Ring Slings and Other Things

I had actual nightmares about traveling to Chicago to meet up with the entire McKee family. A trip with an infant is truly panic-inducing. In the end, it was an amazing trip filled with great memories. What made the difference, in my opinion, is the fact that I am a babywearer.

I didn't know anything about babywearing prior to having Ivy. A friend gave me a Moby wrap to borrow before Ivy was born, and after a few weeks, I decided to give it a try. It was love for Ivy and myself. She was calm and alert until she fell asleep (every time she was in the wrap!). We began regular walks in the Moby...until it got too darn hot to be wrapped in all the black fabric.

Like I said, I was new to babywearing and had NO IDEA about all the options out there. I just knew we both loved it and I needed something cooler. I landed on a ring sling. It sounded easy, I could find multiple videos on YouTube to learn to use it, and best of all it was one pass of fabric instead of three, and I could get a linen blend which would be cooler in the summer.

Again, it was love. The best part about wearing her is her proximity. Best practice for babywearing is "close enough to kiss," which means that she's close for interacting. I get to talk to her and watch her face as she takes in the world. I love it.

Today, I got a new one in the mail. I splurge because of the amount of time we're spending wrapped together and the number of pictures I've seen of us in the other sling. Her room is decorated in giraffes, so I found a lovely woven wrap with a giraffe pattern for conversion. I love it. Not just the giraffe butt she gets, but the ease of the nicer fabric and the comfort of the gathered shoulder. I can see this getting a lot of use.