I'm not an intense baby-wearing momma -- and by that I mean, I don't own a lot of baby carriers, I have two SSCs and I had two stretchy wraps. I did a lot of research though about baby-wearing and which carrier or wrap would best fit our family. Stretchy Wrap My first stretchy wrap was a Boba, I chose this one because of the reviews I read about (compared to Moby) and I think the fact that it wasn't as stretchy as Moby was what drew me to it. I bought mine months before I gave birth from a store in North Vancouver. I picked the colour black because I thought it would be a nice and basic colour regardless of what I wear and my husband can use it too. What I love about Boba:
What I didn't like about Boba:
My next and probably my most favourite stretchy wrap is the Solly Baby Wrap. I've been eyeing this wrap even before we got our Boba, but I couldn't justify the cost.. it was a little bit more expensive than any other stretchy wraps. Plus I couldn't find a retailer (at that time) that sold this wrap locally, so I couldn't even see or feel it first before purchasing it (I'd have to order from the US). But my dad gave this to me as a Christmas gift so YAY! What I love about Solly:
What I don't love about Solly:
So, I love the stretchy wrap because you can (usually) wear it as soon as your baby is born. Our boys were born 4 & 5 lbs and I think I started wearing them a few weeks after they were born. However, being a twin mom, it took too much time to put on the wrap and take it off while two babies are waiting (I'm sure it'll probably work ok if you have one baby) - which is why as soon as our babies could fit our SSC, I mostly used that with them. Another downside for me is that there is not much support, so if you're wearing your baby for a longer period of time (especially when they're a bit bigger & heavier), I found that it hurt my shoulder a bit. Another downside for me is that I have never been able to successfully transfer them out of the wrap while they are sleeping (they always wake up!!!), I think mostly because there's not an easy/fast way to take the wrap off (plus my babies are ninjas and can sense when you are putting them down!!). Another reason why I used my SSC more - one buckle and you can take them out So, here are the SSCs we own: Lillebaby - Lillebaby was our first SSC, I love it because I can wear our baby as early as 7 lbs. without an infant insert - not having to buy an infant insert mattered to be because carriers are already expensive, I did not want to have to buy an insert that I can only use for a few months. I also love the fact that there are 4 ways of wearing the baby (forward, front-facing, hip carry & back carry) and the lumbar support is GOLD! -- we have the older Complete Airflow, and as far as I know, the only major difference is that it the older model doesn't have pockets on the waist band. What I love about our Lillebaby:
Tula - I chose Tula primarily because I LOVE the print!! But after trying it on, I realized what the big fuss was all about - it's a pretty carrier and it's also comfortable and pretty easy to use. What I love about my Tula:
What I don't love about my Tula
I love both of our SSCs and they have been a lifesaver when we travelled to Asia (when the boys were 4 months old). We used our SSC on the plane too (we had them on during landing and take off) and it is the reason why our trip went pretty smoothly.
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Because our needs change as they get bigger (and more mobile!!), I will be updating this every few weeks/months. My Favourite Stuff: NoseFrida (started using it around 4 months) Not quite sure how early you can use it.. but our boys had their first "colds" when they were about 4 months - and this was a LIFE SAVER!! We had the regular nose suction that came with the grooming kit that we got for the boys when they were first born - DOES NOT WORK. I read about the NoseFrida, I was desperate, so I sent the hubby to go buy them ASAP!! And boy, was I glad we got it!! I know it looks gross and just weird to use - but trust me, it's totally worth it!! And no, you won't end up with your baby's snot inside your mouth (has not happened to me YET!!!). But kidding aside, since babies can't really blow their nose, they are so helpless when they have a ton of snot stuck in their nose :( So, this one really helps clear their nose up and helps them feel better. I have to let you know though that my boys DID NOT LIKE the process of me taking their snot out (eventually they learned to use their hands to grab the nosefrida away from me -- but you'll get creative just to get the job done!) But a stuffy, clogged nose makes up for a very cranky baby.. So, a little discomfort for a minute or two is totally worth it just so they can breathe better. I'd say get this even before your babes get sick, coz you'll never know when it could strike, and I wished we had this when the boys first got sick. Zoli BOT Straw Sippy Cup (6 months) To say that I am obsessed with sippy cups and straw sippy cups is an understatement (hopefully I can post another blog about my accumulation of sippy cups! lol). By far, this is my favourite sippy cup. I especially like it because it is a straw sippy cup (I researched about it and dentists recommend that babies transition to drinking using straw because it apparently prevents cavities). This is not a perfect Sippy Cup though, but this is the only one I've been using consistently. Also, I very rarely use this cup for milk, they usually only use this for drinking water during their meal time. Here are the pros and cons of this cup. Pros: It is a straw sippy cup It has the weighted ball so that they are able to drink the liquid regardless of how they hold the cup and how much liquid is still in the cup It has a handle that the boys can grip and hold easily Cons: Spills - I don't know what it is, but if the liquid is just a bit colder or warmer then it will start spurting the liquid every where Cleaning is a bit of a pain not in terms of parts but just getting to the tiny straw piece The weighted ball makes noise when you shake it -- this means that the boys pretty much thinks that this is a shaker or rattle, so they'll shake their sippy cup like there is no tomorrow! (which essentially means water everywhere!!) But despite the CONS, I haven't found any sippy or straw sippy cup that the boys like - so I still LOVE this product and we use it every day! Summer Infant Pop ‘n Play Portable Playard (6 months) When the boys started rolling around and moving more - I knew we had to make a change soon. We had to change where we fed them, we used to feed them on the couch, which wasn't a problem before because they barely moved, but when they started rolling, it was just too risky, they could fall off the couch so easily. We also had to figure a way for them to safely have tummy time and play time - we at this point have not baby proofed at all and we used to have a play mat where they would just practice crawling or just playing on their belly or back - but when they started moving around more, it became too much to try to keep them away from wires and to keep them both on the mat (we had laminate floors). So I researched from baby gates to different kinds of playard and play pen. Most play pen were unfortunately too small, so that was out of the question. I explored baby gates, but because we didn't really have a designated space for the boys (they just "hang out" in the living area) and because we didn't have much space, I didn't feel like it was a good option for us at that time -- plus I didn't really want to give up our adult space completely. Which is why I was SO HAPPY when I found this playard - it was big enough for both of them (and me!) AND it is SO EASY to pack up at the end of the day when the boys are sleeping and we want our adult space back. However, the bottom part is thin and has no cushion, so when the boys were still learning how to crawl, they would bump their heads on our hard laminate floor - which is why I had to buy a mat - I decided to buy a gym mat (because I want to be able to pack it up quickly), but foam tiles can work too (I decided not to get the tiles because it was harder to put away - too many parts!!). .. |
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April 2017
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