Visit to Paradise Springs Camp

Jul 29th, 2011
by Jami.
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My husband and I recently led a youth camp up at Paradise Springs. He is a youth director, so he was busy with campers, preaching and the like. That left me to take care of your youngest (the older kids were at Grandmas house).

We were all over the camp: rappelling, zip lining, swimming, campfires, etc. Thank God for my Boba. It really makes it easy to get around the mountain because of the clips. Last year, my husband and I carried two of our kids around in similar carriers because we had all the kids with us at camp. They say you can’t accomplish ministry at camp if you bring your kids, but these fantastic baby carriers really make it possible.

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Posted in: Babywearing Life Videos.

Handwoven Wrap Sunayana Orchid by BabyEtte: Test and Review

May 7th, 2011
by Jami.
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BabyEtte Sunayana Orchid

I was fortunate enough to be chosen to test out the new limited edition handwoven Sunayana wrap by BabyEtte, set to release Monday, May 9th. Beth sent me a 5.5 yd Orchid (purple) wrap to play with, but let me know that they will also be available in Storm (gray), Moss (Green) and Java (Brown) and can be purchased in lengths from 2.5 yd up as desired.

I tested Sunayana Orchid out considerably with both my 2.5 year old, 35 lbs daughter and my 16 month, 21 lbs son after one wash and ironing.

What’s to Love?

Sunayana is soft from the day it arrives and softens up even more after a wash and ironing. With just my little bit of play the wrap has broken in considerably and I would suspect that it won’t take much more before it reaches butter sublimity.

The wrap is wonderfully mouldable, airy and has a moderate bit of cush without too much stretch. I live in the high desert and think that Sunayana would be a fantastic summer wrap, even in 110 degree weather.

BabyEtte Tibet, Sunayana Orchid, Vatanai WP10, WBB Psyche

I found Sunayana to be supportive enough to wear even my heavy DD2 for and hour and a half while she napped on my back in a simple Ruck tied in Front. This is a provocative feat as many thin wraps do not hold up well to single layer carries with heavier children.

What’s to Compare?

BabyEtte Tibet, Sunayana Orchid, Vatanai WP10

Unfortunately, I did not have many wraps on hand to compare Sunayana with side by side as I’ve recently sold many of my stash off due to an increasing love for Tibet! I don’t seem to reach for anything else, so I’ve sent them to new homes for some love.

I will say that this wrap does have similar mouldability to Tibet, though does not have as much grip. Don’t get me wrong here, Sunayana is pretty grippy, just not as much as Tibet which I contribute to its intricate design.

Sunayana vs. Psyche held up in light

It is just as airy as Tibet and I would wager to say only slighyly less airy as a gauze like a Wrapsody Bali Breeze! Shocking! Though it’s much thicker than a WBB (Psyche shown in pics), the weave is very open.

The thickness is less than Tibet and possibly even slightly less than my Vatanai WP 2010. Knot size is similar to the Vatanai and much smaller than Tibet. The photo compares BabyEtte Tibet, Sunayana Orchid, Vatanai Wrappers Paradise 2010 and Wrapsody Bali Breeze Psyche.

What’s Not to Like?

While Sunayana has many fabulous wrapping qualities, such as mouldability, airiness, supportiveness and the like, the one necessary feature I found lacking was cushiness. After experiencing the incredible marshmallow squishiness of Tibet, I compare everything to it. Though Sunayana was supportive enough for my 2.5 yr old in a RIF for over an hour, the straps began to dig and cause pressure. I should note that this point is moot if you primarily carry in a Double Hammock as the weight is distributed differently.

Final Thoughts

Sunayana is a fine wrap for experienced wrappers who can appreciate the unique qualities of a handwoven wrap. There may be some irregularities to the weave and the longer floats could be more prone to pulls (though I don’t find it any more prone than my Vatanai which is machine woven). I LOVE the bold colors and fun design. I have been complemented on this wrap many times.

I wouldn’t recommend this wrap for beginners because of its grippiness, but I happen to find this quality very appealing as I  do not like my rails and knots to slide around once I have them in place.

I am hoping to acquire a Sunayana for my stash, as it is a lovely design and is almost as loveable as Tibet, my new favorite wrap of all time. But I think I will get a shorter length, like 3 or 4 m as 5 is just too much fabric for me.

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Springtime Babywearing in the Garden with Tibet!

Apr 28th, 2011
by Jami.
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I have been absent for some time as I have been dealing with some major changes to our lives. No, I am not pregnant. :) But there have been significant changes that have otherwise caused me to occupy my time differently. I apologize and want you to know that I have not forgotten about you, my lovely readers!

Gardening with The Dude (15 mo) in a BabyEtte Tibet

Today, I wanted to share with you a piece of my everyday babywearing. For us, it is a normal and daily occurrence. Not just some novel thing to show off to your friends and family, although that is fun as well. You see, I was drawn to babywearing because of it’s practicality. It made more sense to me to keep my baby close to me in order to be happy, and I thought it was much easier than toting around a 20 lbs stroller. (Please forgive the unflattering pic of myself and our neighbor’s lovely yard in the background.)

This spring as I was happily working in my garden getting it ready to plant with The Dude tied on my back in a BabyEtte Tibet, I was reminded about why babywearing was invented thousands of years ago. Not because a bunch of research had been done that showed how babies gain extraordinary social skills by being able to see the world better, not because it was fashionable and hip, not because an expert exclaimed how babies who cry less are more happy and more functional adults, but out of sheer necessity! There were no swings, strollers, or other mobile do-dads to plop the baby in while you went about your merry way getting all the work done to take care of your family. You had to carry the baby. But how would any work get done without use of your arms and hands? Ah! It couldn’t have taken long to realize that tying the baby onto yourself was the answer.

What especially amazes me is that babywearing is in every ancient culture, meaning that the answer was obvious! Experts didn’t have to hold meet-ups and go on missions to explain to other tribes and peoples how to do babywearing, it was just figured out! How have we become so dull?

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Boba Carrier Review: Babywearing Can’t Get Any Easier

Feb 8th, 2011
by Jami.
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Boba in Dusk

Babywearing Daddy at Disneyland with Boba

Recently, my husband and I took at trip to Disneyland with our entire family. With three children, two of them very small, a trip like this could be a tad bit hectic. It’s easy to overburden yourself with strollers and bags, but babywearing keeps things simple and enjoyable for us. All we took were two soft structured carriers and a backpack to carry our diapering needs and snacks. Madness you say? Not at all! This was sheer freedom for us. It is quicker and simpler to put the kids in and out of the Boba as opposed to retrieving the stroller from the stroller parking, not to mention being able to walk through the crowds easily.

That’s right! We put Boba to the test on an all day babywearing event. We switched between older baby and big toddler, myself and my husband, had the kids in and out a hundred times, walked all over, had naps, stood in lines and went on rides. How did it go? Watch the video to find out.

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Many parents we saw exclaimed how they never thought of wearing their toddlers and babies (Unfortunately, none of them wanted to appear on video). They also expressed how exhausting it was  carrying their children while in lines (no strollers allowed there!). When they saw how comfortable we were in the Boba, even with Jellybean, their eyes lit up. Ah, more babywearing converts. :D

Mostly, I just want to sing about the unique qualities of the Boba for toddlers. The ergonomic features are ingenious! The tall body of the carrier lends fantastic support all the way to the shoulders and the adjustable stirrups really do make a huge difference when it comes to proper leg positioning. You really have a winner here, NAP, Inc!

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The Most Comfortable Wrap Carry – Double Hammock with Variations

Jan 26th, 2011
by Jami.
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Double Hammock in Wrapsody Bali Breeze Psyche

If there is one carry that keeps coming up over and over again at the babywearing groups and in the message boards, it’s the Double Hammock (DH) aka Chunei Back Carry (CBC). Why? Because it has been called the most comfortable carry you can do with a wrap, especially for heavy toddlers. The reasons for this is because the weight of the baby or toddler is distributed well over the torso, rather than on the shoulders. In addition, the carry has 2 layers over the child creating great support. Probably one of the best features, in my opinion, is the comfort for the child because the passes are rebozo passes as opposed to cross passes. What this means is that the baby is sitting in a “hammock” like piece of fabric with both legs over the edge instead of all the fabric going between the baby’s legs, like with cross passes.

Knotless Double Hammock Variation

Like other wrap carries, there are several variations that you can do with the Double Hammock in order to make it the most comfortable for you, on that day, with that child. These variations could be different ways of finishing or tying off the wrap, one shoulder carries, torso carries, and everything in between. The instructional video below shows not only how to do a Double Hammock carry but I’ve also taken the time to show a few of the many available variations. With a little bit of creativity you will soon be coming up with your own variations to suit your needs.

The wrap I am using is a Wrapsody Bali Breeze Psyche which is an exclusive wrap offered at PAXBaby.com. It is a gorgeous purple gauze batiked wrap with tri-color butterflies in pink, aqua, and dark blue. The color is a bit washed out in the video because of the lighting.  It is a size D, which is about 5.5 yds so is a little long for the standard carry; most people only require 5 yds to do a DH. A few variations make require more yardage, like Tibetan finish, so the longer wrap was needed. This video features “The Dude” who is 13 months old and about 20 lbs.

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Posted in: Back Carries, Instructional Videos, Wraparound Slings.
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Review of BabyEtte Tibet – A New Woven Wrap on the Market!

Nov 16th, 2010
by Jami.
4 comments

I am so excited to be able to preview this new wrap and share my experience with everyone. As we all know, new wraps are so alluring, but it can be difficult to know if they are going to be what you are looking for or if they are any good, especially when it is a new brand trying to break into the market, like BabyEtte.

First, a little about BabyEtte. This small business has started like many of our other favorite, well-known babywearing brands with just a mama and her sewing machine. Beth, the mama behind the machine, spends her time making slings and wraps as well as running the business, while her husband takes care of the accounting. Her lovely daughters are known to help out where needed as well. Beth started BabyEtte on Etsy to help springboard her business and has seen much success the past couple of years. She recently expanded her business and will be doing more off of her own website as she introduces a new line of wraps.

Tibet is the first of what will hopefully be a new brand and line of baby wraps on the babywearing market. Tibet is a thin jacquard wrap that features diamonds and stripes in gray and black. The fact that Tibet is hand woven attributes to many of its qualities, which I will get into detail below. It is 100% cotton and hand woven in Nepal with fair trade practices.

Weight: Tibet is a thinner wrap. When compared to other brands, I find that it falls somewhere between my Vatanai and my Didymos leaning toward the thinner side. This makes it a great all-season wrap that breaks in quickly.

Hand: Tibet is soft from the get go, but thickens up and softens even more after a wash. Because it is hand woven, the weave is more open. Therefore, I recommend that the wrap be washed before use so the weave closes up and the wrap shrinks to it’s proper length.

Give and Support: The wrap is floppy, even more so after a wash. There is an excellent bounce when testing the diagonal give. This wrap has no problem hugging around every curve of me and The Dude. When folded I gave it the “squeeze test” and couldn’t believe how marshmallow squishy it was! I found myself squishing it again and again. I think it has got to be the spongiest wrap I have ever felt. Because of this squishiness, knots don’t seem to dig and bite like they can in other thin wraps, even the Tibetan on my chest. I didn’t notice any pressure points when using this wrap with my 30 lbs 2 year old, even when I purposefully did a sloppy wrap job. Though the wrap is thin, the complex weave seems to create an excellent support structure. Even after wearing my 2  year old for an hour there was no sagging whatsoever.

Grip: Because of the intricate weave, this wrap does have a texture much like that of an Indio which creates grippiness. However, I did not find it difficult at all to slide layers over one another when doing multiple layer carries. In fact, I can appreciate that the layers stay put and don’t slip around. I very much appreciated that my knot did not slip or budge!

Overall Summary: I am a huge Vatanai fan because of the thinness and support, but I think that the squishiness of Tibet has changed my mind. I can honestly say that Tibet is the most comfortable wrap I have ever had the pleasure of using, and I don’t say that lightly! Thin, supportive, squishy and a beautiful pattern all in one wrap. What more could a babywearing mama ask for?! I am certainly sad to have to send Tibet back to Beth, but I will look forward to receiving my very own Tibet fluff in the mail soon. This is definitely a wrap that should be in your stash!

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Wraparound Sling – Double Rebozo with Shoulder to Shoulder Chest Belt

Sep 28th, 2010
by Jami.
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For those of you who hate ruck straps and avoid them if at all possible, this is an awesome variation to the Double Rebozo Tied at Shoulder. This variation has a chest belt that goes straight across your chest and the tails are looped over it. The carry is awesome because of a few things: the chest belt helps to take some of the weight off of the shoulders, there are no bulky knots to dig into your chest, the rebozo passes do not go between baby’s legs which is more comfortable for them, you don’t have to worry about your ruck straps slipping off and it looks pretty darn cool! ;)

It’s very easy to get baby nice and high in this carry as well, which The Dude likes because he can see the world and pull mommy’s hair better that way. The Dude is 9 months and about 18 lbs here. The wrap is a Wrapsody Bali Breeze Freya in size B.

Below is a video tutorial on how to do this carry. Try it! I know you’ll love the way it feels.

Click here to get the embed code for this video

Skill Level: Advanced

Minimum Wrap Length Required: 4.6 m for most people

Age/Weight Recommendation: 3-4 months when baby has good head control

Would love to see some pics if you try this carry. Upload them in the comments by clicking the link under the comments box.

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Posted in: Back Carries, Instructional Videos, Wraparound Slings.
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Rockin’ Green Soap Review and Giveaway! – It’s Not Just for Diapers!

Sep 22nd, 2010
by Jami.
32 comments

Cloth diapering is an adventure all itself and I am so glad I went for it with Jellybean and continued along with The Dude. It’s really not as difficult as it seems and is considerably cheaper and better for the environment, not to mention healthier for your baby’s sensitive skin.

Finding the right soap to clean your diapers can be a bit of a chore, however. I have to admit that I’ve been battling the diaper funk ever since Jellybean and couldn’t seen to find the right combination of soap, soaks, rinses and sunshine to get them smelling fresh. That has changed with Rockin’ Green Soap! Not only can Rockin’ Green Soap get my diapers smelling delicious (no kidding, they actually do smell delicious thanks to the yummy fragrances that Kim has created!), but I put Rockin’ Green to the ultimate test when I temporarily lost a diaper bag for a few days. O.O

I’m not sure how it happened, but one day I noticed that I was missing a couple of my diapers. I couldn’t find them anywhere. It occurred to me that I must have misplaced one of our diaper bags and that the diapers were in it. A few days later we were cleaning out the car and came across a stinky diaper bag. GROSS! The diapers were dirty and stinky and getting good and ripe in the hot car. By all means they should have gone straight in the trash, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to do an experiment and see just exactly what Rockin’ Green Soap could do.

It’s a miracle! After a couple of rinses and then a soak overnight in the Rockin’ Green followed by a normal wash, the diapers came out smelling exactly like a freshly laundered dipe. I was ecstatic to say the least! :D Rockin’ Green saved me from my absent-mindedness!

What I really love about Rockin’ Green soap, besides the fantastic fragrances that get your laundry smelling yummy–my fav is the Lavendar Mint Revival, is that it is dye free, has no optical brighteners, phosphate free and vegan so it’s safe for my diapers AND my babywearing gear. I wouldn’t trust my wraps with just any soap, you know! I’ve actually started using Rockin’ Green for all my laundry because I like that it gets my clothes clean and leaves no residue, which is awesome for my girls who have sensitive skin and are prone to eczema. It costs about the same as conventional name brand detergents, but you don’t need to use as much so it’s actually less expensive in the long run.

By the way, did I mention that I have an HE frontloading washer! This soap is awesome for this type of machine. Non-sudsing and clean rinsing!

If my testimony doesn’t win you over to Rockin’ Green Soap, try it out for yourself! You can get samples of Rockin’ Green on their website for $0.75! The samples are good for 2-3 loads.

Sorry, there is no video this time as watching laundry spinning around the machine is  just not all that entertaining.

Rockin’ Green Soap is giving one Babywearing Videos reader a 45/90 bag of Rockin Green Soap in their choice of scent!


Mandatory Entry: Visit Rockin’ Green Soap and comment with which scent you would like if you won.

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  • Follow @BabywearingVids on Twitter and Tweet this: Woot! A @RockinGreenSoap giveaway! Win some #clothdiapers soap from @BabywearingVids! http://bit.ly/bX48bQ  Ends 10/08  (1x/day)
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Giveaway open to U.S, Outlying Territories and Canada. It will end on October 08, 2010 at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be chosen by random.org and will be noti1fied via email. Winner  will have 24 hours to respond or they will forfeit and giveaway will go live on the facebook page. Winning comment will be verified before being awarded the prize.
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Wraparound Sling – Double Rebozo Tied at Shoulder

Sep 9th, 2010
by Jami.
1 comment

This is one of my favorite back carries with a shorter woven wrap. Because it’s two layers, it’s much more supportive than a plain ole Ruck Under Bum (RUB) or Ruck Tied in Front. It’s also much more comfortable for the baby than a Short BCC (I’ll do a post on this one soon) because the fabric doesn’t have to go between the baby’s legs which means less bulk under the knees.

All that being said, it is a much more difficult carry to master than a Ruck. You must be careful to keep the first Rebozo pass snug while you flip the tail over your shoulder and do the second rebozo pass. I accomplish this by holding the first pass snug with one hand while I flip the other tail over my shoulder and spread it across the baby. This is the trickiest part of the carry.

This carry is sometimes confused with the RRRR (vid coming soon!), which actually doesn’t have any rebozo passes at all.

Though I do this carry with a size 3 Didy, most people can just eek it out in about a 2.6m wrap. Don’t get discouraged if you have difficulty with this carry. It will take practice. My best tip is to keep your baby high on your back when you do the toss….do not let him slide down. This will make the carry more comfortable and also make it easier to maneuver the fabric around and keep it nice and snug.

Get the Embed code for this video.

Skill Level: Advanced

Minimum Wrap Length Required: 2.6 m for most people

Age/Weight Recommendation: 3-4 months when baby has good head control

Would love to see some pics if you try this carry. Upload them in the comments by clicking the link under the comments box.

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Posted in: Back Carries, Wraparound Slings.
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Beco Gemini Front Carry Demo with Granola Babies!

Aug 31st, 2010
by Jami.
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The controversial and much anticipated Beco Gemini made it’s debut earlier this month and the jury is still out. For those who have tried it, they have expressed their absolute love for the carrier and how it’s everything that Beco said it would be. Still others won’t even give the Beco Gemini a second thought because of the debatable forward facing option.

Giselle the owner of Granola Babies, a store located in Costa Mesa, Ca and online, has made a series of videos and blog posts all about the Gemini for anyone who is interested to learn more about this carrier and how it compares to other carriers on the market, etc.

Here is one of Giselle’s awesome and informative babywearing demo videos showing how to do a front carry with a Beco Gemini.

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Posted in: Instructional Videos, Soft Structured Carriers.
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