There are so many decisions and choices we are faced with when becoming a parent. Whether one wants to use a carrier to hold their baby is one of these important decisions! I’m sharing a bit about my experiences babywearing along with tips and resources on babywearing.
At the bottom, you’ll notice I’ve provided you with some local Northern Nevada resources to support you in getting the answers you may need.
My Story
I remember feeling overwhelmed with all the questions from friends, family and even strangers on what I was going to do with my baby. “Are you going to breastfeed? When are you going to wean? Are you going to sleep train? When is she going to sleep in her crib? Are you going to feed her baby food or do Baby Led Weaning? Are you going to wear your baby? Which carrier are you going to get?” Sigh.
A lot of the values my husband and I shared, with the birth of our first child, answered those questions relatively well. And if not, I had a tight circle of friends I’d reach out to, in order to figure out what to do next. When faced with the topic of “babywearing”, I remember feeling relatively clueless and almost scared of it. I also really, really wanted to love it and understand more.
How would I know I’d be doing it right? Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable?
I ordered a Baby K’Tan and a Nesting Days carrier online after reading reviews. I had the best intentions of just reading the directions and wearing her properly but it quickly became apparent (through backaches and an uncomfortable babe) that I needed help.
My First Babywearing Meeting
An old friend introduced me to the concept of the “babywearing meeting” and I set out to search for the nearest one! I had no clue what to expect as I walked into my first one (which was inside a Sports Basement store).
There were many parents, children, babies and a handful of babywearing educators! All the carriers were categorized, labeled and organized on a few tables around the room for us to check out. I was immediately drawn to the beautiful rings slings they offered and had a gazillion questions to ask.
The best part of the whole thing? My not-so-easy sleeper, instantly fell asleep when they were showing how to properly wear her in it. I was able to walk out of there wearing her in the ring sling! And I got to borrow it for the entire month!
Benefits of Going to a Babywearing Meeting/What I Love About Babywearing
Got Me Out of the House:
Those early months of being a new Mama felt both overwhelming and I found myself feeling isolated quite a bit. It was a great reason to get out of the house and it was refreshing knowing I was heading somewhere where there would be other new parents.
Community Building:
It was great to be around parents and caregivers that were all wanting to learn about the same topic. It was an easy place to be to start up conversations, make friends and feel a sense of belonging to a community.
Build Confidence in Babywearing Properly:
An obvious benefit of these meetings was to gain knowledge and CONFIDENCE, in wearing my baby properly and safely. Having experts there to answer questions and support me in finding a suitable carrier was amazing! One can only gather so much information from reading reviews and watching tutorials online.
“Rent” and try out different carriers:
Being able to borrow a carrier each month was a lovely way to save money and really get a good idea of which I actually wanted to purchase. There are SO many choices out there and they fit our bodies so differently. I was able to figure out which carrier worked best for me, and now I am very brand loyal.
Babywearing Support in Northern Nevada
We have a few options for learning more about Babywearing from people who have expertise in this area.
- Biggest Little Baby offers a “Baby Wearing Wisdom” class at their store. In this class, you’ll learn about carriers, wraps, slings and using them correctly. The cost is usually $10.
- Reno Babywearers: The Biggest Little Babywearing Group. I joined this group when we moved here and it was so worth it! Included in the $25 annual membership fee, you are able to “rent” a carrier each month! They’ve set up their meetings to rotate monthly around different parts of Reno and Sparks (usually at libraries/parks/other locations)
We are lucky to live in a community with some babywearing support. I encourage you to check out the local resources so you can learn which carrier works best for you and your baby!
Angie Waltz
Angie Waltz is an Early Childhood Educator with over 10 years of experience in Reggio-inspired, play-based classrooms. Her undergraduate degree is in Child Development and she holds a Masters in Human Development. Angie is enthusiastic about sharing ideas, activities, and materials that support a play-based, child-led learning approach. She also loves helping families create developmentally appropriate, thoughtful, rich learning spaces for their children.
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Angie Waltz#molongui-disabled-link
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Angie Waltz#molongui-disabled-link
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Angie Waltz#molongui-disabled-link
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Angie Waltz#molongui-disabled-link
