Babywearing poses risks
and challenges in hot weather. So we asked Adriane Stare, a certified
babywearing educator and the Owner of Greenpoint’s Caribou Baby for safety and
comfort tips, plus five suggested carriers for spring and summer. —
Adriane writes…
Babywearing is the single
most important thing I learned as a new mother, but it is important to learn
how to do it safely and comfortably. Please always consult your local babywearing
instructor to help you choose and/or use your carrier! What most people never
tell you about babywearing is that babies are like little furnaces. What’s
worse, there is no single carrier that can alleviate the sweatiness associated
with strapping your child on your chest, hip or back in humid, sticky,
95-degree New York City weather. Here are a few things you can do to cope:
1. Choose a carrier made
of a breathable and/or lightweight fabric.
2. Avoid carriers with
batting or a lot of padding.
3. Dress yourself and your
baby in less and loose clothing, preferably made of breathable,
natural fibers.
4. Choose a carrier that
requires less passes of fabric over you and your baby’s body.
5. If the weather is
unbearably hot and humid, find some AC or park it in the shade and let baby
take naps or chill out off of your body for a bit to give you both a break. :)
6. Drink lots of water,
nurse your baby often, or offer them water and otherwise make sure they are
ingesting lots of fluids!
Without further ado, here
are our top five carrier picks for warm weather:
1. Carrier Type: Woven Wrap
Manufacturer: Ellaroo (pictured above)
Model:
Cotton Woven Wrap
Average Price: $99
Woven wraps are long
pieces of fabric used to carry children on your chest, hip and back. Because
wraps are completely adjustable to both wearer and baby and distribute weight evenly
and effectively, wraps are often considered your most comfortable, versatile
carrier. Being able to wear a baby from the newborn through toddler phase, makes
it a very economical investment. Depending on the way you are tying a wrap
around yourself, it can cover quite a bit of your body, which often make them
hot in the summertime. Finding a wrap that has a thinner weave may make
summertime wrapping more tolerable. Ellaroo makes wonderfully light and airy
wraps that come in saturated, summery colors with bright stripes and fringe.
2. Carrier Type: Woven Wrap
Manufacturer: Ellevill
Model:
Cotton Woven Wrap
Average Price: $160-$200
The general rule of thumb
with babywearing is that the heavier the weight of the child, the heavier the
weight of the fabric should be that is supporting them. Ellevill
is Norwegian brand of wrap that is thicker, denser weave than an
Ellaroo, but manages to achieve the difficult balance of being lightweight but
still very supportive. Ellevills come in gorgeous, eye-catching patterns, and
are often known for their steep tapers at the edge of the fabric that gives them
a distinctly sleek and feminine look. Beyond being a less-bulk choice, the
wraps come in cotton, bamboo or silk blends, so you can choose your preferred
fabric weight and texture.
3. Carrier Type: Ring Sling
Manufacturer: Sakura Bloom
Model:
Linen Ring Slings
Average Price: $88-$120
A simple, linen Ring Sling
is perfect summertime babywearing because they allow you to
carry your baby
comfortably with only a single pass of fabric over both of your bodies. You can
carry your child on your hip or your tummy, which supports the weight on one
shoulder and your back. Although a single-shouldered carrier will never be
quite as comfortable as two-shouldered carrier, it can be significantly less
hot given that your hips and waist are not covered by the fabric. A
single-layer cotton linen ring sling has the nice quality of being breathable
yet supportive. It dries quickly if it gets sweaty and looks good with summer
outfits. Ringslings can be used for newborn through toddlerhood, and become
particularly good toddler carriers as your older child does more walking
instead of being worn and wants a lot of quick ups and down throughout the day.
Sakura Bloom’s new pixie prints are light and shimmery, perfect for summer!
4. Carrier Type: Mei Tai (pronounced May Tie)
Manufacturer: Didymos
Model:
Didytai
Average Price: $145-$175
Mei Tais (pronounced May Tie)
is an Asian Style Carrier which consists of a rectagular body panel with four
long straps extending from it. Two of the straps are tied around the waist like
an apron and the other two straps are crossed over your shoulders and tie
around the baby and your waist. Since Mei Tais are usually a couple of layers
of cotton fabric and the shoulder straps have very little padding, they can be
surprisingly cool and thus great for summer. Air is able to pass through the
sides of the body panel and keep your torso and baby’s body a bit cooler in hot
weather. Didymos’ Didytai carrier has all of these benefits, plus the ability
to cinch it in the crotch to accommodate a baby at a much younger age and a sleeping
hood to support the baby’s neck through toddlerhood. This carrier has no
padding and comes in super soft and lightweight cotton fabrics, making it a
favorite of ours for the heat.
5. Carrier Type: Soft-structured (or Buckle)
Manufacturer: Onya Baby
Model:
Outback
Average Price: $149
One of the newest buckle
carriers to hit the market, the Onya Baby Outback is a wonderful combination of
support and coolness, with a surprising ability to accommodate a child as young
as three months or as old as three years. The mesh fabric makes for a sweatless
ride for your babe and the ability to cross the straps in your back make it
much more supportive for ladies or anyone carrying a heavy load. The unique
pocket-shaped body supports your toddler up to the neck and the carrier hides a
small harness in the front pouch that safely converts any chair into a high
chair—great for outdoor cafe dining during the warm months!
Adriane
Stare is the Owner of Caribou Baby, an eco-friendly maternity, baby
and lifestyle store in Greenpoint – Williamsburg, Brooklyn offering products
and classes for pregnancy, birth preparation and parenting. She is a
certified babywearing educator and all staff are trained to help families choose
and learn to use baby carriers safely and comfortably.
