I haven't always been a baby wearer. In the past I was more of a baby holder. I always said that your baby will only be small enough to be held for so very little before you are going to need to chase them down for your hugs and cuddling.
My problem has always been with the carriers. Either you are going to be spending WAY too much for something that will get bodily fluids on it or it is reasonably priced and uncomfortable to wear. On top of that, other carriers I've had in the past were horrible to clean and didn't support the baby very well. The final straw for me with standard baby carriers was when I pinched my youngest daughter with the closures on my last standard carrier. After the tears cleared Daddy just said "she must be too big to be worn" and we moved her to a stroller. I sadly gave up baby wearing with her. Every time she rode in the stroller I mourned the time spent being close to her without having to sacrifice productivity.
When I became pregnant with my son I was determined to find a better carrier. Even against my husband's complaints. "Don't you own enough carriers?" No.. not enough of the right one. Stubbornly I searched for my dream carrier. Supportive for my back and child, easy to clean, and it must grow with my baby.
After endless amounts of searching and comparing I finally found a carrier that intrigued me, the Moby Wrap. I wondered how could one long strip of material secure my baby to me. Thank you for the clarification goes to all the video's online showing the many ways to wear your baby safely in the Moby wrap and even all the way to toddler years. I convinced my husband to let me order just one more baby carrier and he actually agreed. I think it was the promise that it was the last item I was ordering in my online baby shopping frenzy.
The carrier arrived even before my son did. I resisted the urge to try it out, even though my 3 yr old would have still been within the weight limit. My big belly and aching back wouldn't have been in on the fun.
Once my son was born I was excited to put it to use. I will be the first to admit it took some getting used to and lots of reference to the booklet that came with it. My husband even helped me get it on myself and the baby inside safely the first few times. I think it was more because he didn't trust a long strip of material to hold the baby well enough, rather than him just being helpful.
My son went from fussing to asleep in less than a minute. It frightened my husband when our son went silent that fast. He thought something was wrong. When he leaned in to check on the baby he shocked to watch baby Maxx snuggle closer and let out a little sigh.
I will be the first to admit that at 4 months old my son is very different from any of my daughters were. Not just the usual gross little boy stuff... stinky farts and already amused by them. He is a much calmer and happier baby than his sisters were. I never even thought it was possible to have a happier baby then his big sister was. On the rare days when he is being grumpy all I have to do is hold up the Moby wrap and ask if he needs some Moby time. As soon as he sets his sight on the Moby wrap he is all smiles and giggles. Once inside he's either fast asleep or calmly quietly observing the world around him. Daddy is even amazed at the difference the Moby wrap has made.
If I could go back in time.. I would own just one carrier. I found the perfect one for me. It may not be the same for everyone, but it's the one I can't live without. Although I may get a second Moby wrap for wash day... Just don't tell my husband.
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