The good stuff

A very dear friend of mine recently told me that she is expecting!  I am ecstatic for her and her husband, and it got me to thinking about the things we were given or that we bought/borrowed/stole that were fantastic when Tabetha was just a wee beeble.  I think I'm going to break this up into three posts - the stuff I'm glad we had, the stuff that wasn't worth it or that didn't work for us, and the stuff I wish we'd had!



Car seat
When Tabetha was an infant we had the Maxicosi Mico, and I still don't think there's a much better  infant seat available in Canada - and you have to spend twice as much to get something that comes in the same range.

But!  You do not need an infant seat at all!  When Tabby was just about 4 months we got a Sunshine Kids RadianXT (the company now goes by Diono) and it is safer than an infant seat, it is good from 5 to 60 pounds, Tabetha liked it better, and it gets rid of the temptation to carry the baby around in the infant seat, which isn't particularly good for baby  and can give you a wicked case of carpal tunnel.  If I were doing it again, I would skip the infant seat and get a really high quality convertible from the start.  They're steel framed, not plastic, it saves money in the long run, it's just a better idea.

Baby carrier
A good baby carrier is a must, and in my opinion, the Babyhawk is the best.  I've written about it before here already though, so I won't repeat myself.  :o)

Diapers
Contrary to popular belief, cloth diapering is just as easy as disposables, it's cheaper, and you do NOT have to touch anything gross (or at least not anymore than with disposables).  In this house we love love love our AMPs and BumGenius.  In both cases I like the one size - one size diaper from birth to potty training.  Easy.  AMPs fit newborns better and come in more and nicer colours - and leak a little less BumGenius are a bit more daycare friendly and have a couple super awesome patterns.  yum!  For me, the critical factors are snaps instead of velcro, one size, adequate leg elastic, sturdy construction, and cute colours.

Diaper bag
My diaper bag is a Petunia Picklebottom touring tote in Frolicking in Fez.  It is GORGEOUS.  I take it to work and get MANY compliments on it.  It wipes clean.  It has nifty little stroller clips.  It's the perfect size.  I adore it.  They are expensive.... but sooo worth it!

Okay, I guess this part will take more than one post.  More to come!

Review: Babyhawk

When Tabetha was a couple months old we got a Babyhawk carrier.  We ordered a custom one, so that I could pick both fabrics.  And we love it!

The Babyhawk is what's known as a meitai style carrier.  It basically consists of a large square of fabric, a headrest, and four long straps.  Meitai carriers are very versatile - you can wear baby front, back or side and they're good from birth basically until you wouldn't want to be carrying the kid anymore.  They're also fantastic for families who plan to share babywearing duties - because you tie it on every time you use it, you're never struggling to adjust straps and buckles if someone very differently sized wore it last.  Lastly, meitei carriers are quite affordable.  A Babyhawk is about 40% cheaper than an Ergo or Beco, and I personally think they do a better job of distributing the baby's weight across my  back and waist.

Daddy and Baby

When I first put Tabby in it, with her little feet frogged up, her head didn't even peek out over the top of the carrier.  In fact, when I wore her out for lunch, she would sleep and I would just drape a napkin over her head and keep wearing her while I ate.  

When she got a bit bigger, we found it was perfect for breastfeeding.  I could be walking through the grocery store with her latched on and still be able to push and fill my shopping cart.  Very handy!

Auntie Terri and Tabby

Now that Tabetha is 22 lbs, I still use it frequently.  If they stroller would be inconvenient, or if she's fussy and doesn't want to be put down, I can carry her and still have my hands free.  She still fits into it quite nicely, but I am planning to invest in their longer carrier, the Toddlerhawk.  It can't be used from birth - a newborn would fall out the side! - but it adds four inches to the body length, which would give her head more support when she falls asleep in it.

This is no question my favourite baby carrier.  I prefer the meitai style out of the four major types (sling, wrap, meitai, structured carrier) and the Babyhawk is my favourite meitai.

Review: Beco Gemini - Best Soft Structured Carrier

Beco Gemini  - pattern is called Paige

In November I borrowed a Beco Gemini and set off for Seattle with Tabetha, my husband, my mom and my stepdad.  I normally use a Babyhawk meitei, but I was really impressed with the features - and stylish appearance - of this newest entrant in the soft structured carrier category and wanted to give it a really thorough test. 

Best features: ability to face baby forwards or back, fantastic headrest, safety clasps, beautiful organic, made in north america style

Worst features: steeper learning curve than a meitei, not as comfortable to sit in, having to adjust all the straps between different-sized users

I think over the course of the long weekend all of us carried Tabetha in this at one point or another, and while none of us found it as comfortable as the Babyhawk, it's definitely an excellent example of its type.  Tabby really likes facing forward, though with the added stress that places on her back and pelvis I don't let her do it for long.  The fabric is soft and washable, and comes in gorgeous patterns if plain isn't what you're looking for.  It's much more attractive than other carriers in this category.   The Gemini has two-step buckles on the waist and side that ensure a mischievous older child can't easily let baby fall out, which is a really clever idea.  I'm very happy with the quality of the construction and the price is extremely competitive at around $140cdn. 

I was easily able to breastfeed with her in the carrier, as long as I was standing up and not sitting, and she was able to sleep in it with her head supported by the flip-up headrest.

The main thing I don't like about the Gemini is something I find with all carriers of this type - the curve of the straps doesn't fit along my back perfectly, so while the straps are padded, only a small section of the strap is actually bearing the weight.

Verdict:  I think I'll always like the meitei style of carrier best, but if I were in the market for a soft structured carrier, or if the ability for Tabetha to face forward was a dealbreaker, this is the one I would get.  

I think my ideal carrier would have the body of the Gemini with meitei style straps.  I wonder how rusty my sewing skills are...

(This post inspired by Kidlets in Campbell River, who I was talking to about the Gemini earlier today!  Thanks for the fun visit, as always. )