When you Need an Extra Pair of Hands with Baby

Motherhood is hard. Really hard. I remember the shell shock of it all. Once I got past the pain and discomfort part I was shocked by the amount of time and attention baby takes. Oh, sure I knew that baby would need me all the time. I had taken care of babies before. Even babysat TWINS as a teen. What I had not prepared for was the fact that baby would NEVER want to be put down. Sleeping only happened snuggled in my arms. The house fell apart, my patience wore thin, and I couldn’t remember the last time I ate something, not from a package.

I needed an extra pair of hands. Only well despite how nice it would be to be an octopus as a mom, it was not going to happen. I had no choice but to discover a way to do it all. I remember the frustration of even asking someone to hold my baby while I showered got me an attitude of how I should care for my own baby so that was not going to happen. The solution? Baby wearing.

The baby carrier I bought in an effort to get my hands free ended up a bad idea. A couple months later it was recalled because babies were dying from lack of oxygen. I was shocked and grateful that my baby was okay but when baby number two came around I was scared to even try a carrier. What if I hurt my baby? Ironically when I broke down and got what I thought was a good one I was proved wrong again in a couple years when talk of hip issues hit the mommy boards.

By the time baby number three came along I was so lost. I needed an extra pair of hands more than ever. A kindergartner, a toddler, and a newborn? Lucky me I found one thing that changed the game entirely. A wrap style carrier like the Boba Wrap. Suddenly I Had what I needed to give me an extra pair of nads with my newborn. She was snug and secure, her hips could be kept together, and her airway was kept clear. I couldn’t ask for more.

How a wrap baby carrier lets you get more done with a newborn?

Suddenly once you learn how to wrap your baby you have free hands again. That is such a freeing feeling. You feel like a super mom and you might even look like one. I remember walking out of Wal-Mart with my youngest strapped to my chest. My toddler begged me to pick him up so he was balanced on one hip as I held my 5-year-olds hand. A little old gray-haired man looked me right in the eye as he commented “What a mom!” That man made my day. Somehow I felt like I had the power to manage everything and keep my head above water.

There is so much you can do with baby secure in a wrap carrier that you can’t do with baby is your arms.

You can breastfeed while working around the house.
You can work with older children with school or homework.
You can push a shopping cart without risking your babysitting in the cart.
Cooking meals become so much easier. Just skip the heat what baby is on your chest.
Cleaning the house and doing the laundry can be done with two hands which any mom has tried doing one handed knows how hard it is.
You can be social while your newborn snoozes away safe from poking and prying.

Expert tip?

You can even wrap your baby during pregnancy. No, no it is not as weird as it sounds. Towards the end of pregnancy, baby can really put a strain on your back, hips, and body in general. You can use a wrap baby carrier to give your tummy support it needs. All without the bulky velcro support belts that make you feel even more uncomfortable.

How to pick a wrap baby carrier.

The main point of choosing a wrap over other style carriers is they can hold your baby from birth. They have no straps to dig into shoulders, no buckles, snaps, or fasteners that can become broken and leave you in a bind and can usually hold your child until they outgrow baby wearing. I wrapped my son at about 18 months while we went to Universal Studios and was comfortable the entire time.

We are going with the Boba Wrap this time around. We love the quality of these wraps and the fabric is just right for a baby while the weather is hot. With the weather not cooling until November around here the past couple years that means for comfort for mom and baby.

Look for a wrap that has enough stretch to change the position so you can feed your baby but still strong and able to hold it’s shape. Something we love about the Boba Wrap that others we have tried in the past did not have. You will be so glad you took the dive.