cold weather babywearing

We snowshoe in the winter, even when it is below zero. We have a couple of different approaches to it.
I dress Cormac and myself pretty warmly, Cormac a bit more so because he's not moving about, and then have a babywearing garment over us. I think that's important because it is a much better fit.
DH dresses them both warmly and wraps those glove insert heaters in socks and puts them inside Cormac's boots and top mittens. The carrier is always shown this way while with my way it's covered.

The most important things are:

• NO cotton next to baby's skin. The mantra from safety experts is "cotton kills" (I used to have that on my site in the winter babywearing article but my brother said it was too morbid) because it will get damp and refreeze, causing hypothermia before you know it.
• Dress in layers and do continual checks on baby's extremities. They will feel cooler than yours but watch for cold and clammy.
• Be very careful if you are getting sweaty, especially of your baby is sweaty, on winter walks and adjust your layers so you are not too warm.
• Watch exposed skin carefully. You can coat your baby's skin with a bit of lanolin for extra protection but watch obsessively for signs of frost nip and frost bite.

Getting outside in the winter is essential. Once you figure out a system that works for you it is really easy and refreshing whether a walk through the neighborhood or snowshoeing on the trails.

Top recommendation for breastfeeding and babywearing

I wrote this in reply to an inquiry last night and I kind of like it. So, here it is!

"My first recommendation for a carrier that will be nice and secure and help with breastfeeding on-the-go is a ring sling. Ring slings have general size recommendations but are also adjustable. The ring sling I carry have medium size rings so they are not too bulky and some light padding in the rails (the two edges that run along your body) to make it comfy when you are on the go and chasing a toddler. I have a two year old too so I know!

You can adjust the fabric in the rings really easily to adjust for a growing baby or even wearing you little one right now in a hip carry. The fabric on the "tail" (the part that is hanging through the rings) on many ring slings is open and so very convenient for covering up a little when you are nursing the new baby and want to feel a little more discreet. You can make it very secure so if you have to jump up all of a sudden at the playground the baby won't be jolted. For most infant carries and nursing you can easily have the baby in a cradle position in the sling. As he/she grows up you can use it for upright carries facing in or out and then for fantastic hip carries and even back carries with a toddler.

the water park! Hooray!

Cormac cheers "Hooray!" for everything he loves these days, H2Oasis, our indoor water park, being no exception. The flip side to this love for everything is that he wants to be in the water everysecond, not pay to get in, and never EVER leave.
Well, today I broke out the Karma Baby pool pouch and HOORAY! We both loved it!
It was pouring early this afternoon so we wore the pouch on the dash from the car, through the loooong line to pay, during a brief chat with the owner, to the racks to strip down, and then over to the kiddie pool. When we left it was back in the pouch and I was actually able to change into underwear rather than drip-dry all the way home.
I had a great solarveil ring sling I used at H2Oasis, in Hawaii, and as a shower sling when Cormac was little but this was sooooo much better. I am remembering now why a great fitting pouch is just divine. Everyone needs one. I am not kidding. It's even more useful, in many ways, for a toddler than it was for a baby.
And what is it about pouches that makes Cormac give me extra kisses? That alone makes a pouch worth it. :)

Swimming lessons

Cormac has been screaming and crying when we leave Swim Like a Fish at the end of swim lessons. He screams, "Sharkie, Sharkie!" because he misses the little dolphin he likes to play with and he loves loves loves loves loves playing in the water. He has a great time while we're there but I'm really looking forward to getting the Karma Baby swim pouch so I can keep the running away under control while we're trying to get out of there.

lots more coming in

So many carriers are on the way that I am madly creating buttons!
Keep watching for updates!

new site, new products

Well, I spent many, many hours yesterday adding the new products to the online store and making sure everything looks "just right" in my browser. Phew! Now it's time to add the buttons for buying!
I am very excited about the new carriers and the babywearing vest on their way to Anchorage!
I'll post more details about them as sson as they arrive! I think it will be great to have water slings available locally that folks can use at H2Oasis. The Nori fleece babywearing vests look awesome and I wish I had one a couple of years ago. I'm excited to use it this fall with Cormac on my back so we stay nice & cozy while hiking in Kincaid.
More when they arrive...

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