Hopp tye

I have always marveled at the wrappers of the baby wearing community. How beautiful they looked, how snug the babies looked and how versatile wraps were.Now I can not remember how many times I have tried to wrap my babies, neither of them seemed happy and I definitely found it a fuss and a struggle to get the baby on properly. Then I was shown the wonderful invention of  the wrap conversion. There are many types and brands, ranging widely on the cost scale. Some sling makers will even take your favourite wrap and convert it for you with all sorts of swanky extras like hoods, padding in straps and lots more. I chose to go with a hop tye as they are very pretty, nice and soft and I was most comfortable in it.

(not my picture, but wanted to show the wrap)

Colour: Pink pune, lovely feathery pattern. Very bright, not for the colour shy, but perfect for me.
Texture: Its a nice soft wrap. I didn't need to wear it in like many wraps need.

Dimensions: (hop tye website quote)
The classic “mei tai” is often described as suitable for carrying babies from the age of 4 to 6 months onwards, depending on the width of the square fabric. 

The HOP-TYE® can already be adapted for very young infants due to its adjustable base of 20 to 40 cm in width.Support: Even though the website says 4 months, because of the adjustable base the carrier can be used from birth onward in my opinion and as recommended to me. Its soft body allows the baby to be carried as in a wrap in the correct position with the c curve in the spine so it does not strain or  put baby in an unnatural position. The straps are nice and wide on the shoulders for mum which means they can cup the shoulders or be moved to look more like a rucksack strap. Across mums back the straps are wide and when opened up give the feel of a comforting hug. The waist belt is slightly padded which softens the belt enough to be comfortable with heavier babies. As baby grows widen the base to keep good knee to knee support. A small added extra is the ability to tighten and loosen the neck area too which helps with smaller babies.
Sleepy test: I have had many snugly moments with baby in this carrier as it really does make baby feel comforted, snug, supported and close to mum. The sleep hood is soft and easy to use and rolls up nicely as a neck support for a smaller baby.
Recommend: This carrier is definitely worth buying if you are looking for a comfortable, beautiful, birth to 18 month / 2yrs (in my case) wrap style carrier. Its easy to get to know, well received by many ( 2 of my friends bought and love it too) and will last. The only tricky thing I'm am finding at the moment is back carries. Will keep trying.



This is my personal opinion and every carrier is different for different people depending on body shape and baby shape and size. So I would always recommend seeking out a sling library to try before you buy.

But my baby likes to face out!

As I walk around town I see the odd baby carrier being used and now that I am slowly gaining some knowledge of the good, the bad and the ugly it makes me sad to see so many unaware mums carrying their baby in fashion carriers sold in well known stores which allow baby to be carried supported at the crotch area and carried facing outwards. As these carriers allow it they falsely lure mothers into the understanding that this must be a good thing to do for the baby because why would all these well known and trusted stores advocate something which could harm children?

Don't worry if you have carried your child like this and are only just being made aware of the reasons not too. I am sure your child is fine, just take this as a good learning curve.

I will not write up any of the reasons as I have attached two great links which are easy to understand.

If you ever get approached by anyone telling you that your carrier is not good for you or your baby first- do not be offended, the mama probably means well, second- check its not me, haha, and thirdly- listen to what they have to say and you might find out they have some good ideas or advice about where you can go to get something which will be more comfortable for you and your little one. Baby wearing should be fun and great for bonding, but also comfortable and leave both of you happy. 

http://www.bobafamily.com/blog/2011/10/11/nine-reasons-not-to-carry-your-baby-facing-out/


http://ergoparent.com/2011/02/facing-in-facing-out-a-science-based-view-on-baby-carrying-positions/

Some mommy advice for the new mommy

As we embark on the road to birth we pass many points of questioning, confusion and sometimes a little panic (or for some of us sheer panic). Having been there myself I realise how important other mom's experiences are to help pass these points to enjoy the rest of the pregnancy, birth and most of all the arrival of your baby. As I'm just little old me I asked around and collected other mommies advice to spread and hopefully offer that bit of support that can be so desperately needed.

While you are pregnant ( a few things I should have done more of) :

It might sound like I am suggesting having a baby takes away your personal enjoyment, but it shouldn't, I gave up many of these things happily, but on some days when you are worn out, sticky and so tired you can wish you had done a little more of these things.

. read lots, learn more, you will struggle to find the energy and time when baby gets here

. enjoy long showers

. enjoy long meals, I long to eat a nice hot meal or to have all my food to myself. You will automatically put baby first.

. take lots of you time, you deserve some pampering, get your hair done or take some time away

. have partner time, spend time together, enjoy uninterrupted conversation

. Last of all enjoy your pregnancy (if you are able to) its a wonderful bonding time for many mums and if you take time for you and bump you can start to feel a close bond with your baby and feel like you are really getting to know the. If funds allow I definitely recommend a 3D scan, its a sneaky peak into an amazing world of unknown.

When baby arrives you will given advice whether you want it or not and it might take time to decide what you take and what you decide to let go, but I have found much of the advice given to me by like minded moms a great support especially at those times you just feel completely lost. I asked around and this is what I received.

Feeding

•  Babies DO NOT feed at exact set times and always have the exact amounts each time! Being out of the womb is such a scary place, they don't understand if you expect them to lay there alone.. After the initial soreness breastfeeding is actually much easier than bottle feeding, it's always there, no bottles to have to make etc, aside from all the health benefits you both get! (can you tell I had a baby a few months ago? I could go on forever. :) )
•  Doctors and hv's are not trained in breast feeding. Giving formula will not make your baby sleep. When you are breast feeding do not look at the clock, watching tv or reading books as well as enjoying snuggles with baby worked for me. See it as relaxation time for yourself, a break in a busy day. The first 6 weeks are difficult, think zombie and your head feeling like full of cotton wool.
•  Feed them when they are hungry
•  Breast feeding may be natural but it isn't always easy - if it doesn't feel right ask for help
• There is a 4m growth spurt, when you reach it you feel like you don't have enough milk and baby is feeding all the time. When this happens don't panic! Just feed feed feed. Get a book and take a Saturday and lay in bed together feeding and reading cuddling or watching tv. Supply and demand so. They feed more you make more.
• Babies are much better at getting milk out of your boob than you are. So don't take the amount of expressed milk to be set in stone. Chances are you just are like me and don't express well :)
• Get info on where your nearest breast feeding groups are before having baby so in case of issues you can reach out to different people immediately.
•  Breastfeeding may be natural, but sometimes it takes a bit of work so do some reading beforehand to be prepared. Babies know what they need better than we do, so listen to them, they have primal instincts such as don't sleep too long so you don't go hungry, make sure you make a lot of noise if you find yourself alone in the dark, that might not make sense in our modern world but to them its everything they know so be kind and respond to their needs.
• Baby led weaning is so much easier then purees.
• If you are Breastfeeding, you can never feed too often. If baby isn't interested they won't feed.
• Have contact numbers for the BF support lines to hand and if possible get to support meetings and build up that support network in advance - it can make all the difference.

 Sleeping

•  I would say the main advice that I would give someone is to listen to your child. You may have ideas how you see yourself as a parent (or how everyone sees you too) but your child is an individual and treat him/ her as one. Test things out rather than going with what you 'think' you already know- they will let you know what they prefer! Never be afraid of trying something, and never be worried to stop something. We tried cosleeping, but I was too anxious in the early months that something would happen in my sleep so she went into her cot... Then we started cosleeping again c4 months. It works for our family. 

Baby wearing 

•  Go to a slingmeet and rent slings from a sling library. I have no idea how others might parent without them.

Follow your instinct 

• Trust your instinct, health visitors don't know everything
•  Listen to your instincts and have confidence to go with them, after all women have been successfully parenting for thousands of years before we had "experts" to tell us what we should and shouldn't be doing.
•  Your baby has not read the same 'parenting' book that you have, what would you do if you were raising your baby on a desert island etc - your instinct is probably right
•  Follow your baby's lead. Your instincts will rarely be wrong, but research A Bit too. Co-sleep, baby-wear, hold them, spend every second with them, watching them. They grow fast, they change daily & it won't take you long to figure one another out but as soon as you learn your babys cues life gets SO much easier. Be prepared for everyone else thinking they know best and to have to defend your choices.
•  "I did it with mine and they're ok/nothing happened to them" is NOT helpful and should be ignored, just because it worked for them or it caused their child no harm its not always going to work for you, go with your feelings and instinct, if you're happy, your husband/other children are and the baby's happy then nothing else matters :)
• Trust your instinct. Go with your heart not the expectations of society. Very general I know but goes far in first instance.

 General goodies 

•  There is no such thing as a rod for your own back with a newborn baby.
•  Babies don't know what time it is
•  Cuddle them as much as you can
•  They cry because they need you not because they want to manipulate you, it's a baby not Sharon stone, they dont have elaborate plans to keep you from sleep to make you feel terrible, they just need love!
•  Consider a BabyCalm workshop or course ;) https://www.facebook.com/BabyCalm
•  My best line "they are my children and I am their parent!"
• You are not the only one who is finding it hard- just not everyone admits to it!!
• Not everyone instantly bonds with their baby , this is perfectly fine ! Take your time to get to know each other and have plenty of cuddles and the bond will come .
• Someone described the first three months of the baby's life as the 'fourth trimester' -  It's kind of about continuing the safety and security and snuggliness, closeness and loving provision of all needs without question that they have just left behind in the womb, isn't it, and that to me was a perfect picture of what my baby needed in being held and carried and loved.
• Your baby is will not slot neatly into your old life, nor should they! Keep them close, learn their cues and change and grow with them gently shaping rather than expecting them to bend to your will. He just wants to be safe, fed and loved like any other.
•  Don't buy a pushchair until you are sure you need it. We spent ages finding a small folding one which would fit in our boot and was suitable from birth and I don't think I've used it more that a dozen times.
•  More expensive does not mean better.
• Don't tidy your house up for guests, they have come to see you & your baby, not your housework.
• Buy yourself a nice jug for drinking water and keep it somewhere you see it in order to ensure you drink enough.
• Get in the habit of narrating your day and your babies activity from birth. That way they are always hearing speech and developing those areas of the brain.
• Make yourself a sandwich for tomorrow's lunch each evening because you might not get a chance to go into the kitchen.

 

Final words:

Keep focussed on the long term goals. When you're sleep deprived, stressed or just come back from a hellish 'my-baby-is-better-than-yours' coffee mornings it's so easy to crave short term solutions. B/feeding, BLW, co-sleeping can all have moments where they are not the easiest choice and you'll find yourself envying friends who can magic more milk from the supermarket, have lunch without a twenty minute cleanup and all while being rested after a full night's sleep as the baby knows better than to attempt to get mum's attention at night. But you must hold onto why you made these choices originally and long term benefits of them. One day, not that long from now, you'll be so pleased and proud that you did!

 Don't be afraid to ask for help, you're not a failure! It's ok to find things hard because it is

peary peary nice

Having sprouted the start of a tooth we love to chew on cold things to soothe the gums. A piece of orange pepper might not be eaten but its great when the gums are sensitive.
This week we have also discovered tinned pear. This is sucked up so quickly that arms start flapping when a new piece doesn't arrive quickly enough.
another useful tip after a few screaming drives is always have with you a suitable healthy baby snack. We have been packing rice cakes in our nappy bag as we have been caught out a couple of times when my son has decided he doesn't want to be in car seat or he is overly tired ad a distraction like a little snack bite is very useful. Now I'm not condoning giving your child a packet of sweets or crisps each time is is in a bit of a bad mood, but the odd simple snack, to me, seems harmless.

baby led weaning : teething and food

As we approach our second month we are, well he is, getting better at handling food and getting it to the right place.
We have researched a little further into foods we shouldn't have, but have found this a mind field of opinions. No gluten, dairy, egg, peanuts or salt, but then again others encourage you should feed what you eat (although of course watching the salt and sugar levels). So, we have done it like this, as advised by Gill Rappley, introduce foods which we are a little weary of slowly and watched for any reaction. We also took into consideration any allergies in the family and try to avoid these foods, just in case, till he is a little older.
We have mainly loved rice cakes and melon for our snack this week and this has also been great for the gums. I cut the melon slice in half so that he has two pieces which fit his little fists better and once he got the hang of holding them there was no stopping him chomping away. Nice and cool and a little sweet. Rice cakes are also a great alternative to the Heinz baby biscuits I bought which ended up sticky and soft and covering everything!
We've had some lovely rice meals, potato and the odd chip. He seems more put off by new textures, but he has so far not refused anything, alhamdullilah.
I am looking forward to the wintry stews.

baby led weaning: day 8, give peas a chance

Balls and bolognese. I had a go at making some beef meatballs, putting in it some olives, ketchup and cumin. Very tasty and to this added some tomato sauce covered pasta. Lets just say he had sauce on his eye lashes, in his nose and the corner of his eyes!
The meat balls were crumbly so not all that easy to eat, but he had a good go and his pincer grip is greatly improving. I think this is something that can be practiced with foods like peas, sweetcorn and raisins.

He wore this great bib which has a fab plastic pocket and caught almost all of the fallen food! Making it easier to tidy up. Thumbs up for this product.
It was finished off with a lovely bit of soya yogurt and even this went more smoothly with the spoon action (less yogurt was flung over board).

I think I would like to make some hearty muffins next. Hmmm ... maybe with apricot as he does like those.

baby led weaning: battle of the baby corn

Toys to distract and keep them happy

Food is fun! This is definitely the message baby led weaning carries.
Children today struggle with many things as they grow up that children of the past would not have even considered.
Children fight technology to get to play outside as the Internet has made their life more restricting by being very addictive and open to abuse.
Some fight with education, they either don't get the right education and this hinders them or they are put under immense pressure to perform before they are ready.
Some fight against the mould they are often taught to fit into as children ,terrible two's, early sexualisation, the media feeding them images of their idea of perfection.
This can all lead to a very stressed younger generation.
Isn't it great then that we can take the pressure and stress of eating, trying new things and conforming to society's idea of an eating schedule away from weaning?
Some children do not mind being spoon fed but so many parents battle with their children to eat up, try something, not spit it out or just to sit down for dinner. Baby led weaning makes food and time to eat more pleasurable for the child and feeder.
The pressure to eat up or eat a certain amount is taken away. No tricks of trains and aeroplanes have to be played to get baby to open up for the spoon. Baby is trusted to try what they like at the speed they are happy with. They can investigate what goes into their mouths before eating it which is very important in learning to understand and trust foods are good or not so nice. When being spoon fed this exploration is taken away and they often spit foods out to take a look which then upsets the feeder and causes stress.
Yes baby led weaning is messy, but only for a while. This doesn't mean spoon feeding is BAD, but why not give baby led a try you might like it.

We had baby corn, green beans and a slither of organic carrot cake. Guess which went down fastest!
Baby corn needs investigating more as his face screws up each time it touches his lips, but he is not giving up, he kept trying.