Guess what is coming to PAXbaby?

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Does JPMBB mean anything to you??

 je porte mon bebe, or JPMBB as they are known as, are the creators of an awesome new hybrid super wrap from France.

Translated to mean “I carry my baby”.

Intrigued yet??

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These wraps are unlike most stretchy wraps on the market today, and are so supportive without being saggy or overly stretchy.

The JPMBB wrap is one of the only stretchy wraps that stretches in every direction: vertically, horizontally and diagonally giving you all around support and comfort.

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paxbaby

The JPMBB can be used from birth until 30lbs (14kg), and can be used on your front, side and back.

Yes, you read correctly… this wrap can be used on your back.

The wrap itself is 5m long and 70cm wide, and made of a deliciously soft 95% cotton and 5% spandex and comes in a variety of beautiful shades and colors.

 

Which color would you choose??
Or… which colors?!?!?

Would you not love to wrap a squish in one of these soft and beautiful wraps!?

Like a woven wrap, the same “legs out” positioning is required, though you do not need to leave any slack when tying the wrap on like you do with a woven wrap.

Simply tie the JMPBB wrap on tightly, like the video  shows, and place baby inside using proper ergonomic technique.

Ta-da!!

Support like a woven, with a softness that is only second to your favorite t-shirt.

Winning combination if you ask me.

That is another great thing about this wrap, you can pre-tie it before you even need it, so no worry about dragging tails through a dirty parking lot or mall floor.

je porte mon bebe seems to have it all together!

Are you excited to try one??

*happy babywearing*

paxbaby

 

A closer look at Angel Pack vs. Tula

Angel Pack vs. Tula

Angel Pack versus Tula

Still on the fence?

Need a closer look at the similarities AND the differences?

In the photos below we have Angel Pack on top of Tula:

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PAXbaby: Angel Pack vs Tula

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Still confused?

Why not email the PAXmommies for a babywearing prescription:

help@paxbaby.com

*happy babywearing*

ANGEL PACK vs. TULA

tula

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Ever wish that you could compare two awesome PAXbaby.com carriers side by side BEFORE, purchasing to see which one would be the best fit for you and your little one?
Either way you are going to have a super-amazing wrap conversion carrier, but let’s break down the nitty gritty for everyone.
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PAXbaby’s

Angel Pack versus.  Tula:

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  • Height of carrier from tip to waistband top
    Angel Pack = 18″  Tula = 15″
  • Depth of waistband at center
  • Angel Pack = 4 1/4″  Tula = 5
  • Maximum length of shoulder strap
  • Angel Pack  = 42″  Tula = 43″
  • Length of padded shoulder strap
    Angel Pack = 19″  Tula = 20″
  • Angel Pack = straight CROSSABLE shoulder straps
    Tula = curved FIXED strap straps

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paxbaby

  • Width of front panel at shoulder strap
  • Angel Pack = 15″  Tula = 16″
  • Width of front panel at waistband
    Angel Pack  = 12 1/4″  Tula = 12 1/4″
  • Waist strap cinches down to
    Angel Pack = 30″ Tula = 29″
  • Waist strap extends to
    Angel Pack = 52″  Tula = 53″
  • Width of shoulder straps                                                                                          Angel Pack= 3.3/4″thick                                                                                                                                       Tula= 3.5″ish thick

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Both of these buckle carriers are excellent choices for little ones from 8-35ish pounds! Angel Pack buckle carriers are manufactured in fair trade facilities in the Dominican Republic while Tula carriers are made in Poland and eventually in Mexico as well! Both crafted by expert textile workers, the quality of sewing on these carriers is excellent!
Supportive, long lasting, and lovely, the wrap conversion carriers compared here will be your reason to babywear EVERY SINGLE DAY!

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*happy babywearing*

Come craft with me!

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Babywearing makes it ALL possible!  While crafting with my 6 littlies, I was thinking about all of YOU who are creative & artsy, so I posted at PAXbaby’s Facebook page  - http://www.facebook.com/PAXbaby - to see what you all have been up to this summer!  Busy busy bees, the lot of you!  Take a look!  I’m sure you will enjoy browsing all these WAHM shops as much as I did!  I know that I’m taking notes for Christmas shopping!

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PAXbaby

 

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PAXbaby 

BabyHawk Oh Snap!

BabyHawk Oh Snap CamoBabyHawk, maker of totally awesome Mei Tai baby carriers, announced the addition of a new carrier to their line, the BabyHawk Oh Snap!

I was privileged to be able to test an earlier version of the Oh Snap, a prototype from the design process. Let me first say that I love BabyHawks. I’m a Mei Tai girl, I know them in and out, I know a dozen different ways to tie them. Buckle carriers have a lot of similarities to Mei Tais, but what most don’t have is flexibility, not just the ability to adjust for different users, but real, true flexibility for different carries, different weight distribution, etc. Until now.

The Oh Snap is a Mei Tai improved. And not just any Mei Tai, the cream of the crop BabyHawk. The first thing you might notice about the Oh Snap is that it looks like a BabyHawk. The flip-up headrest is still there, the bold fabric combinations, the comfortably padded straps.

The number one complaint about Mei Tais is all that tying. With the Oh Snap it’s just buckle and go! No straps dragging, no fiddling with knots. The straps connect at the sides with a buckle, and extra webbing length means that you can easily cross the straps behind you for front wearing, or keep them buckled right in to the same side for backpack style shoulders when baby is on your back.

BabyHawk Oh Snap Chest StrapWhen you are doing a back carry and have the straps like a backpack, the chest strap (or sternum strap) can be used to keep the straps well-positioned on your shoulders. You will notice that the chest strap on the Oh Snap is unlike any other on the market. It is dual-adjusting, with two connectors on each shoulder strap. This gives a more customized fit. No twisting buckles, no pulling on the straps so they flip and look bunchy. The Oh Snap chest strap will move up and down on the shoulder straps and adjust so that it lays flat against you and does exactly what it should: keep the shoulder straps on your shoulders.

BabyHawk Oh Snap Back CarryA few notes about the design of the Oh Snap. The size is similar to that of a BabyHawk. Seat darts have been added for a more form-fitting result. The straps will adjust to fit anyone up to a size 22 with no additional pieces necessary. And yes, they will adjust down to fit even a size zero. There’s nothing more annoying than doing a back carry and not being able to tighten in a carrier enough to hold your baby close, and the Oh Snap has taken that into account, making it ideal for small moms who may not have had success with other structured carriers. The Oh Snap is recommended for children 6 months and up. There is no infant insert currently available (although there is one in the works!), but until then, make sure your baby is able to sit on their own and can straddle the seat of the Oh Snap before you use it. Maximum weight is 45 pounds. That’s a lot, folks!

And now I would like to share my favorite part of the Oh Snap. I need to share a little bit of personal information in order to do this. I’m a small mama. Not tiny, tiny, but small. Being small, I’m lacking in one major area, my derriere. I don’t have much of one. Not much hips, either. This makes wearing carriers with waist support belts a little difficult. Most people will wear padded waist straps down around their hips, effectively transferring much their baby’s weight off their back and to their hips. This is a lot more comfortable when baby reaches 25 plus pounds.

Not everyone has the same shape around the hips, though. And those like me, who don’t have much of anything back there to hold a waist belt in place might find that the waist belt doesn’t stay in place, instead it slips down. Others might find that it creates pressure on the sides or becomes problematic with certain clothing. Well the Oh Snap takes this into account! Instead of just having a plain waist belt, or trying to decide between curved or straight, the Oh Snap is the first ever structured carrier with a customizable waist belt!

BabyHawk Oh Snap Waist BeltWith two adjustments on each side of the waist belt, the Oh Snap can be adjusted to perfectly fit hips in all shapes and sizes. The adjustments allow the top of the waist strap to be adjusted separately from the bottom of the waist belt, so you can truly get the belt to sit on your hips, therefore your baby’s weight will be on your hips. Instant comfort!

The BabyHawk Oh Snap carriers are currently available for sale at PAXbaby.  Retail price is $140 and PAXbaby will has a wide selection available for instant shipping.  If you don’t see exactly what you want, let us know or visit the Design Center to pre-order your ideal Oh Snap!

For a limited time we are taking Oh Snap Preorders. Fill out the form below with your choice of strap color and fabric panel and we’ll email you with full details and an estimate of when it will ship.

Custom Orders Closing 1/4/2009


Script by Dagon Design

Please see BabyHawk.com for strap color and fabric panel choices.
Additional Fabric Panel Options ($149 each):

Dylan Oh Snap Morgan Oh Snap Jasper Oh Snap
Dylan Morgan
also avail. on RED
Jasper

The SSC

The PERFECT SSC is like the PERFECT pair of jeans!  What may fit your bestie GREAT, is not going to look so hot on you because you have different body shapes – not to mention different babies, babywearing needs, and breastfeeding abilities!  When I fit a parent with a buckle carrier, it is so important to ask a few key questions that help me to narrow down their options!  Prescribing a carrier over the phone or email after getting these answers is absolutely possible, and since I don’t believe in a “blanket” answer (1 carrier works for everyone) my survey is crucial for the best results!  I will ask you things like your personal stats, your baby’s age, weight, and stage, your breastfeeding status, your weather… you may think that some of the questions aren’t pertinent but do you know how much it tells me if you say you are concerned about back carrying!?!?  Or that you do a lot of hiking!?!?  These clues can make the difference between an okay baby carrier and the IDEAL carrier for your babywearing needs!

A quick low down on PAXbaby’s favs :


Beco Butterfly II Riley

The Beco Butterfly is our hands down favorite carrier for most any baby and any parent!  Complete with all the bells & whistles, the Butterfly features an internal harness, infant insert, sleeping hood, and can carry babies from newborn through 45 pounds!  Perfect for warm weather babywearing due to the internal Y panel, and featuring a huge selection of prints, PAXbaby ? the Beco Butterfly!
Beco Gemini Paige

The Beco Gemini is Beco’s other buckle carrier, and it is a throw back to an earlier Beco model that was well-loved!  Front carries, front facing out also, on the hip, or as a back carrier, the Gemini does not have the sleeping hood or infant insert and internal harness like its older sister, the Butterfly, but has a more streamlined look with a folding headrest and body that can become smaller for petite babies or front facing out.  Keep in mind that if your goal is to find a carrier to wear your infant now through kindergarten, the Gemini can only hold 35 pounds, but it features more wearing positions than the Butterfly!.

Babyhawk Oh Snap! No Guts Stone

BabyHawk’s Oh Snap! is a favorite at PAXbaby due to the comfortable padding in the waistband and shoulder straps, the seat darts designed for toddlers, and the cutting edge style.  The Oh Snap! is not intended to be used for carrying young babies so start thinking about the smooth ride of the Oh Snap! around baby’s first birthday, and if you are larger proportioned!

Boba 2G Tweet

Specially designed for toddlers, the Boba Baby Carrier 3G features a removable hood and also removable foot stirrups for your child’s ergonomic positioning.  Comfortable for both baby and parent, from infancy through toddlerhood, the Boba is PAXdaddy’s go-to carrier for our toddlers!

Olives & Applesauce Flourish

Want a baby carrier that will earn you the prize at the fashion show?  Olives & Applesauce soft structured carriers, or “O & A” as we affectionately call them, are just gorgeous with the attached hood, wide waistband, and curved shoulder straps.  The contour of the shoulder straps means you can back carry without using the chest strap – eliminating “babywearer’s cleavage!”  These baby carriers are 16″ tall and have the new perk of a baby insert built within the O & A, for babies or toddlers up to 30 pounds!  If you are carrying extra baby weight, THIS is the buckle carrier for you!!

Scootababy Hip Carrier

Scootababy is the one and only HIP carrier that we adore! It can actually be used on the front or back, but it shines as a hip carrier!  Super comfortable with a supportive waistband and soft fleece shoulder strap, the Scootababy is easy to nurse in and attractive to dads with its sleek design.

Last but not least, I can truly say that MOST parents who try the Tula, fall in love immediately and never look back!  Made in Poland with a very thorough eye for design, the Tula has been a local favorite for years and is now gaining momentum across the country and the WORLD!  Pocket, hood, comfort, the Tula is basic but thorough!  The Manduca is another favorite, but not as easily accessible to us in the USA!!!!

 

Oh, the ObiMama!!!

PAXbaby

PAXbaby ObiMama Wrap Converion mei taiLooking for stash nirvana, search no further!  With an ObiMama on the horizon, you can let your artistic wheels start turning because you are about to design one of the most decadent baby carriers in the babywearing world.  You can be assured that every stitch of your custom carrier will be sewn with care and precise attention will be given to even the smallest details because the artist behind the ObiMama baby carrier, Jen,  is a creator of perfection.  Wearable art is a better term for the baby carriers that bear the ObiMama name, and as anyone who has ever worn an ObiMama can testify, this kind of art is extremely comfortable to wear!!!!

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The ObiMama herself has been so kind as to send PAXbaby a Traveling Mei Tai to traipse across the USA bringing joy to each family she visits.  The PAXbaby ObiMama Traveler started here in Southern California and almost didn’t make it out on any trip because I love it so much!  My only consolation is to know how it is blessing the families it will visit, but OH, I had the hardest time packing it up to go!  If you would like to host our Traveling ObiMama please email me with your inquiry however please know that she is already booked for the next few months with previous engagements!!!  I took this picture while enjoying the San Diego Safari Park aka the Wild Animal Park!  That is the PAXdaddy on the right with Baby #6 in a Beco Butterfly II and the outstanding Traveling ObiMama on the babywearing daddy to the left who has proclaimed mei tais to be his FAVORITE carrier and not  just ANY mei tai, but THIS mei tai!  And thus another ObiMama addict is born!

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PAXbaby Obimama BB Slen Blue Curacao

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Having given PAXbaby 2 slots last December, ObiMama has granted my wish and has given PAXbaby another 2 slots for February.  On February 1 which is a Wednesday, PAXbaby will be giving the 2 custom slots to 2 lucky winners via random drawing through FaceBook.  If you are not already a fan of PAXbaby’s FaceBook page, now is the time to become one because only a TRUE fan can win the opportunity of a babywearing lifetime – a customizable ObiMama slot!!!! Choosing your size, waist option, and applique choice, your slot comes with the Kombi wrap style straps, adjustable hood, knee pads, and 100% extreme comfort!!!  Make sure you have read the fine print, a woven wrap needs to be purchased through PAXbaby, custom conversions are non-returnable, and you MUST have fun while designing your one of a kind wrap conversion carrier by the one & only, ObiMama!!!!!!

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PAXbaby ObiMama custom Mei Tai wrap conversion

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*happy babywearing*

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FFO situations!

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Most babywearers are introduced to babywearing with the uninspired big box “crotch dangler” style of baby carriers –  the Infantino, the Bjorn, the Chicco – and most babyworn babies are indoctrinated to their babywearing career by being subject to the unsupported and uncomfortable method of FFO (Front Facing Out!)  With these mass produced baby carriers being so common, most civilians don’t bat an eye at a newborn drooping pitifully from its new mother’s baby harness with its wee arms extended over the front flap and its legs in an unnatural & flaccid sag.  Most admire baby’s hair, or lack of hair, or sweet outfit, or cute hat, but what we babywearers know with every babywearing bone in our body is that these carriers are not good for our babies!  They don’t support – they suspend!  They don’t cradle – they dangle!  They don’t hold – they hang!  As a friend of mine says, Friends don’t let friends FFO!

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PAXbaby Baby Bjorn Beco Gemini

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Front Facing Out is not a popular way to wear your baby in the stricter world of babywearing, however I’d like to point out that there is always the exception to the rule!  I have a handful of exceptions in which case a baby carrier with FFO capability is invaluable!  I was thrilled when Beco introduced to the babywearing population the Beco Gemini which features the ability to forward face because not only will that option lure in the unsuspecting parent who would usually buy a Bjorn but the Beco is “so much cuter,” but the Gemini also allows me to use an organic, Made in the USA, ergonomic carrier in a FFO position without needing to own a “crotch dangler”!!!  These circumstances happen very rarely, but when they do, I’m grateful for my Gemini!

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FFO circumstance #1 - Sitting to view a sibling’s class or play.  You need to be able to sit back so you can’t have baby on your back!  Baby wants to see the happenings as well!  FFO your baby so that they can interact with the world but be very observant of their signals to you of discomfort or overstimulation and limit their FFO time to about 10 minutes at a time!

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FFO circumstance #2 - Wearing an older baby while they are eating.  I can clearly remember the first time I wore my Gemini to Disneyland!  When Baby #5 got hungry and PAXdaddy handed him a messy granola bar, I simply turned him around and all the crumbs went cascading onto the ground outside Pirates of the Caribbean instead of down my cleavage!  What a relief and easy clean up that made!  These days we can use a custom Flat Hat to act like a bib to protect the Gemini itself as well!  Urge baby to finish up quickly because wearing an older baby with his spine against you is NOT going to feel good after a while and certainly is not ergonomic for babywearing participant!

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FFO circumstance #3 - Wearing a baby who wants to be included in a craft!!!  Crafting with children is always a challenge, but add into that messy mix a baby who wants to be involved, and you have a recipe for disaster!  Luckily, by inviting baby to help while being worn lessens the catastrophic demise that usually occurs when baby “helps!”  Strap baby onto your front and put in his arms reach harmless tools that will help him create his masterpiece without damaging your crafting area permanently!  In our case this past week, the kids & I were making a Christmas surprise for the PAXdaddy!  Every year, we make him something with their hand prints, and this year, a friend inspired me to help the kids create Homemade Salt Dough Ornaments featuring their very own paw prints!!!  Of course we couldn’t leave out Baby #6, so into the Beco Gemini he went, and we imprinted his very own ornament with his tiny hand print!

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THANKS for reading, and keeping an open mind when you first read the blog post title!!!  Remember, the main purpose of babywearing is to bond with your baby and remain available to them as they grow so if you need to fudge the rules once in a while, I understand!  I’ve been there & done that, and have made the decision to FFO with a happy baby then try to back carry with a screaming one!  Let baby participate, and you will be a better babywearing team for it!

PAXbaby

PAXbaby Christmas Craft Beco Gemini bjorn infantino crotch dangling

Homemade Salt-Dough Ornaments

PAXbaby.com

Ingredients & tools needed:

  • 4 Cups Flour
  • 1 Cup Salt
  • 1 1/2 Cups of water
  • Rolling Pin
  • Parchement Paper
  • Cookie Cutters
  • Toothpick
  • Ribbon
  • Acrylic paints

PAXbaby.com
Instructions:

1) Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F.

2) Prepare your cookie sheets by lining with Parchment Paper.

3) Mix Flour, Salt and Water together. The dough will be sticky at first.   If it’s crumbly, add a little bit more water. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour.

4) Knead the dough by hand or use your mixer for  25 minutes. This will eliminate “most” of the air bubbles.

5) Roll the the dough out to about 1/4 of an inch thick.

6) Use cookie cutters to make desired shape, or trace a bowl like we did!  Place cut-outs on the cookie sheet. Don’t forget to make a hole for hanging!  We used the end of a glass straw to make uniform holes in each ornament.

7)  Press baby’s hand firmly into the dough, or use their fingertips to mark the small ornaments.

8 )  IMPORTANT: Salt-dough has a tendency to “bubble”, which will cause the ornament to crack. To help prevent bubbling, take a toothpick and lightly poke tiny random holes all over the ornament or in a creative pattern. This will help release the air.  The holes may be noticeable so make ‘em pretty. Once the ornaments come out of the oven you can poke holes on the bottom as well to release some of the trapped air as well. This may help prevent them from cracking in the future.

9) Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until they are a very light golden brown on the bottom. Keep a close eye on them, because they can burn quickly!

10) Take the ornaments out from the oven and let them cool.

11) Paint them!!!

12) Give them to your loved ones & hang on your tree!

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Hope you have a wonderful time crafting with your little ones, and feel free to use this recipe!  It was given to me by Andrea!!!

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*happy babywearing*

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A Preemie Story

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In honor of Preemie Month:

Thank you to Alena for her Preemie Story!  I’m sure I’m not the only one who sobbed while reading this!!!  (((hugs)))

PAXbaby.com

As a mom of 4, I never ever imagined I would ever be thrown into any unknown parenting world. After 4 kids, I was pretty sure I had seen or done it all. When pregnant with my 5th, my normal was forever changed by the birth of my first preemie at 34 weeks due to HELLP. All my “attachment parenting” styles were thrown out the window at delivery. No skin to skin contact after birth, no breastfeeding, no holding, not even touching my brand new baby. The once crowded delivery room was immediately empty and I was left alone, feeling helpless. All I could think about was the crucial bonding we were missing. How he needed me. How he must feel so alone without his mother. Once I was transferred to my room I was handed a NICU kit. In the bag I found all the stuff you would expect as a NICU mom. Some pamphlets on preemies, supplies for the breast pump and something called a snoedel. I set those aside and started up my demands for my 1stNICU visit to see my son for the very first time. As they wheeled me in, I wasn’t sure what to expect. 34 weekers are late preemies, from what I read, he would be perfectly fine, probably in an open crib asleep waiting to be transferred back to my room.. Boy was I wrong. No one had explained anything to me. I was wheeled up to an incubator, where my precious baby was laying in just a diaper with tubes and wires and a breathing mask. I was devastated. I wanted to hold him, love him, tell him mommy was there and everything would be ok. Only I wasn’t allowed to touch him, wasn’t allowed to hold him. Again I felt as helpless as I did after delivery.

PAXbaby

They wheeled me back to my room. After a good cry, I grabbed the NICU bag they had previously given to me. I pulled out the snoedel and read the instructions. This doll would give him what I couldn’t while he was trapped in that incubator. He would be able to smell me, know that I’m there and that I love him. So I put the snoedel in my shirt and went to sleep. I was desperate to do something for him, anything and putting this doll in my shirt to fill it with my smell felt like something at least.

PAXbaby

The next morning I ran straight to the NICU. Again I was told I couldn’t hold or touch my baby. Regulating his breathing was more important than bonding. I handed the nurse my snoedel and she immediately opened his incubator and draped it over his little body. It actually covered him from his toes to his neck. Looking in his incubator and seeing this doll that I knew was covered in my scent brought me such peace. To know every breath he took, had mommy smell. The nurses even referred to it as his mommy doll.

PAXbaby

As the days passed and as I was able to finally hold, bond and feed my little guy, I also had to continue to leave him there. The peace and comfort of leaving him draped in the snoedel, knowing that he felt me even when I wasn’t there, really helped ease the pain of leaving him. That doll stayed on or beside him his entire NICU stay. Even under the bili lights for jaundice, the nurses made sure that doll was under his little body at least.After we came home, the snoedel stayed in his crib with him. The same way the nurses draped it over him, I draped it over him while he slept.

PAXbaby

My son is now 17 months old. You would never know he was a preemie by looking at him. You would also never know that we didn’t have the immediate bonding that I felt so robbed of at his birth. He adores me and is very “attached”. More attached then my other kids who never left my side, who had immediate skin to skin contact, who immediately breastfed. All the things he missed out on.  That snoedel is now tucked away safely in his baby box and has very special sentimental value I could never explain. I am so thankful my NICU provided this and was very sad to find out that most NICU’s don’t. This would be a perfect gift for a new NICU mom.  Actually perfect for any mom that needs a moment away and wants her baby to stay comforted by her scent.

PAXbaby Snoedel

PAXbaby

*happy {bonding} babywearing*

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New Boba 3G

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The newly redesigned Boba 3G has new prints, new strap colors, & new features!  The Boba Soft Structured Carrier has been fabulously remodeled with a few key upgrades:

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now wearable with an infant thanks to a set of ingenius inner snaps

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easily combined with a diaper bag or purse with the help of the shoulder strap tabs

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plenty of storage ON the carrier

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and more!!!

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PAXbaby Boba SSC 3G

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Try a Boba SSC for yourself through PAXbaby’s Sling Exchange or dive right in with a purchase of the new Boba 3G available in 7 fashionable designs:

Dusk

Glacier

Montenegro

Kangaroo

Lila

Soho

and the ever popular Tweet

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*happy babywearing*

PAXbaby.com