blog - LEANBH BABYWEARING

LEANBH BABYWEARING

#EBW2021 In Arms

9/5/2021

As the 5th European Babywearing Week draws to a close today, we're left with the lovely words that our babies and children are safe in our arms.

Please get in touch if I can help you with choosing a sling, to arrange hiring a sling or to book an online babywearing consultation.

Huge thanks to all at #EBW for all of the fun this week <3

Have 15% off all orders until midnight 09/05/2021 with
promo code EBW15

#EBW2021 Onbuhimo

8/5/2021

Onbuhimo is another variation of a meh dai, and originated in Japan.
It is very like the Podaegi except it has 2 loops at each side at the bottom of the fabric for the long straps to thread through.
New hybrid versions of this sling are called buckle onbuhimo.
I also have a wrap conversion reverse onbuhimo where the rings are positioned at the shoulder rather than the waist.

Get 15% off all orders until 9th May 2021 with
promo code EBW15

#EBW Meh Dai/Half Buckle

7/5/2021

Meh Dai/Half Buckle:

What are they?
A Meh Dai is a rectangular piece of material with 4 straps, one strap attached to each corner of the material. The long straps are wrapped around your shoulders and torso and the short straps are tied around your waist. A Half Buckle has a buckled waistband instead of tying with a knot

Popular carry?
You can use your Meh Dai/Half Buckle for front, hip and back carries.

What age are they suitable from?
Some are suitable from birth, others are suitable from 4 or 6mth. The ones that are adjustable will usually be suitable from birth.

Pro's:
Easy to use and while it has a slight learning curve,, you can quickly get a perfect fit each time.
You can breastfeed/bottle feed in this sling.
They're made with woven wrap material, cotton or canvas so you have a range of options to choose from.
Can be bought with flat straps, padded straps or wrap style straps, so there's one to suit everyone.
Meh Dai and Half Buckle are very versatile as they can be worn on your front, hip or back.
Adjustable Meh Dai and Half Buckle are usually suitable from newborn.

Con's:
You need to re-tie it each time you put your baby in.
Some people don't like using knots to tie a carrier.
The shoulder straps are long so there's a risk they could fall into a puddle or dirt (I tuck them into my pocket but that can take a bit of practice).
Very few Meh Dai/Half Buckle are suitable from birth to toddlerhood, so you may have to buy the next size up when your baby reaches 18mths or so.

Get 15% off all orders until 9th May with promo code EBW15

#EBW Soft Structured Carriers (SSC)

6/5/2021

What are they?
A Soft Structured Carrier (SSC) is a rectangular piece of material with a buckle waist and buckle shoulder straps.

Popular carry?
Front carry, back carry and some SSC's can also be used in a hip carry. A limited number of ergonomic carriers also have the world facing option.

What age are they suitable from?
This varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some are suitable from birth and others are suitable from 4, 6 or 9mths. Although some are marketed as suitable from birth, they may not be the best option in carrier for your newborn. It's best to ask a qualified babywearing consultant for advice.

Pro's:
Easy to use, but there's still a learning curve involved in so far as achieving optimal positioning and a comfortable fit for the wearer.
Handy for putting on when there are puddles/mud as the straps won't drag off the ground.
You can breastfeed/bottle feed in this sling.
Some SSC's are very adjustable and suitable from birth.
They're made in woven wrap fabric, cotton and canvas so there's something to suit everyone's taste.
There's a huge variety of SSC's, all with various options such as padded shoulder straps, firm, soft or no padding on the waist belt, hoods, headrests, straps that cross, rucksack style straps.
Come in a range of prices, some are quite reasonable.

Con's:
Some that are suitable from newborn require an infant insert which can be cumbersome and warm to wear.
Some people find it difficult to achieve a comfortable fit. Quite often this can be rectified by having someone tweak the carrier for you.
Many brands sell sized carriers so you may need a baby size one that would do up to approx 18mths and then a toddler sized one for after that.
It's best to try on as wide a range of SSC's as possible as they all fit and feel different.
Some SSC's have straps where the webbing is sewn into the panel and use a ladder lock in place of buckles. These SSC's cannot be used for carrying on your hip.
Some straps are single adjustable or dual adjustable. Some people might find lack of mobility in their wrist or arm may make some straps difficult to tighten.
Some SSC's are quite expensive

15% off all orders until 9th May 2021 with promo code EBW15

#EBW2021 Ring Slings

5/5/2021

Ring Slings:

What are they?
A Ring Sling is usually 2m of woven wrap material with 2 aluminium rings sewn into one end.

Popular carry?
Hip Carry. Newborns can be carried on your front centre or off centre.

What age are they suitable for?
Suitable from newborn to toddlerhood.

Pro's:
Once you get the hang of using your ring sling, they're really quick and easy to use.
Great for quick ups for newborns.
Handy for toddlers that like to be up and down often.
You can breastfeed/bottle feed in this sling.
Can be left pre-tied and you only need tighten it each time you put your baby in.
They come in a range of patterns and materials (like the woven wraps mentioned above).
The standard 2m ring sling will suit a range of sizes but also come in shorter and longer lengths to suit all body types.
It's the perfect sling for a fancy occasion as they can look dressy and elegant.
With only one layer of material over your baby, they are light and airy.
As they're worn sash style over your shoulder, they're a good option for warmer days.
They can be very reasonably priced.

Con's:
It can take a lot of practice to get this carrier just right (but once you find your sweet spot, you're flying it).
As it's a one shoulder carrier, it may not suit everyone, especially those with shoulder injuries.
It may not be the best choice of carrier for a heavy child on a long walk, as many prefer a 2 shoulder carrier for this.
There are a few different shoulder types so you're best to try each type out before you buy. There are gathered shoulders, pleated shoulders and hybrid shoulders and variations of all.
As with woven wraps, ring slings come in a variety of materials, some which might take a while to "break in" (see woven wraps above).

#EBW2021 Stretchy Wraps

4/5/2021

Tuesday focus on stretchy wraps

What are they?
A stretchy wrap is a 5m long length of elasticated or stretchy fabric

Popular carry?
Pocket Wrap Cross Carry

What age are they suitable from?
Suitable from newborn to approx 9mths unless you choose a Hybrid Stretchy, which is suitable to 15kg

Pro's:
You can tie this sling on you once during the day and pop your baby in and out as needed.
You do not need to remove this sling and re-tie each time you take your baby out.
With a bit of practice, you can breastfeed/bottle feed in this sling.
It has 3 layers of fabric over your baby, so perfect for winter babies.
It's made of lovely soft material, perfect for newborns.
It's 5m long so will fit all sizes.
If you buy a hybrid stretchy, you can also use it for hip carries and back carries.
They are reasonably priced.

Con's:
There's a bit of a learning curve to using this sling, many people don't tie it tight enough.
Some people find the 3 layers too warm, even in cooler weather.

Link to stretchy wraps, new stock of Love Radius Basic, Love Radius Original and Love Radius little wrap without a knot (stretchy wrap style ring sling) is enroute

Photo Tutorial of Pocket Wrap Cross Carry (PWCC)

Get 15% off all orders from 3rd to 9th May with discount code EBW15

#EBW Woven Wraps

3/5/2021

Woven Wraps

What are they?
A woven wrap is a long piece of woven fabric. They come in a huge range of colours and patterns and in various lengths or sizes and are woven with various materials such as cotton, hemp, linen, wool, silk, bamboo, to name only a small few. You choose the length depending on what size you are and what carries you would like to use. A great starter size is a 6 or a 7 (size 6 is approx 4.6m and size 7 is approx 5.2m).
For more information on woven wraps have a look here. And for a list of what size wrap to choose for different types of carries, look here.

Popular Carry?
For beginners a Front Wrap Cross Carry is the best way to start learning how to wrap.

What age are they suitable from?
Suitable from newborn right through to toddlerhood, usually 15kg.

Pro's:
Woven wraps are suitable from birth to toddlerhood,
They are the most versatile type of sling and can be used for front carries, hip carries and back carries.
You can breastfeed/bottle feed in this sling.
You'll find a pattern and material you love and just have to have!
You can get the perfect fit with a woven wrap, no matter what size your child is.
Once you've found the wrapping love, you'll never stop.
You can find many reasonably priced woven wraps. There are also very expensive high end wraps available too!
For front and hip carries, you can partially prepare the wrap in advance, tie it on you and tie away any long tails while you're, say, driving and then open it up to pop baby in once you've arrived.

Con's:
There's a slight learning curve to using your woven wrap.
You have to re-tie the wrap each time you take your baby out.
Long tails can fall in mud/puddles while you're tying it (I tuck long tails into my pockets to keep them off the ground, but it takes a bit of practice).
You might fall in love with wraps and lust over new releases and realise that you now have to have all the wraps and never have any spare cash (but you have amazing wraps).
Some blends take a bit of "breaking in" to become soft and fluffy (you can break in a wrap by knotting, washing, ironing, running it through sling rings, using it as a hammock etc)

Get 15% off all orders from 3rd to 9th May with promo code EBW15

European Babywearing Week 3rd to 9th May 2021

3/5/2021

Safe in my arms

Today's challenge is to match the colour red. and today's focus is on woven wraps.

Do you have any red wraps?

Get 15% off all orders from 3rd to 9th May with discount code EBW15