Is everybody ready?!  October 5th kicks off International Babywearing Week!  International Babywearing Week (IBW) is an annual event sponsored by Babywearing International.  It is a week-long opportunity to celebrate, promote, advocate for, and focus media attention on the many benefits of babywearing! 
 
The theme this year is "Best Seat in the House," which babywearing certainly gives your little (and not so little) ones. When a child has a nice, comfy seat in any kind of carrier, they are comfortable, close to a loved one, and able to see and participate in ways that are not possible without babywearing. Let's help Babywearing International spread the word about the 'best seat in the house' and have some fun while we are at it!
 
Here with Babywearing International of Grand Rapids we have a number of online and in-person events! With both indoor and outdoor options, along with active and a bit more relaxing events, there is something for everyone. BONUS: Most of our events are FREE and a few even offer chances for FABULOUS PRIZES!  Check out our Facebook fan page or website for more information on specific events.  We hope to see you at an event (or all of them)! 

Participate online throughout the week in our Facebook group's photo scavenger hunt. Watch for the list to be posted on the 5th and get snapping for a chance at a prize and a lot of fun :)
 
We can't wait to celebrate with all of you. The fun kicks off this Wednesday, October 5th at 5:30 at a park near you!

Get ready—October 4th through 11th is International Babywearing Week! International Babywearing Week (IBW) is an annual event sponsored by Babywearing International. It is a week-long opportunity to celebrate, promote, advocate for, and focus media attention on the many benefits of babywearing.

Locally, we are celebrating with both in-person and online activities! Check out our events page and Facebook fan page for more information about how you can join in. Throughout the week, we will have a babywearing photo scavenger hunt! Participate to win one of the amazing prizes below!

On June 28th, we celebrated our second year as a BWI affiliated chapter. We couldn't have had a better time celebrating it with our amazing members! Good friends, food, and fun on a warm summer afternoon. 

Thanks again to everyone who came out to celebrate our second year as a Babywearing International chapter and to our generous sponsors who donating the amazing prizes that made these lucky people's day!

• Rachael Kohn with Ava Anderson 
• Alicia Gavan of Heart & Soleil
• Jeff Burlingame with Friction Crossfit 
• Raina Baker with Younique 
• Sweet Emily Bows 
• Me & Mr. Baby
• E.C.L Leather Design 
  
• Erin Wiseman-Parkin of Erin's Whimsical Treasure 

• Wrap Scrap Creations

• Starbright Baby 

• Amanda Rubick with Jamberry 

• Sweet Treats by Mandy 

• Paul & Jessica Stampe of Canyon Street Pottery 
  
• Erin Tucker Young
• Brandy Yntema

What birthday party would be complete without some prizes for the people who helped us get here? Thanks to our generous sponsors, we have some amazing prizes to be raffled off! 

Each item will have a jar for your entry ticket. Each Sustaining Member will receive one free raffle ticket; additional raffle tickets can be purchased for $1/each. Simply place your ticket(s) in the jar for the prize you want to win! Winners will be drawn and announced at the party.

Complete our Rafflecopter here


Play Along and Earn Entries

Share a photo! All photos must be posted in the daily event and/or thread. Photos must be posted on the day they are scheduled between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm. Each photo will be an entry into our Grand Prize drawing. ALL PHOTOS ENTERED INTO THE DRAWING WILL FALL UNDER OUR STANDARD PHOTO RELEASE. You must fill out the release found here or entries will not be valid. Tag all photos shared publicly with the tag #bwiofgr and #IntlBabywearingWeek. The most liked photo on each thread (Sunday - Tuesday, Thursday - Saturday) will win a key chain donated by Whimsical Treasure, MI! 


Sunday, October 5th: Shout-It-Out Sunday

Shout it all the way to the roof-tops (or Twitter, Instagram or Facebook!): We love babywearing! Shout it out and tell the entire world why you wear! 

PRIZE ENTRY: Share our public fan page or your own status about why you wear! Take a screenshot or photo to show that you shared our Fan Page, Fan Page Status, or proclaimed your babywearing love! Submit your photo entry to the thread of the day in our private chatter group.


Monday, October 6th: Get Moving Monday

Show us your babywearing workout! Head outside for a walk, take some trips up and down the stairs with the added weight, join us for babywearing Zumba, or try The Babywearing Workout  *reminder – best practice babywearing says that you would only do activities that you would do while holding baby in arms. i.e. – no bike riding while wearing, no skiing, no horse-back riding, running, etc.*

PRIZE ENTRY: Take a babywearing selfie showing off your babywearing workout! Head to babywearing Zumba, take an after dinner walk, or get moving and get sweaty! Submit your photo entry to the thread of the day in our private chatter group. 

EVENT: Zumba @ 1:30 at Trinity Lutheran Gym. Class will cost $5/Sustaining Member and $8/other.


Tuesday, October 7th: Teach Me Tuesday 

Take time to learn a new technique or carry. Have someone in your life with whom you’ve wanted to share babywearing? Now is the time! 

PRIZE ENTRY: Take a selfie of learning a new carry or show us a new carry/carrier you've just learned! Submit your photo entry to the thread of the day in our private chatter group.

EVENTS: Babywearing 101. $0 fee. Location – Trinity Lutheran from 6:30pm-7pm. This event is for those who are unfamiliar with babywearing and have not previously attended an event with Babywearing International of Grand Rapids. Please check the event invitation for more information.

-or-

Advanced BW Class. $5/Sustaining Members and $8/others.  Location - Trinity Lutheran from 7-8pm. Teaching Double Hammock (DH) & Variations and Half-Jordan’s Back Carry (HJBC). Please check the event invitation for skill requirements. Class size is limited so RSVP to save your spot.


Wednesday, October 8th: Work-It-Out Wednesday

Babywearing is good for caregiver and baby. It reduces stress, regulates heartbeats, and reduces crying time. Hopefully it is also giving you time to keep your mind sharp but, if not, take some time to work your brain today – puzzles are known to reduce stress and calm your heart rate as well!

PRIZE ENTRY: Take a shot at our Fill in the Blank Word Search! There is no ‘official’ photo thread for today but we’ll be chatting. You will need to have completed this puzzle to earn an entry from Rafflecopter. 

Thursday, October 9th: Throwback Thursday

Share pictures of your first time wearing, a favorite babywearing memory, or the people who introduced you or who you have introduced to babywearing.

PRIZE ENTRY: Share a throwback photo from the first time you wore your baby, the first time you tried a new carry or carrier, or a favorite wearing memory. Submit your photo entry to the thread of the day in our private chatter group.


Friday, October 10th: Friday Funday

What adventures have you had that might not be possible without babywearing? Hiked a mountain? Walked the beach? What would be your Fantasy Family Adventure – act it out and have some fun!

PRIZE ENTRY: Babywearing is an adventure! Play along at home today by completing this photo challenge. Take a babywearing selfie pretending to be on an adventure you would like to do while babywearing. DO NOT share a photo from a past adventure - invent yours at home as best as you can! Print this doc, write down your adventure, and pose for a babywearing selfie! If you don’t have a home printer, write the hashtags on a piece of paper or edit your photo to include them! Submit your photo entry to the thread of the day in private chatter group. We will have some copies of the page at the meeting if you need to grab one!

EVENT: Grand Rapids Weekday Meet-up (visit private Facebook chatter group to RSVP).


Saturday, October 11th: Share your City Saturday

What defines your town, city, region or community? Show the rest of the babywearing world the adventures you can share in your community. Grand Rapids, Holland, or any of our surrounding cities: what makes them so special? What do you love about your city?

PRIZE ENTRY: Head outside today and take a selfie while exploring the city or showing us your favorite spots. Hit up the last days of ArtPrize, the beach, a fair, a festival, a walk through the fall trees, etc!


Total Available Entries and How to Redeem

The entry form to tally your weeks participation will be posted via Rafflecopter on Saturday, October 11th and will stay open to submit your entries until Monday, October 13th at 11:59 p.m. Prize Drawing will take place on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 14th, entries will be validated, and winners announced Tuesday evening after 8 p.m.

1. Join us or renew your Sustaining Membership between October 5th, 2014 12:00 am - October 11th 11:59 p.m. You can use this link to sign up
   
   
2. Like our Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/BabywearingInternationalofGrandRapids
   
   
3. Purchase a Vinyl Decal. One entry total (even if multiples are purchased)
   
   
4. Purchase a Tote bag. One entry total (even if multiples are purchased)
   
   
5. Sunday - You wrote or shared a status about babywearing and shared a photo to the daily thread between the posted times.
   
   
6. Monday - You did a babywearing workout and posted a photo to the daily thread between the posted times.
   
   
7. Tuesday - You learned a new carry, carrier, mastered a new skill, or babywearing trick and posted a photo to the daily thread between the posted times.
   
   
8. Wednesday - You gave your brain a workout and completed our fill-in-the-blank word search.
   
   
9. Thursday - You joined in on reflecting about your start in babywearing and shared a photo from when you began or an all time favorite wearing photo to the daily thread between the posted times.
   
   
10. Friday - You dreamt of your Family Adventure and acted it out. Sharing the photo on the daily thread between the posted times.
    
    
11. Saturday - You took a selfie showing your favorite part(s) of your city or community and shared it on the daily thread between the posted times!
    
    

What a fun week we have in store! We look forward to getting to know you more and having you get to know us. Babywearing bonding is not just for caregiver to child--we can bond and make friendships also! What prize do you want to win?