Tips and Tricks

Mini-Series: How to get a better fit for your soft structured carrier – Part 2

Last week I started a little mini-series with tips and tricks on how to get a better fit for your soft structured carrier (buckle carrier). You can find the first post here.

In the first part I focused on giving you some tips and tricks on how to get a more comfortable fit for yourself. This second part will be all about making your soft structured carrier more comfortable for your baby.

This little series started with a great question from one of my Facebook group members. If you have not joined my Facebook group yet, please head on over right away! This group is a safe space for everyone, no matter how much babywearing experience you may have! And we have lots of experienced parents in the group. It is a great place to ask questions about carriers or how to get a better fit for your current carrier.

On to some more great tips and tricks now!

Mini-Series: How to get a better fit for your soft structured carrier – Part 1

Last week I received a great question from one of my Facebook group members. She was wondering how to get a better fit for her 8-week-old baby in a soft structured carrier (carrier with buckles). After answering her question, I thought that getting a good fit in a soft structured carrier can often be tricky. But there are a few tips and tricks that can help to find a better fit for you and your baby.

Because this post ended up being quite long, I decided to turn it into a little mini-series. This first part is about how you can get a more comfortable fit for yourself and the second part will be about how to get a better fit for your baby.

If you have not joined my Facebook group yet, please head on over right away! This group is a safe space for everyone, no matter how much babywearing experience you may have! And we have lots of experienced parents in the group. It is a great place to ask questions about carriers or how to get a better fit for your current carrier.

On to some great tips and tricks now!

4 tips how to best choose a carrier

These last few weeks have been crazy for my little family and me and I’m guessing that it is not much different for you! In the last three weeks we were in Spain (to visit friends), spent our last days in Germany and decided short notice to fly back to New Zealand before borders were being closed. Once back in New Zealand we went straight into self-isolation and watched New Zealand moving swiftly into lockdown within a week.

And here we are now. Lockdown for 4 weeks or possibly longer. And even though this time may seem a little tricky with a three-year-old, I think it is nothing compared to becoming a new parent. Because this is the time when you would need support from family and friends the most. Someone, who just comes around and drops off some pre-cooked dinner or someone, who answers your countless questions.

I have been wondering how I may be able to help those of you out there who are pregnant, have a newborn or a baby. Are you thinking about buying a carrier (once this is possible again), and are simply overwhelmed by the number of different carriers that are on the market? You are not the only one!

Usually, my first reaction would be to advise you to find a local babywearing group or library or a babywearing consultant where you can try different types of carriers, before you buy one. But right now, this isn’t possible. And in fact, for lots of parents who live rurally this will never really be an option. Therefore, I have written down a few tips that may hopefully help you in finding a great carrier.

5 areas when babywearing on holiday comes in handy

When I get asked if it is worth it to take a carrier with you on vacation I always answer with a big YES.

For me, a carrier makes life so much easier and when going on vacation I find it even more useful. My daughter is three years now and so far, I have always taken at least one carrier with me when we’ve gone on vacation. As a baby it was one of the best tools to keep her close in a new environment as well as settling her to sleep more easily. But even as a toddler and now a three-year-old I wouldn’t have wanted to be without a carrier on vacation.

Last year we flew from New Zealand to Canada and I was so glad that I had a carrier in my hand luggage. We had to make our way through Vancouver airport with a very tired little girl who luckily fell asleep right away as soon as she could make herself comfortable in our carrier.

5 helpful tips I give at workshops

Shortly after I started volunteering for my local babywearing library, I also started to hold babywearing talks (mini workshops) at different mums and bubs groups in the region. I love sharing my passion with other new – and not so new – mums, but I’m also aware that lots of mums have been thrown into this whole babywearing thing without or with only very little information.

Besides talking about different styles of carriers and safety guidelines that should be followed, I love to share some tips that I have discovered or learned. Often it is those little tips that are remembered and give new confidence to the mums on their babywearing journey.