Low Income Mamas Interested in Baby Wearing

Cool!

Is it OK if I post another idea here? I saw this on thebabywearer.com, it's a mama wearing her LO on her back with a bedsheet. I think she says she's using a double sheet in this video but she's petite.

http://naturalfamilyworld.com/?attachment_id=171

I was about to go exploring on mamatoto.org and then realized it's not there anymore?!? Weird, I was there not too long ago. It had instructions for making a no-sew stretchy wrap (for younger babies) out of cotton jersey. Or to last longer for older babies and toddler too you can make a woven wrap out of osnaburg fabric. Not no-sew though.

I really like that video. My lo is really little! Thats nore something I would do with my 2 yearold but i like the idea. I probably could do a sling, but not for long periods. i have the carrier for her and she's only 14 lbs and I can use it for about 1 shopping trip and my back is killing me by the end, but thats about 1 hour maybe?

Tessa, what kind of front carrier do you have? Is it like a "snuggli" type deal? Those things are awful on a healthy mama's body.

Momnipotent, thanks for posting that link.

Yep thats exactly what it is. i hate it, but shes getting to the point where she's almost too heavy for me to just carry her around in my arms. thats why i want something like a wrap or a mei tei so i can just hold my daughter. i love being with her and holding her. i hate that being sick makes it so hard. shes also very clingy, its hard for me to get chores done normally but having her screaming because im not in her line of sight makes it that much more difficult. and i cant hold her in my arms longer than a few minutes anyways

That sucks, and it sounds like you could really use a good quality baby carrier. I used to have a Snugli and found it really painful. I've always wondered what would happen if you took a Snugli and somehow attached a waist strap to tie around the waist more like a mei tai. And then you could fold up receiving blankets or something and put them under the shoulder straps as padding or something. I wonder how that would work.

Let me know if this link doesn't work (I keep messing it up), but it should be a link to a mama doing a torso carry (so no arm/shoulder issues) with a towel.
http://www.dropshots.com/wraparoundjoy#date/2009-01-17/21:03:56
Being totally honest, it kinda freaks me out a bit, but then I also know it's a traditional carry and mamas have been doing it forever (though not with towels, with other simple pieces of cloth - there are bazillions of clips of it on youtube LOL) so that gives me more faith in its safety.

If you can find a piece of cloth that's supportive enough and 2.6 + metres (not sure on the width) you can do a back carry, the rucksack tied under bum, in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UUSYJX7o1A

And if there is a local babywearing group in your area you can always meet up and try stuff out and ask for advice from experienced babywearers.

This is a fun thread! )

I didn't know a lot about baby wearing when my kids were small enough, so I used snugglies and those metal framed back carriers when they were older. Both are probably the worst for your body, and on top of my fibro it made it pretty impossible for me to sustain wearing my kiddos.

I tried an Ergo once with K and was shocked that I could wear him on my back and not be in pain for days. The right kind of carrier makes a huge difference.

For sure for sure! I remember when I used a Snugli my shoulders would kill and my arms would go numb, but I used it for months because the good quality carriers just seemed so expensive and I didn't think I could afford it. I am pretty lucky though that I do have some disposable income, so eventually I figured that since babywearing was pretty essential to my parenting and it was causing me serious pain, I didn't have a choice anymore and had to dish out the money. It's really shitty that that's not an option for everyone. Now with us hopefully planning on TTC another one soon I'm getting back into learning about babywearing and it's a lot of fun!

There are always some cheap carriers (especially ring slings) on www.thebabywearer.com for sale or trade forum too that are far better quality and often cheaper than what you would get in the stores. And if you can sew they have plenty of DIY projects.

If I ever figure out how to sew a straight line *eyeroll* I would love to make up some basic carriers and send them out to low-income mamas, it's something I feel really strongly about.

Those are awsome sites!! Thanks for the links. It makes me happy to see that they are offering good attachment parenting options for low-income families. The slings can be quite pricey, and they make such a huge difference.

I agree about the Snuggli. I had one, and I hated wearing it because it was just brutal on my back. I think they are also not so good for the child's hips, as well.

I was just searching www.etsy.com (handmade stuff) and I searched "mei tai" and then chose to view the results by lowest to highest price, and of course I came up with a few sewing pattens and some doll carriers, but I also found this:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_6&listing_id=15754066&ga_search_query=mei+tai&ga_search_type=tag_title&ga_page=1&min=&max=&order=price_asc

Umm yeah, brand new mei tai for $12.50?!? And then another $5 for shipping. Yeah, it's not brand name, but for $18 I'm not picky! LOL! Looks like she only ships to US, but yeah if anyone is looking for a deal!

Also, there are the selendangs that cost $20 each. The profits go to donating slings to tsunami and earthquake survivors in Indonesia, so it's pretty win-win. You can order them here http://yuki-michelle.com/hugs/slings.html and they also have instructions on that site. I know they are pretty popular on TBW which is a good sign. LOL

___________________________
"The words are being spoken now, are being written down; the taboos are being broken, the masks of motherhood are cracking through." Adrienne Rich, Of Woman Born

I was in the store today and saw this woman wearing the most beautiful wrap I've ever seen! I kept seeing her and finally we were only one checkout line from her. I figured I kept seeing her for a reason and decided to ask her where she got her wrap. She was really nice about it. She said she got it at loveyduds.com I went to the site and they have GORGEOUS wraps! And they are $40 and you get to choose which fabric you want. They have a pretty good selection too. I've heard the best about wraps, and with my health conditions it sounds like it probably is the best health wise also. But my question is what are the weight limits? I figured maybe we could get a list on here of what the advantages and disadvatages and weight limits are for each one on here so its easier for other mamas interested to find. I figure I cant be the only one curious about the differances and what would be best for me and Kiara. Especially since she's now almost 10 months old. She's only 14 1/2 lbs so she is small but I dont want to pay for something that will only last me a little while. I want one that will last me through her toddler years also and will be comfortable enough wth my health issues to wear when shes heavier.

I also found this guide on disabled moms choosing carriers. It had some pretty good advice on what to look for. It helped confirm my decision to get a wrap. the website is- http://www.ricability.org.uk/consumer_reports/parenting/baby_carriers/

Wraps are super; they are probably the most comfortable because they spread the weight around, and most versatile because they can do virtually any kind of carry (back, front, side, nursing...). They are harder to learn to use so you really do need to be willing to practice. Once you get it right they rock.

There are 2 types of wrap that all brands fit under. They are either stretchy or woven.

Stretchy are the cheapest, you can make your own easily, they are soft and great for young babies, but they don't last long. They generally say on the package they're good til 35 lbs or whatever, but they're just not comfortable for that long; they are really only good for 15-20 lbs, max, so most babes are out of them within 6 months. (Note: There are 2 kinds of stretchy wrap = jersey, and gauze. Gauze will last slightly longer but still not very long.) For those interested in stretchy wraps, rather than shell out the $$ for one I would suggest a DIY since they are easy no-sew and so cheap. Generally it's cotton jersey; this is basically t-shirt fabric you can get at any fabric store. You can test it at the store by pulling on the edges; they should curl, not fray. (You can also use knit cotton, again similar to tshirt fabric and you want edges that curle not fray. You could also use fleece in colder weather.) The instructions here http://wearyourbaby.com/Default.aspx?tabid=121 will tell you how much fabric you need and how wide to cut it. You just cut and wear, no need to hem.

Woven wraps are great. With a good brand you can use one from birth to preschool. This is what would probably be best for you mamatessa. Problem: OMG expensive. What a girlmom needs to know: 1 - Not all brands are created equal. GSW (German-style wraps) are the good stuff, most comfy and supportive for carries, and will last the longest. And - figures! - these are *generally* the most expensive. 2 - The resale value on these things is nuts. You can buy a used wrap off www.thebabywearer.com For Sale Or Trade (FSOT) forum for a lot. Good news is that as long as they're still in the same shape when you're done with them, you can sell them for the same price when you're done and make most of your money back.
If you're into DIY - You can make your own, but it does involve sewing. You would probably want the same length and width (not 100% about width, will check if anyone wants to know) as in the above link for stretchies, but you have to hem. Bleh. The ideal fabric is osnaburg, which you should be able to find pretty easily at a fabric store. If you don't sew, maybe you could ask a friend of a relative for a favor. Choosing a fabric to use is kinda tricky because you sort of need to know what to look for. A woven cotton is good, but the thing is the relative stiffness, thickness, etc, means you really do need to know what to look for. So a good idea if you want to try this (and can't find osnaburg) is to find out if there is a local babywearing group or another babywearer locally that uses a woven wrap, and ask them to touch the fabric, notice the slight diagonal stretch but no stretch in other directions. Get a feel for what you're looking for before you go looking. Some tablecloths apparently work quite well too. There is a thread on TBW about that here http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216941
Otherwise, for the non-sewers out there who can't afford new ones, here are a few ideas. You can get an account on www.thebabywearer.com and look for deals there. Any questions you have, they have answers to. (Warning, OMG yuppies on this site. They are great sources of information and they mean well, but yeah there is some privilege flaunting like you have never seen! LOL!) Some names to look for that often go cheaply would be Girasol and BBslen. Ellaroo is the cheapest; not as supportive but will still work fine if you practice. Watch for deals on that one. When people say a number (eg 4.6) that is how many metres the wrap is; try for a 4.6 so you can do all/most of the ties, but you can do fine with less. There is a LOT of babywearing lingo, if you have a question just post or PM me, I like to help.

Unfortunately I can't really think of another way to get a cheap woven wrap. I think there are some cheaper brands, like Bebina, that are good. But otherwise it's one of those things where they cost a lot, they are worth it IMO, but they are so expensive it's not an option for some/most people. Which sucks.

I think the best idea if you can't afford a woven wrap would be a mei tai with wide straps to spread out the weight. They tend to be cheaper if you look carefully (ex - one I linked to earlier) and they can be almost as good or just as good in terms of comfort.

I can't think of anything else right now. Clear as mud, right? LOL! Any questions just post.

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"The words are being spoken now, are being written down; the taboos are being broken, the masks of motherhood are cracking through." Adrienne Rich, Of Woman Born

OMG - apologies for the novel! LOL! It's amazing what I can do when I'm procrastinating. *eyeroll*

___________________________
"The words are being spoken now, are being written down; the taboos are being broken, the masks of motherhood are cracking through." Adrienne Rich, Of Woman Born

Thank you sooo much! I really appriciate this. Can you look at the wrap on loveyduds.com and tell me what you think? Im going to get it Im almost positive unless you think it wont hold an older babe. I saw it on the lady in the store and it didn't look like stretchy fabric but I'm not sure. If you could let me know what you think abut it, I'd really appriciate it! Thanks!

The loveyduds is definitely a stretchy wrap. It probably *can* hold an older baby, but it wouldn't be very comfortable. The thing is about stretchies is that they stretch out and then the LO is hanging sorta, and they create pressure points so it's not really comfortable and you have to keep retying and retying.
Unfortunately there is no way you will find a new woven wrap for under I'm thinking $80. Used you can get Ellaroos and some other deals. But new it's not going to happen.
I'm going to PM you because there's something on TBW FSOT cheap right now that should work for you if you're interested, otherwise I have a woven wrap I'm willing to part with cheaply.

___________________________
"The words are being spoken now, are being written down; the taboos are being broken, the masks of motherhood are cracking through." Adrienne Rich, Of Woman Born

OK that was a bit frustrating. LOL I typed up a PM and it wouldn't let me send it.
But w/e, I'll just post.
The wrap on TBW right now is homemade osnaburg that is used, so it's going cheap ($15 US incl. shipping!) but it should be good quality and work well for what you need. The address is here http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/search.php?searchid=5098602 but you'll need an account and I think 60 posts to view it, which kinda sucks. I could use my account to order it for you, tell the seller that I want her to send it to a friend's, but that could get complicated. Anyways let me know if you're interested in that, I can get the details.
Other option is that I have an Ellaroo woven wrap I'm willing to sell cheaply (bought for $27 USD PPD, willing to sell for $25 PPD) which would honestly not be as good as the osnaburg and would have to cross the border but would work fine. I have some feedback on a couple sites, let me know if you're interested and I can send it to you.

BUT actually I just had a hopefully less complicated idea - check out Diaperswappers! They have a baby carriers section and you don't need to be a member for awhile to see it (I don't think, it's been awhile LOL). Just keep in mind that if you do go there most of the wraps you see will be stretchy. I can link you to a couple that might work in a sec.
(Hehe, it's so fun NOT studying! LOL!)

___________________________
"The words are being spoken now, are being written down; the taboos are being broken, the masks of motherhood are cracking through." Adrienne Rich, Of Woman Born

This one is cheapest and seems like it should work, but it's a risk because the owner doesn't know what brand it is and it's not really identifiable. http://www.diaperswappers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=721059
This one is cheap and an Ellaroo so you know what to expect, should be OK, BUT it's only 3.6m which makes it too short for a lot of carries. (Go to youtube and search "3.6 woven wrap" and it will show you what you can do with it.

These are good ones with typical prices; I think they are good deals for what they are but for sure expensive in general.
This one is $73 http://www.diaperswappers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=699737
This one is $70 http://www.diaperswappers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=721829

Honestly though I might just go for a mei tai. They are far cheaper (saw a good brand on there for $40), easier to find, and easy to use. Personally it think they would be more comfortable than some of the carries you can do with the shorter wraps like the 3.6 too.

Sorry, I know this is all confusing. I lurked on TBW for weeks before I figured out what was going on, and asked my babywearing-geek real-life friend all kinds of questions. Wraps are the most confusing baby carrier ever. LOL

___________________________
"The words are being spoken now, are being written down; the taboos are being broken, the masks of motherhood are cracking through." Adrienne Rich, Of Woman Born

Thank you sooo much! I just got an email from the owner of loveyduds and she does offer a nonstrechy fabric. Its made out of koto? I also found these really neat wraps called baby ktan on ebay. I dunno. . . . this all gets awfully confusing! There is sooooooooooooo much to choose from. My head is just spinning. Thank you for all the links. It definitely helps to know what direction to go in.

I believe ktans are also the cotton jersey fabric so they are stretchy, and they have all the weight hanging from your shoulders, so wouldn't be as comfortable or practical with an older baby.
I've never heard of that fabric and can't find reviews of them, so there is going to be some risk in buying those because you don't know how good they are and what they're good for. But then on the other hand they seem to be a good deal and they may work for you. So you need to weigh the pros and cons there.
I found a new gauze wrap for $26 here http://www.arianasclothesline.com/Baby_Wearing_Momma_Cloth.html and she has good feedback on etsy and ebay. I know gauze is good for summer and it's more supportive than stretchy wraps so if you're interested there's that too.
Let me know what you decide or if you have any more questions!

___________________________
"The words are being spoken now, are being written down; the taboos are being broken, the masks of motherhood are cracking through." Adrienne Rich, Of Woman Born

Thank you soooo much for all your help momnipotent. I really appriciate it and dont knowwhat Id do without your help. I'll post the linkfor the nonstrechy loveydud, she has sme reviews on the age and has greatfeedback. Even if its not the best its still gnna be a million times better tahn the snugli I have. anythig is better tahn the snugli!!! Ill be able to wear her sooooo much more. And she's soooo tiny and gaining weight really slowly so ill still be able to wear her alotfor awhile. She's only 14 1/2 lbs. I'll take a look at that website yu just gave me and see if thats maybe better. Heres teh website for th nonstrechy loveydud=
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21735062

Oh ok I see what I did. Koto is the name of the fabric she's recommending would look good as a panal. She uses a lightweight crinkle gauze. She actually has a picture on the link I posted. And she has a picture of her wearing her 4 y. o in it. Shehas 100% feedback out of 238. Thats really good. Im going to go thru it right now and see if i can see ones with older lo's or ones that ordered the nonstrech. She actually has one of the feedbacks shown on the page about it.

*Bump*

Have you got it yet mamatessa? How are you liking it?

not yet. we ran into some money issues and i had to push back buying it by 3 weeks. i had a custom made wrap made from loveyduds on etsy. its light pink material with the panel in a material called carnival its a bunch of funky type flowers very beautiful! i finally ordered it last monday night. im still waiting for it. everyday im out to the mailbox several times!lol! it says it takes 10-14 days for her to make it and send it off, but she had already made mine, she was just waiting for payment to send it off. im crossing my fingers i get it asap! as soon as do im trying all the positions to find my favorite and taking pictues, so i can post here!

Right on! Just keep in mind it might take some practice to learn to use.

I got my wrap!!!!!!!!! Im sooo excited! I got it in the mail yesterday. It came with a dvd with all the positions and how to use it. I already knew how though because I had looked up how to make and use one when I was pregnant with. It wasnt as hard as I thought it would be. I got it right the first tie but it tookabout 5 or6 times to get it looking right and for me to be comfortable doing by myself without help. Its absolutely beautiful, and its th nonstrech kind which is nice. Its light pink with a flowered with bright colors as the panel. I used it at the carshow here today. We went for about 3 hours and I didnt have any pain except a little bit of sorenes (if that more like pressure) in my lower back. I got a ton of compliments. I even put Aidan who is 35 lbs in it yesterday when I got it. He really didnt pull on me either when he was in it. I absolutely love it! Im getting one for my best friend with a matching nursing wrap for her babyshower. She's excited too after she saw me today at te car show. But Im going to give it 9/10 only because of the material is sooooooooo long and its hard to do in the wind and you have to make sure its not twisted which is sorta difficult if you dont have someone checking it for you. I got mine at etsy.com from the user loveyduds. She also has a website of her own called loveyduds.com but she's easier o work with on etsy. they are only 40$ and you can pick the fabric in just about any color and she has about 70 choices for the panel piece. if you dont want the panel you can get it w/o for 30. you also can get a matching nursing wrap ad the set is oly 65. they are very affordable and beynd worth it!!

That's so awesome, glad to hear it!

so just wanted to update and post a picture. i love love love my wrap. kiara is now 22 lbs and i cant really feel her if you know what i mean. i got mine off of etsy.com from loveyduds. its amazing! If you have chronic pain i recommend this for you!

Aww sweet pic! So glad it's working out for you!

My son is 26 pounds and I use a sling from slinglings.com i LOVE it! We use it for going up and down he stairs to do laundry and I bought it to use in the airport about 6 months ago. He likes it... he pretendsI'm a horse haha.