 International Babywearing Week kicks off on October 2nd! 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!
This year's theme is “Threaded Together.” The inspiration from the theme comes from the textiles and the weaving process for carriers babywearers use. All of these individual threads, once woven, create a material used to keep a child close. All of us babywearers come together to create a global community; we are united in the fact that we use carriers to wear our babies. 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 by sharing pictures of how you are celebrating IBW! Get snapping for a chance at a prize and a lot of fun :) We can't wait to celebrate with all of you. Remember, the fun kicks off on October 2nd! [Image description: The words International Babywearing Week 2017 arch over the top of the "Threaded Together" logo which is composed of three human figures in orange, light blue and dark blue. They are holding hands and look like they are made from one thread that also creates a circle making a border around them shifting in the same colors. This circle is at the center of the image on top of a collage of text. The text, in multiple languages, when translated means "Threaded Together."]
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One of the most popular questions received online and in person from wearers is: “How can I feed while wearing?” Considering that small children are eating nearly a dozen times a day, it’s not surprising that caregivers are looking for a way to keep their baby fed and not be tied to a chair all day long. There are plenty of solutions for feeding on the go, and you can almost certainly feed with the help of whatever carrier you have on hand. In this post, our goal is to educate you on feeding in different carrier types for various feeding scenarios, including breastfeeding, bottle feeding, SNS feeding, and G-Tube feeding. If you have tips and tricks you’d like to share for these or other scenarios, please leave them in the comments so others can learn from your experiences. Babywearing is by no means one size fits all—we can all benefit from hearing others’ hands-on knowledge. One caveat before we begin: we like to see a good feeding routine established before attempting to wear while feeding a baby. Starting a new feeding routine can be daunting in and of itself—adding wearing to it can make it more stressful than it needs to be. Waiting can help increase your chance of success, as you can devote your attention to wearing instead of wearing and juggling a new feeding type.
Many thanks to Kate Vandenbos for her knowledge on SNS feeding and photo and Michelle Kischnick-Leach for her knowledge on g-tube feeding and photo.
 Now that the weather is getting warmer, we’re all itching to get outside and explore nature. There’s plenty of fun to be had in West Michigan during the summer, but one of our favorites while babywearing is hiking. Did you know that West Michigan has over fifty trail systems to explore? With babywearing, you can go farther and explore more than you could with a babe-in-arms or with a stroller.
Hiking can be done with any carrier type, but there are perks and drawbacks to each depending on your carrier preferences and the age of your child(ren). We’re going to outline some main points below, but feel free to attend one of our free educational meetings to learn more or get one-on-one help for your situation! Soft structured carriers (Ergo, Tula, Lillebaby, etc.) are one of the most popular options for hiking. They’re good for front carries for little ones, or back carries for when your kiddos get older. They can be one of the fastest options that are also comfortable for longer excursions. Some even have pockets, airflow panels, or other features that may be helpful while hiking. Frame packs (Kelty, Osprey, etc.) are another popular option, especially among hiking enthusiasts. They’re a good option for older children who can sit unassisted and who only want to be worn on the back. Many have storage for extra gear or for hydration pouches. The main drawback of frame packs is that they tend to be heavier and bulkier. You can learn more about frame packs at BWI of Portland’s blog here: http://bwipdx.weebly.com/blog/hard-frame-carrier-101 or here: http://bwipdx.weebly.com/blog/hard-frame-carrier-fit-comparison Meh Dais (Babyhawk, CatBirdBaby, etc.) are a versatile option that can be used for smaller babies on the front or older babies on the back. The openings in the sides of the panel offer a good amount of airflow between you and baby, so it can be a great option when it’s warmer outside. The drawback of meh dais is that they have longer tails, but there are many ways you can tie to keep the tails out of the way and keep your shoulders comfortable, too! Woven wraps (Girasol, Didymos, Lenny Lamb, etc.) are the most versatile option for hiking as babies can be worn on the front or back, plus many wearers find them to be the most comfortable on the shoulders. The drawback of wrapping is the time you have to put into it, plus the fabric can get warmer than other wearing options. Wearing with a shorter wrap is also an option, as you can get the benefit of the versatility of wrapping without having to worry about having too much fabric. Ring slings (Sakura Bloom, Sleeping Baby, etc.) or pouch slings (Sevenslings, Hot Slings, etc.) can be used for hiking and are especially useful when you are going short distances or your baby likes to get up and down a lot. They don’t tend to be the most popular for when baby gets older or for longer excursions, as they are one-shoulder carries. Their man appeal is that they are fast to put on and fold up small, so they’re easy to take along when you’re not sure if your baby will want to be worn. When it starts to get warmer, your preferences may change as well. If you want to learn more about wearing when it’s warm, check out our blog post on hot weather wearing here: http://bwiofgrandrapids.weebly.com/blog/hot-weather-wearing  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! On June 12th, we are celebrating our third year as a Babywearing International chapter! We couldn't have made it without the support of you, our amazing members and visitors! 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! Here are a handful, but check back soon for more! 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. |
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