Babywearing - FB Status #5

PSA on Babywearing:

I had a simple conversation with few friends, whom have been wearing their baby and those who are about to, about what's best carrier to own. Is there any carrier that fit from newborn till toddler? It's simple, would you let you baby wear their newborn clothes as them approaching toddlerhood? If yes, then come back to me to discuss 'the' carrier.

And, the convo went on for an affordable carrier. Which to choose? Few come to me to discuss, will Batik be a good, affordable carrier?

My point:

1. Batik used by our domestic helper and even our ancestor during early days. It's heritage, yes. And it could never be wrong to appreciate our heritage. BUT, quoting from few dear friend in babywearing world, will you be using a Beca or Sampan, for daily use to work? Every single day, wherever you are living, real life. What's your answer, it's your choice.

2. Batik is being made to be a clothing fabric, which mean, it's created not to hold a weight or tension from weight. There will always be a wear-and-tear sign of Batik when you are using it frequently. Hence, the risk of unfortunate event increasing when using Batik as your baby carrier compared to a simple piece of cloth made especially to hold weight of a baby. It's total different in the weaving pattern, the thread used, the dyes and whatnot.

3. The Batik is considered a thin piece of cloth (even a thin baby carrier or known as wrap is thicker) so it may resulting saggy when using and the need to un-tie and re-tie. Giving the digginess effect? What the big deal with it? It contributes to the backache of the wearer, muscle pain and discomfort for shoulder. Don't ever blame on babywearing or the heavy toddler when you choose the most non-recommended carrier that is Batik, when you suffering backpain, lower backache or shoulder pain etc. The cloth is not made to uphold weight. Fullstop.

4. Keep on researching, reading and asking. I read from a discuss with the old timers (I called them Otais Babywearer) that if, and only IF, you ever needed to use Batik (emergency, last resort option), get a Batik Cap or Batik Lukis 100% cotton. Why? This type of batik is made to withstand heat of the wax so it won't easily destroyed. Batik silk is definitely NO NO. And no to machine woven Batik. Why? They can be slippery and causing safety hazard. AND, only for smaller/lighter baby. Because batik can easily ripped off and risking towards unfortunate events.
Disclaimer : I am never suggesting Batik for a normal, relax day of wearing. ONLY EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY. MAYDAY. MAYDAY

5. A Batik can be easily bought everywhere and it won't cost you a bomb. But, if a Batik that can cost you more than RM100, I would suggest you to save that same amount of money for a couple of months (4 months is quite good) and get a decent, safer woven wrap carrier from our local vendor which are easily accessible.

I could take a horse to a pond but I can never forced it to drink the water from the pond. I have tried and this writing is solely based on my experienced wearing my 8 months baby weighing approx. 9-10 kg in a long 4m Batik with double layer carrier (as per my picture). I am not following any suits but to my least experience in wearing. Ciao!!

            

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Babywearing - FB Status #4

PSA on Babywearing.

Anyone came to me asking about babywearing, I will normally ask this 3 question:
1. How old is your baby?
2. What is your baby weight?
3. Do you ever tried/own a carrier?

Why do I have to know your baby age and weight? Everyone knows that the carrier can be use from newborn till toddler, it's stated on the box right?
Yes, they did but I am not selling anything to anyone hence I feel the urge to advice as well as recommending accordingly.

With a newborn, I will always recommend a non-structured carrier which is either a simple piece of cloth, named wrap, or a ring-sling (rs). But I might be bias as I am a wrap mama hence I would go to wrap first, bhahahaha...

Why would I suggest those wrap and rs? I've wrote about it before: https://www.facebook.com/sharh/posts/10152497489023751

So, straight to the third question. Why would I wanna know whether you have own or tried any type of carrier? Because I will make use of what you have. If you have a narrow-based carrier (NBC) which known as a non-ergonomic carrier, I won't simply suggest you to get another one (I will if I knew you could afford one! again, *evil laugh*) but we would make use of the existence. With NBC, all you need is another pashmina or shawl to be tie under your baby bum to provide the optimum knee-to-knee support and making a seat to your baby with M positioning. But, please oh please, don't come again to me or keep complaining the backache you having. This is due to MOST NBC does not have the waistband as a support for you. See, we will make both, wearer and the wearee, happy and comfort.

And, if your baby is under a special needs baby, please do let me know it first thing. Yes, I need to know because the advice or suggestions might be differ. Because I won't do it due to my non-existence knowledge of it. I won't and I don't wanna take the liability of recommending things I am not sure or don't know. Surely, you could ask me but I will redirect you to the better person. I promise you'll never feel left out or dismissed just because of that. Your baby is more fragile than other baby but they have the right to be carry as well, let's not stop us and them to enjoy every moment of our life. They surely can be wear but with advices from the expert.

But, if you have the fake one, you will need to get new, safer one. Or if you have a batik-sling. Why? Am I not proud of my own heritage? Is batik a lower / downgraded sling? NO and NO again. It's not about me not appreciating my heritage, I am. In fact, I kept mentioning Malaysia while I was in Minnesota and most of them not really aware of the existence of Malaysia. They know Singapore better. I quoted from my dear friend in babywearing world; having to promote or advocate the use of Batik as a sling is like you, promoting Becha (trishaw) to be use to and fro to work daily. It's uplifting the heritage, tradition but it is not practical unluckily.

Batik is another issue. Do I have to explain it? Will there be a reader? I am not against Batik-sling but I won't recommend it to be use as daily carrier for your baby due to many reasons. InsyaAllah, I will. We are the babywearing parent.

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Babywearing - FB Status #3

PSA

I started my babywearing journey with my first baby quite late, at the age of 7 months. After a thorough research, asked around, joined gathering and participated in few groups; I started with a simple piece of cloth or SPOC a.k.a wrap. Due to the weight of my baby, I go for a linen blend and somewhat middle thick wrap.

As baby's shoes and clothes, baby carriers do have sizes and age limit. Always I've been asked, which carrier can be use from newborn till toddlerhood. Before I answer it, I have a question. Will your baby wear their newborn cloth till toddler?

And with my second baby, I went all out wearing her from newborn. My preferences would be the wrap. Is wrap difficult to wear? Too long and it's hassle? I might be bias but practice makes perfect.

To wear your baby from newborn, the best bet is wrap or a ringsling. It's the skill you need to master. Why wrap is the best bet for me? Because of it's mouldability, stretchiness and how it could snug your baby and you just how you need it. The wrap will provide your baby's optimum c-shape curve and this will help them in spine development. Emotionally, as the baby near to the mom, they will grow up as an independent baby, as much as they could feel the warmth of the mother's body. Socially, they will well-exposed to the world with the mother very near to them.

As they grow up, you might change your carrier preferences. Some might venture into ringsling as an easy option for a quick ups and downs; especially when the baby started walking. Or a structured carrier called SSC. Or still a wrap but shorter length.

Won't my shoulder be in pain? I will get backache/muscle pain for carrying my heavy baby. -Listen to your body while carrying you baby-

This is why it's important to use the correct and safe carrier. It will not only for the safety of the baby but for the parent as well. A wrap wasn't just any simple piece of cloth. I would NEVER recommend you a BATIK for a frequent and long-term usage due to it's wear-and-tear issue, the weave of it and the colour plus the wax used.

This is going to be extra long entry but for more information, you are just a PM a way from. Happy babywearing.

Picture: My husband wearing our 41 months boy in a SSC and I am with our almost 3 months old girl in SPOC.

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Babywearing - FB Status #2

PSS: Public Service Sharing

Whenever I wear my baby, I'll get few kind of reaction.

"Oh, your baby looks so comfortable."
"She's been sleeping ages since I saw you."
"Look adorable she's snuggling her mom."

But I do received more of these:
"Don't she be hot in there?"
"You'll get backache after a while, I can guarantee."
"Poor baby, she/he can walk right."
"Hey, give him a break. Let him walk."

So, do I look like torturing my kids as I wore them? No, definitely no. People are asking me how to wear their baby without compromising the safety. Baca Bismillah and follow rules. 

What are the rules? TICKS is the answer. What are those TICKS? It's Tight enough to snuggle, In view at all time, Close enough to kiss, Keep chin off the chest and Supported back.

To be always remember when you are carrying especially your newborn, to make sure them be hold chest-to-chest position thus you'll get easily to kiss them & in view at all time.

What if I want to carry my baby at the back? Remember, back-carrying only recommended after the baby, I would say for myself, reached 6 months or have own neck control. It needs an extensive practice. Back-carrying a newborn is totally AN ADVANCE PRACTICE and not recommended. Why? Because they can't talk and tell us, the wearer, whether the butt is popping or something went wrong at the back.

I have shared few writings in my blog. Few more to come, InsyaAllah. Stay calm and keep carry your baby.

Credit pictures to Babywearing School.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152499303628751&set=a.10150244433328751.325933.704288750&type=1

Babywearing - FB Status

I woke up this morning with a news a dear friend told me about a kid in coma for 3 days after the carrier used to carry the babu ripped and apparently the baby fell off. Don't ask me whereabouts the kids, how is it happen etc. Let's just doa for the best of the child and the parent. Sad enough, the carrier used is a fake ergo a.k.a fergo. Ya, kalau benda nak jadi, ketentuan Ilahi, ajal jodoh semuanya. But Islam do teach us to prevent rather than to cure.

I love to wear my baby but I won't ever ever recommend or advice this 3 things:

1. Fake carrier or FERGO.

True, you can get those carrier way cheapee than other but bear in mind, you are carrying a child of your own. The material used won't be the same as the authentic hence the price. If you can have or change into newer better gadget, it's true sad for not investing the good safe carrier for your child.

2. Batik-slinger or DIY.

Do research, unlearn and relearn, read a lot & seek opinion or advice, then make an informed decision. Those fabrics sold in most fabric store was not made to hold weight, tension and force of a baby. It's totally different compared to the simple piece of cloth called wrap. The main thing is the weave. Cloth fabric are made to be wear, as u put a tension plus force & weight of the baby, it could easily ripped/tear. You want to see the different, I can show you.

3. SSC for a newborn.

Eventhough it is stated the carrier is safe from newborn but it is not highly recommended or encouraged to use. A newborn is still in a developing the spine hence the need to be in the optimal position of c-shape; the curved position like they were in the womb. Being a structured carrier, SSC can't provide that.

To add more, using narrow-based carrier even worsening the situation. The child is in dangling or hanging position, unlike in SSC as they mimicking the sitting position. This could even risking the baby towards hips dyslexia. To top it of, you put them in forward facing. This could overstimulating the baby. Snuggle and cuddle are always the best things to do with newborn.

So, do take your time and do more research and reading. Afterall, they are your children.

you can read it here