Mommy and Isaac {20+ lbs @ 8 months}

I had the privilege of reviewing a  Boba 2G Organic earlier this year. I loved it and thought it worked wonderfully despite Isaac being so young. But between the hypotonia and neck weakness, last summer I decided to try a wrap for the first time ever. Being so happy with the Boba carrier, naturally I purchased their Sleepy Wrap {now just called Boba Wrap}.

I just want to say that I love it! I love everything about my Sleepy Wrap from the fabric {soft, cuddly, breathable} to the easy-to-follow instructions for wear, to the fit of it. While long-term (all day hike etc.), it doesn’t have the same comfort level as a more structured carrier {since Isaac is over 20 pounds now!}, I comfortably wear him for a few hours at a time and we’re both happy.

I wrap it on me

I pop him in

He snuggles in and is content {easy-peasy}

Sometimes I tuck his head in, cozy and supported, and he dozes off. Other times I  let him peek around or tilt his head up to watch me. He’s at just the right level for me to kiss him constantly and I love to look down on him, nestled in there.

I was always scared of wraps. They didn’t seem secure enough to hold baby and the whole wrapping thing seemed really confusing. Let me assure you that neither is the case and you really have to try one! They’re actually pretty economical too.

Today I snapped this picture of the two of us enjoying each other and wanted to give a big shout-out to Boba and babywearing!

How do you wear your baby?

• My wrap was purchased with my own money. This isn’t a sponsored post.
• I’ve been using and loving this wrap now for 6 months!!
  
• Read the Babywearing reviews I’ve done

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Babywearing: Sleepy Wrap is a post from Beautiful Calling.

This adorable face is what peeks up at me when I’m wearing him in the Boba. I love it!

My Wearing History

I love carrying my babies, but that wasn’t always the case. When my first child was a baby, I gave babywearing a try with a borrowed ‘snuggli’ but it was a flop. Chloe (now 4) wasn’t happy in it and I found it uncomfortable and hard to put on. With the birth of my second child, John (now 3), I branched out and since then have used a Hot Sling, WomBaby, Ergo Carrier and now the Boba Baby Carrier. I will be adding a sleepy wrap to this list very soon. I have to say that in order for babywearing to be a good experience, you really have to have a good carrier; one that is comfortable for baby as well as for you and sometimes one type of carrier is better suited for the circumstance than another.

About NAP Inc.

“…mission is to provide comfortable and durable baby carriers to parents throughout the world and give them a helping hand in raising confident, joyful and compassionate children. We hope to enhance the bond between mother and child by enabling both to be close and connected to each other in a practical yet magical sort of way.”

Doesn’t that sound beautiful? There truly is something magical about babywearing and I love that the NAP team  recognizes that fact. NAP Inc. supports a variety of non-profit organizations that support many of the same ideals that our family shares from natural birthing and midwifery to homeschooling. This is a company that I can relate to and feel good about supporting.

About the Carrier

A year and eleven prototypes later, the the Boba was born. It is a soft structured carrier designed for babies 15-45 pounds and has some really great and unique features! A versatile carrier, it can be used as a front and back carrier. The extra height, width, foot straps, organic fabric and leg support are the highlights for the Boba. I encourage you to visit their website; it’s well designed and chock-full of information to help you make an informed decision!

Our Experience

“One size fits most”  and I would say that is pretty accurate. The various straps adjust easily to ensure a custom, comfortable fit. I’m an average height and build so it was no surprise that it fit me well. My husband is 6’ 8” and I was impressed by how well it fit him except the top chest strap in the back carry is too close to his neck. That being said, not too many people are his height! The Boba has some really great features which I will let you discover on the Boba website; this is really about our experience!

Our organic pine carrier arrived at the door promptly. When I opened the package, John (3) excitedly asked to “go for a ride” and Chloe (4) danced around asking if it was for Isaac (9 weeks) or if she could have a ride too. Though ‘grown up’ they still love to be carried. I assured them that everyone would have a ride to try it out and that they could all share our new carrier, taking turns.

We were supposed to have gone to South Africa this month however, due to some complications with Isaac after birth, our trip is rescheduled to November. Having traveled abroad before with tots, I know how much simpler life can be babywearing and look forward to using our Boba there in November.

Since we weren’t going to South Africa as planned, we decided to go visit Ottawa for four days instead. During the course of our trip, Chloe (4), John (3) and Isaac (9 weeks) all spent some time in the Boba and all three loved it. Chloe is quite grown up but, at times, still enjoys the closeness that being carried affords her. John is the same. He was absolutely delighted with the foot rests and informed me, “Mommy, you have these just like a camel”.

I didn’t unroll and use the hood in the traditional sense but left it rolled. I found that it provided a good amount of support for Isaac’s head. Though the recommended minimum weight is 15 pounds, Isaac did well in the carrier thanks to that hood. He snuggled right in and had a nap each time I wore him in it.

It is comfortable for me to wear and easy to put on, though I did have a teeny bit of trouble getting the chest strap done up when wearing the carrier on the front. I think that was mostly because I had it on the bottom setting, having worn it as a backpack previously. Once the strap was in the top position, it was much easier.

The organic pine carrier is a very soft, comfortable yet durable material. I was surprised at the lightness of it as well. It is very well padded for comfort but not bulky. It was warm to wear though the temperatures this summer seem to be breaking records for heat and babywearing in general is often a warm affair.

Comparing the Boba

I decided that for the purpose of this review, I would simply review the Boba Carrier based on it’s own merits and {try} not to compare it to other carriers during the review. I do plan to do another post where I will compare the different carriers I have had the privilege of trying and using, whether I purchased them myself or received them for review. The Boba website does have a great carrier comparison article as well as a Boba vs. Ergo chart which you may find helpful as you await my comparison post!

 Final Thoughts?

I love it. It’s a wonderful, comfortable carrier that will really carry you through all stages {pun intended!}. I love the beautiful colors and softness of the fabric, that it is made in the USA, and that it is just so comfortable to wear even for long periods. I would definitely recommend the Boba, mostly for it’s versatility; it’s perfect for my baby, my 3 year old and my 4 year old! The only issue for our family is who gets to ride in it!

Do you own a Boba Carrier? What carrier is your ‘go-to’ and why?

• Thanks to NAP Inc. for providing an amazing Boba Carrier to facilitate the review. All insightful, delightful opinions expressed here are entirely my own, of course!

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Boba Baby Carrier Review is a post from Beautiful Calling.

{This is Chloe, Oma & I at my grandparents house in 2007. Chloe is almost 24 hours old here; & I’m a new mom! Excuse the quality; it was taken with Gram’s not-so-new camera and then scanned in.}

When I was a first time mom, writing out a baby necessity list would have taken pages. We bought all sorts of things we thought we needed. With baby number two, I realized that ‘need’ is a relative term.

So what is on my top baby essentials?

Diapering

Diapers takes the number one spot. With my first, we used and loved Huggies. With my second, I discovered cloth diapers (a mixture of Fuzzibunz, BumGenius, MotherEase and Grobaby). I love them. There are also prefolds which are more economical or of course there are diaper services for those who value convenience.

Along with diapers comes wipes and cream. We’ve been blessed to have very few issues involving diaper rash but I know for some, it’s something that they have to deal with on a regular basis. A+D Diaper cream is now available in Canada! I had the opportunity to review both their ointment (preventative) and their cream (treatment). The timing was perfect. Using disposables for convenience this past week during VBS, John developed a bit of redness. I used the cream and it cleared right up quickly. It goes on smoothly and doesn’t feel really greasy. It has a light fragrance. I’m generally opposed to fragrance, especially in the nether-regions however it isn’t overpowering. One thing that I especially love about it is that it doesn’t have a screw cap but a flip top. This makes it much easier to open and apply. Good job A+D Diaper.

Sleeping

Babies need a lot of sleep. Never again in their life will they grow as much as they do in their first year (percentage-wise anyway). You can buy an expensive crib, a playpen or have baby sleep with you. Honestly, your new baby can sleep almost anywhere. That will change as they get older but initially, almost anything will do.

They make the most wonderful sleep sacks now. I just used oversized (home made) receiving blankets to swaddle baby but if we have the opportunity to have another little one, I’d look into these sleep sacks. No worries about baby getting cold or tangled in blankets.

Feeding

Baby needs to eat in order to fill all those diapers we just talked about. I was blessed to be able to nurse both my babies and thus the only thing required was a couple of good supportive nursing bras. {Which will also do wonders for a new mom’s self image if they are supportive and fit right}I did buy some nursing tops with my first but when John came along, I just wore whatever. If you are unable to nurse, there is quite a selection of formulas out there; many companies will provide you with a sample for baby to try.

Clothing

Again, with Chloe we bought dresses, matching sweaters, and the whole nine yards. With John we realized that baby is happiest when wearing something soft and comfortable. Sleepers work well for the first few months and how many you need will depend on your baby and how often you do laundry. We wash daily or every second day since we cloth diaper so we don’t need as many as someone who washes once a week obviously. Also, some babies are drool-y and prone to spit-ups.

Entertainment

Babies are pretty low maintenance. A swing is nice if you have a fussy baby and as they get older, a jumperoo is awesome. My little ones LOVED their jumperoo and we used it much more than the swing for sure. A few well chosen rattles and maybe a play mat. Simplicity is the key because honestly your baby’s favorite entertainment and toy is you!

Transport

A car seat is obviously an essential. They type you purchase depends on where you are located and what your local laws are. We used a Graco SafeSeat with John. It’s the “picnic basket” kind of seat that you can carry around which I found particularly convenient since you then do not have to wake a sleeping baby when you arrive at your destination. With the safeseat, it accommodates a larger baby as well so you can use it longer. When they outgrew that, we put them into Britax Cowmooflage Marathon car seats which we love. The only drawback for us with these was the price.

We had a Graco stroller to begin with but I was unhappy with the size of it (even folded) and how it pushed. We tried several strollers and the one I have been very happy with is the Peg Pramette Pliko 3. Since Chloe was 18 months when John arrived, I liked that there were little standing spots for her on the back. We tried a double stroller but it was too train-like. I did like our Baby Jogger Switchback Hybrid which is perfect for walking trails and around the neighborhood but I think that if I were to do it over again, I would just buy a simple (cheap) umbrella stroller and spend the money on an Ergo Baby Carrier. I love my Ergo. John is 2 and Chloe is 3 1/2 and they still like to ride in it. John grew really fast and at 3 months was wearing 12 month clothing so I never had the chance to try out the baby insert but the carrier is so comfortable and convenient, I think I could go stroller-less.

So those are my thoughts on baby essentials. Simplicity is my new motto and I think that sometimes all the stuff gets in the way of enjoying our little bundles.

A+D Information

“The A+D line-up consists of an assortment of diaper rash products: One line for everyday prevention (A+D Diaper Rash Ointment) and one for the treatment of diaper rash, if it occurs(A+D Diaper Rash Cream). The A+D Diaper Rash Ointment, offered in 3 convenient sizes (42g, 113g and 454g), contains a special combination of active ingredients lanolin and petrolatum which help prevent diaper rash every day and is also enriched with moisturizing vitamins A and D. The ointment creates a protective barrier between baby’s skin and diaper moisture that can cause diaper irritations. The A+D Diaper Rash Cream, offered in one size (113g), is formulated with zinc oxide and dimethicone to provide effective relief if diaper rash does occur. Also enriched with moisturizing vitamins A and D and soothing Aloe Vera, the A+D Diaper Rash Cream is a welcome addition to a new mother’s baby care tool box. Both A+D Diaper Rash Ointment and Cream are dermatologist tested.”

Win It!

One lucky winner will receive 3 tubes of A+D Diaper Rash Ointment and 3 tubes of A+D Diaper Rash Cream. A significant value = significant savings for you! It’s easy to enter!

1. Simply leave a comment with your top baby essential.
2. *New* Follow via Google Friend Connect (3 entries)
3. Blog about this giveaway linking back here
4. “Like this post” (on the bottom of this post) to have it show on your facebook status
5. Subscribe via RSS to Beautiful Calling
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8. Become a Facebook Fan of Beautiful Calling
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RT Win an awesome #AplusD diaper cream gift pack  #giveaway @Beautifulcall @MC_Canada here:  http://tiny.cc/eh93k ends 8/31 Canada Only

• As a reminder, readers can enter on as many blogs as they like that are
  participating in the tour, but are only eligible to win once.
• Contests open to Canadians only. (Sorry my International friends)
• Closes August 30, 2010.
• I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central and received a MomCentral gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate. As per my disclosure policy, all fabulous opinions expressed are entirely my own!

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Top Baby Essentials (A+D Diaper Cream Review +Giveaway) is a post from Beautiful Calling.

(I need to ask DH to take our picture more often!)

I love it! Buy one; it’s worth every penny!

That is the short version. If you have a little more time, please read on! I was giddy with excitement when the Ergo Carrier arrived for review. I tried it on right away and fell in love; John did too. What could be better than snuggling up to mommy right?

My Babywearing Experience

I should tell you, my babywearing experience is a little limited. With my first, I tried a borrowed Snuggli and wrote off babywearing. With my second, I gave babywearing another shot when a friend lent me a Hotsling but John wasn’t crazy about being in it once he started looking around. I then bought a Baby Bjorn Active Carrier (I liked the idea of lumbar support). John was very happy and content in it. Mommy, however, was not. Since he was big from the get-go, even with lumbar support (which wasn’t really that supportive), I found it straining on my shoulders and back if I wore him for long periods and as he got heavier, short periods too.

Why Use a Baby Carrier

I loved the idea of babywearing. I love the bonding aspect and the fact that at times it is so much more convenient that a stroller. I tried using a double stroller (Chloe just turned 18 months when John arrived) but found a single stroller with a carrier more convenient most of the time. Whether you have a clingy baby, a tough-to-soothe baby or just one who is not feeling well and wants to snuggle; if you use a carrier you can generally multi-task; getting something done while soothing and comforting baby. I also found that if I was ‘wearing’ John as opposed to carrying him, I had hands free to hold Chloe’s hand and care for her better. Speaking of hands, carrying baby in a carrier means mommy’s hand is free to hold daddy’s. *bliss*

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About the Ergo Baby Carrier

I didn’t know that babywearing could really be comfortable. With my experience I knew that some carriers were more comfortable than others but I didn’t know that there was a carrier that had zero discomfort associated with it!

The Ergo Baby Carrier is amazing. It is:

• easy to put on. You can do it by yourself without a lot of fuss.
• designed for use with babies newborn to 40lbs. (Though newborn insert if recommended for young babies).
• comfortable to wear regardless of baby’s weight.
• has supportive lumbar support that really works!
• ergonomically  designed to support a correct sitting position for the baby’s hip, pelvis and spine growth*
• designed for a variety of body types. Anyone can wear an Ergo!
• able to transition easily from front carry to back carry and also a hip carry. Different carries because every parent, child and circumstance is different!
• designed in a unique way; baby’s weight is distributed around your hips with super comfortable  padding on the shoulder straps which basically help to stabilize baby rather than have all the weight on them like other carriers.
• comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Really!
• has a sleeping hood to help support their heads if they nod off.
• perfect for discreet nursing.*
• extra safe. One thing that I really liked about it was that all of the clip areas have a sturdy elastic loop that you put the strap through prior to securing. In the event that it accidently comes unclipped, your baby will not just fall off!
• made with attention to detail. The quality and workmanship is awesome.
• something that actually does have resale value when you are finished with it. Because of the quality, this carrier will last and last and last…

Above items with an * are either from their website or what I have heard and not based on personal experience.

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I’m leaning forward funny so that you get a view of Chloe.

My Personal Ergo Baby Carrier Experience

I have used my Ergo carrier for 8 weeks. During that time I don’t think I have used my stroller once (and I actually really do like my stroller!). John is 18 months and 25.5lbs. He’s busy, independent, into everything and loves the Ergo. Chloe just turned 3 and is almost 35lbs. I find the Ergo comfortable to wear with both of them and the both enjoy it. John is actually a sad little boy when I wear Chloe LOL. If I had two I could wear them both; one of front and one on the back!

Sick or Fussy: John had a period where he wasn’t feeling well and also had his eye teeth coming through. I was so thankful for the Ergo carrier. I pop him onto my back with his blankie. He is content there for as long I let him ride. I can get the house cleaned, dishes done, dinner made or I can sit and read with Chloe (3 yrs) and he is content.

Walks: I mentioned that I love my stroller (both of them), and prior to the Ergo Baby Carrier, I would put John in the stroller and off we’d go with Chloe marching along beside. Since having the Ergo Carrier, John is thrilled with it, I’m probably burning more calories (yay!) and Chloe is enjoying that mommy has a bit more freedom to venture off the trail or just hold her hand!

Shopping: Our local Sobey’s has “little carts” for shoppers in training. I love being able to put John on my back and let Chloe push our little cart, picking up the things we need and putting them in. It also keeps his little hands from grabbing things on the shelves or touching things he shouldn’t

Church: This may seem like a funny place to wear a baby but I do. My church has a nursery however my husband’s church doesn’t. John sits much happier when he is in a carrier than just on my lap. If I just hold him, we can’t make it through service but in a front carry? He snuggles up and sits quietly (mostly LOL).

I can not tell you how many times I have used this carrier in the past 8 weeks. I usually use it as a backpack but I love the flexibility and versatility of it. It is light weight and because it doesn’t have any hard frames or anything, it folds up and packs well. We are heading to France, England and Africa in May. I can only imagine how thankful I will be to have an Ergo. When we return in June you can bet I will be posting pictures of our Ergo and share how it worked for us while travelling.

Cost

In our dual income/no children days, the cost wouldn’t make me bat an eye. Due to the economy and the fact that I am now a stay-at-home mommy, our financial situation has changed dramatically and I weigh our purchases (down to the penny!) carefully. Though I received this Ergo for review at no cost to me, I truly believe that the Ergo Carrier is worth every penny. It is a worthwhile purchase that will carry you through all stages and durable enough to last multiple children.  It’s versatile, comfortable and will work beautifully long-term (up to 40lbs!). Had I known about and tried the Ergo first, I wouldn’t have bought any other carrier (especially not a Bjorn!) and I may not have even purchased a stroller. Not having a stroller sounds almost crazy in society today but honestly, this carrier really is that comfortable. If cost is a factor for your family, you could always try to find one used. I became a Ergo Baby fan on facebook and found out that Ergo offers gently used Ergo Carriers for sale at great discounts (888-416-4888). It isn’t on their website though. You have to call their office to inquire or order. They also have an auction section. Whether you buy new, used or borrow one from a friend, I think an Ergo Baby carrier is a baby essential!

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Thank you Ergo Baby for the privilege of reviewing one of your amazing carriers!

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Jenn is wife to one, mother of three and above all, a humble servant seeking to honor the Lord with her life. Ergo Baby Carrier Review is a post from Beautiful Calling.