Frugal Foodie Mama: My Latest Crowd Stopping "Fashion" Accessory...

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

My Latest Crowd Stopping "Fashion" Accessory...

There is one article of clothing that no matter how many times I have worn it, no matter where I am when I am wearing, I will indelibly be stopped and asked where I got it and where they can find one.  People are drawn to my clever "fashion" accessory (and mostly to what they find inside of this said fashion accessory).  Oh, I am not talking about a pencil skirt with the newest chevron fad (what is with that anyways??) or a bauble necklace inspired by a fashion designer not many of us could afford.  I am referring to the Moby wrap I have been using to "wear" my baby girl around in for the past 6+ months...  ;)

I didn't have some grand plan to become a babywearing mama when I first found out that I was pregnant with my daughter in June 2011.  In fact, I was pretty much clueless as to what babywearing even was then.  When I had my son in 1998, I don't remember ever hearing about wraps or slings.  I had seen a baby carrier or two then, but they didn't look very comfortable for parent or baby and thus not all that appealing to me.  I did the stroller with my son (who is now 14 years old, by the way) and we lugged around the infant car seat when he was a tiny baby.  
Taking baby girl to her first farmers market at around 6 weeks old
I first heard about babywearing from the other mothers I followed on Twitter while pregnant with Little Miss.  They made it sound pretty easy, but I still wasn't 100% sold.  Nevertheless, I added a Moby wrap to my registry.  My thoughts were that if someone bought it for us then we would at least give it a shot.  
Attending one of big brother's middle school track meets
Fortunately for the two of us, one of those very same aforementioned Twitter mamas bought it for us.  Now I am a total babywearing convert.  I have used a stroller one time in baby girl's six months, and I was wishing in that one time that I had brought my Moby wrap with me instead.  
It was absolutely fabulous when she was 2-4 months old.  I could swaddle her up in it, close to my chest and she would sleep as I baked.  Or did the grocery shopping.  Or cheered on her brother at one of his track meets.  As she has got older, I am now wearing her with her legs out.  She rarely falls asleep in it anymore, but she is happy and content no matter what we are out doing.
Her first visit to Mommy's favorite restaurant.  The Moby made eating out so incredibly easy between 2-4 months.
Out for a walk, swaddled close to Mama & napping. :)
Now I can't imagine our daily lives without our wrap and babywearing.  I so wish I had known more about this when my son was born 14 years ago.  Sometimes I wonder if my relationship, my bond with my daughter will be different than what I have with my son because of the babywearing.  It is fun to see her face light up now when I pull out the Moby and start wrapping it around myself.  She knows that we are going to go somewhere, and she knows she will be held close to mama the entire time.  Safe.  Secure.  Content.  And learning, observing from her mother's viewpoint.
Helping Mommy in the garden
Baby girl and I have absolutely loved our wrap, but as she is now pushing close to 27 inches in length it is getting less convenient to use.  What will be our next baby wearing fashion accessory?  I guess you will all have to wait and see. ;)

Do you now wear or have you wore your baby?  What was your fashionable carrier of choice? :)