New Carriers

Two of our bestselling soft structured carrier companies (Beco and Ergo) have recently come out with exciting new products. So, what’s new and how are they different from the originals?

Babywearing Hula Class at Baby A

Free Preview Class: September 13, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

By long-reigning popular request, Baby Awearness is happy to finally offer Babywearing Hula Class!

Taught by Kumu Hula Maile Loo, this hula class offers a way for moms to get exercise with their babies, enjoy unique bonding time, and surround their babies with beautiful music and soothing rhythms. 

This one-hour hula class will include stretching, "mom" talk-story, a good 40 minutes of dancing (with water breaks), and then end with stretching and "unwind talk story" for the last 10 minutes.

Previous hula experience is not necessary, so beginners are welcome.

Babywearing hula is a great way for moms to do something meaningful with their babies and for themselves as well as to enjoy social interaction with other moms.

There are no baby age requirements or preferences on the type of carrier you wear. As long as you can put your baby in a carrier, you can come.

4-week session on Mondays:
Sept 20, Sept 27, Oct 4 and Oct 11
Time: 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Cost: $40 per person

Drop-in class: $12 per person

To sign up, please contact Kumu Maile at bhula@hula.net.

You may also sign up at the store with a cash or check payment (made out to Maile Loo).

To Snap or Velcro, To Buckle or Tie ー That is the Question!

If you're planning on going to the upcoming Baby Expo, stop by, say hi, and enjoy a fun lesson on cloth diapering and babywearing from the knowledgeable and friendly staff of Baby Awearness at the upcoming Baby Expo 2010.

The Baby Expo takes place at the Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall
May 15th (10am - 5pm)
May 16th (10am - 5pm)

Cloth Diapers 101
Saturday, May 15 at 12:30 p.m.
Demonstration Room

Cloth diapers have come a long way since yesteryear when no one had a choice. If you're still thinking diaper pins and bulky square cloths, then get ready to enter the renaissance age of cloth diapers. Today's cloth diapers range the gamut of styles, fabrics, and even colors and patterns! Learn the difference between pocket diapers, all-in-ones, all-in-twos, prefolds and more. Cloth diapers are the latest essential for savvy, eco-friendly parents and babies.

Babywearing 101
Sunday, May 15 at 12:30 p.m.
Demonstration Room

Come learn the basics of babywearing, or if you have questions about a carrier of your own, bring it along and we can help you feel confident about using it. We will compare Mei-Tai, soft-structured carriers, and slings as well as cover all their various positions: front, back, and side. Discover why babywearing is a wonderful and easy way to bond while still being able to parent on-the-go. (LL)

Baby Hawk Happiness

Thank you for all your help and for the warm experience you provided.  We thoroughly enjoyed finding the perfect solution for the comfort of Nicole and I.  We both love it!

Aloha,
~Amy Velardo, Nicole Velardo ,and Grandma Judie Bouta

Choosing a Baby Carrier

You’ve heard and read about the great benefits of babywearing, such as babies cry less, a “hands-free” way to hold your baby while you do housework and easy, discreet on-the-go nursing. Now, how do you choose the right carrier for you?

Here are some key features of carriers you can find at Baby aWEARness:

Stretchy wraps like the Moby Wrap, allow you to carry your baby securely and close to you, while remaining hands-free. You can discreetly nurse your baby in a Moby Wrap. Later, you can use your Moby wrap to hold baby forward-facing. Moby Wraps can even hold twins! The Moby Wrap is the least expensive of the carriers and are excellent for newborn – middle infancy.

Ring Slings like the Rockin Baby Sling are great for parents who want something easy to take on and off and stuff in their diaper bag when not in use. Ring slings are excellent for nursing discreetly and on-the-go. Ring slings can hold your baby upright, cradle hold (semi-upright), forward-facing, on your hip and back carry. These carriers are often less hot for the wearer since there is less fabric touching your body. The Rockin Baby Sling is reversible and features two pockets for carrying your wallet, an extra diaper or toys and available in organic fabric.

Mei Tai carriers like the BabyHawk and Freehand Baby Carrier allow you to carry your baby from newborn through toddlerhood. These are great carriers for mom and dad to share when there is a big difference in height or body shape since you don’t have to adjust buckles and clasps each time there is a different wearer. Mei Tai carriers are fairly lightweight and easy to store in a diaper bag when not in use. They allow you to do hands-free front and back carry and work well for hiking and long carries.

Soft structured carriers like the Beco, Ergo, Lillebaby, Angelpack and Pikkolo are easy to use, hands-free carriers, especially good for hiking and long carries. The Beco, Ergo and Lillebaby can be used newborn – toddlerhood. Some may require an infant insert to be purchased. The Lillebaby and Pikkolo allow you to do a forward-facing carry with your baby. The Angelpack is nice for taller parents or taller babies because if its longer design. All of these brands can do front and back carry and feature a hood that you can use to shield baby from the sun or for more privacy when your baby falls asleep. Some are available in organic fabrics.

Another tip: plan on trying on a few different carriers to see which one feels best on your body and your baby seems happiest in. This is the best way to ensure that you’re picking out the right carrier that you’ll want to use all the time.


A Word About Slings and Babywearing Safety

You may have seen some negative stories about slings recently in the news. The type of slings in question are the "bag" slings that are large, worn low on the parent's body and have little to no adjustability. Baby aWEARness does not sell this type of sling. Many carriers are very safe, however any carrier (including carseats and strollers) can pose a threat to a baby when used incorrectly, so here are some safety tips to help you wear your baby safely:

- Wear your baby high and snug on your chest. You should be able to reach down and give her a kiss.
- Make sure baby's chin is not pressed against his chest.
- Baby's face should be uncovered at all times.
- In a pouch or ring sling, baby's bottom should always be lower than his knees.
- Make sure baby's back and head are supported so that she is not curled up like a "C".

If you need some help or a unsure of how to position your baby in your carrier, help is available.
We hold Babywearing 101, the second Saturday of every month where you can get expert adive on carriers. Baby aWEARness employees are also available to help you with your carrier.

The Benefits of Babywearing

As many of you know, we are lucky to have the wonderful Kristin Speltz, RN, and leader of E Ho'ohapai na Kamalei, O'ahu's babywearing group, lead a babywearing workshop at our store on the second Saturday of every month.

Why wear your baby? Consider the following benefits of babywearing:

• Babies cry less when carried.
• Baby gets to see the world from an adult's eye level.
• Babies feel more secure, enhancing the bond and trust with their caregiver.
• Parents are more in tune with their baby’s rhythms and cues.
• Carriers allow mom to hold baby and be “hands free” to attend to chores or other children.
• Helps protect baby from strangers who can’t resist touching a new baby.
• Easy to nurse discreetly or on-the-go.

Parents have more options than ever these days when selecting a baby carrier. Baby aWEARness has a wide selection of different types including wraps, ring slings, mei teis and soft structured carriers. Many carriers can accommodate newborns through toddlers and carry up to 45 lbs! Stop by the store to try a few on and find out which are the best fit for you and your baby.

International Babywearing Week at Baby aWEARness

In honor of International Babywearing Week, the theme of the week is babywearing and all of the wonderful carriers we currently have in store! Holli Shiro, one of our amazing team members, put together a wonderful handout on the benefits of babywearing, which you can find on our website. We recently got in the líllébaby™ EveryWear™ which, for all you carrier junkies, is definitely worth checking out. The líllébaby™ EveryWear™ is a versatile child carrier, featuring multiple sitting positions and all-in-one carrying (outward facing/inward facing, hip or back) from newborn to toddler. The contoured seat offers ergonomic sitting positions and promotes healthy spine development. The Gentle Motion Suspension System™ helps absorb weight and movement, making it comfortable for both parent and child. It retails for $110, so it is also our most affordable SSC. You can read more about the líllébaby™ on their website. We're also having a sale on all Brown Boxed Beco Baby Carriers so hurry in before we sell out! $20 off in honor of my favorite little canadian, Torsen Elligott, who will be turning one in October. Coupon below. Read on for some highlights on our classes running in October. We look forward to seeing you in the store soon! Aloha, Ashley and Nicky

An Introduction to Breastfeeding for Pregnant Moms & Dads With IBCLC Naoko "Nicky" Lawnsby When: September 27th, 5:30pm Fee: $20/person or couple In this class, taught by an IBCLC certified Lactation Consultant, learn: * The basics of breastfeeding your newborn: latching, positioning, and breastfeeding cues * The basic anatomy and physiology of breastfeeding * The myths of breast-feeding * What to expect in the hospital and at home * How to prepare for returning to work. Partners are strongly encouraged to attend. Intro To Macrobiotic Cooking With Chef Leslie Ashburn When: October 4th, 4pm Fee: $38 ($34 early payment discount two days before class is scheduled.) Learn how to bring more balance, flexibility, and joy into your life through the power of food. Discover the importance and health benefits of a whole food diet consisting of grains, land and sea vegetables, beans and bean products, fruits, seeds, nuts and natural sweeteners. Classes include an introductory lecture, demonstration of several dishes, recipes and educational material, and tastings. Vaccine Lecture - October 18th - 5:30pm Its that time again!! Come join us for an evening with Dr. Madeleine Portuondo, local naturopath and midwife, who will be repeating the fabulous vaccine safety lecture for those of you who missed it the first couple of times. Dr. Portuondo is a wealth of knowledge and the 2 hour lecture covers everything from immunology basics to vaccine preservative components and more. It is truly a must-hear event for parents of young children. I was astonished at how little I knew on the topic. Limited to 25 people so please RSVP to ashley@babyawearness if you would like to attend. Cost is $20 person/$35 couple and includes a very comprehensive packet of information. As always, shopping after the event for attendees will include a 5% storewide discount! Sunday, August 16th. 5:30pm. 50,000 Books for Hawaii's Keiki Please click here and vote for Hawaii. If we win, Hawaii will receive 50,000 books for students in need. It only takes a few seconds to vote! You can vote every 24 hours until Sept 30th. http://booksforkids.firstbook.org/whatbook/about.php Please send this out to your friends and family!

Again, we're looking forward to seeing all of you in the store sometime soon! Sincerely, Ashley Lukens and Nicky Lawnsby Baby Awearness