Yes, there is a baby under there somewhere! It seems in my blog photos I mostly have my blue clothes on with my red sling, and now I have my red clothes on with my blue nursing cover! This is our first baby as believers and I wanted a nursing cover that I could wear while in fellowship with others. I was blessed to win this one, along with a pouch style baby sling both in the Spa Damask print, from Tot-to-go (a Canadian company!) at a Celebrity Baby Scoop contest!

The light weight, designer cotton fabric is lovely, but what really makes this a winner is the stiff material in the upper edge. I’ve never been the world’s most discreet nurser, it always seems I need to uncover quite a bit to make sure the baby is latched on properly, so this is great! I can uncover, see the baby via the porthold created by the stiff material, and still be modest! The cut of the cover is also very generous, so I’ll be able to use this with a nursing toddler as well. (If they can refrain from playing peekaboo! My second born is convinced it’s a baby peekaboo device!)

Thanks so much Tot-to-go and Celebrity Baby Scoop, the nursing cover and sling are a great blessing for our family, and our new - two week old baby.

The Sleepy Wrap baby carrier is the best baby carrier I’ve ever owned.  I don’t say that lightly.  I started wearing my babies when my first was born, over five years ago now.  I’ve owned a Rebozo, Over the Shoulder Baby Holder, Kangaroo Adjustable Fleece Pouch, Ergo, Mama Baby Ring Slings, Shower Sling, Baby Bjorn, hmmm am I missing any?  I wish that the Sleepy Wrap had been available with my first born.  I wish that I hadn’t been intimidated by baby wraps in the past.  My husband thinks we should buy more of them, in many different colours!  They are certainly affordable enough - for a baby carrier that is so easy to use, $34.00 is a steal of a deal, I doubt you could buy a similar, high quality fabric in the quantity needed for that price!  The Sleepy Wrap is made out of a mainly cotton material that is similar to a cotton French jersey, very thick, soft and high quality; much thicker and more durable than the other knit fabrics I have baby carriers made of.

Our Sleepy Wrap, in red (available in a variety of colours to suit any taste), arrived before our new baby did.  The first thing I noticed was that the instruction booklet was first class.  Printed on glossy paper, full colour, step by step photographs and clear instructions.  Though I had been intimidated and NEVER considered buying a baby wrap in the past (how complicated all that twisting and tying looked) I was surprised at how terribly easy it was to learn the basic ties.  The first time I tied too loosely and my two year old was a bit timid in the carrier.  So I tied on again, making sure to tie it snug, not leaving any extra room (don’t worry, it will look like your baby won’t fit in, but that is where the special, stretchy fabric comes into play) - and this time when I put her on she felt happy and secure.  I haven’t been carrying her in a sling or carrier much during this pregnancy, so she was out of practice, but she caught on very quickly.

As you can tell from the photograph I am quite pregnant.  The Sleepy Wrap is definitely one size fits all, from teeny tiny Mamma’s to big, nine month pregnant Mamma’s, like me in the above photograph.  Rose is in the Classic, Love Your Baby hold, with her legs out, you can also choose to have the child’s legs inside of the fabric.  Rose is a big two year old, over 30 lbs. and quite tall.  Due to my pregnancy I tied the wrap under my belly, and it didn’t make it around to the back again, but no problems!  One thing I am very pleased with is that the circulation in Rose’s thighs was never cut off, her thighs never discoloured, the fabric never pinched,  and it was very soft and comfortable against her legs.  We’ve had problems with thigh constriction in other slings and carriers in the past - in order to get the child high enough and close enough to my body I had to cinch them in pretty tightly, sometimes resulting in thigh marks and discoloration….ick!

This is really the best carrier for getting your baby high and tight, once you have the wrap tied on snuggly, the rest is so simple, just pop your child in and you are ready to go with a high, tight, close, secure hold.  Soon after Sarah was born, and we got to try the wrap with her, she is around 1 week old in these photos.

Again, very easy, Sarah is in the upright newborn/infant hold.  When she falls asleep I can cover her head with some of the stretchy fabric to keep it from being floppy.

I stretched out the tying portion of the wrap to cover my belly (not all of those lumpies are baby, some are me!), but you can leave it looking more like ’straps’ if you’d like to.  This time I did get the ties to go around to my back again, but you can leave them on the front if they don’t make it back around.  I like to wear baby carriers with the fabric spread well over my shoulders and back for even weight distribution.  I can do this so well with the Sleepy Wrap that I can hardly feel my baby on - more comfy than being pregnant!  This miraculous stretchy fabric accomodates pretty near any size of child, just tying the carrier on snugly you can pop in either a newborn or a two year old, and you will still have a high, secure hold.  This carrier will also fit any member of your family.  My five year old likes to have me tie it on her so that she can carry her baby doll in it.  She keeps volunteering to carry the new baby, but I think she needs to grow a little still before she can wear Sarah.

We were shopping at the Toys R’Us for our new recliner rocking chair while I was still pregnant and I saw some expecting mother’s looking at the limited selection of baby carriers on hand (mostly Snuggli and Bjorn style carriers).  I wished that I had my Sleepy Wrap with me to show them how excellent it was, thankfully I can show you!  If you are a first time parent you can save yourself baby carrier buyer’s remorse and just buy a  Sleepy Wrap to start with.  If you are an experienced parent, you may feel reluctant to buy yet another baby carrier, or you may have felt intimidated by wraps in the past - I know that I certainly did.  I encourage you to step out in faith and buy a Sleepy Wrap as well, it is really the best carrier that our family has owned, and I only wish we’d had one for our previous children, particularly my very fussy firstborn.

Thanks so much to Sleepy Wrap, and Parent Reviewers for the opportunity to try this excellent baby carrier.

Such sweet words to the ear of a bibliophile and Mother.  I’ve never had early talkers, my youngest turned 2 in April, and she is now starting to speak in complete sentences and phrases.  One of the earliest to surface, as well as one of the most oft repeated is “Readee me Mommy!”, often repeated two to three times in rapid succession if I don’t respond quickly. 

At times this request is followed by the title of a book “Readee me Mommy, JeeJee lubs bee (Jesus Loves Me).”  Sometimes it is the title of the book that is repeated several times, accompanied by book waving in the air.  The incessant demands can become a bit trying, but above all else, I’m thrilled that she has discovered the delights to be found in books, and that their value is already well established in her life.

I am a dyed in the wool reader, which makes me suspect that my parents must have read to me often as a small child, though I have only sporadic memories of this taking place.  Both of my parents love books, and I have followed in their example.  Fostering this love of literature in my own children has proven to be surprisingly simple: regular storytimes scattered throughout the day, consistent bedtime stories and devotionals each and every night, books within easy access of little hands.  Before I knew it my children were entertaining themselves by ‘reading’ books without me.  Just sitting on the floor, quietly leafing through books to look at the pictures, sometimes stopping to ask me questions.  My oldest daughter, K - 5, pointing out pictures and events in storybooks to her younger sister.

How have you fostered a love for reading in your tiny ones?  What are the fruits of your efforts that you are now seeing in their lives?  Please share in the comments of your adventures with literature and children!

Does that seem like an impossible task? Being able to avoid offending pregnant women? Each woman full of pregnancy hormones, each with her own foibles and pet peeves? Pregnancy can be a touchy time emotionally, full of hormonal ups and downs. In my pregnancies to date I have been blessed with fairly stable emotions - managing to avoid the largest of hormonal swings, and rarely crying - praise the Lord! However, as I approach the end of this, my third pregnancy, I find myself becoming….touchy on certain subjects. Here are a few helpful tips from my personal point of view on how to deal with women in the home stretch of their pregnancy.

Yesterday we had another pre-natal appointment, due to an unfortunate chain of events it had been six weeks since my last visit to our ‘baby doctor’ who will, Lord willing, be delivering this sweet little one at home (well at my Mother’s home actually, because we live too far in the boonies). Needless to say, I have grown some since our last visit, I’m now somewhere between 34 - 35 weeks - baby isn’t far off. This is also our third baby, and I am…larger than I was with our first to be certain.

However, I’m finding that as I approach the end of this pregnancy I am on the receiving end of many, many comments from onlookers. Perhaps it’s because I don’t go out (off of our homestead) very often that I am more sensitized to this attention, but it could be those pregnancy hormones too.

I will present some case studies of actual conversations.

Case Study #1

“Oh, your girls are so sweet, look at them in their little dresses.” - Yes, who can resist little girls in dresses! I am totally okay with comments like this. Bring it on, people just think the girls are so cute.

“Oh, and you are expecting another one soon.” - Sure, that’s apparent at this point in the game, no problems here.

“When are you due?” - Fair question.

Me - “Another month or so, at least.”

Here’s where everything goes downhill.

With an obvious glance at the growing tummy, eyes widening - “Oooohhhh?!” - Sigh, the shocked expression and the no further comments in that department give pregnant moms the feeling that you are thinking, “Wow, you sure are as big as a house already, and another month to go? Oh my!”. Of course, that may not be true, but we pregnant mothers are…sensitive to these things :).

Suggested response - “You look great! You must be so excited for the baby to arrive! What a blessing!”

Case Study #2

“Oh, look at your girls they are so darling, what a cutie!” - Seriously we get these comments everywhere we go - having children is an excellent conversation starter!

“Oh, and look at you too! That is so precious!” Followed by general cooing. - Sure, I’m pregnant, I don’t mind it if people notice.

“Are you due soon?” While looking at the BIG belly. It is big, I can’t deny it!

Me - “Oh, another month or so at least.”

Expression of disbelief, looking at belly. “Oh really, oh wow.” Nervous laughter.

Suggested response - “You look great! You must be so excited for the baby to arrive! What a blessing!”

(Yes, I am feeling hypersensitive about my size these days.)

Case Study #3

“Oh, I haven’t seen you in so long. Look at you, wow, you are huge!” - Okay, this is a bad start to the conversation. Never point out to a woman in her third trimester that she is huge. Trust me, she already knows.

“Wow, when are you due again? Another month? NO - I don’t think so! You look like you are ready to have that baby any day now! WOW - maybe there are two in there!” Laughter. - Well at least this person came right out and said it, instead of just acting shocked.

Comments: Still - it is really best not to mention the immensity of a pregnant woman unless you would like to offend her. On the opposite side it is also best not to tell a pregnant woman how small she is, or she may become worried that something is wrong with the baby/pregnancy. Telling her how big she is - well, it should just go without saying that this is a no-no as well.

Conclusion:

I know that pregnant women are fascinating, I am fascinated by pregnant women as well. But, how soon we forget what it is like to be so hugely pregnant, and how delicate and sensitive we should be with our comments to our pregnant friends.

(Disclaimer: Written by a hugely pregnant, hormonal woman. Advice and comments to be taken with a grain of salt, and a large dose of tongue-in-cheek humor. I am certain some of you can empathize however.)