What’s the issue with narrow based carriers?

When it comes to babywearing, we applaud anyone for wanting to wear their baby and be the kind of caregiver that is responsive and close to their baby. Especially during the 4th trimester, when your little one still identifies as being part of you. Holding them often during this time (and after) has lots of positive impact for your babies development, creates a healthy and secure attachment, calms your baby during times of distress and allows you to respond to your babies needs. As well as creating lots of oxytocin between you both, which supports breastfeeding and is called the ‘love hormone’ for a reason. Oooh don’t you just love those snuggles!

World Book Day - Top 5 Books for Mums

Its world book day and lets be honest who has time to read when you have a baby?! Thankfully all of these are available in audio format, so grab your carrier, pushchair, coffee (oh and don’t forget the baby!) and have a stroll and a listen! Or dump that Netflix feeding time habit and pop your ear phones in while you feed at night.

Is babywearing safe?

Although to many of us Parents it seems like babywearing is a new concept, the reality is, that it's been the normal way we have carried our babies for centuries. Long before the pram was invented we used cloth and fabric to carry our babies not just as a mode of transportation and so we could carry out our daily duties, but also to develop our bond, promote breastfeeding and to sooth and support the sleep of our infants. 

Babies are born dependent on their caregivers (unlike other mammals where babies are born further developed). Secure attachment is innate within them from birth, they are reliant on us to provide food, shelter and safety. For the first month of their life they do not understand that they are separate from us and it's even been shown that a need for physical contact is even more important than food for their survival. So babywearing provides so much more than just a means of transportation. 

But as with most things, it's been westernized and over the last 9 years I’ve seen more and more carriers and slings come onto the market. What's great about this, is that there are options for all incomes, body shapes and babies age and size. But unfortunately there are carriers out there that aren’t always fit for purpose and if not worn correctly can be a hazard to your baby. 

If, like us, you've been glued to Strictly every Saturday night for the past 12 weeks, you will have no doubt found yourself in awe at the amazing Chris and Dianne. Several times I've found myself punching the air, fast clapping and shedding a few tears over their dances (as a former rock chick I absolutely loved their Waltz to Metallica’s, Nothing Else Matters)

I also remember seeing Chris at The Comedy Club over 15 years ago and I still to this day remember that gig. I also oddly served him (with the bassist from Elbow!) when I ran a restaurant in Manchester and found him to be just as lovely in real life as he is on the show. 

To see what Chris has done with sheer joy, passion and dedication has been incredible. But there also has to be a very big mention for Dianne, who’s had to develop a whole new way of teaching. To get the results they have has just been outstanding and seeing her proud face every week has been a highlight of the show.  

So you may wonder what this has to do with us? 

In the past 9 years we have been lucky to have three visually impaired Mums join us in class. Some with partial sight and some with none. 

Until about 18 months ago I couldn’t have told you what perimenopause was and I assumed that Menopause was a long way off. When I started my periods my Mum said “You know you can get pregnant now right?”. That was both my period and sex talk! Ah Mums of the 80’s! So you can see how I might not have been prepared for this.

I had only just started to get a grip on my menstruation cycle (big thanks to the book ‘Period Power’ by @_maisiehill_ ) and like a lot of women and girls I had for a long time felt it was something to be ashamed of and not discussed outside your own bedroom, let alone your own home. But having a Daughter myself I was adamant that I would be more educated not just for me, but for her too. Ellies really going to love our period and sex talks! Bring on the diagrams and uterus’s with smiley faces :D