For the past few weeks I've been researching various ways to keep a baby happy without having to hold her in-arms all day. My first-born loved the Baby Bjorn so naturally I assumed the next one would, too. Those of you with multiple children are laughing right now, knowing how completely different two babies can be. I discovered that
babywearing is considered a given in most of the world and is, thankfully, gaining popularity in the US. While Baby Bjorn makes truly wonderful, high-quality products, there's an entire world of other carriers out there.
Our second wants to be held absolutely always. Like any parent, I can't spend all day holding the baby; I have way too much to do, yet my sweet baby screams and screams if put down for more than 5 minutes (severe reflux). With my once-tiny baby already clocking in at 7 kilos / 15.4 pounds, my shoulders and back are always sore.
I've narrowed it down to a
wrap AND a
Mei Tai. Paying US$45 to $180 for a simple piece of fabric (wrap) is too steep for me particularly since I already own natural fiber fabric and love being resourceful. I found a wonderful thread on making DIY wraps (without dropping major dough) at
The BabyWearer. They discus which fabrics work well and which may cause binding or pinching; they also mention that you can even use a bedsheet.
