The babywearers

Hello everyone!

I'm Hannah and I love babywearing - this is my oldest daughter in my first every attempt at wrapping with a Calin Bleu Gauze wrap

Unfortunately, I discovered babywearing too late the first time around and did not make the most of it and I was (wrongly) told I could not babywear when I was pregnant with my second....

So when baby girl #2 arrived I decided to make the most of it


This is baby girl mark #2 at three days old in a Moby wrap. I loved this sling so much! I could not believe how useful it was, I could breastfeed on the go, play with my toddler and even cook and clean! Okay, okay I could have cooked and cleaned ;)



Then when she got a bit heavier we started using a Mei Tai made by the amazingly talented local active birth teacher Josie Holt. 

Then I developed a bit of a sling habit as I uncovered the world of woven wraps and pretties....
  



Anyhoo, in December 2012, after contemplating it since pregnant with Freya, I founded North Devon Sling Library and the rest is history!

 




The library runs alongside my other hobby/addiction/business Nappies of North Devon so I can usually be found somewhere around Barnstaple singing the benefits of cloth bums with a baby on my back :)




Or on my front.... 




We look forward to meeting  more babywearers in the very near future!

Hannah xx

I started out with a stretchy Moby wrap, I didn't start using it regularly til Edward was about 5 weeks old. He had quite a complicated birth and it took me a while to get myself together physically and emotionally.  At around 5 weeks though I started using it to take Edward and our large labradoodle for walks around or sleepy North Devon Village. Although I found the stretchy wrap a bit of a faff at first I soon got used to it.  I didn't know about the sling group then so I just had to work it out with trial and error.  Having done that I know it would be easier having someone to how me the way so I'm happy to help anyone who's thinking of trying this!

I found the facebook page and was freaked out as it seemed that everyone was talking a foreign language, I later realised these strange things were the names of wrap manufacturers and the different names of wraps. Now I am fluent in this strange speak, it doesn't take long!

I worked up to long walks up and down the hills with my by then beloved stretchy and eventually at around 4 moths old felt I wanted something that would feel more supportive with my big boy and quicker to get on.  I got a connecta carrier and loved it straight away.  I easily walk for an hour and a half doing hills and it's no problem on my back or anything!  I also bought a size 2 woven wrap (BB slen passionfruit) which I had some help with at sling meet to use as a no sew ring sling.  I find it really useful for quick caries around the house or if I'm just going to be carrying for a short while popping into the shops or something.

I've not been brave enough yet to try a back carry but I'm hoping I'll get some help at the next sling meet!

Tamsin Sanger

 So I'm Tamsin and extremely proud to be a North Devon Baby Wearer and this is me on an adventure! I love babywearing because you can still be dorky and get to pretend to be a pirate :)

No, really, I began wearing Elsie when she was about 3 weeks old and haven't looked back since. I began by using a kari-me (my husband too). She never seemed happy in the pram but would happily settle in our soft stretchy wrap. I did try a baby bjorn but found it uncomfortable and awkward, I still liked the idea of a buckle carrier so bought a connecta (in tweed so hubbie is happy too) which we love.

                                                  Nanna also likes to use the connecta :)

I then investigated woven wraps, which are far too beautiful for their own good, far too comfortable and far too addictive :) I'm learning new carries all the time, you just can't beat a sunny walk with you hands free (to pick up the dog turd). I've even back carried occasionally, although not brave enough to venture out alone as Elsie usually falls asleep and her head lolls about!

This was my first back carry, excuse the jimjams. I seriously want to do this more.
Anyway, think that's about it for now. I'll try to grab a photo when I'm out and about tomorrow. The adventures continue...

Steph Shaddick

Hi there, I'm Steph.
I'm a baby wearer from Barnstaple North Devon. We have lots of adventures here there and everywhere. I started wearing nancy at about 4 weeks when I found a ring sling in the cupboard my sister gave me, from there we bought a few stretchy slings which we loved then moved on to a woven  but recently we have discovered the Wompat full buckles and what can I say we're hooked even daddy will wear nancy now and we are looking for more buckles! Looking forward to getting to know you all. X

I live in Ilfracombe, am over 40 and have had a fantastic baby wearing journey with my youngest son Thomas, who is a carrier addict. I clearly remember seeing a lovely lady carrying her 2 year old plus daughter around on her back, when my eldest son was small and thinking her a little odd. Fast forward a couple of years and I was her and here I am still toting a 3 year and 3 month old about at least a couple of times a week. I became interested in babywearing for several reasons, my loathing of double buggies, my eldest Ben, was just 2 when Tom was born, the fear of colic which effected Ben badly and the fact that Tom rarely cried, just wriggled and bashed himself in the face when upset. Having missed this a couple of times when busy with the toddler I was desperate to have him close. I started with a 2nd hand Baby Bjorn, that wasn't in hindsight the most comfortable. Moved on to a Mai tai which was fab till he got heavy and wriggly and settled at about 8 months on a Ergo. I would have loved access to a sling library it would have saved me a fortune. This child didn't walk till 16 months he spent a lot of time in the sling :) When we grew out of the Ergo I figured we were done, he however had other ideas and kept getting it out and asking to go on my back. So I invested in a toddler carrier and what a god send it was for the school run that coincided with me having to wake him from his nap! It has finally become uncomfortable now he is 2 and a half stone (yes I know!! I should be a size 8, I'm not, too much wine and too many dime bars ;) and I have invested in a linen mai tai that is very supportive but soft. I can now carry him for about an hour again :) Anyway I look forward to sharing our extreme baby(for baby read "massive child")wearing adventures with you.

Lynzi Venn

Well here goes... my first ever blog!
How and why I started carrying my baby (or baby wearing as most say)
I was carrier curious before my daughter was born, but also somewhat clueless! after she was born, in the hope to be able to walk the dogs, i did some internet and ebay searching and i bought a babasling and a mamas and papas carrier.
she did not like the babsling, which was my favourite! and the other i just could not figure out!! so i tried again... and bought a baby bjorn... probably the most popular carrier out there! success!! i could put it on, she liked it, we walked the dogs! yay win win.... however, my shoulders were killing after 10 mins and she wasnt a heavy baby!
I tried again... the next size up, in a baby bjorn.... hot pink too :D
same result... fine at first, but after 10 or so minutes my shoulders were burning....
so on a facebook slingpage i asked for advice.... little knowing how baby bjorns are slated in the babywearing community... i was lucky, everyone offered lovely kind advice on comfy and ergonomic carriers for baby and me...
so one ergo later... i get to take the dog out for the comfiest walk so far!! 
(my profile pic is that day) baby fell asleep. dog was happy, i was happy!!
i never looked back!!