Category Archives: Ask PAXbaby

You have questions, we have the answers! The PAXbaby mama is a babywearing expert, here to help you choose the best baby carrier for you and your family! Ask away, and if I don’t know the answer, I will find out for you since I love learning about babywearing too!
*happy babywearing*

Need a Prescription for Babywearing?

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Paxbaby.com

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Have you ever been overwhelmed with all of the amazing choices PAXbaby.com has to offer??

What size? What kind? What color?

And what does weft even MEAN?

The PAXmommies are on the scene and always ready to lend a helping hand.

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paxbaby

Between them they have YEARS of babywearing experience under their wraps (err belts), so chances are they have seen it, done it or heard about it before.

No question is too silly.

Get Certified Babywearing “expert” advice at the click of a button.

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Fill out a “Prescription for Babywearing” today at:

help@PAXbaby.com

And we can help find the perfect carrier for YOU!

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*happy babywearing*

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PAXmommies weigh in on Breast Feeding

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Awhile ago PAXmommy Jillian posted a question on PAXbaby.com’s  facebook wall:

“What are your biggest difficulties or concerns about nursing in public? All of us PAXmommies at PAXbaby.com have breastfed our babies, and we are here to help you ?”

paxbaby

paxbaby

SO… true to our word, we are BACK and with answers!

We asked the PAXmommies to weigh-in and give us the low-down.

Just like you all, we have had ups, downs, struggles and triumphs along our adventures in breastfeeding.

We all have different body types, with different views, different personalities, and different levels of comfort.

We have bottle-fed, pumped, nursed preemies, nursed toddlers, nursed twins, tandem nursed, wet-nursed, donated milk, received donated milk, given up, started again, coached, talked and helped one another along the way.

Combined we have fed a LOT of babies.

Brings tears to my eyes.

paxbaby

paxbaby

So let’s get started:

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Q: For those of you with over supply issues/heavy let down/milk leakage issues, what do you do when you have milk spraying EVERYWHERE???

PAXmommy J: Leaking, spraying, & dripping is totally normal! An extra blanket tucked under the feeding breast can help catch the excess.
PAXmommy M: I tend to take a big muslin swaddle with me whenever I am out nursing in public… Or one of those double layer thick muslin bibs and hold it under my breast while I am nursing.
paxbaby
paxbaby

Q: How can I modestly nurse in public?? Especially whilst in a carrier?

PAXmommy C:With a ring sling, the tail makes a great coverup. In a wrap, you can use the passes to keep everything discreet – FWCC and FCC especially.
PAXmommy L: I usually wear one shirt over a tank top or nursing tank top so I’m able to easily keep my tummy and upper breasts covered. I practiced this “two shirt method” at home to make sure I was confident, then added a carrier to the mix.
PAXmommy K: I LOVE the two shirt method too. I try to always dress modestly and that’s whats worked best for us.  None of my littles have ever been ok with a nursing cover but luckily in my church there were many other very modest ladies nursing at the same time as me so when I went to the nursery to feed my littles I saw them feeding in much the same way. Some struggled with covers but most didn’t and although I could tell what they were doing I couldn’t see which I think is as good as it gets in this circumstance.
PAXmommy S: I found a cover MUCH more awkward than using 2 shirts! With an SSC, I found that wearing a wrap-front or button-up dress was also helpful, as I wasn’t trying to pull my t-shirt up out of the waistband of my carrier.
PAXmommy J:  Dress to breastfeed! A tank layered under a tee means that you can discretely pull up the outer layer, push down the under layer, and expose only the nipple! Watch yourself in a mirror at home and you’d be surprised how little you are revealing! Most people probably won’t even notice what you are doing!
paxbaby
paxbaby

Q: What do I do when my baby/toddler is easily distracted and keeps pulling off and on?)

PAXmommy L: My daughter was easily distracted at this age, but my method was to either keep the hood up in a mei tai or soft structured carrier, or bring use the tail of our ring sling to shield baby from what was going on around us. I also wore a nursing necklace, and if necessary, would go somewhere more quiet if we were out someplace crowded, loud, or busy.
PAXmommy K: This is easy you have to get them in the carrier then they’re somewhat tied down. Make the room as uninteresting as possible so that may mean the big kids need to sit down and read for a bit to keep from being too fun and distracting to the baby
PAXmommy A: I didn’t nurse in public much at that stage because it just didn’t work, he squirmed out of hoods and covers an in carriers arched his back to see. We tried to go to quiet boring places to nurse.
PAXmommy S: I think “distracted’ describes most babies at this age! Quiet nursing place, and focusing intently on my babies helps them to stay focused. Humming a new song to them, or whispering while making eye contact help mine focus on “us” rather than anything else that may be going on.
PAXmommy J: It’s good to know that this is a very common stage for babies to become “too distracted to eat,” but don’t let that get you down! Keep on offering, and if baby needs to latch on and off 20 times during a feeding, just know that they WILL go out of it
paxbaby
paxbaby

Q: How can I become braver and not care what others thing when I am bf-ing in public??

PAXmommy C: Finding a playgroup with other nursing mothers – you’ll gain some confidence by first nursing in front of other like-minded moms, and you’ll then feel more comfortable doing it in public in general. Especially when you see that there’s not much to see when others are nursing – it helps you realize that you feel more exposed than you actually are.
PAXmommy M: With my first I was very shy and always nursed under a cover, the second, she wanted to nurse ALL the time so I learned to take babysteps… first I nursed in front of my friends, then family, then at the park, then at the mall etc. I found at first I had to PRETEND I was super confident, and then as I got used to it and did it more, the real confidence followed
PAXmommy S: Surround yourself with other moms who NIP. Practice being discreet at home. Go about your work at home with baby latched on so they get used to the activity and adapt to your movements. NONE of my four babies would tolerate a nursing cover as it made them uncomfortably hot and sweaty! But it took until #4 for me to confidently NIP…after the wonderful examples in my local babywearing group
PAXmommy J: Dress to breastfeed! A tank layered under a tee means that you can discretely pull up the outer layer, push down the under layer, and expose only the nipple! Watch yourself in a mirror at home and you’d be surprised how little you are revealing! Most people probably won’t even notice what you are doing!
paxbaby

Q: Best positioning for nursing in a carrier for women with large breasts

PAXmommy B: Put a rolled up prefold under your boob! I’m am F cup right now, and that’s how I make it work! Once baby is 6-9 months old, they will figure out how to support your breasts with their hands, and you wont have to worry about the prefold anymore.
PAXmommy C: I try to use my shirt and/or bra to support my breast when I nurse in a carrier. Sometimes I’ll leave my nursing bra clipped and just lift my breast over the top of it. One baby is older its not as necessary. They figure out how to make it work on their own
PAXmommy S: I used a prefold or muslin swaddling blanket.
paxbaby
paxbaby

Q: How can I nurse comfortably in a wrap/carrier when my breasts are so low?

PAXmommy K: This is totally my problem. I can’t seem to nurse ‘hands free’ I always need one hand propping my breast up to the baby. Im not comfortable bringing her low to my breast. Its not all that bad though, you’ll be amazed at the amount of stuff I can get done with one hand
PAXmommy S: Low/heavy/large breasts Using a ring sling is a big help for me! I still support my breast with one hand, but in a ring sling I do not have to worry about the waistband of a SSC or wrap slipping down over my hips and becoming a fall hazard. I love my wide WCRS for the cradle carry. Baby’s bottom is safely secure in the pocket of the sling, and I can support her head and my breast comfortably! It takes time, but like PAXmommy K: said, I can do almost anything with one hand. (even wash my hair…slowly :-P )
PAXmommy B: Same as the answer to the large breasts question – the rolled up prefold solves all! As long as baby has a good latch, the prefold supports well, and I could nurse D hands free that way by around 3 months. Still haven’t perfected it with C, but she still has a very weak suck.

paxbaby

Q: What can I do or say to help my own family be more comfortable with my decision to nurse in public?

PAXmommy L: I think sometimes it takes quite a while, leading by example, for a family to come around. If they’ve had generations of bottle feeding, it can take some getting used to. I found the more confident I was, and the less I tried to cover myself up, the more at ease everyone else was. You don’t necessarily need to “whip it out” as they say, but nurse baby in a carrier and go about your business talking to family, helping with an activity, like it is no big deal. Because it isn’t, it’s normal and natural.
PAXmommy C: If they still act this way after that many years, theres probably nothing you can do or say. You’ve done all you can by just sticking with it! Maybe Try nursing in a carrier and they might not even realize that baby is nursing in there
PAXmommy S: By continuing to nurse in front of (hopefully only a few uncomfortable) family members, you are providing a very valuable example to younger members of the family who might otherwise be discouraged from even attempting to breastfeed! Remind them that breastfeeding is how all mammals feed their young, that it is always the perfect food for them, how it is MUCH more advantageous for their health and your finances, and how convenient it is that you never have extra dishes to do because of washing and sterilizing bottles. Not to mention lowering their risk of infection and allergic reactions And if they continue to ignore sound science, do what you already do best – love your baby.
paxbaby

paxbaby

Q: How can I nurse in a carrier? I am left handed, does that make a difference? Do you have any tips?

PAXmommy C: You have to just try it. Get baby at breast level, pull your shirt down and let baby go for it! An upright position works just fine if baby has good head control, there aren’t any special carries you need to do or anything.
PAXmommy L: It can seem really daunting to nurse in a carrier when you’re still getting nursing down in general. As you become a more confident nurser and baby gains some head control, it will be much easier for baby to find the breast and you won’t have to offer much, if any, assistance. It comes down to practice. If you’re not quite confident yet, practice at home, look in a mirror if you need to.
PAXmommy A: Yes! I also practiced wearing only the carrier at home a bit.
paxbaby

Q: Have you ever been asked to nurse elsewhere? How did you react? What should I say?

PAXmommy K: Ive never been asked to NIP elsewhere and Ive NIP in every state from California to Connecticut. If I did ever get confronted trying to feed my baby I would definitely say something to the effect of “Im sorry, did I just hear you break the law by asking me to cover up or leave” Most people are so threatened by a nursing mother who knows her rights they’ll back right down. Take it one step at a time
PAXmommy C: I went to a breastfeeding class taught by an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and she suggested saying something along the lines of “the law allows me to nurse my baby in any public place…you are violating my civil rights by asking me to leave, may I please see your manager.” She also passed out those handy little cards that cite the specific civil codes that allow for breastfeeding in public. You can probably download them online – then there’s no need to say anything, you can just hand over the card
PAXmommy L: I tend to try and make light of it, because I don’t think it is a big deal and want that to come across. I don’t want to come across as hostile, but instead confident. Some lines I have used are “a kids gotta eat!” “Would you like to eat in the bathroom/closet/car?” “It is my right to feed my child wherever I choose”. Smile and move on.
paxbaby

paxbaby

Q: How can I position my baby in my WCRS or BECO to nurse?

PAXmommy A: I loosened the carry and then lifted my boob up a bit to his mouth, once he was latched on I tightened everything back up
paxbaby

Q: How can I increase my confidence while I am NIP? Tips?

PAXmommy C: It takes time. With my first, I always used a cover, and when baby started protesting being covered up, I avoided nursing in public. With my second, I used a cover in the beginning, and then joined a playgroup where NONE of the moms used any kind of cover, which helped give me confidence to do the same. Now with my third I really could care less my baby is hungry and I have 2 other children to tend to, I don’t have time to worry about what anyone else is thinking
PAXmommy K: I think putting yourself in situations where you KNOW no one could possibly be speaking poorly of NIP would do you a lot of good! It will help you recognize that those negative voices are typically not from the people around you but within yourself. Go check out a LLL meet-up or a babywearing group to help you nurse in public confidently

paxbaby

Q: What do you do when someone is making you uncomfortable while you are nursing(for example, creepy men staring)?

PAXmommy K: Ive nursed 3 all in public and I’ve NEVER had this happen. More often then not you’ll get people who are completely humiliated they saw you NIP.

PAXmommy C: Nursing in public doesn’t necessarily mean whipping out your entire breast. I don’t even use a cover, just 2 shirts – one up, one down. Hardly any skin shows, and someone would have to be really close to me and looking really closely to be able to tell what I’m doing. From anyone else’s point of view it just looks like I’m holding me baby.

Q: How do you make nursing in a carrier work when you have small breasts?

PAXmommy L: Because it’s ideal to have baby higher on your body, you can nurse upright in a ring sling or soft structured carrier, or even in a wrap in a front wrap cross carry can be done. If you need to you can lower or adjust baby into position. Practice and you will get the hang of it.

paxbaby

 

Were there any questions we left out?
Need more information?
We would LOVE to help.

Either leave us a comment, or drop us a line at:
help@PAXbaby.com

THANK YOU!!

paxbaby

*happy babywearing*

paxbaby

 

Hot, hot, heat.

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heat

Spring is here, and with Spring comes green grass, blue skies, sunshine

and

WARMTH.

A lot of us are screaming FINALLY!!
It has been a LONG Winter.

paxbaby

paxbaby

What are your “go-to” carriers for warm days?

What about those HOT and sweaty  days?

Some of PAXbaby.com’s favorites for those types of days are carriers in which you can do single layer carries in.

Wrap conversion ring slings (WCRS),  mesh water slings for the pool, shower or beach, and shorties.

The last thing you want on a smokin’ hot day is a ton of fabric wrapped around you and your baby. Double hammocks are definitely out of the question, that’s for sure!!

**Remember if you are using a mesh water sling, that because of its slippery nature, it is not recommended for any sort of back carry. **

paxbaby

pax

So throw your baby up in a quick ruck or simply grab your favorite ring sling and head out into that beautiful sunshine.

PAXmommy Brianna’s favorite hot weather tip is to place one of those gel cold packs (wrapped in a thin towel) between you and your baby for about 20minutes on and off while wearing.

Make sure to not place ice or wet towels directly ON your little one, as this can do more harm than good. If you are going to use cold packs, cold towels etc. make sure that you remember to apply these for short periods of time only.

paxbaby

*happy babywearing*

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Babywearing + Travel

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Paxbaby

Paxbaby.com Presents:

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‘Babywearing and Traveling go Hand in Hand’.

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The hardest part, really, is to decide which carriers to bring and which to leave behind.
Especially when space is limited.

My worst fear was to leave something behind that I would be wishing for later.

Things  to think about:

  •  Where are you going?
  • What are you going for? Will you need a dressy carrier?
  • How many days will you be gone for?
  • Will you be the only one using your carriers?
  • How old your baby is?
  • Are you going on an airplane/train/bus or some other form of transportation that will allow babywearing?

We were going, by plane, to Mexico for a week for my bonus sister’s wedding with our four month old, and would need at least one carrier user friendly for un-experienced wear-ers.

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Packing:

paxbaby

paxbaby

First I picked everything out of my stash that I thought I would want, then:

I narrowed my stash down to four contenders:

Once there, I immediately was wishing that I had  brought:

SEE?! Regrets even after being so picky!!

I seriously thought more about which carriers I was bringing, than which clothes I was packing. Whoops.

paxbaby

paxbaby

Traveling (there):

Our flight left early in the morning, and I decided on wearing my WCRS first.

Since the sling has metal rings, I was asked to take my baby off through customs.

Because  it was a RS, I just popped her back in and went on my merry way.  No hold ups, no waiting to re-wrap or re-buckle. Easy peasy.

On the airplane, I wore her for take off in the WCRS and she nursed peacefully and fell asleep for most of the flight.

paxbaby

paxbaby

Once off the airplane, I wore her throughout the airport, and she slept in comfort even though we were all tired and hot.

paxbaby

paxbaby

Vacation:

I used our WCRS and the Hop-Tye the most while actually at the resort.

When we walked the 45mins into town, I wanted a two shoulder carrier for comfort and support, so used the Hop Tye. We both stayed comfortable, and were never too hot. I put a floppy hat on both of us, and had her wear long, thin, UV proof pants and we were both covered and protected.

Both the ring sling and Hop-tye were awesome multipurpose carriers.

Since we were with a lot of childless people, I was thankful for my long tails to use as nursing covers.

(I’m actually nursing in this photo)

The tails were also good as sun shades.

So many other moms at the resort came up to me asking me about my carriers, as they were trying to push their strollers through the sand, and the local Mexicans were super happy to see me babywearing, and loved telling me about the traditional Reobozos and such.

Babywearing is always a nice conversation starter with strangers. ;)

paxbaby

paxbaby

Eating:

When we went out to eat, I mostly wore my WCRS, if it was a fancier meal I would wrap her on my back, or front with my wrap.

Here is where I wished I had have just brought a shorty. It wasn’t that I was too hot, but there were a lot of ups and downs, and a shorty would have worked a lot better in a resort type atmosphere.

I was able to easily access the delicious buffet, and had two hands free for holding my plate. Whereas other people there with babies, were juggling strollers, plates, drinks, and everything else.

paxbaby

paxbaby

Nights:

Oh man, nights I was especially thankful for babywearing.

I was lucky my daughter is only 4months old and still in the sleepy stage. I would literally pop her in the carrier most nights and she went right to sleep. We were able to see the shows, hang out with the rest of our family every night, listen to the live music, and enjoy the resort, and just relax without being banished to our rooms because of a sleepy, grumpy, overtired baby.

She just slept whenever she was tired, woke up to smile at everyone, nursed, and then would go back to sleep.

Dream baby, seriously.

We always received tonnnns of compliments on how good our baby was, and I just kept saying that it was all because I was wearing her. Seriously! She was up safe and cozy with mama, and was not being passed around from person to person, she was able to turn into me if she had had to much excitement, and close her eyes whenever needed.

paxbaby

paxbaby

Wedding:

For the wedding rehearsal, I was able to wear Baby#3 in my beautiful WCRS. Tails touching the ground, short fancy dress, big sunglasses and wedges.
Babywearing does not mean you can’t dress up!

In fact, tails to the ground, babywearing makes me feel beautiful, powerful, and like a rockstar. A mama rockstar, that is haha.

Since my husband and I were in the wedding party, I was not sure how much babywearing I was going to get done at the actual wedding. However, I chose my prettiest borrowed wrap, and also threw a ring sling into the bag for my Mom. I ended up wishing here, that I had have had something more user friendly, like a soft shelled carrier for my mom to use. She used the ring sling, and said she was comfortable, but I could see that she didn’t have it adjusted quite right, and was too stubborn to change it ;) haha

Gotta love babywearing Nanas though!!

paxbaby

paxbaby

Traveling (home):

On the way home, I decided to try my Hop-tye, in the hopes that I would not have to remove it through customs, as it had no metal or buckles anywhere.

SCORE!

I was not asked to remove baby #3, and we both sailed through customs easily.

Not sure if that was just my luck, or it was in fact that we did not have any metal on us. Just a quick pat down of the front of the carrier and we were on our way.

Wore baby onto the plane, and this time, since it was an evening flight, we took her out and I just nursed her and she slept spread out on my lap for nearly the entire duration of the flight.

paxbaby

In reflection:

 Babywearing saves vacations ;)

The- end.

paxbaby

I’d love to hear other people’s babywearing travel successes!

PS. Ten points if you read through this entire thing. haha.

paxbaby

*happy babywearing*

paxbaby

Help@PAXbaby.com

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Need help?

Just a reminder that if you need HELP finding the perfect carrier to suit your babywearing needs, EMAIL US!

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Need help finding the right woven wrap or carrier for your toddler?
Need help figuring out the dimensions of your current carrier?

How to choose the right sling for that squish on the way?

Look no further than your fave tu-tu wearing PAXmommies!

These babywearing experts here at PAXbaby.com *LOVE* to HELP!
help@PAXbaby.com
We want to hear from you!!!

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*happy babywearing*

paxbaby

Nubs and Slubs…

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nubs

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So we all know that handwoven wraps are perfect in their own way, complete with nubs and slubs…

However… sometimes these little nubs can be rather annoying esthetically speaking.

Do you know how to fix a wrap yourself??

Follow PAXmommy Karen’s simple steps to fixing a really small tied off thread:

1.  Thread the needle through wrap, following the tied off thread back up the weave.

2. Leave the head of the needle right next to the tie off.

3.  Thread the tie off through the head of the needle and pull the needle through the weave.

Voila!

*happy babywearing*

paxbaby

Wearing Two Together

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Q: Chris from Columbus, Ohio asks…

I’m due with my fourth child in January. What two carriers will work together the best so I can carry my toddler and the new baby?

A: Congratulations! When you add a new baby to the family it can be a challenging time for everyone. Having the ability to carry your children and keep your hands free will be vital!

The best way to wear two children at once is to have one on front and one on the back. Your toddler will go on your back, and your newborn in front. We’ll start with the newborn.

You will need something that is easy to ‘pop’ your newborn into for a front carry. Our favorite is the Moby Wrap. This carrier can be wrapped on yourself first using easy-to-follow instructions and once it’s in place you can work on getting the toddler on your back. Another option for the newborn would be a Ring Sling or Pouch.

To get your toddler on your back a Mei Tai or soft structured carrier would be the easiest. Go ahead and get the toddler on first, securing the waist strap of the carrier under the Moby Wrap, and the shoulder straps over the Moby. Then you can pop your newborn in the Moby and spread out all the layers of fabric. With a carrier like the Beco Butterfly or Ergo, you probably will not be able to fasten the chest clip in front of you. If this doesn’t work well for your body shape, then choose the Mei Tai, which usually hugs closer to your body and fits better backpack style.

Pregnant Beco babywearing

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Pregnant babywearing is a surreal babywearing experience!  1 baby inside, 1 baby outside, both happy, nurtured, and content!

But if you are pregnant, remember that you can continue babywearing as long as your midwife thinks you can or your body is up for carrying the extra weight! I remember attending a birthday party when I was 7 months pregnant with Baby #5. I was carrying #4 in my Riley Butterfly, ooooh, gorgeous, to keep him out of the older kids’ way. At cake time, I popped him out of the Beco and rolled it up with the stay put strap. A mom that I didn’t know dashed over to me and exclaimed “You were hiding ANOTHER one under there this whole time!?!” I think she was trying to make me feel guilty, but instead I felt proud to be a babywearing pregnant mommy!

To wear your Beco while pregnant, first check with your doctor/ midwife, & then for either back or front carries, the trick is to lower the waistband super low on your hips, putting any of the baby weight onto your hips and thighs instead of your back or belly.

*happy babywearing*

The BEST bread machine recipe!

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PAXbaby.com

For all you busy parents who don’t have time to bake bread from scratch, the bread machine is such an easy way to get that home cooked goodness without the fuss and muss!  I throw my Baby #6 on my back, roll up my sleeves, and 6 minutes later, can go play again!  Here’s the recipe, but you may need to make adjustments for your own machine as mine  #1 – is ancient, #2 – has only a few settings, and #3 – knows exactly what I’m going to make!

PAXbaby.com

PAXbaby.com

Ingredients!
1 cup warm water – I use warm tap water!
3 tablespoons sugar – I use organic!
2 teaspoons yeast – I use regular, not bread machine!
1/4 cup vegetable oil – I want to try Coconut Oil but haven’t yet!
1 teaspoon salt – I use sea salt!
3 cups flour – I use organic!

PAXbaby.com
Directions!
Put the Water, Sugar, & Yeast in the bread machine pan. Set your timer for 10 minutes, and while the Yeast gets all foamy and bubbly, pour your other ingredients into a prep bowl – Oil, Salt, & Flour.  Add the prep bowl ingredients to the bread machine pan, and set your machine to cook a 2 pound loaf on “quick bake!”  Yummy!!!

PAXbaby.com

PAXbaby.com

Good luck, *happy baking & babywearing*, and feel free to tweak the recipe to suit yourself – and your own machine!

PAXbaby.com

Everyone deserves a change, and there is no reason for it to be expensive!

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PAXbaby.com

Everyone deserves a change, and there is no reason for it to be expensive!  See, I’ve just provided you with the line to use on your husbands!

PAXbaby.com

PAXbaby.com

The Cutie Cover is a removable, washable, interchangeable “slip cover” for your baby carrier!  Why have 1 look when you can have 3, right?  Pimp my Carrier’s custom expert, Jillian, will lead you in designing your own Cutie Cover for your Beco Butterfly II, Beco Gemini, or Boba 3G so that you can be babywearing in style in no time!  Get ready to answer questions like, do you want one side as “his” and one side as “hers?  What are your favorite colors?  Do you prefer organic fabrics?  And be ready to be overwhelmed with options – it’s too much fun! Watch a video with the Beco Gemini to see how the Cutie Cover works and feel free to ask questions by emailing Jillian at jillian@PAXbaby.com.

PAXbaby.com

*happy babywearing*

PAXbaby.com