The product below was recalled. In my opinion, it should never have been sold. The more we complicate things, the more we are at risk for being overwhelmed by them. Stricter regulation is needed in the hugely profit-oriented  businesses that call themselves “baby friendly”. It’s all marketing. And it’s coming at you full force. Be on guard, and don’t buy anything that promises to increase your baby’s i.q. (baby einstein) once you plug it in.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10309.html

By outsourcing everything-from baby nurses to “sleep experts” the upper class parenting model has been usurped by its very employees. It is now assumed that everyone must have a doula and lactation consultant. (full disclosure; i am one)  One OB told me how their client worried she was the only one in her birthing class that didn’t have a doula. “I am your doula.” was the reply. Here! Here! Do you need all these classes? No. Will they make you feel better? Temporarily. Until reality comes screeching into your life with its unpredictable cries, patterns and needs.

You will figure it out. You will.

Until then, I urge you to avoid gimmicks that prey upon your insecurities and complicate what is rather simple. Of course, for those of you paying $400.00 for a babyproofer (which is just you crawling around your home using common sense) I’m sure you will continue to do so. But you do so at your own peril. You give up many things  when you hand over that $600.00 check to your “learn to feed your baby” class; including the joys of trial and error, and the satisfaction that comes from figuring it out on your own.  Giving up your authority, or deferring to a self appointed expert, this early in your child’s life does not bode well for them or you. It creates a culture of insecurity, anxiety and erodes the very foundation of what you have worked so hard for. A family!  Your family.

So please, keep it simple. Your baby needs you. And YOU are the expert in the making!!

It’s a long hot summer, and we want you to find the exactly right sling to carry your baby in. This weather calls for something light; and the Kangaroo Korner Mesh Sling is perfect! Come to our class

SUNDAY, JULY 25th from 2-4 pm. All meetings are held at boing! on 7th Ave near 16th St.

Register online, or call (718) 840-5880

Enjoy your summer! Enjoy your baby!

This Sunday, June 6th, we will have our only June babywearing class. Meema Spadola, our resident expert, will be leading this workshop from 2-4 pm. Have a carrier but don’t know how to use it? Want to find the one that’s right for you? We stock only the best and BOING BOING approved baby carriers, and have been ahead of the trends for over a decade!

Come on by and check out the latest in babywearing ease and style. Stay cool in a mesh baby sling by Kangaroo Korner that you can actually wear in the water! See you at the Red Hook Pool!

Call or register online. $30.pp $40. couple

Before I had children, I was a well informed writer who researched evolutionary psychology, behavioral endocrinology, urban planning and more. Becoming a mother didn’t lessen my identity; it added to it. I cannot be reduced to just being a “mommy” any more than I am just a wife, business owner, sister or teacher. The rise of the mommy blogosphere  reflects the simultaneous rise of of navel gazing and conspicuous consumption and it does not serve us well. Is this what we want our generation to be remembered for? I think we can do better. There will be no cheery sounding blurbs here about a new product I was sent in order to “review” it. One can link the increase of mommy blogs directly to the accumulation of useless STUFF new parents feel compelled to buy. Don’t do it.  Less is more.

This is not a mommy blog.

There is no internet “community.” That is an oxymoron created by other morons.  Staying at home and surfing the net will never equal real face to face time, and is quite isolating. I don’t care how it’s advertised or portrayed in the media; time will show that as our internet use increases, our ability to socialize and make sense of the world decreases.  With all of our talk of community, we rarely practice it.  Irrational fears haunt suburbanites who won’t let their kids walk to school; yet if we had community, we would know that block is safe. We would trust our neighbors. We would knowthem.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/fashion/13kids.html That is what I’m trying to create with the moms groups. A community of women who come together and organically grow and form their own friendships long after they leave BOING BOING.  As parents we must look ahead. And that means literally looking ahead when you’re walking rather than texting as you push a stroller.  Open your eyes. Your children’s eyes are wide open. Babies require face-to-face interaction to learn, what are you teaching them?

This is not a mommy blog.

I am not the first woman to give birth. Every moment, everywhere,  there is a child being born. The self centered focus of the mommy blogosphere wants you to believe that they are all experts in child rearing, education, language skills, neural development, etc. Yet these are the same idiots who force fed you Baby Einstein and told you it would make your baby smarter.http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1650352,00.html I never carried those ridiculous videos, and had mixed feelings when research vindicated what I had known all along; they do more harm than good.

This is not a mommy blog. I am a mommy.

Mommy bloggers are blind to the larger disservice done by the separating,competing and merchandising of all things related to child rearing; from pre-school tutors to swagga coaches. We are raising our children together. They will be our future leaders, artists, soldiers, politicians, visionaries; they will have to work together. Seeing a baby with an iPhone makes me sad. They are already narrowing their focus. The world is big. It is big enough for all of us, neither better or worse than the next mother. We are in this together. Let’s start acting like it.

Number 1 – It’s fun to wear your baby

When people ask how long they can use the sling, I like to quote a customer of mine. “Until it’s no longer fun.” There is nothing lovelier than having your baby’s heart beat next to yours:) Watch as she experiences the environment at the same level as you, so you can speak gently to her; teach her the world…With slings, they also have the option of tucking into you, when the world becomes too much. This is Brooklyn,after all, and we all must  use our common sense. Newborns don’t benefit from always facing out as in Baby Bjorns. They cannot shut out the stimuli you and I can. Slings provide an option to switch that stimulation on and off, and you are there to comfort them and explain he world to them. When they’re ready, you’ll be right there to explain what a “Lady Gaga” is.

Number 2 – Wearing your baby promotes physical development

When you’re wearing your baby, she is feeling the rhythm of your breathing, hearing your heartbeat and is being stimulated by the various movements you make when you walk, bend, climb stairs – every tiny movement as you go through the motions of the your day. Being in this environment is almost like being in a transitional womb. This stimulation and thermo regulaton helps continue her natural physical development, regulating her own physical responses and exercising her vestibular system, which controls balance. Studies also show that that rocking movement helps babies walk earlier. After 15 years of watching slingin babies, I can attest to that. How amazing to see a baby who has been happily worn for months lifted out of his sling at 9 months old and toddle over to me!

Number 3 – Babies who are worn are happier

Touch. Everybody needs it. It promotes well being and the release of oxytocin. Every baby, from the colicky, high-need to the most content, will benefit from the closeness and security of being held close to you. Many studies have shown that the more babies are held, the less they cry and some studies are now investigating how distress, like crying, may affect a baby’s developing brain because of the associated stress hormones. Crying is physically exhausting for both the baby and the caregiver. If your baby is not wasting his energy on crying, he is able to calmly observe his environment and learn from what is going on around him.

Number 4 – Babywearing helps you and your baby communicate better

When you’re often holding your baby close, as with babywearing, you become very in tune with his facial expressions and gestures. Babywearing parents often get to a point where they can tell if their baby is hungry, wet or sleepy before hearing them cry or get distressed. Being able to recognize your baby’s needs and respond quickly builds trust in your child, is cyclical, as your own confidence continues to grow, and this mutual enhanced communication will evolve as your child moves towards talking.

Number 5 – Daddies love babywearing too!

Cuddling up with your baby is an amazing way to get to know each other, and using a baby carrier is a great way to bring this rich experience into the lives of fathers, grandparents and other caregivers. It’s such a great opportunity for your baby to become engaged on this level with his father’s voice, heartbeat, movements and facial expressions. Men’s voices are often lower, giving babies a special bond unique to Daddy. That’s why it’s important that Daddy has a sling he likes, and one that fits him properly. Don’t pinch pennies here! Hold off on that $5,000.00 mural, and get Daddy a Kangaroo Korner pouch. They look just like gym shorts, and men love them!

Number 6 – Carry your baby, not your stroller!

Who wants to drag a stroller up your three story walk up? Not me! And there’s no reason to.  Just grab your sling and go! This is Brooklyn, we ain’t driving everywhere, so why are people carrying these 30lb plastic car bucket seats? Snap n Go? I think not. Snap n Stay is more like it. The same women who say their back pain prevents them from using a sling are carrying around these Snap n Gos, and straining muscles they should never use in that way. Your strength builds naturally as you and your baby grow when you use a carrier. You won’t have to worry about navigating narrow aisles in your local shops, or schlepping up the Brownstone steps of your BFF from your new mommy group:)

Number 7 – Toddlers appreciate the security of being carried

Before my son could talk, he used to bring me “his” sling when he wanted to go for a walk. Slings are not just for babies. An easy up on the hips, and we were off to explore our world. I had different slings for both of my children, and have fond memories sewn into the folds.  Toddlers love the security of a baby carrier, and being able to be close to you when they need to. This is a time when your child will want to explore a new place but may become overwhelmed and look to you for comfort. Many baby carriers will accommodate a child up to 60 lbs., (even if they say 35lbs. because of our litigious state) and you’ll be able to have an option for your child to have a safe place to retreat to, where they can continue to experience the environment with your reassuring touch. Carrying your toddler is also incredibly convenient, when you can whip out a soft carrier you’ve stashed to give him a lift when he gets tired, without having to worry about toting along a stroller.

Number 8 – Babywearing is great exercise

We all know how hard it is to find time to exercise when you’re a new mother, and being able to pop your baby in a carrier and go for a brisk walk is great, easy way to get active each day. As your baby gets older, the additional weight helps add resistance to your walk, and will keep challenging your body as it grows stronger.

Number 9 – Babycarriers are are a safe place for your baby

There is no safer place for your baby than being held safe and secure next to your body. There are often instances when a stroller is helpful to have, but it’s so much healthier for your baby to not be at ground level, breathing in exhaust fumes from cars, or being strapped into a stroller with little human interaction. Since the beginning of time women have known and practiced this. Don’t let all the labels, classes, DVDs, and alarmist sensationalized news keep you from what all moms have known forever. It’s safe here. Enjoy the ride:)

Number 10 – Babycarriers save you money

Using a baby carrier saves you money. Even if you get  your favorite two carriers (I recommend a sling and a soft pac)  you easily spend less than what you normally would on a $1,000.00 bugaboo monstrosity. Slings are a  tremendous value for a product that will be used every day for  years. I’ll never understand how people complain about spending less than $100.00 for something that will make their life easier every day, while pushing a huge stroller that they couldn’t even fit through the door. Their own door.

MOST CONTENT FROM: http://aboutbabywearing.com/babywearing-information/ten-reasons-to-wear-your-baby/

In light of the recent recall of one poorly designed sling, we feel it’s important to point out that BOING BOING has never carried “bag” slings, because we know what works and what doesn’t. When worn properly, babywearing is 100% safe and actually beneficial. Studies have shown that babywearing have been shown to save lives; especially those of preemies. We are appalled at the government’s decision to warn against carrying your newborn. Women have been wearing their babies from the beginning of time, and with our continued support will continue to do so.

New parents need reassurance that they’re making the right choices, from breastfeeding to babywearing. One glitch in the system would not undo all of the good work that UNICEF and WHO have done to promote breastfeeding. Let’s not let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch when it comes to baby wearing either. Tighter regulations would be welcomed by parents, educational shops like ours, and manufacturers. An informed customer is a happier one, and that’s what we’re about. Making life easier for new parents has been our mission since we opened in Park Slope in 1996.

I have had the good fortune to help new mothers and their babies with both breastfeeding and babywearing for the last 15 years. We hope this fearmongering clears up quickly so we can go back to the basics of parenting; that’s what they need us for, and that’s what we will continue to do.

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.

Karen Paperno, CLC
Founder
BOING BOING