Natural Nursery Blog

Your little one is on the way, or already born and you would like to regain the use of your two hands! So you’ve have decided to buy a sling to carry your baby. The question is what type of sling will you choose? What are the differences? How do you find the one that’s right for you?

Wraparound slings

Wraps are probably the most versatile of all the slings.  They are also called “Simple Piece of Cloth” as they are basically a piece of fabric, tied around your body ensuring that your baby is held securely in place. A wrap can be used to carry the baby in many different positions: on the parent’s front, back or hip. Most carries involve the sling being worn over both shoulders and often around the wearers waist in order to offer maximum support to the baby.

The baby’s weight is well distributed which ensures maximum comfort for the parent. They are an excellent choice if you suffer from back pain. It may take time to learn how to tie the sling correctly but the effort will be worthwhile. Excess fabric may be used for more discreet breastfeeding.

Ring Slings

This sling consists of a piece of fabric threaded through two rings, forming a loop. The fabric wraps around the wearer’s body, from shoulder to the opposite hip and back up to the shoulder. The end of the fabric is then threaded through the rings to create a buckle effect. The baby can then be placed into the pocket of fabric in either a sitting or lying position. The sling can be taken off and put back into place without rethreading.

The baby’s weight locks the carrier in place. This type of sling is easily adjustable to suit different wearer’s size and different wearing positions.

It is easy to breastfeed on the go in a ring sling. It is are adjustable to allow easy access to the nursing mother’s breast. It can also be quickly adjusted once feeding is done.

Pouch slings

A pouch is formed by a wide piece of cloth sewn into a tubular shape, with a curve sewn into the fabric that will hold the baby more securely in place. The sling is slipped over the wearer’s head and worn sash-style across the body. Most baby wearers find that they adapt to using the pouch sling very quickly.

Pouch slings are an excellent choice for situations in which the baby is frequently removed from the pouch and being placed back into it. The asymmetrical weight distribution can make carrying heavier children more challenging. Pouch slings offer good value for money and are relatively easy to make.

Soft carriers and backpacks

Many different types of sling fall into the soft carriers and backpack category.
Mei tai are inspired from the Chinese tradition of baby carriers, a simple rectangle with a strap on each corner. Two are tied around the waist and the top two act as shoulder straps. Many soft structured carrier are inspired by this principal. Some of these carriers are suitable from birth and there are models that are ideal for carrying older children. Some carriers are closed with buckles, as a hip carrier or front/backpack style. They are usually quick to put on and can be a good option for heavy toddlers.

There are many types of sling available but you also have to consider which option will best suit you and your family: how you wish to wear the sling, whether you intend to keep the baby in the sling or keep removing from the sling, if you wish to breastfeed discreetly when you’re out and about and also how willing you are to practice using your sling until you get it right. Once you have chosen the right sling and had a chance to get used to it, you and your child many hours of very happy baby wearing!

If you’re not sure which one is best for you, just give us a call and we’ll be happy to help you: 0845 890 1665

Copyright Anne Dhir, Calin Bleu Ltd

Here are some answers to questions I get asked by pregnant friends on a regular basis - they are based on my experiences though, and may be glaringly obvious to some people, but they were not to me! Please feel free to add to this list of useful tips in the comments section.

Clothes
Come in sizes according to weight and don’t last very long at all in the beginning. You will need a slightly larger size if you use real nappies. Some babygros have integral gloves that fold back - very useful for babies that want to scratch their faces off. Things that fasten at the front are easier than things that go over heads. All socks are sacrificial; they don’t stay on feet for long so I prefer things with feet for colder weather.
Nappies
Cloth nappies rock and I like the smell of the Weleda nappy cream which is brilliant stuff. It is a good idea to research nappies, and there are some helpful tips on this blog.

www.naturalnurseryblog.co.uk/how-easy-are-cloth-nappies-to-use

www.naturalnurseryblog.co.uk/why-use-cloth-nappies

Toys
My child at 3 month liked noisy things, mirrors and things he could hold with his tiny fingers. Brightly coloured board books are good too.  If you buy anything musical remember that you will have to listen to it too.

Feeding
I used a pump to express milk and I pumped in the morning while feeding after the small had triggered off the let down reflex. Thinking milky thoughts of waterfalls made the milk come out faster! My son never took to a bottle but he would use a sippy cup. Pumping was just in case of emergencies. I boiled cups and the pump to sterilise them, it’s not a hassle and I don’t think the sterilising equipment is really necessary, though it may make life a bit easier. I have read that the sterilising solution can increase the risk of thrush.
Sleeping
I had a Moses basket for small but didn’t like it ‘cos I had to peer in to check his breathing. I bought a cot because it seemed to be the thing to do but in the end decided that I am a fan of co-sleeping. There are guidelines for safe co-sleeping that are well worth looking at. Grobags are brilliant and my small sleept much longer when I got one.

Bathing
I think a bath thermometer is vital, what’s warm to me is boiling for the small. We shared the bath and he loved it. You also need a soft sponge and ducks!

I hope some of these hints are useful, I found it daunting and confusing trying to work out what I needed and what was clutter and I hope my tips can help you.

One of the most common worries for a breastfeeding mum is her milk supply. Here are some reassuring words and helpful tips to help you carry on breastfeeding through a growth spurt.

First of all - DON’T PANIC! One of the things that can slow down milk is stress, so try to relax as much as possible - easy to say I know but it is important.

If your baby is nursing more than usual and you are worried that they are not getting enough milk they might be going through a growth spurt. This generally happens between 4-6 weeks and again between 4-6 months. When my son was at this stage I felt like I never stopped breastfeeding and it was exhausting, but it was worth it. As long as your baby is getting bigger and producing wet nappies you should have no need to worry. What the baby is doing is changing the calorific value of your milk to suit them better as they go through different growing stages, once through the growth spurt they tend to feed less often and sometimes have been known to sleep longer, though I think that is a myth, my son still thinks sleep is for the weak! If you formula feed through a growth spurt you will be telling your body to produce less milk and your body will not be triggered to change the nutritional value of your own milk to suit your baby.

Drink gallons of water - It helped me to have a small bottle of water everywhere I was likely to breastfeed, because as soon as I settled down I would become incredibly thirsty.

Change your position -  It is very easy to settle into one breastfeeding hold but you will probably feel more comfortable in the long run if you change your position occasionally so that you drain all your milk ducts.

Forget the ironing - This time with your baby will not last forever, revel in your super power to give them the best start in life and let the housework slide. You are burning off about 500 calories a day by breastfeeding so you need rest, and possibly chocolate!

Support your system - Oats are supposed to be very good for helping you produce milk - they are also a good supply of iron and there is something very comforting about a bowl of porridge. Welcome World Breastfeeding Support Tea is made by a specialist birth and herbal healing company. The tea comes in a packet that has enough for 40 servings and there is a a free advice line to call if you have any concerns.

If you are still worried about your milk supply there are lots of free breastfeeding helplines who can give telephone advice or tell you about the nearest breastfeeding support group.

Summer holidays are nearly here and to celebrate we are offering huge discounts off this season’s must have organic cotton range from Frugi. Massive discounts are also to be had on Lion in the Sun UV protective clothing plus Tots Bots nappies.

http://www.naturalnursery.co.uk/sale-33-c.asp

Join our newsletter list to be in with a chance of winning this month’s prize – a fantastic wrap sling from Calin Bleu.

The winner will be announced in the following month’s newsletter, so don’t forget to read it and claim your prize.

The competition will be able to choose their own colour and size from the range of Calin Bleu slings that we have in stock and have it delivered straight to their home.

Calin Bleu wrap slings are ideal for carrying your baby in the summer months – allowing you to enjoy the warmer weather without having to push a great pram around.

You can find out more about Calin Bleu wrap slings and see our full range here.

As long as you remain a subscriber, you will be entered into each month’s competition but don’t worry, you will be able to opt out any time you like and we won’t share your details with anyone else.

You can find out more about the competiton here.

Summer! It has been raining solidly all day and we are bored bored bored!

So here is the recipe for a fantastic fun indoor picnic.

Ingredients:

1. a tablecloth or sheet
2. old newspaper and magazines
3. picnic food - sandwiches and lashings of ginger beer
4. at least one small child

How we did it

1. Spread out the cloth in your desired picnic area
2. Set the scene with newspaper trees
3. Move some house plants nearer the cloth
4. Cut out large daisies from magazines and scatter on the floor near the cloth
5. Spread out your picnic feast
6. Invite a few teddies and sing the teddy bears picnic song

Enjoy the rain!

Despite dilligently sorting tins, bottles, paper and cardboard and composting any food that is leftover from leftovers, my little family still manages to produce lots of rubbish for my big black bin.

My challenge to myself - and anyone else who cares to take it up, is to find something else to do with things I normally throw away and this week I have chosen - milk and juice cartons.

Normally, I squash them down so they take up less space in the bin but it would be great to find something else to do with them rather than bin them.

My 5 year old tried one in the bath and had a lot of fun sitting on it and making fart bubbles, classy boy! I would like to find something rather more refined to do with them so here are some ideas:

If you cut the top off high they can be used for:

1. soaking paintbrushes in turps
2. storing carrots and courgetes in the fridge (honestly, it works, try it!)
3. storing veg peelings for making stock

If you cut the top off half way up they are good for:

1. planting things in
2. as a pencil and pen holder
3. putting ends of soap in

Cut lengthwise about 2.5cm high,

1. fill with cotton wool to make a cress garden
2. use as a boat

Cut the top off and open out the flaps at the bottom and then you can use it as:

1. a sandwich holder - pop it in and fold over the edges - a rubber band would help keep it together!
2. to store cheese in the fridge - put the cheese in, fold over and store on the folded side to keep shut

Masking tape sticks to them well and you can paint over or draw on it if you want to decorate your creation.

And when you tire of it,  Tetra Pak, who have been making cartons since the 50’s say that 82% of the UK have somewhere to recycle near them and the number is getting bigger all the time. They send them off to Sweden which is the nearest place they can be recycled. You can check your area at the Tetra Pak Recycling website.

The Reusable Bag Company have beautiful recycled Doy Bags made from by a cooperative that employes over 200 women in the Philippines. Backpacks, handbags and shopping bags make a fashion and recycling statement at the same time.

If you have other ideas for things to do with juice cartons please let me know!