Blog Archive September 2011

When tattoomummy is not blogging about cooking or being a mum, she is hanging out with her two children, Dexter (2) and Lola (5mo) - getting stared at by old ladies in the street while she scours op shops for tea cups. Don't worry, she blogs about that too. And you know those things you wish you could say but you're too scared? She says them for you. You can find her blogging here, twittering here and facebooking here.

When you were pregnant, did you plan on wearing your baby?

Not specifically. I liked the idea of having my hands free. I had a sling with my first and found it useful because he could be in a curled up position like in the womb so he slept better, but it was a little awkward for me. I saw a lady with a Kari Me sling while I was pregnant and was amazed. I looked into it and found Hugabub and loved that they are an Australian company. 

What do you love about babywearing?

I have my hands free! With a 2 year old and a 4.5 month old, that's a very useful thing. Toilet training a toddler and carrying a baby is pretty awkward, but thankfully, I can just strap her in and off we go.

What is the most common comment you receive when you are out and about babywearing?

Isn't that a fantastic idea! So many older women wish they had one when they had babies.

Is your partner a keen babywearer?

Not really. He tried the sling a few times and didn't like it. He hasn't tried the wrap.

How many carriers do you own? Which one's do you use the most?

I have two slings and one hugabub wrap. I use my hugabub wrap all the time, I haven't used a sling since I've gotten it. 

What's the first thing you'd tell someone thinking about trying babywearing?

It's such a saviour. Babies who are clingy. Reflux babies, Colic babies. Babies that don't like laying down and want to see everything. It makes them (and therefore you) so much happier!

Have your babywearing habits changed from your first to your second child?

Definitely! With my first, it was a couple of times in a sling. With my second, she's in the wrap if we go for a walk, I'm doing the cooking, I'm hanging out the washing... All of it!

What activity are you most likely to rely on babywearing to get done?

I am currently studying graphic design and am lucky enough that my teacher allows me to bring Lola to class, because I'm still feeding her. I wear her in the wrap and she is content all day.

And lastly, what's your favourite babywearing photo.

This is my favourite photo, because I have both my kids AND me in it and we're all happy!

Congratulations to our winner - Alicia Todd!

This week we are giving away a ring sling to a lucky member of our Facebook Page.

The Hug-a-Bub Ring Sling is a lightly padded, modernised adaptation of the traditional sling carriers of Asia and The Americas. Fully adjustable thorugh sturdy but lightweight aluminium rings, the Hug-a-Bub Ring Sling's wide shoulder and back/weight distribution provides parental comfort with a secure embracing experience for newborns through to toddlers, in five versatile positions.

It is easy to use and quick to put on and take off for both parent and baby. The long tial has many uses, from sun-shade to breastfeeding privacy and it can always to tucked away. Gorgeous cool hand woven cottons and exotic bright or earthy tones make for a stunning traditional look to go with the practicality and initmacy of the babywearing experience.

To Enter:

The competition is for our Facebook fans. To become a facebook fan click here: 

To enter leave a comment below answering this question: what local baby store do you think should stock hug-a-bub wrap carriers?

You may gain extra entries (please remember to come back and leave a comment for each additional entry so we know what you've done!):

1) Sharing the link to this giveaway on Facebook

2) Sharing the link to this giveaway on Twitter

3) Displaying the baby wearing badge in your blog sidebar

4) Following Hugabub on Twitter

5) You can gain 5 extra entries if you ask the store mentioned in your entry if they stock hug-a-bub and/or recommend that the store becomes a stockist*

This competition closes on 2nd October and the winner will be announced on the blog and on our Facebook page on the 4th October.

*If you do decide to recommend that a store stock Hug-a-Bub and the store decides to become a stockist, you will earn 10% of the new store orders for the next 6 months, or a carrier of your choice where the store has ordered over $600 worth of stock. For any further information on this incentive scheme please contact email@hugabub.com

Ever wanted to make a difference, a big difference, but didn't know where to start? Tania (who is also one of the co-creators of the Hug-a-Bub wrap carrier) is an amazing example of someone who did just that.

After seeing an article in an in-flight magazine, Tania read about an orphanage in need in Siem Reap, Cambodia. A month later, Tania was in Cambodia and was sensitised to the plight of the Cambodian children. Soon after she returned home but it wasn't long before she packed up her entire life and headed back to Cambodia with no plan.

At first her efforts were focused on feeding the street children. And she was joined by Rem Poum, a local man who would become her husband and the second half of the Green Gecko Project. As the numbers grew it became increasingly difficult to find a place to feed them, and more than that Tania wanted to focus on something that would look after their future as well. 

They approached an English school about paying for some of the street children to attend, but the school said no - the children were stinky, dirty and noisy and other parents wouldn't like it. And so, Tania and Rem hired one room and one teacher for one hour a day and started their own exclusive class instead.

The high attendance and enthusiasm of the children took everyone by surprise and within three months the project had leased an old police station that would serve as their headquarters and a school for the children. One of the biggest challenges has been convincing the families that it is worthwile for children to spend time on their education and away from street begging, something that provided immediate income for the family. And this became even more difficult in 2006 when begging was outlawed, leaving some families without any income at all. This was the birth of the project's family outreach work and currently the Green Gecko Project is supporting 33 families.

At Green Gecko, the children can eat a hot lunch, attend an English class, feel secure, play, get a hug, put their pictures up on the wall, have a shower, get their hair combed, nails cut, brush their teeth and receive medical attention. They can attend fun excursions and receive the chnace to expand their interests and knowledge of new subjects, by participating in dance, art and craft, drama, photography, gymnastics and performance classes.

You can find out more about the Green Gecko Project, Like them on Facebook, Make a Donation or Become a Sponsor.

Isil has lived in Engaland since 2006 with her husband and two children (Defne and Derin). She is originally from Turkey and studied economics and worked as a purchasing specilist at a retail chain. Isil is passionate about natural childbirth, breastfeeding, babywearing, gentle discipline, green living, organic and local foods, sustainable living and informed healthcare decisions. On her blog Smiling Like Sunshine she writes about natural family living, early education, play, food, literature, music, design and cinema. You can follow her on twitter here.

1) When you were pregnant, did you plan on wearing your baby?

Yes, I was aware of  babywearing and got my sling ready beforehand. 

2) What do you love about babywearing?

I love that baby is close to you so you can kiss them whenever you want :) It's also very practical because your hands are free, you can get on with everything from cooking a meal to ironing, whatever needs to get done. With a second or subsequent child, it is even more important maybe. So you can still do something with your older child whilst baby is sleeping in the sling.

3) What is the most common comment you receive when you are out and about babywearing?

I just love it when people smile and tell you how sweet it is.

4) Is your partner a keen babywearer?

He loved wearing our babies. He wasn't too keen on wrap type of slings though, he prefered soft structured carriers.

5) How many carriers do you own? Which one's do you use the most?

I have had 4 carriers: A Tricotti,a Hug-a-bub, an Ergo and a Hotsling. With both babies I used the Hug-a-bub for the first 6-8 months and then the Ergo.

6) What's the first thing you'd tell someone thinking about trying babywearing?

If possible try out a sling before investing in that money. I bought a pouch type of sling before my second was born and he didn't enjoy it at all, so I only used it a few times. 

7) Have your babywearing habits changed from your first to your second child?

My first baby LOVED slings. She loved being close to me and we used to go on to holidays without a buggy. Even after she started walking, she would demand the sling when she got tired and would sleepin it happily. My son is different though. I used to wear him until he turned one, but then he started to prefer the buggy. A few weeks ago, went to the trekking and I only took the  sling hoping that when tired he'd sleep in it. However he didn't enjoy it,I think he kind of feels restricted. I could only put him in the sling after he fell asleep in daddy's arms. 

I used to carry my daughter until she was 2.5 years old, till I was pregnant with my son.

8) What activity are you most likely to rely on babywearing to get done?

I loved being able to cook and hoovering the house. My babies were really frightened of the vacuum so they felt secure in the sling.

9)And lastly, what's your favourite babywearing photo.

Winner Announcement: Congratulations to Amelia who suggested Eco Vida at Burleigh on the Gold Coast.

Hug-a-Bub is excited to be starting a weekly competition to give away one organic wrap carrier to a lucky member of our Facebook Page.

The organic wrap carrier is made from organic interlock cotton and is unbelievably soft, making it just as enjoyable for parent and baby. Our wrap carrier's pioneering design ensures peerless support for your baby's neck and spine, and distributes the extra weight evenly making sure it's just as comfortable for parents. The wrap is recommended by numerous professionals including midwives, obstetricians, physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths. This simple wrap style offers a firm and secure hold that allows you to have your hands completely free. And although many people will use the wrap beyond a year, it is ideally suited for Newborns to 6 month olds.

The wrap promotes skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, longer sleeping times for infants and the utmost mobility for parents and is often said to be the number one baby purchase that a new parent couldn't have done without.

The competition is for our Facebook fans. To become a facebook fan click here: 

To enter leave a comment below answering this question: what local baby store do you think should stock hug-a-bub wrap carriers?

You may gain extra entries (please remember to come back and leave a comment for each additional entry so we know what you've done!):

1) Sharing the link to this giveaway on Facebook

2) Sharing the link to this giveaway on Twitter

3) Displaying the baby wearing badge in your blog sidebar

4) Following Hugabub on Twitter

5) You can gain 5 extra entries if you ask the store mentioned in your entry if they stock hug-a-bub and/or recommend that the store becomes a stockist*

This competition closes on 25th September and the winner will be announced on the blog and on our Facebook page on the 27th September.

*If you do decide to recommend that a store stock Hug-a-Bub and the store decides to become a stockist, you will earn 10% of the new store orders for the next 6 months, or a carrier of your choice where the store has ordered over $600 worth of stock. For any further information on this incentive scheme please contact email@hugabub.com

When my first baby was born she hated the car. That is until I figured out that I had her strapped in too tightly and then she was the easiest traveller on the planet. She would just drift off happily in the car. Hated traffic. But I think that's pretty normal. Although I joked that she'd picked up my husband's hatred of traffic. Luckily we live on the Central Coast so there's not a whole lot of traffic to be had. So it came as something of a shock to me when my second baby hated the car. Actually the car hatred didn't start until she was about 8 weeks old. So I was lulled into a false sense of security with the whole thing. 

And then all of a sudden I had a baby who would scream from the time she hopped into the car until the time the car stopped. And that was 45 minutes to preschool with my three year old, three days a week and then back again. I'm glad that it didn't seem to bother the three year old but it was very stressful for me. Going out became an activity of military precision. I had to pick just the right time, I had to feed the baby just before I put her in the car and then start the car as soon as possible after getting the baby into her capsule. I had to hope that we didn't get too much traffic on the way. But mostly I just hoped against hope that I wouldn't have a screaming baby on my hands for the full 45 minutes. Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't. But it's fair to say I tried everything.

I tried giving her the dummy, not giving her the dummy, putting her in sleepy, putting her in wide awake, playing music, not playing music, a variety of toys (once she was old enough to hold on to them), a mirror so she could see herself, heating up the car before I put her in and even getting her to have some sleeps at home unswaddled so she could get used to it.

Only three things seemed to make any great impact. A toy cube with crinkly faric bits, handles, things to chew on and a mirror. She loved that cube, so I worshipped the thing. And I never brought it into the house so that it was something novel for her when she was in the car. An endless supply of dummies. And babywearing. Not in the car, obviously. But I would put her in the Hug-a-Bub wrap about half an hour before we had to leave. Sometimes she would sleep, sometimes she wouldn't but it would put her in a happy disposition and she was much more likely to happily sit in the car for the full journey.

All it took was a few months of babywearing before our car trips and then she started to tolerate the car a whole lot better. And now she doesn't even really need a dummy, she just plays with her cube and chats to herself or her sister. She still hates the traffic though. Some things just run in the family.