So if you know my family at all or have been an avid blog reader you know that we are an active babywearing family. We have snuggled with babe in numerous ways with slings, wraps and soft structured carriers since the day we brought him home from the hospital. At 15 months he still loves to be snuggled close to use on our outings in between his running and exploring. We recently made a weekend family trip to the Eastern Townships & Montreal. Our trip included the wonderful Granby Zoo, where you can read about our adventures here, and fun at the Biodome in Montreal.
When packing to go away with a baby or toddler there are many things you need to bring with you. Especially when staying in a hotel and need to bring “extra” things like a playpen. Sure there are things we sometimes compromise and leave behind but a baby carrier is NEVER one of them for this family.
Thanks to Ergo & Fulton Sales we received a lovely Performance Ergo Carrier in a vibrant “Spring Green” colour to take with us on our explorations of the Granby Zoo & Montreal Biodome. When you are in a busy place with a babe who wants to see all the action at your eye level baby wearing is definitely the way to go. With a tot who is now over 25lbs we carried him comfortably throughout the zoo and the biodome, as well as the streets of Montreal!
Here are some of the fab features that the Ergo Sport Performance has:
*the Sport Performance is 1/3 lighter than their “standard” carrier. It sports mesh lining and increases the breathability of wearing your baby for long periods compared to the “standard” ergo.
*With a durable outer layer, it truly seems that this carrier will have a great extended life! I look forward to reporting back on how much we still love this carrier after we build our basket ball team 😉
*Comfortable shoulder straps! Really! Wearing a heavier baby or toddler of extended period of time can be hard on your back or shoulders at times if not properly made or worn correctly. This carrier is truly comfortable for wearing hours on end. It encourages and enables proper posture and supports baby well.
*Chest strap is on a slider to enable easy adjusting. This is a great and easy feature when I am wearing babe on my back. However, I do find it a challenge at times to adjust this strap when babe is on my front (and the strap is therefore across my shoulder blades). I am not sure if it’s because I am fairly broad here or whether I would have a small challenge no matter what. As a yoga instructor I do find myself fairly flexible though 😉 The challenge for me is to slide this strap down far enough so its well below my neck and then be able to tighten it. This is truly the only small issue I have when wearing the carrier. When I am on my own I can jiggle it down with some patience. When my lovely husband is with me he quickly ensures it is in a comfortable place for me….thanks babe! I have tried both colours (the blue/grey combo and this one) and find the green/black combo warm to wear when outside for long periods of time. The blue/grey combo is lined with grey mesh inside (instead of the black) and find it more comfortable when outside in the sun and warm weather.
Baby D loved staying close to us in the Ergo (and we loved it to being in such a busy place like the zoo with a 15 month old who can already run….fast!) and getting to see all the animals and scenery at our height. He truly got a better view of everything and got a full experience out of the zoo. His favourite? Definitely the African Safari!
I even got my father in law to try out the Ergo. He was a babywearing virgin until he tried on the Ergo. After much reassurance that Dominic was completely comfortable (don’t worry a babe will tell you when they are not!) and that he was safe, the two of them enjoyed the zoo together.
We also hit the Biodome in Montreal for a day after a sleep over in Montreal exploring the city and all it has to offer. Full disclosure if you read my blog you will know that we love Montreal, travel their often and really do call it a home away from home!
We have tried many many many carriers and this is one that we usually always have in the car and it comes along everywhere with us. It does take up more room than something like a ring sling that you can just throw into your diaper bag but with the weight of a small toddler and the ability for my husband and I to both wear him easily (or other family members) it is very hand to have on hand when out and about.
Have you heard what is coming out and new at Ergo? They will be offering their Ergo Carriers in Petunia Pickle Bottom prints!
I have had a Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag that I have used since baby D was born and we have gotten a lot of use out of it and it’s stylish! The fabric has lasted extremely well and is very durable.
Have you checked out Fulton Sales on Facebook to stay up to date with the latest and greatest products they have to offer? You know what else is cool? Once Fulton Sales hits 2500 fans on facebook they will be having some great giveaways via various bloggers across Canada. Guess what?! We will be one of them!! Please go and check out their website, “like” their facbeook page and send them some love!
Okay people I have a confession….I LOVE BABYWEARING! Well, if you read my blog you probably already knew that 😉 Babe is 5 months old and we have one carrier that we are still using and have been using since Day #1! Know what it is?? It’s the PTPA Award Winning Sleepy Wrap! Baby Boy was in the sleepy wrap just a few days old and is still snuggling in it daily with his mom and dad 🙂 This carrier is a one size fits all, meaning that it can be worn by various people in your family and it will accomodate everyone. It’s a great solution for those who are looking to purchase a carrier before the birth of their baby and also don’t want to spend lots of money on various types and sizes of carriers/wraps. I know many people will recommend that you wait until after the baby is born to try out carriers and see what you and the baby prefer but this is the one carrier that I highly suggest you have for immediately after the birth of your baby. You will want to use it from day 1 and trust me….after giving birth going shopping for a carrier or wrap is not high on the priority list.
The Sleepy Wrap has enabled me to continue to work, type (even type this blog post as I wear baby in the Sleepy Wrap!), nurse while walking, grocery shopping, and do many other things all while keeping baby boy comfortable and secure against me.
The Sleepy Wrap is made of a stretchy material which ensures that no matter how tight you happen to tie it you can always fit your baby inside comfortable, after nursing it will go back to its original shape and size and you can take your baby out of the carrier numerous times without having to retie the whole thing. This is what makes the Sleepy Wrap stand out from its competitors in my opinion. I was also drawn to the Sleepy Wrap since the babies hips and legs are supported which ensures there are no pressure points on their developing spine and hips.
Dominic enjoying his sleepy wrap
Most days I wear my son instead of lugging around the stroller everywhere we need to go. It is so handy when I want to go grocery shopping or to run in to a store to pick something up. I throw the carrier on when I get to the store or when I am wearing the Sleep Wrap I can leave the carrier on while I am driving as it does not impede what I am doing or interfer with the seat belt. I quickly put him in the carrier, if he is asleep he usually stays asleep throughout the transfer, and away I go. I then have hands free to pick up my groceries, carry the bags to the car, etc.
Oh, and did I mention that most days it doesn’t matter what shirt I through on, or if I have spit up all over me? Since I wear my baby you usually don’t see the front of my shirt. My carriers are fashion accessories 🙂 With all the spit up babies bring this carrier has been washed several times with no fading or change of shape.
Dom & Daddy catching some ZZZZZ's
I get many questions when I am wearing babe out and about. Most common question is when I am wearing the Sleepy wrap is people want to know if it’s complicated to put on. It really is not hard to put one. Read the instructions the first few times and after that you will be able to whip it on in no time! I also receive very curious looks when I pull out a large piece of fabric and quickly tie it up around my body. I love the questions that people ask and showing them how easy the Sleepy Wrap is to put on and how much baby boy loves it 🙂
At almost 16lbs baby boy is starting to get a little heavy for the Sleepy Wrap as it begins to sag at times when he has been in it for numerous hours. They do show the Sleepy Wrap being used with larger sized babies but I find it best worn on younger babies. However, if you feel comfortable wearing a larger baby the sleepy wrap can accomodate it! I am so glad that we had the Sleepy Wrap to use for our baby and can’t wait to use it for baby #2 too! (no we are not planning another one quite yet!)
If you are expecting a baby, or have a gift to buy for somebody who is expecting I would consider purchasing this wrap. It really should be something that is handed to new parents after leaving the hospital. At times it was the only time we got to sleep or have a calm baby the first few days home where they are frightened and wondering what happened to that warm, cozy and dark place they lived for the past nine months went to. It’s a great $50 well spent!
Have you tried out the Sleepy Wrap? What did you think? Already own a baby carrier? Would love to hear what you use and why you like it! Share your thoughts and experience by leaving a comment below.
GIVEAWAY!! A big thanks to the wonderful people at Sleepy Wrap who are offering one lucky reader a Sleepy Wrap!
To Enter:
1. Comment below, after visiting Sleepy Wrap, and tell me what colour you like the best and what you like about the sleepy wrap.
*email subscribe to my blog and leave a comment telling me that you have done so (or that you already do!).
*become a fan of Little Lotus Yoga on facebook and leave a comment to inform me.
*blog about this giveaway with links back to this post and leave a comment to inform me.
*tweet about this giveaway (after following us all) using the following: @amandadegrace & @littlelotus yoga are having a @sleepywrap #giveaway! enter here: http://ow.ly/32sLA
Contest closes Friday November 26th at 11:59p.m. a winner will be drawn via random.org and announced the next day. The winner will be notified via email and it will be announced on this blog. Giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents. Winners will be contacted via email and have 48 hours to respond. If no response with 48 hours a new winner will be drawn. Product will be mailed directly to you from Sleepy Wrap.
I would like to thank Sleepy Wrap for providing me with the product for review. All opinions in this blog post are 100% mine and no money compensation was received in exchange for this review
Thanks to the wonderful Victoria, owner and founder of Pippalily, I had the opportunity to try out their pippalily sling and what a great opportunity it was. I had tried pouch slings in the past and never was a huge fan. Either it wasn’t very comfortable to wear for long periods or the fabric or pattern did not appeal to me to wear it to special events (ie: weddings, birthday parties) and to everyday activities.
Victoria created the Pippalily sling out of a necessity, knowing first hand how mothers need to be hands free at times if they hope to get anything done! When Victoria’s first child was born, a natural born cuddler and loved to be held (what baby doesn’t!) she used her sling all the time. However, for those who wear a baby carrier every single day you come to appreciate quality fabric and design as it does become part of your fashion, and Victoria wanted just that! I know from personal experience that there are many days that I will throw on whatever top if I know I will be looking great with my carrier on 😉
Pipalilly’s mission states that they are “committed to launching products that add value to parent’s lives, of course with an element of style!” There are great styles available to choose from and trust me when I say its hard to choose just one! I have had several compliments on the “look” of my sling and do feel extremely yummy while wearing it 🙂
Comfort
The Pippalily sling is extremely comforatable. With a wide band that comes across your shoulder the weight is well-distributed throughout creating comfort even when worn for hours! Not only was it comfortable for mommy it was comfortable for baby. He loved being close to me and being able to see around when he was awake in the sling.
Versatility
With Pippalily’s pouch sling you have the option of wearing baby in the infant position, infant position with peek a boo, front carry position or on the hip. My babe, 11 weeks, loved the peek a boo position for when we were out and about and when he got tired he liked being tucked all the way in. I love how I am still able to nurse while wearing the sling, especially for those first few months when he seems to nurse around the clock! I am able to continue shopping, walking, etc while nursing at the same time! The sling is adaptable for infants to young tots ensuring you do not need to buy mulitple products. This product was only tested on my babe from 7 to 11 weeks. However, I would have no problem, and probably will at some point, like another Pippalily to add to my babywearing stash! They are just too beautiful to resist!
A Giveaway!
Pippalily has offered one lucky reader a Pippalily Sling! How awesome is that!!! The winner will choose their colour and size.
To Enter:
1. Comment below, after visiting Pippalily, and tell me what other products they offer.
2. Join the Pippalily Facebook page by “liking” them and tell them that Namaste Mommy sent you!
Extra Entries (remember to leave a comment for each extra entry)
*email subscribe to my blog and leave a comment telling me that you have done so (or that you already do!).
*become a fan of Little Lotus Yoga on facebook and leave a comment to inform me.
*blog about this giveaway with links back to this post and leave a comment to inform me.
*tweet about this giveaway (after following us all) using the following: @amandadegrace & @littlelotus yoga are having a #giveaway for a @pippalily sling! http://ow.ly/2oX8O
Contest closes Friday September 3rd at 11:59p.m. a winner will be drawn via random.org and announced on Saturday September 4th. The winner will be notified via email and it will be announced on this blog. Giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents.
I would like to thank the Pippalily for providing me with their sling for review. All opinions in this blog post are 100% mine and no money compensation was received in exchange for this review
As you may already know I am a huge fan of babywearing. Not only is it a great way to bond with your child but you are also able to be hands free and can continue with your daily tasks with babe in tow. You become very attuned to your childs needs (and I am NOT saying you are not attuned to your childs needs if you don’t babywear), build a loving and trustful relationship along the way and your baby enjoys being snuggled up against you just like how they were so comfy growing inside you for the last 9 months.
I had the wonderful opportunity of reviewing the Cuddly Wrap, Baby Blanket & Burp Cloths that were sent to me from Peapod Creations. Baby boy who is now 9 weeks old (I shed a tear as I say that….9 weeks already!!) was the ultimate tester as we snuggled in the wrap, he peuked and spit up on the burp clothes and played and snuggled with the blanket.
Cuddly Wrap
The Cuddly Wrap may look confusing to some upon looking at it as it’s one gigantically long piece of fabric but once you tie it up a few times it becomes super easy. I would get quite the looks when taking out the wrap and tying it on in parking lots, restaurants, the movie theatre and many other places. They would look in awe as I would tie it up quickly, easily but baby boy in it and carry on with whatever I was doing.
One Size Fits All! It’s SOOOO SOFT! Canadian Made!
The one wrap fits all shapes and sizes. Both my husband and I could wear it comfortably, along with grandparents and caregivers. The Cuddly Wrap is good for newborns all the way to toddlers. A lot of baby carriers come with an extra insert for an infant and some are not appropriate until 4-5 months so it was nice to have one wrap that all could use. Since baby boy is only 9 weeks I cannot attest to carrying an older child in the wrap but carries with older babies and toddlers are demonstrated in the fantastic and informative cd and booklet that the wrap came with. There are a few different carries that can be done with the wrap for newborns and small infants and all were very comfortable to wear and carry my babe. The carries were simple to learn and left me hands free to write this blog post, empty the dishwasher and prep for dinner. The fabric is very lightweight and comes in an array of colours (we chose the beautiful sage colour) however I did find it too hot to warm on some of the 30+ weather days we have had in Ottawa, Canada the past few weeks. The body heat that was generated between boy and myself was more than enough without adding in a layer of any fabric! Baby Boy always fell asleep in the Cuddly Wrap and was quite cozy snuggled against me. It stopped almost all fussiness no matter where we were. Babe found it so comfy that there were a few times he fell asleep in it for 3 hours at a time. It was these long stretches of wearing it I found that it would begin to lose its tightness and he would slowly move lower on my body. At no time was this a danger as he was still tied tightly in the wrap but he was no longer on the top of my chest but slightly below it. That was after 3 hours of wearing though, with grocery shopping, few bus rides, walking, etc. Once the material was stretched out during that time of wearing it would then need to be re-tied. That being said I did not nurse the boy in the wrap as I would have had to stretch it out slightly to feed him in the Classic Cuddle position and then it would have been too loose for carrying. Since we took the Cuddly Wrap everywhere with us a little storage bag for it would have been an added benefit that would have been greatly appreciated. However, we easily stored it in our diaper bag when it was not in use. The Cuddly Wrap comes with a dvd and instructions in english, french and spanish that are extremely easy to follow. All the videos are also available on their website. Trust me that once you learn the tying it will become second nature and you won’t even think about how to tie the wrap up!
Blanket
The Peapod Creations blanket is also ooooohhhh sooooo soft! With its 100% organic cotton was perfect against my sweet babies delicate skin. It is double layered and reversible, allowing you to use the other side if you don’t want anybody to see that spit up milk 😉 With it being 32″ square it would be great for swaddling newborns, however as I mentioned baby boy is now 9 weeks and growing so fast that he was too big to be swaddled in this blanket. I wish we would have had this sweet blanket for the first few weeks of swaddling. He did enjoy playing on it and cuddling with mom and dad. We have spent many days and nights snuggled up as a family with this soft blanket. It also has a neat little pocket that you can place your soother in, a little toy, etc. It comes in blue, pink, red and sage green so there is a variety of colours to choose from, as with the Cuddly Wrap. After several washes the colour has not faded one bit and Grandma even made a comment on how soft the blanket was! If it makes Grandma approval you know it’s a great product!
Burp Cloth
The burp clothes also come four colours (red, blue, pink and sage green) and I loved how all four come in the package. If you are a mom you know that you go through a lot of burp clothes! With its 100% organic cotton we knew everyime it touched our babies skin that it was not causing any harm, and we wiped up a lot of spit up! Its reversible and double layered, so lasted through many uses before needing to be washed. It stayed nicely on our shoulder with its kidney shape when burping the boy, unlike some other cloths that seem to find their way off your shoulder just as you need it the most! These as well saw their fair share of washes and still look and feel like brand new.
You can also read about the Cuddly Wrap and see the PTPA award here.
A Giveaway!
Peapod Creations has offered one lucky reader a package of a Cuddly Wrap, Peapod Blanket AND Burp Cloths! How awesome is that!!!
To Enter:
1. Comment below, after visiting Peapod Creations website and tell me what benefits the Cuddly Wrap offers that you like best!
2. Subscribe to my blog and leave a comment telling me that you have done so (or that you already do!).
Extra Entries
*become a fan of Peapod Creations on facebook and leave a comment to inform me.
*become a fan of Little Lotus Yoga on facebook and leave a comment to inform me.
*blog about this giveaway with links back to this post and leave a comment to inform me.
*tweet about this giveaway (after following us all) using tbe following: @amandadegrace & @littlelotus yoga are giving away the @PTPA winning Cuddly Wrap enter here: http://ow.ly/2dvRD
Contest closes Friday August 6th at 11:59p.m. a winner will be drawn via random.org and announced on Saturday August 7th. The winner will be notified via email and it will be announced on this blog. Giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents.
I would like to thank the Peapod Creations for giving me their PTPA award winning Cuddly Wrap for review. All opinions in this blog post are 100% mine and no money compensation was received in exchange for this review.
**Giveaway Now Closed. Congrats to comment #12- Crystal!
True Random Number Generator 12
**Giveaway Now Closed** Congrats to comment #12- Crystal!
I knew before baby boy was born that we would be a babywearing friendly family. Some may say it’s granola, others it’s parenting in 2010, and some may say it will spoil him but we just love it! Well I do anyways and have yet to hear otherwise from my loving husband who has embraced fatherhood better than I could ever imagine!
I had experience with a few carriers and slings as a nanny and had an idea of what kinds I wanted and ones that we did not necessarily need. I went ahead and purchased a mei tei, sleepy wrap and pink lemonade ring sling. I then won a beautiful Sakura Bloom from A Peek Inside the Fishbowl. I am a strong believer that there are different slings for different occasions (and of course depends what I am wearing) and each has their purpose. I am in love with all of them and use them daily. My sweet baby boy has spent many days sleeping in them, nursing, riding the bus and going for walks.
I love babywearing so much that I even made a wrap, thanks to the encouraging Refashionista who actually got me to get my sewing machine out and use it! For those who know me you are aware that my sewing machine and I have a love hate relationship, it’s usually that darn bobbin!
You know what I love the most about my new wrap? I can breastfeed hands free and nobody sees boobies 😉
Baby Boy will be 8 weeks this Friday and has been an absolutely joy to have in our life. He is so cuddly and kissable that I like to spend my days all day attached to him. I am a fan of babywearing and am quite often seen with Dom in a sling or wrap of some kind. I enjoy co-sleeping and being close to my baby boy. We had originally purchased a cradle but quickly switched to co-sleeping with a neat little bed for babe. Lately he has been sleeping right beside me in the bed more often than in his own little co-sleeper
However, we have a slight problem as he will only nurse to sleep when he is with me and quite often wakes up or goes into a light sleep and quickly starts rooting for the breast. He likes to use me as a human pacifer. The first few weeks it was sweet, it was great to connect with him, and we had great bonding. The problem now is that he will only go back to sleep with me if he is nursed. I would love for him to be able to start to slowly comfort himself. Possibly with me nursing and cuddling him, then allowing him to fall aslseep beside me on his own. Am I dreaming? Will this ever happen?
We swaddle our little man up, and somehow our Houdini usually figures out how to at least get a little hand out of the blanket. He hates the various swaddle cocoons we have tried, including the Kiddopotamus one. We have yet to try the Miracle Blanket, but I am not sure if I am willing to pay the $50 for something he possible will not like, or will grow out of shortly anyways.
I like co-sleeping and the idea of a family bed for a while longer, but I am worried that babe will not be able to ever self soothe when he needs to fall asleep or wake up. The mom in me wants to run to babe whenever he whimpers and the nanny (which I did for so many years!) in me wants to eventually be able to create a routine and have a baby that is comfortable falling asleep on his own and not having to be nursed or put into a wrap when its nap time.
How do your kids fall asleep now and what were your routines if any when they were infants? Did you have any sleep issues and how have you overcome them if you have? Help a mama out and share your tips and tricks with others 🙂
p.s speaking of wraps and carriers we have a great review and giveaway coming up with the Cuddly Wrap and some other products from Peapod Creations. Make sure you subscribe to this blog to not miss out!
Thanks to Melissa at Refashionista for sending along the directions to make a new wrap! I got my sewing machine out and with my fingers crossed starting sewing. It seems everytime I get out my sewing machine I have some kind of “issue” and my poor husband ends up fixing the sewing machine and completing my project for me!
I am proud to say that I completed the project on my own and I love how versatile the wrap is!
I nursed in it the other day when we had lots of people around us when it was “fussy, cluster feeding time”.
Here’s how to wrap your baby up when you need to nurse on the go and want privacy!
Dominic enjoying his sleepy wrap
Namaste Mommy 