets.

Happy babywearing!

Social on Friday?

Anyone up for a babywearing get together? I think it is supposed to be nice so we could go for a babywearing walk! Say afternoon for those that can't get out in the AM. 1-3pm at Harris Park.

Reason of the Day to Babywear...

You tell ME!!! Why do you love to wear your baby? Is it practical? Fun? Tell me, and share a picture if you care to!

GREAT meeting today!

Thanks for coming out today ladies. We had a great time. A couple mamas learned to use a Mei Tai, several tried back carries for the first time. It was lovely to see all the little babies getting babywearing snuggles from their moms (and maybe dads that night!).

Remember, we do have quite a stash of carriers for borrow now, so if you are interested in trying out something new, just let us know!

Hope to see you all in two Friday's for a 'social'. Hopefully the weather is good and we can go to Harris park and the kids can play in the splash pad!

This weather is lovely for babywearing - husband and I went for a hike a few days ago, and he wore our little one on his back in  his very own 'daddy wrap'. Picture just because! :)

Get the Blog Updates to Your Email!

There is a handy-dandy option on the right hand side to sign-up for the blog feed via email. It sends it out once a day, so we'll aim to have the meeting updates posted early enough that you get the day's summary including the meeting reminder on Thursday, rather than on Friday after the meeting! (Unless someone can advise a way to chance when the summaries are sent out!)

There is also the option to subscribe to the RSS feed with any of your favourite readers just below!

Babywearing meeting

Our next Babywearing meeting will be this friday May 13th from 10-12 at life with baby. There will be tea and snacks, so I hope to see every one there.

there will also be quite a few wraps for sale at this meeting so if you are looking for one come and take a look!

Social Event: Friday April 29th 1-3pm

All are welcome! It is at my house in North London! If you want to come and need my address, look here or send me an email at kendra@hastie.ca and I'll send you my address. Will have tea and snacks, and lots of toys to keep older kids busy!

Hope to see you soon!

Reason of the Day to Babywear!

Because the grow up too fast!!!

I never understood how 'adults' always said this until I had my little E. Soon, she will be to big to hold, carry, sit on my lap etc. So I am going to maximize our cuddle and close time while I can! And you should too. Enjoy your little ones while they are - well - little!

Please follow us to recieve all updates, and let us know if you are interested in borrowing/trying any carriers, or need any help!

Happy Babywearing!!

Thank you

A big thank you to a friend of mine who donated her Mai Tai to the baby wearing group. It is super comfy I was wearing Abby in it today.
here is a pic of the mai tai and the didy wrap i got yesterday.

And reason of the day to Babywear......

warmth!!!! it so much warmer for you and baby to be warn. Don't they look cosy!!!!!

More Wraps!

I just got another Wrap in the mail for the Babywearing group!!!! its a Didymos size 5. I hope everyone likes it.

Hi Babywearers

Hi all!

Our lending library is GROWING!! On Friday I got in the mail two more Mei Tai's with extra long straps, so they will work for our plus sized mamas too! I'm so excited to be able to offer you all different carriers to try and borrow to see what works for you and your baby!

If you are interested in borrowing anything in between meetings, please just comment here, or email us at londonbabywearers@gmail.com! We ask a $2/week donation to fund the purchasing of carriers.

And... the reason of the day to babywear....

To MULTI -TASK!!

This picture is of my husband wearing our daughter, while texting and drinking a coffee on UWO's campus. He was caught by the student newpapers camera man! I LOVE this picture! It's like a where's waldo for babywearing.

Thanks for a great first meeting!!

This morning was a great success! I lost count at 17 mamas!!! (plus loads of babies and toddlers and bellies!!)

I want to put out a BIG thank you to Jodi at Life with Baby for allowing us to use her space, and putting up with the chaos of our first meeting!

We are planning on meeting every 2 weeks. On meeting being a social, the next a more structured meeting to play with new carriers!

If there is anything you want to try/borrow, let us know. Our library is ever expanding. I just got home to mail - two plus size mei tais!

Thanks again

Meeting tomorrow...

Don't forget everyone!! Our first meeting is Tomorrow, from 10-12 at Life with Baby (256 Central Ave). Tea will be brewed and lots of carriers to try out!! Come drop in for all or any of the time!!

Look forward to seeing you there!

Reason of the Day to Babywear!

LOADS of snuggles!!! Especially as baby gets older, they are often too independent and 'busy' to snuggle. But they still loved to be wrapped up! That way you get some lovely snuggle time, and no one can take them off of ya!! My mum or sister always like wearing my daughter, because then they get exclusivity of her for a while!!

Here is my sister wearing my little one when she was about 2 months old!

Happy Babywearing - and enjoy your snuggles!!

Don't forget Friday is our meeting!!

Lending Library

Good news mama, our lending library is GROWING! And we are LISTENING to your needs! We have bought (some are still in the mail)

• Several pouch slings
• Several Adjustable pouches
• Small and large Ring slings
• Size 6 and size 5 woven wraps
• Three Mei Tais
• Two PLUS SIZED Mei tais

We are specifically hoping to add a buckle tai/soft structured carrier and more wraps (stretchy, gauze or woven) to our lending library. So if you would like to donate to us, or can sell for cheap, we would love to hear from you! We could also look at a trade from our existing carriers!

Looking forward to seeing you all next week. We will have all the carriers with us to loan out! We will be asking a $2/week minimum donation for borrowing carriers. All this money will be going towards growing the library and the program.

Reason of the day to babywear

So you can put 2 grumpy babies to sleep and keep a toddler happy all at the same time!!! way to go supper mom!

this is a pic if a friend who has 2 month old twins and a 22 months old

Reason of the Day to Babywear!

Because babies that are worn cry less! Some research suggests that babies who are worn cry up to 54% less than babies who aren't. And who couldn't do with less crying and more happy babies!!??!!

Here is a goofy pic of my happy baby being worn by daddy as we are about to go out in the cold!!

APRIL 15th FIRST MEETING!!!!

Hi Babywearers,

So our first meeting will be Friday April 15th from 10am-12pm. It will be at Life with Baby 256 Central Ave (Just east of Richmond on Central). There is free parking on one street north (Hymen) and on Central just east of Wellington. There is meter parking in front of Life with Baby.

We are planning every 2 week meet ups. One will be a more 'formal' meeting where we will use the LIfe with Baby space to practice carries and chat! The next meet up will be more of a 'social' but we will meet outside Life with Baby, then go for a walk/coffee.

Please let me know if I've missed anything, or you need more information!

Reason of the day to Babywear

CONVENIENCE!!!!

It is so much easier to shove a wrap in my bag then to lung around a stroller. When the kids are up in the wrap it makes shopping so much less stressful. The kids can't grab and pull everything off the shelf.

Reason of the day to Babywear

Tell us your reason for babywearing!

looking for a wrap?

Are you looking to buy a wrap locally? There have been some new ones added to http://www.facebook.com/pages/London-Babywearers-FSOT/175476222502809

or check out
http://www.naturalmotherproductions.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2208077

for some amazing carriers!

Reason of the day to Babywear

They are so pretty!!!! when you have a stroller you get just one stroller and they are pretty boring but with wraps you can have a couple for the price of 1 stroller. When you get bored of the wrap they are easy to trade/sell to get new ones there are so may styles/materials you will never get bored of wrapping!!!!

currently I have 3 woven wraps and 4 comfy joey ring slings and I have a NMMT on the way!!!!!

New FSOT facebook group...

Looking to buy or sell a wrap or baby carrier? Come join our facebook page, you can post what you have for sale, or what you are looking to buy.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/London-Babywearers-FSOT/175476222502809

Reason of the day to Babywear

Daddy snuggle time!!!!! being the primary caregiver of our 2 kids it is so nice that my husband can throw on a wrap and get some snuggle time and sooth a fussy kid.

This picture was take when we were at a friends birthday party and our son just over 1 at the time needed a nap so Cam put him in the wrap and he fell asleep instantly.

Reason of the Day to Babywear...

To get things DONE!!! When my little E has whiny days and doesn't want to be put down, but I have things to do it drives me nuts! Well, with babywearing, grab a sling, and put them on your front, or even better your back, and off you go. Babe is happy because they are right next to mum or dad, and you are happy because you are doing what you need to!!

This is a picture of my husband wearing E while he does some work in the garage!


I just got a box of slings in the mail today that I ordered. Lots of pouches, a Mei Tai and a wrap. If you are interested in borrowing anything, let us know!

Happy babywearing!

Reason of the day to Babywear

To be hands FREE!!!!!

I have 2 children 18 months apart if I didn't babywear I don't know what I would have done. Chasing after an 18 month old with a new born was much easier when the baby was securely attached to me!

(Yes there is a baby in there she was only 2 weeks old in this picture.)

Reason of the Day to Babywear!

So your baby doesn't have to wear this ...

Plagiocephaly - where your babies head becomes flat on the back or one side - is becoming more and more common. It happens when a baby spends too much time laying on their back. This flat head is a problem, because if it isn't returned to its normal shape by about 18 months, the bones fuse and babies head stays that shape. The incidence of plagiocephaly has and is increasing at alarming rates. Why does this happen you ask? No, its not from sleeping, after all babies have been sleeping lying down forever, and this is an increasing problem in our society.

Its because of these

Think about it ... how long does your baby sit - with pressure against their head - in one of these seats? In one mall trip, a baby can be put in the seat, then in the car, then clipped into the stroller, then back into the car to go home - creating HOURS that the baby is lying in the same position. Not good for baby's head (not to mention their development).

So whats the solution? PICK UP YOUR BABY!!! Grab a sling, and wear your baby when you go for a walk or go to the mall instead of using the car seat/stroller combo!

Happy Babywearing!

Welcome to London Ontario Babywearing

Hi All,

Welcome to the blog of London, Ontario Babywearers. We seek to provide information about babywearing to local mamas and papas and caregivers. We are working on this site to have great information about different carriers, about the benefits of babywearing, and how to wear your baby.

We are going to start having regular babywearing meetings, at our friends Life with Baby (http://www.lifewithbaby.ca/) who have generously donated their space to us. Please check back for our first meeting.

We are also working on a small lending library of carriers. If you are interested in borrowing a carrier to try, please contact us.