WOVEN WOMB BABY CARRIERS  

{Ash in ring sling and kanga on my back - 7 weeks old}

CHOOSING BABY CARRIERS

Notice that I call this section "Choosing Baby Carriers (PLURAL)". The best way to be a full-time babywearing parent is to own a small selection of different carriers. I have my favourites (for reasons I'll explain) and I use them all. Some are more important at different stages of baby development but I think they are all a very worthwhile investment.

There are lots of different factors to be considered when selecting baby carriers. Here is a list that of factors that are important to me (and probably to most other people as well). I have designed The Weepee to incorporate ALL of these factors (no particular order).

MY PERFECT BABY CARRIER COMBO (from birth to toddlerhood)

THE PERFECT FOUR

The Weepee (of course :-)

One shoulder ring sling

Wrap-style carrier

Kanga

note: These are listed in order of necessity (my opinion of course :-).

1. THE WEEPEE

The Weepee, in my opinion, is really important for the complete "in-arms" phase of babywearing. It is the only carrier that accommodates all of the following requirements: skin-to-skin contact (esp. with newborn and to allow unlimited breastfeeding) keeps baby in froggy-leg position (proper spinal support) back-carry for newborns easy in/out for EC, and distributes baby's weight evenly on your shoulders and hips. None of the other carriers I am about to mention meet all of these requirements. And, I can just pick up the sac and take it with me everywhere I go (if I'm not walking). Plus there are no adjustments to make when my hubby takes his turn carrying Aiko.

2. RING SLING

A one shoulder, ring sling is useful from newborn to toddlerhood but, for me, it get's the most use when I am doing a lot of in and out eg. car errands (in and out of carseat, and newly mobile phase when baby wants up and then back down often). It has the highest poppability and can be adjusted very speedily by pulling on the tail (I prefer an unpadded ring sling for maximum adjustability). On the downside, if you do not take baby off frequently, and change shoulders, you will get a sore neck. Make sure your sling adjusts to properly attach your baby to your body. I see a lot of people using these types of carriers incorrectly.

3. WRAP STYLE CARRIER (long piece of fabric i.e. 5m plus)

Wrap style carriers offer a very snug and cozy carry. I do like mine. This type of carry is also the most versatile carrier you can own in terms of the quantity of different carrying positions you can use. The downside is that they require quite a bit of tying and wrapping (this makes for a steep learning curve) which deters some people and makes ECing more difficult. Plus, there is a significant amount of fabric to carry around (when I untie my son from my wrap carrier it is always a huge pile of fabric in a mess on the floor). I find the Weepee offers a carry that is just as snug and is simpler to tie, and it folds neatly into it's own carrying sac - so if you can't make one of these inexpensively then I would just use the Weepee.

4. KANGA (short piece of fabric i.e. 1.5m approx.)

I use kangas (piece of very lightweight cotton) to tie my son on my back West African style. This is a strapless carry and I find it extremely comfortable - many people think it looks like the breasts are compressed. I think one has to try it to know how it feels. I love this carrying method and used it often from 3mos. to 12mos..

A WORD ABOUT STRUCTURED CARRIERS (AND OUTDOOR SPECIALIZED USES)

We purchased a soft-structured carrier when my son was about 14mos. and 24lbs.. It was the beginning of hiking season and I was doing a lot of outdoor carrying at this stage (he was walking by this point) and I wanted to test this type of carrier before I endorsed the Weepee for toddlers. I do alot of outdoor activities including long (10km plus) day hikes and snowshoeing and skiing. It isn't necessarily easy to have lots of fabric for tying when my fingers are cold and because I EC my son even when out for daily 2 hour snowshoe I need in/out in piles of snow and cold. However, I have found that the Weepee is ideal for outdoor uses. It fits over my outdoor gear, I use the extra length length in waist straps to tie a small water bottle and my ice grippers (needed for walking to snowshoe trail) and I use the EC Back Carry which is super comfy. The Weepee really is an all purpose carrier. Note: Although there is less tying with a structured carrier, there is way less versatility in how you can wear it and how it will fit different people. The structured carrier I bought was recommended by many people. I found out later I wasn't alone in saying that it's very uncomfortable for many body types. I modified it (now it is tolerable but not amazing) and I really don't recommend you do this unless you are extremely practiced in babywearing and sewing baby carriers.

ABOUT FRAME STYLE BACKPACKS

We received one as a gift before my son was born (the quintessential/stereotypical carrier for the "outdoor enthusiast") and we used it for a bit in the first winter my son was born cause I could not tie him to my body with kanga or wraps wth all my outdoor gear on (Weepee wasn't invented yet) and keep him safe from frostbite (we had one scary experience when out skiing one day). This was a babywearing struggle for me. Frame style carriers do not allow you to wear your baby attached to your body, and they are usually not ergonomically correct for baby (hang by the crotch scenario) - for these two reasons, I do not advocate the use of frame carriers and I don't consider them to be babywearing. This was part of the reason I started constructing my Weepee and also made a babywearing poncho for cold weather (highly recommend this).

      Why Choose the Weepee...

PERFECT FOR YOUR NEWBORN BABY    The Weepee permits you to carry your baby skin-to-skin. Many people believe that babies flourish from constant skin contact and that each time you lovingly touch your baby you stimulate positive brain chemistry. I personally am a firm believer in this theory and this is one of the reasons I advocate wearing your newborn in a carrier that allows you to be touching all the time. Plus, when worn on the front, the Weepee offers your new baby unlimited access to the breast. The soft, hemp/cotton fleece sleepee collar is luxurious for supporting newborn heads. You can carry your newborn baby ON YOUR BACK in the Weepee. You won't believe how easy and comfortable this carry is.

PERFECT FOR YOUR HEAVY TODDLER    If you've already past the newborn baby stage it's not too late to get a lot of value out of purchasing a Weepee (afterall, it's designed for newborn to 5 years). I designed this carrier to provide a very close carry which means that you and your baby are practically one (and I have been testing it with my heavy son). The body shape, fabric and side loops are designed to hold baby's torso snuggly to yours in the back carry. This is why the Weepee is even more comfortable than traditional mei tais. And, this carrier is really comfortable for toddler in front - it is the only way I have carried my son in front since he was a small baby.

ERGONOMICALLY CORRECT FOR MAMA, DADDY AND BABY    The Weepee is designed to support the correct curvature of your baby's spine. Many baby carriers on the market (especially the ones that are designed for front carrying) have baby hanging by the crotch with all the weight born by the lower part of the spine. This upright position causes the baby's spine to rest in an unnatural and stressful position thought to cause spondylolisthesis (see Infant Carriers and Spinal Stress). With the Weepee your baby can snuggle comfortably in it's natural "froggy leg position" (notice how your baby naturally resumes this position as soon as you pick her up and hold her against you). Older babies sit in the Weepee with their legs straddling your body. This position also supports the natural curve of the lower back and the more comfy baby is the happier the babywearing experience. Parents find the Weepee to be super comfortable as well. Depending on which carry you are using, your growing baby's weight will be distributed over both shoulders (or the chest) and your hips. And, if you get tired of using one position you can just rest one body part and use another as there are so many different ways to carry your baby. Trust me, this versatility is fabulous if you are committed to carrying your baby 24/7 like we did.

ELIMINATION COMMUNICATION (EC)    In my opinion, the Weepee is one of the best baby carriers for practicing EC. By wearing your baby skin-to-skin (at any age) you will quickly learn their body language when they need to eliminate. That was what I did with my son when we went full-time diaperfree. And then you can just loosen the ties of the Weepee and remove baby from one side of carrier. More about in and out of Weepee in the How to Use the Weepee page. I quickly learnt that my sons wiggling would mean he had to pee and I would promptly remove him from the Weepee to pee him. Now that he is older he will try really hard not to pee on me. The fabric of the Weepee is easy to wash and care for - kind of importants in case there's misses!!! :-)

ONE SIZE FITS MAMA AND DADDY    The Weepee is designed to fit many different body types. That is the beauty of unstructured baby carriers. They really do mold to your body. You will find that different tying methods suit different parents, different babies and different combos of parents and babies. Experiment to find the carries and tying methods that suit you best.

LEARNING CURVE    Most unstructured style carriers have a learning curve. The Weepee requires some practice, the front carry is relatively easy to learn, but it'll take a few tries before it becomes second nature to toss baby on your back and tie them up. Simply learning how to put a baby on your back by yourself is a learning process in itself. It can be done safely, and once mastered will be so convenient for you throughout your childs baby and toddlerhood.

BABYWEARING SUPPORT    At Weepee Baby Carriers we feel customer satisfaction is the highest priority. I am doing this because I believe in babywearing, not because I want to sell, sell, sell. I stand behind my product 110% and have the policies to back that up (see Babywearing Support).

COMPARED TO OTHER ASIAN STYLE CARRIERS    The Weepee is definitely different. Traditional mei tais, and especially designs with angled shoulder straps, do not succeed at keeping baby's centre of gravity as close to your body as is possible. The design of the body piece, straps, and unique side loops of the Weepee all work together to make this carrier structurally comfortable (that's my civil engineering degree coming out again :-). By selecting high quality organic hemp/cotton the Weepee is durable and strong while remaining flexible for a comfortable wrap. This carrier is the ultimate in simplicity and I think you will find that it quickly becomes one of your favourites too. Weepee Baby Carriers has a unique business philosophy and a mission to be both ethical and environmentally sustainable in it's practices.

{Ash 20 months}