Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Video :: Babywearing with the Moby Wrap

My turn around time for blog posts is getting a little riduculous over here. We filmed this little video about a month ago and I have just got around to editing it. Let's not even talk about that cloth diaper post that I have been mentioning is coming for ages. Taking care of a baby has really thrown me for a loop and I find that goals and schedules tend to lead to frustration instead of a sense of accomplishment. A go-with-the-flow approach to everything is what has been keeping me happy these days. That sometimes means that there is less time for the things that I used to do (and take for granted!) but more time for baby smiles and giggles so I think it is an ok trade.

Anyways, what was I going to talk about here? Ah yes, babywearing.

A month or two ago (who can really keep track of these things) someone who was registering for gifts asked me what my baby must-haves were. I was thrown off guard and said something about how we didn't buy a lot of stuff and basically just had diapers and some clothes in the beginning. Thinking about it later I realized that I did have at least one must-have item that I should have mentioned. Something to wear your baby with. For me that was my Moby wrap.

I had my mind set on a soft, stretchy wrap in the beginning because as a newbie to babywearing I really liked the fact that with the stretchy wraps you could tie the fabric onto yourself and then just slip your baby in. I was too nervous to try out a woven wrap that needed to be tied up around your baby. All that maneuvering with a tiny baby scared the crap out of me! Side note: I do currently own a very pretty woven wrap and it is much easier to use than I thought but I'm still happy to have my Moby wrap.

Ok, so, I do own a Moby wrap but there are a lot of wraps that seem very similar out there. I have heard good things about Solly wraps and Happy wraps. In case you were wondering I wasn't sent my wrap for free, I purchased it from Barefoot Babies (my favourite baby store) and was shown how to tie it there but by the time Milo was born I had forgotten so I just followed the instructions that came with the wrap.

Milo loved/still loves to be held almost all the time so babywearing has been absolutely essential to me in order to get things done around the house. I also love it for when I go out. Before we leave the house I pre-tie my wrap and when we get to where we're going I just slip Milo in. I can count on two hands the number of times we have used our stroller because the wrap is just so much more convenient and way less bulky. Plus, Milo stays happy longer in the wrap than in his stroller which is a huge bonus.
Milo's first time in the wrap.
I was nervous about starting to babywear until Milo's umbilical stump fell off but I now realize that it wouldn't have bothered it at all. For the first few months when I wore Milo we used the froggy position for his legs so that his legs didn't stick out the bottom of the wrap. Once he hit about two or two and a half months (I can't quite remember) I started wearing him with his legs out. This is the way I will show you in the video. I am not the leading authority on babywearing or Moby wraps but I thought that I would show you what I do because watching a lot of different people do the same thing usually helps me learn better. Here is how I wear Milo in the Moby wrap.
Music is 'The Final Countdown' by Europe.

Now that Milo is getting bigger I still find the Moby comfortable but there are a few things to note. Since he is stronger and move more I need to keep an eye on the panels to make sure he doesn't squiggle around so much that they start to seperate and leave a gap in the middle. Also, since he is heavier and the fabric is stretchy, it seems that his legs fall out of the 'M' position (legs and bum should make an 'M') more often than I would like. I just make sure the check and adjust them back up if necessary. I have heard from lots of people that these type of wraps start to feel a lot less comfortable once your baby hits about 20 pounds but so far so good comfort-wise. Last time I checked Milo was about 14.5 pounds though so we will see once he hits 20.

So, my pros for the Moby:
- fairly easy to wrap
- can be wrapped without baby in it
- easy to slip baby in and out (this is my favourite part)

And my cons:
- baby can wriggle around and move the fabric a lot as they get bigger

There are so many different, wonderful options out there for babywearing. In the future I will talk a bit about my woven wrap and why I love that one. I know that different people like/are looking for different things in a baby carrier so I highly recommend visiting a local shop with a babywearing expert who can help you find the carrier that is right for you!

If you have anything to add to the discussion please do so in the comments! Have you tried babywearing? What is your favourite type of carrier?

♥elycia

PS. clearly babywearing makes me think I'm the Fonz. What's with all my thumbs?

19 comments:

  1. Oh, oh! I have a question! Have you tried nursing in the Moby? And if so, how well does it work? I have a 6-week-old and nursing him in our current carrier suuuucks.

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    1. I haven't actually tried nursing in the wrap. I have heard it works well though. I watched a few videos on youtube to see how it was done and it doesn't look too hard. I was too nervous to try when Milo was really little but I have been thinking about giving it a try in the next little while.

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  2. Haha the end of the video cracked me up. I love it. :)
    I have a Moby Wrap, an Ergo carrier, and a sling from Etsy (from seller: DashingSlings). I loved my Moby when Myles was tiny and his head was super bobbly. Then I started using the Ergo, but while it distributes the weight wonderfully (nice on long walks, etc.), it felt too restrictive for me to move in. So I got the sling, and I LOVE it. It's super fast to put on and take off (I was always afraid of the Moby dragging on the floor as I wrapped it, getting dog hair or crud on it) and easy to adjust. So I've been using the ring sling the most lately. Funny how everyone gravitates toward a different one. For people unsure of what to get, I highly recommend looking around for a local store, La Leche League, or mothers group - frequently you can borrow/test-drive a few types from them. Our La Leche group and our local whole food co-op both have classes on babywearing where you can go try different types out and learn how to use them safely.

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    1. Lots of people I know love ring slings. I think they seem great and I might make one for when Milo is too heavy for the Moby and I want something that I can pop him in and out of quickly. There is a carry for the woven wrap that I'm practicing that works a bit like a ring sling but my woven is pretty long so there is still lots of fabric to deal with. We'll see!
      I should have mentioned that lots of cities have babywearing groups as well! The more information and help you can get with babywearing, the better!

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  3. I just ordered the Happy Wrap last Friday and it should be here today! Sadly my daughter is 3 so I can't really test it until baby is here but I'm still excited about it lol. It seemed really intimidating at first but after watching a ton of youtube videos I feel a little more at ease. ;)

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    1. For sure! It definitely isn't as hard as it seems.

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  4. Wow, you wear him way up higher than I do, my wrap tends to sag down quite a lot. Also, I have very long baby.:P
    How do you find the wrap now that it's getting colder? I'm actually buying a Manduca because it's easier to use with outerwear, for both me and the baby. But it might be colder here than where you live.

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    1. Yeah he is nice and high. One important thing that I always remember being told is that your baby should be visible and kissable when in a carrier. The sagging is why I tie the Moby a lot tighter that I think I need to. It helps to prevent him from dropping too low.
      It can get pretty cold here! So far it hasn't been a big deal I just wear my coat over top of the wrap and put a hat on Milo. If it feels really chilly I have also been holding a blanket around him by putting it under my arms and around his body. You can buy a kind of coat thing that goes over the front of you and covers your baby but I'm too cheap!

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  5. hehe the music is also very good :)

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    1. Ha! Thanks! I should have done some more Gob moves (Arrested Development) but I didn't think of using that music until I was putting it together.

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  6. I never tried wraps when my son was born, I worried they weren't stable enough, and thought it'd be too much of a pain. But after seeing that and how sturdy and comforting it looks, I think I will try one if we have another little one around. Thanks for making it! (And great music choice by the way!)

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    1. Yeah, I think that is a common concern and it definitely takes a little longer to wrap in the beginning until you really get the hang of it. It is totally worth it though!

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  7. Ehhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! *Fonzie impression* :P
    I used a handmade wrap donated to me by my lactation consultant for the first 8 or so months with my daughter, but I eventually ditched it once she hit 22 pounds due to back pain. I knew it was going to happen eventually... but I still missed her snuggled close to me on my chest while doing daily activities! ^-^

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    1. It will be a sad day around here when Milo is too heavy for wearing. I'm hoping that I can transition to back carries with my woven wrap when he feels too heavy for the front. It is awesome to have them snuggled up so close!

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  8. Elycia, I LOVE you. I am due in about 4 weeks with my second son and I was looking to see exactly how you have done it with these types of wraps since I am going to do the same. With this video and how you explained everything for starting out has definitely helped me learn what I need to know when it comes my time to carry around my newborn. Thanks so much!

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    1. Yeah! I'm so glad! I definitely recommend watching some more videos and following any instructions that come with your wrap as well.

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  9. oh my god, i watched this video, even though i'm not pregnant, or plan to be in the near future, but you are gorgeous!
    my mother had a baby wrap for my little sister, (it was in fashion, 19 years ago in germany :D) but my sister made her body stiff, she just flexed all her baby muscles, she hated it! and then my mom stopped trying after 3 shots...

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  10. Love the video Elycia...my gosh Milo is getting so big! :)

    Cookie

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  11. It always makes me smile when I'm at work and I see someone babywearing! (I don't have kids.) The babies just look so happy and comfortable. It is incredibly hard not to want to tickle their toes hanging out though. (I resist so as not to be creepy!) -- Milo's little concerned eyebrows in the video cover photo made me LOL. He is seriously the cuteness.

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