It’s You and Me Baby

Many of the baby carriers on the market to day are made with synthetic materials. This may not seem like a big deal, but anything besides the softest natural fabrics can irritate a baby’s sensitive skin. So when it comes to carriers, where your child will be spending a good deal of time, it’s important to choose a material that is conducive to healthy skin.

Cotton baby carriers are always a good choice, as cotton is soft and the vast majority of children won’t have any adverse reaction to it. Try to find cotton that hasn’t been treated with chemicals or detergents, which can be detrimental to the baby. If you choose to go with cotton, cleaning the carrier will be easy, so there’s really no need for these chemicals in the first place.

There has been a lot of controversy revolving around baby wraps as of late, and, in my opinion, much of the news has been sensationalized. If used improperly baby wraps can be dangerous. But this can be said about virtually any product. The truth of the matter is that there are myriad benefits of using a baby wrap, and, when worn properly, they are quite safe.

Before you put your baby in the wrap, it’s a good idea to practice with a doll or stuffed animal to ensure you can tie the knots properly and understand how the child is supposed to rest in the unit. When you are wearing the child, keep a constant eye out to be sure they aren’t getting entangled in the wrap and all of the knots are secure. Like all things baby related, it’s best to be over cautious.

New moms love baby showers. Not only do baby showers bring parents needed gifts of baby supplies, they also bring together the parents’ family and friends to share in the joy of preparing for the new baby. But baby only needs so many bibs and rattles. Get the baby some supplies he or she will really need. The following list highlights the top ten baby shower gifts.

1:Bouncy seat
2:Baby monitor
3:Bedding
4:Baby sling wrap or front carrier
5:Activity gym
6:Bath kit
7:Starter library
8:Out-and-about kit
9:Sleep kit
10:Restaurant Gift cards (for parents too exhausted to cook!)

Babies love and need to be held. Carrying your baby in a baby wrap like the CuddlyWrap™ promotes health and optimal development. Here are a few reasons why babies love to spend time in the comfort of baby wraps:

• baby is more relaxed and content; feels secure and therefore cries less
• enhances motor skills and coordination by stimulating baby’s sense of balance
• promotes a quiet, alert state and energizes baby’s nervous system
• stimulates baby’s brain development and cognitive learning
• helps baby settle into sleep more quickly
• carried babies often sleep more deeply and for longer periods of time.

Finding a safe and secure way to transport your baby is an important decision for any parent. Not only is it important for the baby to be comfy, but you should be comfortable as well. Ergonomic baby carriers are specifically designed to maximize comfort for you and your baby while maintaining the highest standards of safety.

Ergonomics is the science of designing equipment and tools to properly fit the user. Products that are ergonomically designed prevent injury and excess strain during use. With an ergonomically designed baby carrier, wearing your child will feel natural, like the product was your own kangaroo pouch.

 The Cuddyly Wrap is a type of baby carrier that allows you to wear your baby in a variety of positions.  It is one long piece of fabric that allows you to wear your child in a pouch, front carrier, or back carrier.  It is very versatile, comfortable, and convenient.  It is easy to transport and store.  The company that makes the Cuddly Wrap is a family-owned business called Peapod Creations.  They have a wonderful philosophy as written in their own words:

“As a company, and as family members working together, we at Peapod Creations believe in the importance of close, nurturing family ties. We are particularly focused on the needs of infants and young children and how parents can best fulfill those needs. One of the most basic needs of a newborn is to be held in close contact with mother, father or other caregiver. This helps infants develop their trust in the world. It also enables parents to develop their awareness of their baby’s cues and confidence in their ability to meet their baby’s needs.”  They are very supportive of families in general and their customers in particular.  They make a wonderful, award-winning product.

When my son was a baby, it was very hard to get him to go down for naps. He would cry and cry when I put him down in his crib, knowing that a few minutes of hysterics was all it took for me to come pick him up. I ended up letting him fall asleep on my chest while sitting on the couch for several months, too scared to try getting him to sleep in his crib. This really limited my ability to get things done around the house.

Then I found out about baby wearing, the practice of holding your baby close to your body with a baby carrier or sling. It gives your baby the comfort of being close to you, but frees up your hands and allows you to do other things besides hold him. It worked miracles for my baby and allowed me to be much more productive while he napped. As he got older, I used my baby carrier to get him to fall asleep, and then gently placed him in his crib for the remainder of his nap. Success!

All mothers know that most infants spend about 65% of the day asleep (well, if you’re lucky!).  But sometimes it can seem like infants wake up and start fussing at the most inopportune times.  When traveling or in transit, it can be a real hassle to have a fussy infant with you.  For this reason, cuddle wraps are the ideal baby carriers for infants from a couple days old to several months.  The cuddle wrap is designed to support the infant and provide them with a comfortable place to rest.  Most infants can’t resist falling asleep in a cuddle wrap, and mothers who own cuddle wraps often find that their infants tend to sleep more soundly and wake up less frequently. 

You’ll be amazed at all the time you can save by wearing a cuddle wrap to support your infant.  Instead of tending to your infant because they are uncomfortable or not warm enough, you can have your hands free to take care of all those everyday tasks.  In addition, you’ll find it much easier to cuddle with your infant when you do have the time! 

Babies worn is slings are more content.  Studies show that the more time babies are being held, the less time they spend crying.  In many cultures babywearing (i.e. wearing your baby in a fabric baby sling) is the norm.  Babies who are worn cry for only a few minutes a day versus babies in Western culture where the “normal” amount of crying is measured in hours.  Crying is exhausting for both parents and babies.  It may be damaging to the baby’s developing brain which is getting flooded with stress hormones during crying.  Babies who are content can spend their energy calmly observing and learning about everything around them.  Therefore, babywearing is especially useful for colicky or high-needs babies who are much happier when they are worn.  However, even more content babies benefit from the bonding opportunity that babywearing offers.