Attachment Parenting Group

[mommyof3co]

I bought mine new, custom made...it was $90 I think. This is their website www.babyhawk.com

 

[codegirl]

hi all.
I never heard of AP before until i just came across this tread, I AP without knowing what it was, I co sleep partime as my baby has never slept well, she wakes all night every 2 hrs ish, shes done this from birth, she 4.5 months now.

I carry her everywhere, and would like advice on a good sling/carrier please, i see you mention a mei tai, is this the best carrier for a non aching back?

I have to rock her to sleep at bed time and nap times otherwise she wouldnt nap, and only ever naps for 30 mins.

i did this accidentially as she had colic and i had to rock her to stop crying every night and it carried on.

good to read all your storys x

I would say you have a couple choices for a good carrier that distributes the weight to minimize back pain. That being said, baby wearing, like all excercise, takes muscles that we don't always use so sometimes can take some getting use to.

The two types of carriers I personally would recommend (for what you say you want) would be:

1) a woven wrap: this is the most flexable carrier as you can do a LOT of different carries with it. It's good from newborn till you are no longer strong enough to carry your baby. Cons - can feel complicated when first starting out.

2) Mai Tai - can do a good back and front carry with the babies weight distributed nicely across your shoulders. Simple to use. Cons - can only do the two carries.

 

[juliespencer9]

hi all.
I never heard of AP before until i just came across this tread, I AP without knowing what it was, I co sleep partime as my baby has never slept well, she wakes all night every 2 hrs ish, shes done this from birth, she 4.5 months now.

I carry her everywhere, and would like advice on a good sling/carrier please, i see you mention a mei tai, is this the best carrier for a non aching back?

I have to rock her to sleep at bed time and nap times otherwise she wouldnt nap, and only ever naps for 30 mins.

i did this accidentially as she had colic and i had to rock her to stop crying every night and it carried on.

good to read all your storys x

I would say you have a couple choices for a good carrier that distributes the weight to minimize back pain. That being said, baby wearing, like all excercise, takes muscles that we don't always use so sometimes can take some getting use to.

The two types of carriers I personally would recommend (for what you say you want) would be:

1) a woven wrap: this is the most flexable carrier as you can do a LOT of different carries with it. It's good from newborn till you are no longer strong enough to carry your baby. Cons - can feel complicated when first starting out.

2) Mai Tai - can do a good back and front carry with the babies weight distributed nicely across your shoulders. Simple to use. Cons - can only do the two carries.

thanks
Does the mei tai able you to put baby on your front but face outwards so she can see whats going on?

 

[codegirl]

Some people do a front face out carry with a Mei Tai, actually, I use to do it in that too. But I recently did a course in babywearing from a certified instructor and the outward facing carries are actually not good for the baby. It doesn't allow for proper spine and hip support. It is also harder on you. The recommended carries are either a cradle carry, chest to chest, hip or on the back.

 

[nkbapbt]

I think it would be cool for new and old AP ladies and men if there are any here...to suggest AP friendly products! I know Im always curious what works for everyone...

I love my ErgoBaby carrier.....and my Uppa Vista Stroller, which yes is a stroller but is AP friendly since it's rear facing. And Lakai can see me and isn't being overwhelmed by the outside world. I haven't tried him facing the other way, and doubt I will anytime soon!

 

[asacia]

I use the Stokke Xplory, as LO won't tolerate a sling, and at almost 22lbs, he can't be carried far! It is high up and faces me, which I like. It is high enough that it is easy to give him a kiss whenever I fancy

I think my Cossato Close To Me cot is fab, means We get more bed space and I don't have to worry about LO rolling out of the bed.

 

[codegirl]

Arms Reach co-sleeper - used it for 5 months and love love loved it!!
Woven wrap/ring sling/Mai tei - all used at different times but I love "wearing" my baby!

Most importantly - all of my "crunchy" friends, both in person and online. Without the support I probably wouldn't have bf and I know I wouldn't have learned about the joys of wearing Edward.

 

[Kitten]

I have the First Wheels City Stroller ready for when the weather is snowy/icy/dangerous for wearing but can't use it until he's 6months.

I looove my Connecta and so does he.


On a side note: Did any of you know you were going to get into AP? I have to confess I made a point of not reading any books about baby care or parenting etc. as I wanted to just 'go with the flow'. However, I can't help but think that if I'd decided earlier what I was going to do I could have made life so much easier for myself and saved a fortune. I would have much rather bought an Arm's Reach than his cot or even a snugglenest. I would also have had a good road-test and read into slings/carriers and found the connecta at the beginning instead of wasting money on different ones to just then have to sell them for half of what I paid!! I'd have also got a rear facing stroller from the off too so I don't now have a travel system AND a rear facing buggy.

 

[codegirl]

Here is a link to a blog I think you guys might be interested in. Arie is a certified babywearing instructor and one of my "crunchy" friends. her blog has some very good babywearing info.

https://parentsvillage.blogspot.com/

 

[mommyof3co]

I didn't know before hand, I was the same...with Landon I didn't really read books, just figured it would come naturally and it did. Though with him we didn't do much AP...it just didn't work with his personality. He couldn't stand to sleep with us, or sleep while being held, he couldn't even sleep in our room, it had to be silent and completely dark. Breastfeeding didn't work out with him And some other stuff just didn't fit with him. But then with Casen we kind of "fell" into it because of my csection I needed him in bed with me to deal with him at night as I couldn't get up and down and he was a VERY needy baby so alot of the things with AP just worked with us....didn't know it had a name though at the time. While pregnant with Hayden I did tons of reading up on ap and did almost all of it with him

 

[nkbapbt]

I didnt know before hand either...I had read a little about AP because I wanted to know what it meant after reading about it on my friends facebook interests..but I didnt want to read parenting books either because I wanted to naturally see where my style of parenting was. I didnt want to be any certain way or have a certain mindset from the get go.

I figured if I ran into trouble I could look then.

I do refer to a baby book about the first year, just to check out the milestones they say Lakai should be reaching at certain ages...just because of his prematurity though.

 

[purple_socks]

I think u tend to fall into AP when ur not going out of ur way to follow any particular parenting technique because it involves so much 'going with what ur baby needs'. I think its the most natural way to parent

 

[nkbapbt]

I totally agree.

So how was everyone's weekends?

 

[codegirl]

I can hardly remember the weekend already The days (and nights) are blurring together. We're going through a BAD stretch of no sleep (BOO)

 

[nkbapbt]

We are too...not exactly NO sleep, but really clingy 'I need my momma' to sleep sleep..it's a little frustrating and I feel terribly guilty for feeling that way. I try so hard to be a calm and loving mom, but lately I feel like I need a break. Lakai won't settle very often for his dad and when he does, he has patchy sleep where he looks for me.

I know some people would say I've created my own monster...but 99.9% it doesn't bother me he is clingy but that little left over bit is starting to wear on me.

It makes me feel like a crappy mom!

On the upside, he still wakes up and creeps over the rolled up towel under the sheet (to prevent him from rolling on to my spot on the bed) and wants to be cuddled in the mornings.

 

[nkbapbt]

I think not feeling well plays a part in it too though. I've felt pretty under the weather the last few days.

 

[codegirl]

I am finding being the centre of Edward's universe a bit much at 3 am. It's not so bad when the sun is out, but sometime in the dark of the night I really wish he would yell DADADADADA instead of MOMOMOMOMOMOM.

It doesn't make us bad moms, it makes us human


The cuddle would make it all better though!

And definatly, when your not feeling good then it makes it all a little harder. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[nkbapbt]

How is everyone!? It seems like this thread had a good start.....but petered off..

 

[codegirl]

Things are great here. Had an interesting day.

Today Edward and I went to our favourate store and did an interview to be on a promotional video(s). They also took video of Edward playing, crawling around in his cloth diaper, me babywearing him and us breastfeeding.

When the videos get posted I'll make sure to post a link!

 

[mommyof3co]

We're doing good here Just been dealing with Hayden not eating...we are on day 3 of everything combined each day wouldn't even equal 1 meal....we FINALLY got him to gain some weight and now I think he's going to loose it again