When I was pregnant on my first I would ask friends and family what was their must have baby items. I was obsessed with getting the right items and not wasting money on the rubbish ones. I remember asking a guy in work and he recommended a baby carrier. He emphasised that we bought one that wasn't cheap as he had done which was uncomfortable to wear and ended up being thrown out and replaced by a more ergonomical one.
So after his advice I went and done my research and who knew how big a thing baby wearing was! There are so many options, Wraps, Slings, Buckles no buckles. On my first baby I wasn't comfortable enough to use a wrap. I just didn't have the confidence to handle a baby well enough to trust myself to get her into it safely lol but when baby no2 came along I was a pro and we used a wrap all the time.
For Lauren baby no 1 I went with the Ergo baby carrier, my dad had asked was there something he could by us for the baby and I knew straight away this was something he could get for us as they aren't cheap. We bought ours from HipBaby.ie. At the time it was €124, this included the newborn insert. I found this carrier so easy to use and Laure was so comfortable in it. It truly was a lifesaver for me in the early weeks. I wouldn't have gotten a thing done if I didn't have this carrier. It meant my hands were free to do my hair and my makeup if I wanted to leave the house. Which sound so vain, but I can tell you now hair and makeup are really important to a new mam! Make you feel like you are some what human and a somewhat like the pre baby woman you were.
Lauren was a savage as a newborn and if it wasn't for this carrier I may never have eaten again. She fed what felt like non stop in those early weeks and cried as soon as she left my arms and every mammy knows how hard that is. Especially when the fuss has died down and your visitors are few and far between and Daddy has returned to work. You would do anything for 5 mins of peace to have a cup of tea and a sambo. Or when the washing is piling up and you think you'll never get it done, even though you just gave birth you are in this mad rush to get some normality back to your life and heaven forbid your house would be messy if a visitor arrived. (yeah we are all nuts!!)
Anyway back to the baby wearing, I could go on and on about those early day episodes of new mammy crazy ha ha ha. I chose the ergo based on reviews I read on line and the ease of use too, knowing I would have to get this on without any help. I chose a very neutral colour so that daddy would use it too. I really wanted the galaxy (stars pattern) one but I knew daddy wouldn't be comfortable in that one. We also got it with the newborn insert so that we could use it straight away. The ergo can be used with the insert from birth up to 4 years old or 45lb and can be worn in 3 different positions. Front inwards facing, back inwards facing and on the hip. Ellie baby no 2 is now 15 months old and we continue to use it. People constantly say oh god is your back not broken with her in that and the answer is no its not and that's because its made to be as ergonomic as possible ensuring that the weight is distributed where it should be thus making it as comfortable for the person wearing it.
Since we bought ours Ergo have come out with a 360 carrier which can be worn with the baby facing out in the front. I'd love to try this one as I sometimes feel now that Ellie is older shes far more nosey and I think she would enjoy it more. I might sell on my ergo and use the money towards a new 360.
The wrap I used was a stretchy wrap by an company called funky flamingo, I got this one on amazon for around €20. It was fantastic. I loved it in the earlier newborn days, I didn't use it much as she grew as I felt the ergo was best for out on walks and taking with us on days out. But I know plenty of mam's who used theres much more than I did.
There are loads of great places now where you can read reviews and figure out which baby wearing option is the best for you and your family. There are also sling meet up's held in local library's and cafes too where you can try out the slings before you buy. I'll leave some links below so you can arm yourself with as much information as you can before you buy. And no matter which option you choose you wont be disappointed.
There are so any benefits to baby wearing, happy baby, happy mammy and that's a win win situation. Great for babies with reflux too, cos they are in an upright position. Gives them a break and mammy and daddy a break too. lets face it in those early days when you haven't a notion of what you are doing, the baby kind of knows more than you do and they love to be held and rocked it settles them and while holding them forever in your arms would be amazing its not always practical. So I'd highly recommend a carrier. A good one that's not going to break your back in the process.
Some of the sites I love are listed below.
Babywearing Ireland
ww.kneetokneeslings.com
Have you used the Ergo 360? Let me know if you would recommend it.
Lots of love
Donna
xxx
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