Member Monday Feature: Stephanie Tomlinson

We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who came out to our Mother's Day Gala on Saturday. As soon as we got some of the awesome pictures that were taken, we'll be doing a big recap. If you were there you know we presented two of our amazing volunteers with 2014 Volunteer of the Year awards. One of those recipients was Stephanie Tomlinson. Unfortunately, Stephanie was out of town with sick littles and wasn't able to come so we thought we'd take a minute to introduce her to you. I (Bonnie) first met Stephanie about a year or so ago. She started attending the event at Babies R Us in Concord Mills. I was struck by her passion for babywearing but also by her acceptance of others, her desire to learn as much as she could, and her willingness to help with anything. We quickly found that we could count on her to be there and help us manage one of our most popular events. Just a few shorts weeks ago, Stephanie officially passed her VBE (volunteer babywearing educator) requirements and is now a full fledged educator, but she has been an invaluable member of our group for a long time. We thought you guys should get to know her too!

Stephanie, can you tell us a little about your family? 

We are a geek family of 4. I have a husband, Blake, and two littles; Eli, 4.5 years old, and Caroline, 2 years old. We moved here from California about 2.5 years ago and found a lovely little community here in Landis. We enjoy (among MANY other things) Star Wars, Star Trek, and Phineas and Ferb. We also enjoy performance speed cars and planes.

How did you learn about babywearing? 

I can't really pinpoint when I learned there was a world beyond the baby bjorn and the moby, but after the birth of Caroline, I transitioned from working mom of one to stay at home mom of two. Meanwhile, my husband decided to go back to school in the evenings. This whole transitionary period facilitated the need for me to become a serious babywearer!

What is your favorite carrier of all times?

It's a toss up between a ring sling and a mei tai.

Babywearing allows me to _________: 

Be the happy place for my toddler wherever we are and keep both kids safe because my hands are full with just one when we're out and about.

How did you learn about BWI Charlotte? 

I searched for a BWI chapter after we moved here to make connections with people I had something in common with.

I love being a part of BWI Charlotte because ________: 

The group is terrific and welcoming and I love being able to help other parents love babywearing as much as I do!

What meeting do you typically attend? 

Concord Babies R Us meeting and the Huntersville Exodus meeting.

Do you have a favorite library carrier? 

Right now I'm really liking the Lillebaby. I haven't been as impressed by a SSC since I found Kinderpack love.

You find yourself on a deserted island. You can only have one carrier and one luxury item (hair dryer, mascara, favorite coffee cup, favorite pair of shoes, etc.). What would they be? 

I'd have to have a shorty wrap because of versatility and EOS lemon lipbalm!

Stephanie, thank you so much for telling us a little more about yourself, and thank you so much for everything you do for our group!  We are so lucky to have you!

Mother's Day Gala

It’s hard to believe, but Saturday will mark BWI Charlotte’s 2^nd anniversary and our 3^rd annual Mother’s Day Gala.  The 1^st event happened kind of by accident.  We had just gotten word that after 6 months of work, our little babywearing group had completed its affiliation process and we were officially Babywearing International of Charlotte.  The leadership was excited to announce the news at the May event when Bonnie realized that the date was Mother’s Day weekend. 

In just a couple of weeks, with the help of the other leaders and some gracious sponsors, the regularly schedule monthly event turned into not only BWI Charlotte’s first official event but the first Mother’s Day Gala.  It wasn’t much.  Some simple decorations, quick refreshments, and a few giveaways, but it was an exciting event!

Last year, things got a little more organized.  A bunch of folks generously donated prizes to be given away.  More volunteers pitched in to help, and lots of people came.  In fact it was our single most attended event of the year.  We even had a lot of faces we hadn’t seen in a while.  It was kind of like our group’s homecoming. 

This year things are getting even better.  To start with, this year we are excited to be hosting the event at Bellies and Babies, an amazing supporter of BWI Charlotte and an awesome resource for the community.

Once again, we will be having some light refreshments.  If you would like to bring something, please let us know.  Bonnie will definitely be bringing OJ and sparkling grape juice to make mock mimosas, or MOM-mosas. 

This year we are excited to have some fun crafts for moms and kids.  We don’t want to give too much away so we’ll just say that your refrigerator may be a little prettier after this event.  And you might have a special Mother’s Day card from your kids, but you didn’t hear that from us.

We will also be doing mini sessions with the truly talented photographer, Mariela Feliz Fernandez as a fundraiser for the group.  For only $40 you will get a 10 minute session to use however you like.  Think babywearing, breastfeeding, or simply a sweet family or mommy/baby shot.  You’ll also get 5 edited digital images and the opportunity to buy prints.  This awesome fundraiser will allow us to add even more carriers to our learning library!  

The star of the event is always the giveaways and we have some awesome prizes this year!

Comfy Joey has donated two $25 gift cards!

Tipps Prints has donated three gorgeous prints including this one!

The Hanging Wire has donated three stunning necklace/earring sets!

Southern Sparrow Creations has donated two adorable teethers!

Living the Young Life will be donating some essential oils!

CanDo Kiddo has donated a homemade tummy time pillow and copy of her book with play activities for infants!

Wrap Therapy has donated an individual wrap session ($25 value)!

Yogi Monkey has donated three handmade lavender eye pillows!

Splendid Mama has donated an essential oil starter kit including lemon, lavender, and peppermint!

If you would like to donate food or a giveaway prize, then tag a leader in the Facebook group or send an email to charlotte@babywearinginternational.org.  If you would like to participate in the photography mini sessions fundraiser, please see all the details here.  Spots are going fast though so don’t wait! 

We are looking forward to seeing you all there on Saturday.  Although we won’t be doing our normal Babywearing Basics presentation or lending out from the library, we are always up for helping folk babywear.  So, feel free to bring your carriers and we’ll be happy to help!  Babies, siblings and other caregivers are invited to join us, but if you would prefer to make it a Mom’s Afternoon Out, feel free to come solo!  It’s going to be a great time!

Member Monday Feature: Sutton Shealy

With our group getting so large and with so many events all over the city each month, it's hard to know who everyone is.  So, we decided to start a Member Monday feature here on the blog. Every week we'll introduce you to a different member with a different babywearing background.  Some will be volunteers, some will just be regular meeting attenders.  Some will be veteran babywearers and some will be at the beginning of their journey.  We are hoping to show the depth and breath of the babywearing community.  If you are a regular attender at meetings or a regular contributor to the Facebook community, be prepared to be recruited.  ::insert evil laugh::

Today we are starting with Sutton Shealy.  She has quickly become an important part of our volunteer team.  In fact, she is going to be taking over some social media posting responsibilities so you'll probably be seeing more of her soon.  Therefore, we decided it would be good to introduce her.  Sutton is one of the sweetest people I've (Bonnie) ever met.  She has a gentle and peaceful way about her and a very infectious smile.  She totally makes me want to quit my job and travel the country together following the Grateful Dead.  And that's totally a complement!

Can you tell us a little about your family? I have a little army of all boys (even my dog): Tripp is my husband. He is an artist and has a big wooly beard and curly hair. Hawke is our oldest. He is 5 and the life of the party. Pretty sure he is cooler than both my husband and I. I started wearing him around 5 months in a ring sling and then moved to a SSC around 12 months. Harland (Harley Bear) will be 3 in July. He was born early and spent the first few weeks of his life in the NICU. Because he missed out on the extra womb time, I was either wearing him or holding him pretty much the first 6-12 months of his life. Hayes is 9 months and a rainbow baby and is our joyful Buddha baby. He is pretty much always happy and smiling and only cries when he is sleepy. Samson (our boykin spaniel) is 9 years old and will play ball or frisbee for hours. We moved to Charlotte the summer of 2012 from Colorado. I am slowly finding my mommy tribe, finally.

How did you learn about baby wearing? I can't really pinpoint when I learned about it. I feel like it was something I had always known about. In all honesty, strapping my baby to the front of my body never seemed appealing until I tried it. Then it was love. Love the closeness, the tender moments, the comfort it provides, the ease of getting around places and doing things like cooking and vacuuming.

What is your favorite carrier of all times? I absolutely love ring slings, but I am most handy with my Ergo.

What does babywearing allow you to do?  Babywearing allows me to vacuum & cook, work our booth at music festivals, go see live music, and carry grocery bags in both hands without leaving the baby in the house or car unattended.

How did you learn about BWI Charlotte? Jill (VBE)

What is your favorite thing about being a part of BWI Charlotte?  I love being a part of BWI Charlotte because it gets me out of the house to have adult conversation with unpretentious moms who don't judge each other and who are passionate keeping their babies close.

What meeting do you typically attend? Babies and Bellies

Do you have a favorite library carrier? Boba Air (just wish it had some leg padding)

You find yourself on a deserted island.  You can only have one carrier and one luxury item (hair dryer, mascara, favorite coffee cup, favorite pair of shoes, etc.).  What would they be? Ergo for my carrier and either a sleeping bag or a hair brush.

Sutton, thank you so much for letting us get to know you better.

May Meeting Schedule



Wednesday, May 6th from 10:30am-12:30pm - Babywearing Basics - Bellies N Babies 316 Lillington Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204 - North Library

Saturday, May 9th from 3pm-5pm - Mother's Day Gala - Bellies N Babies 316 Lillington Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204

Thursday, May 14th from 6pm-8pm - Babywearing Basics - Babies R Us Gastonia 2830 E Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC 28056 - South Library

Sunday, May 17th from 3pm-5pm - Babywearing Basics - Exodus Chiropractic - 15940 Northcross Dr Ste B, Huntersville, NC 28078 - North Library

Tuesday, May 19th from 10:00am-12:00pm - Babywearing Basics - Michaels in Rivergate - 13540 Hoover Creek Blvd, Ste 800, Charlotte, NC, 28273 - South Library

Thursday, May 21st from 10:00am-12:00pm - Babywearing Basics - Gingersnap Baby 10822 Providence Rd Suite 800, Charlotte, NC, 28277 - South Library

Tuesday, May 24th from 6:30pm-8:30pm - Babywearing Basics - Babies R Us Concord Mills 8062 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord, NC 28027 - North Library


Babywearing Basics:

Babywearing Basics events begin with a babywearing basics presentation including why we wear, safety when wearing and then an overview of the different types of carriers. Once the presentation is over, we help folks one-on-one and in small groups. Please feel free to bring any carriers you have and would like help with. Babies and caregiving partners are always welcome as are other children.

The learning library (North or South) will be available to play with and try on. BWI members can also check out carriers from the library. Membership is $30 per YEAR and allows you to borrow up to one carrier per month for the entire year. $20 of the membership stays right here in the Charlotte chapter and goes directly to buying more carriers for the library.  Click here for more information about our Learning Library. 


Mother's Day Gala:

It time for our annual Mother's Day Celebration.  This is a do-not-miss event!  We will have giveaways and refreshments and lots of time to socialize.  We will not be doing a basics presentation but are always willing to help folks, so bring any carriers you need help with.  Littles and other caregivers welcome but also feel free to come solo if you want a girls afternoon out for Mother's Day. 

Warm Weather Babywearing Tips by Guest Blogger Katy Stroupe Elwood

Since North Carolina winters are generally mild I rarely have a problem staying warm when winter babywearing. I do remember last spring and summer there was a lot of talk about staying cool in the humid North Carolina heat, though! When it comes to summer babywearing there's bad news and there's good news. The bad news is that North Carolina summers are humid and muggy and there's really no way to avoid being at least somewhat sweaty and sticky while wearing in the heat. The good news is there are a few ways to help alleviate some of the discomfort that accompanies summer babywearing. My personal favorite is dressing and light colored or white cotton clothing. Dark colors absorb heat while light and white reflects heat. The same thing goes for carriers.  All-black and dark-colored carriers will absorb heat and make you feel hotter. The lighter the color of the carrier, the better.

 

 

 

 Next, if you wrap you should get to learning your ruck variations, they will be your go to carries in the summer. The fewer the passes the better. Linen blend wraps are supposedly cooler than other blends. Vatanai wraps are excellent summer wraps as they are super thin and airy, same is said for the Didymos Waves wraps. Surprisingly, some wool blends are also cool in the heat. Gauze wraps are also nice options for summer wearing, but keep in mind unless you have a super snug wrap job these are really only comfortable for smaller/lighter babies and multiple pass carries are suggested for safety reasons.

 

 

 

 Some brands of carriers offer mesh panels which help keep the wearee cooler, but makes no difference for the wearer in my opinion, based on experience. Some people swear they make a difference for the wearer, so to each his own. Kinderpack, NuzzleMe Creations and Ergo as well as a couple other brands offer varying types of these carriers. Kinderpack with Comfort Mesh is shown below. Kinderpack also offers Kool-knit in addition to comfort mesh.

 

 

 

 Other options for staying cool include buying the stay cool towels (like Frogg Togg Chilly Pads) in the sports section of big box stores. When these towels are wet they stay cool but they also require airing out to stay cool. I've heard most people cut them in half, and wear them on the back of their neck to stay cool. And as a general rule, shade is your friend as well as water. Keep the kids hydrated in the summer and year round! Also check the heat index in the morning if you have plans outside for the day and take frequent breaks. Heat exhaustion is no joke especially if babies are involved. I truly hope these tips will help you stay cool this summer. Happy babywearing!

 

Do It Yourself Babywearing, by guest blogger Katy Stroupe Elwood

Babywearing does not have to be expensive. My first carrier was it do it yourself Asian style carrier called a Mei Tai. It was not pretty, but it was safe and it got the job done and I loved it! 

•Important things to consider when you're making a do it yourself carrier: Quality materials and safe stitching.

•DIY stretchy wraps can be made of knit cotton or interlock. For safety reasons they must be at least 25 inches wide and edges should be serged or hemmed, you want at least 6 yards because it may shrink some.  

•DIY woven wraps can be made of any cotton or linen Jacquard weave, think hefty table cloth. Polyester, rayon and any knit cotton is advised against. Osnaburg is an excellent cheap option. Linen is still affordable especially with a coupon. The wrap should be 28 to30 inches wide before hemming. Cotton Jacquard tablecloths from Target and Amazon amazon make excellent short wraps (as well as ring slings). Keep in mind that Osnaburg shrinks (as well as linen), so by an extra half of a yard. If you want to dye your osnanurg be sure to use Dharma Trading Company dyes. RIT is not fiber reactive and is unsafe to use for babywearing. Dylon or Tulip brands are OK but still not as safe or as good as Dharma. See here for DIY wrap instructions.

• DIY Asian style carriers are a little more advanced and require a pattern or tutorial found here. Bottom weight materials are best for Asian style carriers. Polyester or cotton covered polyester thread is the best choice of thread. Be sure to make X BOX stitching at all weight bearing points, like where the straps meet the body.

 •DIY Soft Structured Carriers also fall under the Asian style carrier category.  Here is a link to a popular tutorial. I personally buy my buckles and webbing from Strapworks. The same safety principles apply to soft structured carriers. 

• DIY ring slings are easy with the right instructions and some patience. Shoulder style makes a difference too. Gathered and pleated are both popular options. There's a funky hotdog shoulder tutorial floating around out there used by a lot of WAHMS that I highly advise against using. Pretty much any fabric you would use to make a do-it-yourself woven would make an excellent ring sling. You can also use some athletic meshes to make a water ring sling. Be sure that the mesh isn't too stretchy (preferably only has a one way stretch.) You want to make sure to use polyester thread, cotton covered is fine. You also want to make sure you use safe sling rings. I personally only buy them from www.slingrings.com. I will never personally tell anyone to buy them elsewhere or harvest them off of an old ring sling (that doesn't have sling ring brand rings) because they could have welding points that may have sharp edges that could cut baby or you or damage your fabric. I'm going to link Jan Andrea's do-it-yourself page from sleeping baby productions for further references. 

If you have further questions on DIY carriers please feel free to catch me (Katy Stroupe Elwood) on our Facebook group, or email us at BWIofCharlotte@gmail.com. Happy (and safe DIY) Babywearing to all!

Other resources include the Babywearing DIY Advice and Support Group on Facebook as well as the forums on The Baby Wearer.

Babywearing on a Budget

Like anything related to babies, babywearing can be expensive.  There's nothing like surfing the numerous babywearing swap pages to give any newbie sticker shock.  But never fear my friends, babes have been worn long before the advent of wrap conversions and babywearing swaps.  Today, we are going to give your our best tips and tricks for babywearing on a budget.

Let me start by saying, 75-80% of the wraps and carriers are sold at or close to their legitimate cost.  Wraps by Girasol, Didy, Natibaby, etc. are all specially woven for babywearing.  You cannot walk into JoAnns or Hobby Lobby and buy the same fabric.  Mei tais and buckle carriers made from wraps (Wrap Conversions or WC) have to include the cost of the wrap plus the cost of the carrier.  For instance a $150 wrap used to make a $150 carrier would legitimately cost over $300 when shipping was including.  Now... having said that, there are also other factors that go into the price of a wrap or carrier.  How limited the supply and high the demand, how sentimental to the wearer, etc.  On the far end, there is babywearing as art and collecting.  These are handmade, extremely limited and usually go for well above the price of the material and time required to make it. 

However, just because wraps and carriers legitimately cost $100-$300+ doesn't mean one can't babywear on a smaller budget.  Is a $1,000 Bugaboo stroller better than a $120 Chicco?  Yep.  Will the Chicco do the job?  Yep! Do you need a $1,00 stroller to push your kid around?  Nope!  Just like you don't need a $1,000 Obimama Mei Tai, but gosh they sure are pretty!!

Infantino Sash

This is probably my favorite budget carrier!  It's well made, easy to find, and reasonably priced at around $35.  I've even seen them at consignment shops.  I got the library's for $10 at consignment.   

Action Baby Carrier

Action Baby Carriers (sometimes called ABCs) makes a simple soft structure carrier that starts around $80 new for the older prints.  I know folks who love them and folks who hate them.  But they are a good option for those on a budget.  



"Last year's" model on a FSOT board (i.e. BBII, Boba 2G, etc)

 
Babywearers are always looking for the next big thing.  Which means carrier companies are always coming out with what they hope is the next big thing.  But they can't make an infinity number of carriers so that means the older ones get phased out.  Those carriers usually fetch a smaller price upon resale.  For instance, the Boba 2G (one of my all time favorite carriers, and better than the 3G in some respects, IMHO) can go on the swap boards for anywhere from $50-$80 if you don't mind stalking the swaps and moving quickly when one is listed.  The Beco Butterfly II (BBII) is the same way.  A new version has been released and so the older ones are going for about the same range.  And sometimes "old" is even better than new since carriers often soften up with use and may even come with sleepy dust from the past owner if you're lucky.  If you're looking for used carriers, try The Babywearing Swap on Facebook, FSOT Boards on The Babywearer and sometimes you can get lucky on Craigslist.  

DIY Osnaburg Wrap or Ring Sling

Osnaburg is a type of fabric that's easy to find and quite affordable, usually running around $3 a yard.  If you have a sewing machine and the ability to (or you know someone who can) sew a simple hem then you can make your own wrap or ring sling.  There are plenty of folks in the group who have made their own, so if you decide to try it then let us know.  We'll give you all the details.  We also plan to write some DIY posts soon.  Until then, just ask here in the comments or in the Facebook group.


Basic Ring Sling

Ring slings are one of my favorite carrier styles, and one of the reasons is because they can be quite affordable.  Basic cotton ring slings from Zanytoes for instance start at about $40.  And I love that unlike stretchy wraps, ring slings can be used on into toddlerhood.  So for about the same price you can get many more months if not years out of a carrier.  There are a few tricks that make the difference between loving a ring sling and cursing it as you chuck it out the window, so if you have any problems let us know, and we can help.  We'll also be posting a blog dedicated to the tips and tricks of ring slings later.


Pouch Slings

I have a special place in my heart for pouch slings.  I stumbled on one at a local consignment store that just happened to fit Lily and me perfectly.  We used it for months and it lived in our diaper bag for the longest time as the back up carrier.  Pouch slings are easy (once you know a few tricks) and quite affordable.  However, it is extremely important to get one that fits in order for it to be safe.  A pouch sling that's too big can be very dangerous. Although it sounds like a great idea, I'm not a fan of adjustable pouch slings.  They just don't tend to work the same as a good ol' fashion simple circle of fabric pouch sling.

Babywearing International of Charlotte Membership

Another great way to babywear on a budget is to join BWI Charlotte.  Membership cost $30 a year and gives you access to our lending library of carriers.  You could borrow a different carrier every month for the whole year for just $30.
Infantino Union/Balance

Infantino sells a couple of different carriers that are considered "ergonomic" (i.e. they have a wide base that keeps baby's hips and legs in a wide "m" shaped, comfortable position.  We have a couple in the lending library for people to try out.  I've tried them and have to say that they have very little support compared to a Boba or Ergo or Kinderpack, etc.  They would work for smaller babies and/or short periods of time but I was crying uncle at Target with my 25 lb 2 year old after 15 minutes.  I'm listing them here for folks to know about, but I wouldn't say I recommend them.

Lastly a word of caution.  As I general rule, I do not recommend Ebay and Etsy and I caution folks about Amazon.  Ebay and Etsy are like the wild west of babywearing.  With a few exceptions, you really don't know what you're going to get.  Additionally, there were strict safety regulations that went into effect at the beginning of the year concerning all baby carriers. All the major babywearing makers comply (Boba, Ergo, Beco, KP, Tula, etc.), but it's hard to know if sellers on Ebay and Etsy meet those standards.  Since not everything is actually sold by Amazon, it can be hit or miss as well.  There have been a lot of problems with fake Ergos being purchased off Amazon.  So, just know what you're getting.  And most of the time, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  It's much better to rock an Infantino Sash mei tai that has been safety tested and certified, than a knock off ergo made in goodness knows were, by goodness knows who, to goodness knows what standards!

So what are you favorite budget babywearing tricks?  Any we missed?