Strocel.com | Baby Gear

Mei Tai Love

Amber on January 27, 2009 11 Comments

I love my baby carriers. I’ve written recently about my affection for my ring sling. That is only one of my many carriers, though. I also have several pouch slings, another ring sling, three German woven wraps, a Baby Bjorn, and a Baby Buddha. But my absolute favourite, hands down, is the mei tai. I currently have 5, three I made myself, one Kozy, and one Freehand.

A mei tai, or Asian baby carrier, is loosely based on traditional Chinese carriers. It’s basically a square piece of fabric with 4 straps, 2 for the waist and 2 for the shoulders. The more modern North American variant has a longer body, often with padding, and sometimes has wider or padded shoulder straps.

So what makes the mei tai so great? I like that it distributes weight over both shoulders and across the back. Although ring and pouch slings can be worn with very large babies and small children, I personally found that once my babies hit 15 pounds or so, wearing them on one shoulder for long periods of time became uncomfortable.

I also like that the baby is snuggled in very close to you, instead of hanging like dead weight off your front. Compared to the more widely-available baby carriers, you can carry a much larger child more comfortably in a mei tai. Most are rated for children up to 35 lbs or so (my petite 4-year-old weighs in at just under 34). Also, you can wear your baby on your back, front or hip, whereas most Bjorn-style carriers allow only front carries. Putting a grabby baby on your back can really help you to get things done around the house.

Mei tais are also one size fits all. This means that multiple adults can use the same carrier, and there are no buckles to adjust every time. Plus, mei tais come in all sorts of cool and fun prints. If you really want a great selection of fabrics, I don’t think that you can beat Babyhawk. I don’t have one, but I love to visit and imagine.

A lot of these advantages also apply to a good woven wrap. While I do like my wraps, there is a definite learning curve associated with them. I found the mei tais to be nearly as versatile, and considerably easier to use. That’s just me, though.

If you are considering your baby carrier options, I really recommend The Baby Wearer website . They have all sorts of articles and reviews to help you choose. There are also instructions for every type of baby carrier imaginable. And if you become a member you can find lots of affordable second-hand baby carriers (or sell your old ones) on their For Sale or Trade boards. It’s a goldmine of support and information.

Happy Babywearing!

Tagged With: Baby Gear, Babywearing

Who Wants a Diaper Bag?

Amber on January 17, 2009 25 Comments

The contest is now closed. Thanks to everyone for your interest, and congratulations to the winners!

I used to sew baby carriers and diaper bags. I gave it up when I was expecting Jacob, primarily because of time constraints. And while all of my baby carriers have found good homes, I do have several brand spanking new diaper bags. More than I need, or could really use.

I’ve been staring at these bags for a long time. I couldn’t decide what to do with them. I’m trying to perform a post Christmas de-clutter, but I don’t want to just chuck perfectly good bags. Then it occurred to me – I have approximately 3 blog readers, and 3 diaper bags. Do I smell a match made in heaven? I’ll do a giveaway!

Click on photo for larger image

These are messenger-style bags with velcro closures and lots of pockets. They measure 16″ x 11″ x 4 1/2″, and are machine washable. Each one also comes with a 15″ x 18″ change pad.

If you would like me to send you a diaper bag, leave a comment or email me at amber [at] strocel [dot] com (with the subject header “Diaper Bag Giveaway”) before January 31, 2009. I will pick someone at random. The winner gets first choice of the three bags pictured, and I will give away all 3 provided that I have enough entrants. If you live very far away, I may ask you to chip in for postage, but I am willing to send the bags anywhere.

And remember, there’s nothing that says these bags must be used for diapers. They’re roomy and pretty and can fit all kinds of things. So, you know, even if you’re not at that stage in life don’t leave me hanging. Please enter. I would hate to throw a contest and have no one come.

Tagged With: Baby Gear, Giveaways

Hold me Close

Amber on January 8, 2009 7 Comments

Hannah’s early days were rough. She was in the special care nursery, and I had been through the wringer myself. Four days after she was born I stumbled into a baby store in order to rent a breast pump. I was not entirely coherent. It was the longest I’d stood upright since I’d given birth, and I was still pretty weak.

While I was there I laid eyes on some ring slings. I’d read something about slings, and I sort of thought I wanted one. We had a Baby Bjorn already, but it was early days and we were still loading up on baby gear in a rather haphazard fashion. So I chose a Maya Wrap, in a purplish sort of a colour scheme. I took it home and watched the accompanying DVD, pausing and rewinding and trying it out myself.

It took a while, but eventually I figured it out. Once I did, that sling saved my life more times than I can count. When Hannah was tiny and fussy seeing that sling would calm her down. A couple of times, at the end of my rope, I snuggled her into the sling and vacuumed. The combination of being close and white noise put her to sleep. My sanity was preserved, and I also got a clean floor.

As Hannah grew I wore her in different positions. Facing in, facing out, on my hip, on my back. I wore her at the grocery store, I wore her on walks, I wore her on trips. Eventually, I found that having her on only one shoulder for long periods of time became uncomfortable, and the ring sling was replaced with other baby carriers. But even as a toddler, Hannah always sort of preferred the Maya Wrap.

Hannah slingin' in Parksville

In the time between my two children they upgraded the Maya Wrap. There’s now a lightly-padded option, which is simply fantastic. I briefly considered replacing my old ring sling, but I just couldn’t do it. Because now, nearly 4 years after I picked it off a shelf, it’s my sling. It has sentimental value in the way a new one wouldn’t.

So now I have another baby and I’m using the Maya Wrap again. In spite of Jacob’s easygoing nature I’ve used it even more this time around, if only because I need a way to keep the little man safe while still having my hands free to tend to my wild child. My little guy’s already getting heavy for the one-shouldered carry when I’m going to be wearing him for long periods. But for short jaunts it’s still our go-to option, being the easiest carrier to get him into and out of in a rainy parking lot.

Slightly cranky Jacob at the pumpkin patch

If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s that the decisions that you agonize over often mean nothing when viewed through the lens of time. All that you can remember in retrospect is the agony, having completely forgotten what you decided and what happened as a result. In a lot of cases it’s not even like you make a better decision, you just spend more time making it.

It was that way with the sling. I spent a long time picking out the baby swing we’ve barely used. I spent hours poring over the Babies R Us catalogue examining glider rockers and crib bedding I never even bought. But this sling that I picked up as an afterthought has been my go-to baby item, the one thing that I’m not willing to share or part with.

If I were to choose a ring sling today, with all of the options available, I would likely make a different choice. I’m not so much endorsing the Maya Wrap (although I love mine) as I am the idea of wearing your baby. Of finding a simple, versatile piece of equipment that will be serviceable for years. Who knows? 4 years later you just may be waxing poetic about how it was the best decision you ever made.

Tagged With: Baby Gear, Babywearing

Chemicals, Toys and Bureaucracy, Oh My!

Amber on December 12, 2008 Leave a Comment

Did you know that new regulations are coming into effect soon in the US, to ensure that children aren’t exposed to harmful chemicals? Following recalls last year involving more than 18 million toys, lawmakers realized that the public wasn’t being well-served by existing regulations. Lead was still appearing where it’s most concerning – in children’s products. To address the concerns the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was passed.

In addition to lead, the CPSIA bans phthalates in toys and other children’s items. Phthalates make plastic soft and flexible, but they have been linked to a number of nasty health effects. After Canada took the lead on bisphenol A, I was a little bit disappointed that we seemed to be missing the boat on phthalates. My hope was that once the ban came into effect in the US in February, that we would see phthalate-free toys sold widely here. In any case, I am a big fan of handmade natural toys, which don’t contain the same alarming chemicals.

So, I was very disappointed when Christina over at Bamboletta clued me in to problems with the CPSIA. It seems that as well-intentioned as the legislation may be, it poses a very expensive obstacle to people who make handmade toys. The act requires testing and labelling that may cost thousands of dollars per item, which is out of reach of smaller home-based businesses. The Handmade Toy Alliance is working to change the act, but the deadline is fast approaching. Some European toymakers, whose toys have long been manufactured to much more stringent standards than North American toys, are even pulling out of the US altogether.

Hannah with her beautiful and safe Bamboletta baby doll

Hannah with her Bamboletta doll

No one’s suggesting that children’s toys shouldn’t be as safe as they can possibly be. Many of the small businesses that will be affected have long been committed to safety and quality well beyond what the CPSIA addresses. However, they simply cannot afford the certification process. And this doesn’t affect only US businesses, either. Canadian manufacturers often sell a lot of goods in the US, and they will have to undergo the process or stop selling their products across the border.

If you’re American you can contact your elected representatives to share any concerns you have about the CPSIA. the people over at the Handmade Toy Alliance have a form letter, as well as proposed amendments to the act. Hopefully a solution can be found that will both protect children and ensure that small businesses can continue to operate and sell their children’s items in the US.

Tagged With: Baby Gear, Parenting, Toys

Crafty Mamas

Amber on November 27, 2008 3 Comments

Here in BC we are blessed with some truly fabulous, crafty mamas. Somehow they manage to create beautiful, local, hand-made products and while they’re raising their little ones. I’ve shared my love of Bamboletta and Poot & Boogie natural dolls. And of course there’s my very dear friend and crafting mentor Kirsten at Yummy Yarn. But I’ve come across a few more recently, and I wanted to share them with you. You can click on my photos for a larger view.

Big Ocean, Little Fish – I recently met Lou, a multi-talented mama (she teaches yoga for the whole family, too). I had my eye on her wishing owls for Hannah, each with their own secret star pocket. One girl only needs so many Christmas presents, though, so I’m doing a custom order for the kiddo’s birthday. In the meantime I chose two fabulous prints for my downstairs bathroom. Until she gets her Etsy shop stocked, you can check out her Facebook group to see photos of the owls for yourself.

Sweet Earth Soaps – Did you know that most commercially produced soaps aren’t actually soap? They’re detergents, which are cheaper but not nearly so nice on your skin. Plus, they contain artificial colours and fragrances. I prefer the real thing, so I was delighted to find Ashley and her truly divine soaps (I can’t stop sniffing mine). Their scents come from herbs, spices and essential oils. My favourite is ‘Brewsky’ – made with actual beer! If you love soap as much as I do you have to check her out.

Milk Lush – This summer I came across another mama named Ashley who makes the most fabulous baby gear. Her myQuilt quilts are truly gorgeous, it’s almost a shame to imagine a baby drooling on them. We have one of her myPad playmats, and we love it. They’re made of phthalate-free vinyl, so they’re easy to care for but they don’t contain the same harmful chemicals found in traditional products. After all, who wants their babies rolling around on something that could hurt them?

Tagged With: Baby Gear, Toys

Cloth Diapers

Amber on November 20, 2008 2 Comments

As I mentioned yesterday we are using cloth diapers with Jacob. I made the decision, over my husband’s objections, for a few reasons. In spite of some conflicting evidence I think they’re better for the environment. They are super-cute and much easier to use than they used to be (no pins!). But most of all, in the long run it’s by far the cheapest choice.

Before I got started with cloth diapers I did some reading. You can find some good articles online that explain what types of diapers are out there, and discuss the various pros and cons. I like this one and this one. Then I checked out some online reviews to see what other people thought. Finally I went shopping online and ordered a few diapers to try out.

I bought my diapers new from some Canadian online shops. I shopped at Fluffy Bottom Babies, Cape Breton Baby Company, and New & Green Baby. If you wanted to do this more cheaply, you can buy second-hand at Diaper Swappers, on craigslist, or even at local kid swaps. By no means do your diapers have to break the bank.

Diapers, inserts, and wet bag

I ended up trying 11 different diaper styles and models. I tried contours and fitteds, pocket diapers and all-in-ones. I have tried diapers with snaps and diapers with velcro. One size diapers and sized diapers. I’ve also tried 4 different types of diaper covers, a wet bag for travel, and a reusable diaper pail liner. I can see why my husband thinks cloth is confusing!

Diaper covers

So, what do I like? My current favourite diapers are Happy Heiny’s one size pocket diapers. They haven’t leaked on me yet! In fact, overall I have far fewer leaks with cloth, and almost no blowouts (they really contain messes because they’re so big). I also love my Wahmies wet bag and my JamTots one size hemp insert. But it changes, as Jacob grows I like some diapers more and less. I also use different diapers at night or when we’re out and about.

Our diaper drawer overfloweth

OK, so they’re cute, but the real issue is dealing with the dirty diapers, right? After all, you can’t just throw them away. And the laundry pail, doesn’t it smell? That’s what I was worried about, and it was Jon’s biggest concern about cloth diapers.

Jacob models his BumGenius 3.0

Jacob is still exclusively breastfed. This means that all of his diapers can just go directly in the wash. It also means that the smell isn’t bad at all. Once I got my diaper pail liner, which just gets dumped in the washer along with the diapers, things got much easier. There is a bit of regimen to laundry (pre-wash cold, regular wash hot, extra rinse cold), but it’s mostly manageable. My biggest problem is getting around to folding the clean ones, and then finding myself digging through the laundry basket with a screaming, naked baby under one arm. You may be more organized than I am, though.

I’m glad I made the switch to cloth. I can definitely see a reduction in garbage compared to when Hannah was a baby. I don’t know if I’m really helping the earth, but I do know I’m not sending nearly as much to the landfill. It’s got to count for something, right?

Tagged With: Baby Gear

Diapers, Diapers, Diapers

Amber on November 19, 2008 7 Comments

We used disposables diapers with Hannah. I was interested in trying cloth, but my husband absolutely was not. So we clad her little bottom in Huggies that w e bought in bulk at Costco. Then we turned them into little sausages using our Diaper Genie. It was about as fast and easy a diapering solution as one can imagine. No muss, no fuss, no swishing in the toilet.

I did have some qualms. I worried that we were harming the environment, although there’s not a clear answer. Studies show contradictory data. Some claim that the water and energy used in washing cloth makes its environmental impact roughly equal to disposables. Others cite the number of tons of disposables added to landfills each year, or how many trees were cut down to make them. If you want to read about it yourself you can check out articles here, here, and here.

With Jacob we made the leap to cloth over Jon’s objections. I guess you can tell where I stand on the great ‘diaper debate’. We started with a diaper service and a handful of cloth diapers I bought online, so that we could give it a try without spending too much money up front.

I didn’t like the diaper service, as it turns out. The diapers were easy to use and it was convenient to have them dropped at my door. But keeping dirty diapers around for a week was sort of yucky. Plus they were the most expensive option at around $17 / week, plus diaper covers that you need to provide yourself. Disposables were around $12 / week, at least the way we did them.

So, I bought a bunch more cloth diapers and that’s what I’ve been using. The diapers and covers cost us $770 – if we can use them for 2 years that’s around $7.50 / week. I got the high-end diapers, because they’re cute (yes, I’m that lame). Really, you could do this much more cheaply with a little effort.

There are downsides to cloth. Jon says the diapers are confusing and he’s right. We have 9 different types of diapers, and 4 different types of diaper covers, although that’s sort of my fault. There is something of a learning curve. And Jacob’s bottom is massive – some of these diapers are gigantic. While it’s cheaper in the long run to use cloth the initial outlay may be prohibitive for some families. And I haven’t even talked about the laundry.

I like the cloth, though. I feel good about the cloth. And tomorrow I’ll talk more about cloth diapers, how they work, and where to find them.

Tagged With: Baby Gear, Money

What I’m Drooling Over

Amber on January 21, 2007 1 Comment

Every mom has her favourite baby gear. Things that you spend hours drooling over on-line, agonizing over colour choices and price. Just for fun, here are a few of my current favourites:

BabyLegs – The cutest little leg warmers, in so many cool colours. We have 4 pairs, and I still want more.
See Kai Run – Fabulous toddler shoes, with really flexible rubber soles. Hannah has 2 pairs, and I’m already planning which ones to buy when she outgrows these ones.
Pediped – I haven’t seen these in person, and Hannah is really too old for them. But my kid has really small feet.
Happy Heiny’s – We don’t cloth diaper, but some of these prints are cute enough that I’m tempted.
Cafe Press – Buy some really cool T-shirts, or design your own. They’re fabulous.

Tagged With: Baby Gear

Fabulous Baby Gear

Amber on September 18, 2005 Leave a Comment

Since I became a mom, I spend my money on different things. Why buy yourself clothes when you can buy tiny pink pants for the baby? I mean, really?

Currently, my favourite websites are all about fabulous baby gear. Some of my haunts are wrap slings, like the EllaRoo and the Storchenweige. I also love Robeez shoes. And what life would be complete without great clothes?

Let’s just hope my bank account holds up its end of the bargain.

Tagged With: Baby Gear

Baby Gear

Amber on November 19, 2004

Last night, Jon and I took a trip to Ikea to check out baby gear. I sort of expected that shopping for baby stuff would be the fun part of the pregnancy, but it’s really not. Maybe some people enjoy it, but I just find it confusing and overwhelming.

Take a trip into any baby store, and you will find lots and lots of choices. You will find 4 strollers from a single manufacturer that all look very similar, but range in price from $240 to $440. You will find all sorts of ‘must-haves’, like baby swings, mobiles, and fancy toys that apparently ‘save your life’, at $100 or more a pop. You will also find baby carriers, diaper bags, diaper pails, baby monitors, change tables, changing pads, baby bathtubs, dressers, cribs, cradles, bassinets, clothes, blankets, baby bedding sets, baby nail clippers, baby thermometers, baby hairbrushes, and a bunch of stuff that you can’t even identify.

The problem, I think, is that it’s very hard to know what my baby will be like. While it’s worth $100 dollars to me for the swing that will give me 30 minutes a day to shower and use the bathroom, my kid may or may not like that. While the baby carrier at $150 dollars is a great investment if it keeps the baby happy and calm on walks, some kids prefer the stroller. So, my choices are:

1. Buy everything, so that I will be prepared for anything, even if I don’t use it all.
2. Buy only the most basic items that I absolutely need, and hope that I don’t sacrifice my sanity for lack of the ‘miracle’ baby item.
3. Guess, based on some sort of intuition, whether or not my kid will be soothed by a bouncy chair, or freaked out by a bouncy chair.

I really don’t know what’s the best way to go. I think that there is no right answer, and that’s the problem. So, I agonize over the whole process, and worry about my parental adequacy. But then I find a very cute stuffed animal, and it all goes away. The saving grace is that baby stuff is very cute.

My books tell me that the baby is now 7 inches long from crown-to-rump, and somewhere between 10 and 10 1/2 inches long head to toe. The baby weighs about 13 ounces, and is still very active, especially at night.