Babywearing

I LOVE babywearing Baby Moore!

 Last year on a mission's trip to Guatemala, I was able to spend time with Guatemalan mothers and their babies. And I loved the bond Mommy-Baby had. 

So when we got pregnant, it wasn't a surprise that I wanted to wear my baby as the Guatemalan women do so (in a more modern way, of course.)

So I did some research and we decided that babywearing was something we wanted to do for Baby Moore.

According to Dr. Sears (only my favorite parenting advice-giver), babies cry less, they learn more, they are more organized, and they are smarter!

So what is babywearing?

"Babywearing" simply means holding or carrying a baby or young child using a cloth baby carrier. Holding babies is natural and universal; baby carriers make it easier and more comfortable, allowing parents and caregivers to hold or carry their children while attending to the daily tasks of living.  (babywearinginternational.org)

We've served at church, been to parties, done our household chores, gone to the mall, run errands, shop, and even slept and breastfed while baby is with us. Mr. Moore can do all these things with Baby, too (except breastfeed) and he really enjoys the bonding his son and him have while doing so. 

Yesterday, someone came up to Mr. Moore as he was babywearing in a front-carrier and he proudly said, "yes, I like it and he is quite calm in there." Then they asked which he would recommend. I joined in the conversation and said "whatever works best for you and your baby." But we did mention our experience with the carriers we own.
Trust me when I say this: EVERY BABY AND FAMILY IS DIFFERENT!

Below I list 3 carriers we've tried and own but I'm warning you, what works for US does not mean it will work for YOU. Every baby is different, every family is different. Take it with a grain of salt. And if you want some more information, including babywearing safety, visit http://babywearinginternational.org/

We did manage to share about the three carriers we have (we just happen to receive one as a gift and the other two were less than $50 combined):

1) The Moby Wrap is made of a simple strip of cotton cloth. Learn how to wrap it around before you try it on Baby. I first tried it with our Pookie Bear stuff animal. These can be used from birth. See the picture above with Baby Moore napping in it. *this is my favorite thus far* It's lower in cost than most other carriers. Best used by Mom.

2) The Bjorn. One of the more popular out there in the market. Depending what you get, it can be used with the baby in the front or in the back. This is Mr. Moore's favorite, especially because it was the first of the three we had and we bought it at a consignment sale. This one is more spacious for Dad to wear and Baby to have more breathing space.

3) The Ergo is a soft structured carrier made of cotton and is machine-washable. We received this as a gift from my co-workers. It is quite pricey, especially because if you want to use it from birth, you have to purchase the newborn insert separately. This is, however, best on your back, for the ergonomics design to it have been studied quite carefully. So it's best for your baby and parents to feel more comfortable.

So there you have it. My 2 cents on babywearing and my love for it!
*Baby Moore is currently in the Moby Wrap---sleeping while I type!*