From a wide variety of elaborate cribs, to forty different types of bottles and nipples, to the combination stroller/car seat/cradle/carriers that do everything but give birth foryou, parents are left with the impression that there must be an awful lot of equipment that you simply 'must have' in order to properly welcome and care for a baby.

We are so excited to have Michelle sharing her story today!

Michelle is a blogger from rural Victoria playing mum to two little boys and wife to a bigger boy. Her blog, Raising Will, follows Michelle’s chocolate eating, rose smelling, parenting adventures. With a general interest in child psychology and development, Michelle also writes for happychild.com – a website that focuses on raising children with emotional intelligence.

When she’s not blogging or glued to Twitter, Michelle enjoys writing lists, taking photos, drinking wine with friends and generally being creative. 

Feel free to drop in and say Hi to Michelle on Twitter or Facebook. All cheesecake donations will be accepted graciously...

Babywearing with Hug-a-Bub

Last week saw the art of babywearing celebrated across the world with International Babywearing Week. One of my very favourite baby products threw me into a great little challenge for the week but before I talk about that, I want to tell you about how Hug-a-Bub became my ultimate baby accessory.

Welcoming our new little guy into the world was so exciting, but I totally underestimated how hard it would be to get stuff done when I had another mini human to worry about. I found Xavier needed to be held all the time, but I also needed my hands free. So I dug around in the wardrobes and pulled out our old Baby Bjorn Synergy that I purchased when we Will was little-r.

As I pulled on the stiff contraption over my sore, breastfeeding chest and my twingey Caesar incision – I winced. ‘I remember why we hardly used this thing. What a waste of money‘ I said to myself. Alas, I picked up screamy Xav and placed him in the carrier. Major Fail. The poor boy hated it. Where Will had thought it was the bees knees (even though his Mum did not), Xavier’s reflux and temperament had rendered the thing useless. He fought it every minute, never relaxed and just screamed more. I took my cuddly boy out of his Swedish nightmare and tried soothing him the old fashioned way – in my arms. Everything else would have to wait.

Two hours later, I’d finally calmed the storm and Xavier was asleep. I however, was not.

My mind reeled. How could I possibly cope with having to hold a newborn constantly and entertain a demanding toddler/clean the house/do the grocery shopping!?

Vowing never to use my Baby Bjorn Synergy again, I put out the call on the Twitters as to the best babywearing products for a cuddly newborn. The gorgeous Zoey from Good Googs came at me with:

What the Twitters said…

So off I went to research on the Hug-a-bub website. Within seconds I was in love with their organic wrap carriers. They looked divine and so very snuggly. Best part about the whole thing was that Hug-a-bub had a great deal happening at the time for their Facebook fans – it was a sign! Out came the credit card. An order was placed. By the Post Office I waited!

One very quick postage journey later, I had my divinely soft Organic Cotton Hug-a-bub wrap in my arms. Straight on it went as the little fella began to make his drama known to the whole street.

Five minutes later – screamy baby turned into dreamy baby:

Dreamy Baby… Thanks Hugabub!

The more I used the Hug-a-bub, the better I got at tying it correctly. I always underestimated the tension I needed but after a few test runs I had it figured out. After weeks of baby-wearing I now have it down-pat and could probably do it with my eyes closed; and lucky, because the Hug-a-bub is pretty much Xav’s favourite place to be. He sleeps soundly and twice as long than if he was in his bassinet.

For a practice that can be seen on ancient murals in the Pyramids of Eygpt, babywearing has had a long time to prove itself. It has been found to increase maternal (and even paternal) bonding, lower rates of post natal depression and it encourages a calmer infant as their needs are often instantly met. And don’t even get me started on all the things I can now DO!!!!

Babywearing in ancient times…
Image Credit: Marie Parsons

That brings us to last week - International Babywearing Week. The challenge was set on Hug-a-Bub’s Facebook page to take a photo each day inspired by different words – very similar to the Photo A Day Challenge by a favourite blogger of mine: Fat Mum Slim. I had my trusty phone at the ready and Instagrammed the shiz-nit out of last week. You can see the results below:

Our photos for Hugabub Week…

So the last few weeks with our new son has been amazing – made all the more so by this brilliant, simple piece of baby equipment. Xavier is most of the time happy and content – and when he isn’t he goes in the Hug-a-Bub and GETS himself happy and content. I am definitely recommending the Hug-a-Bub to all of my friends (that includes you guys!) – The Perfect Baby Shower Present – Amazing.

*Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post and I have not received any incentive for writing it – I have just been so impressed by the Hug-a-Bub that I wanted to share it with you all.

Thank you so much to Michelle for sharing with us! This post was originally posted here and is republished with full permission.

Are you a proud babywearer? Hug-a-Bub has created a special badge you can display on your own website to share your babywearing love. It's pretty simple - just grab the code below and use it on your own blog or website.

<p align="center"><a href="http://www.hugabub.com/" mce_href="http://www.hugabub.com/" title="Hugabub" target="_blank"><img src="/upload/artist_img/hugabub_badge.jpg" mce_src="/upload/artist_img/hugabub_badge.jpg" title="Hugabub babywearing badge" width="125px" /></a></p>

I get asked alot of questions when I'm wearing my baby in the hug-a-bub. Some tend towards the bizaarre.

The Questions

"Are you suffocating that baby?"

But others are far more practical

"Is it secure?" and

"Doesn't it hurt your shoulders?"

How Secure Is It?

One of the things I love about the hug-a-bub as a carrier is how snugly it holds my baby to my body. It means that regardless of whether I'm standing, sitting, bending over or crouching down she doesn't move (and so she stays asleep while I get a whole heap of things done - even if by getting things done I mean spending time on facebook). That goes to show just how secure the wrap is. There are actually three layers holding the baby in place. It's so snug, that even when I untie it from around my hips, the baby still doesn't move until I take her out.

This is especially useful for little babies (like mine) who are wriggle worms when it comes to sleeping time. A nice snug hold is exactly what she needs to get to sleep. And thanks to breathable fabric I don't have to worry about any breathing issues

The Key to a Comfortable Carry

The key to both a safe carry and a comfortable carry is a snug fit. If I'm babywearing and my shoulders start to feel uncomfortable I know that the hug-a-bub isn't on properly. If the fabric is spread from the top of my shoulders to my upper arms and is on nice and tight I don't feel any discomfort at all, because all the weight is evenly distributed.

Recently I attended a blogging conference and given my baby is not overly keen on being in the pram I didn't bother to bring one, which meant I was basically wearing her for 10 hours a day for about a week. And although my feet where killing me (thanks to walking around Melbourne and a poor choice of shoes) my back and shoulders weren't sore at all.

Over to You

Do you have any burning questions about babywearing?

Note

This is a note to clarify the above post (thank you to our reader who sent through the query!) When I talked about not having to worry about breathing issues due to breathable fabric I was in no way suggesting that the baby's face would be covered - you can see how I wear my baby in the first photograph. I was referring to a common concern that people unfamiliar with the wrap have about the snug fit. Another benefit of the breathable fabric is you are less likely to overheat in the warmer months. 

When my daughter was born I was expecting lots of things - sleepless nights, baby smell, baby snuggles and a whole heap of chaos thanks to having a lively three year old daughter as well.

Hello, Colic.

What I didn't expect was colic. Colic. A word that will scare any parent half to death. And a word that can mean a whole heap of things. But basically it means crying. Inconsolable crying. Often fromt eh time the sun goes down until midnight, but really any period of crying for longer than 3 hours on a regular basis is considered to be colic. But no one knows what causes it. Some say it's gas. Some say its an immature digestive system and some say it's an immature nervous system.

Goodbye, Easiest Baby in the World.

Colic didn't strike until my baby was two weeks old, which I hear is quite common with colic. So there I was, enjoying the easiest bby ont eh planet and wondering why I had such a hard time with my first baby when newborns sleep all the time, and suddenly it was upon us.

I Love My Hug-a-Bub

I'd have periods where I would be walking the floor with her for 8 hours straight. Not pleasant. I tried every medicaton I could get my hands on. I tested her for reflux, tried Infants Friend, Infacol and endured two weeks of hell otherwise known as the elimination diet. And through all of that there was only one thing that would calm her down. And that was bieng in the heart-to-heart position in the Hug-a-Bub.

Which makes sense really. It's like a second womb. A happy baby means better digestion and anything that was going to alleviate the stress on that immature nervous sytem was going to also help her with her wee tummy. All snug in there and upright which helped with gas, she would sleep (even if on a bad day it was fitfullya nd I had to remain on my feet the whole time!) She lived in it. I struggled to get a photo of her not in the hug-a-bub because she was always in there. And then almost like magic at the 6 week mark something happened.

Welcome Back, Easiest Baby on the Planet

I'd read that block feeding could help colic. So I started doing that. Block feeding means you feed on one side for two hours before swapping to help with over-supply. And it doesn't matter if they only feed once in that period or five times you just keep to the one side until the two hours is up. The theory is that over-supply can lead to a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance and that if the baby is getting too much foremilk the sugar can ferment int eh belly and cause gas. Now I'll never really know if it was the block feeding or she just grew out of it. But at 6 weeks, there she was. The easiest baby on the planet was back and the colic was gone.

But the easiest baby on the planet still loves her snuggles and spends a decent portion of her day in the hug-a-bub. Which I love too. I'm a snuggly kind of girl.

I'm easily lured by promises of one thing with multiple uses. Case and point. When I was shopping for my first baby I bought one of those convertible car seats. Great for the budget and efficacy. Newborn to four years. Problem solved. Except it wasn't solved at all. Unlike the mums I knew who had capsules I couldn't take my blissfully sleeping baby out of the car without waking her. Ever. I couldn't just duck into a shop and have her sleep through it. Or get her to sleep in the car and then bring the capsule inside while I sat in blissful peace. And it didn't matter how careful I was with taking her out, she always woke up. And she continud to always wake up until she was about 2. So my masterstroke was somewhat less than masterful.

Don't Choose One, Choose Two.

And so second time around when it came to choosing a baby carrier, I didn't choose one, I chose two. A wrap carrier and a structured carrier. And although the structured carrier can technically go from Newborn - Toddler it really can't touch the brilliance of the wrap carrier for those first newborn months. Not that it can't be worn for longer than that - I've heard of it being for up until 18 months! But generally a wrap carrier is most comfortable (for mum and baby) from birth to around 6 months.

5 Things A Wrap Can Do Better

My baby sleeps for longer

Because of the snug position of the wrap carrier - particularly how the head is tucked into my chest she is less likely to wake and more likely to continue to sleep through sleep cycles. With my structured carrier the most she will ever sleep at a time is about half an hour to 45 minutes. 

My baby settles more quickly

I found in the structured carrier that because her head wasn't tucked into place she struggled to settle. She wouldn't just rest her head on it's side and because she has a dummy she was forever moving her head from side to side and dropping the dummy from her mouth. In the wrap, the close positioning means it is super quick to get her to sleep and should she want to have her head out, she can.

I can do more things while she's sleeping

The wrap carrier is perfect for getting housework done. Because it's a wrap my baby isn't going to move if I'm crouching, bending over, sitting or standing which means I can make dinner, tidy up, chase after the toddler or play with the toddler outside all without disturbing a sleeping baby.

I have increased visibility for toddler wrangling

I'm not as maneuvreable when I'm using the structured carrier and as it is just a little bit more bulky, outings with the toddler can be somewhat more challenging. I need all hands and all the movement possible when it comes to looking after my lively three year old!

I can have the wrap on when I'm not using it

Another great feature is that because it's all just fabric I can leave the wrap carrier on when I'm not using it. I can drive with it on and then put the baby in whenever I get out of the car. This makes for a much quicker process. And when it comes to getting around and running errands - the quicker the better!

Tell Us About Your Experience

What's your experirence with baby carriers - is it a a one size fits all solution for you? Or do you prefer different carriers for different purposes? 

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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!

Lori is a blogger and mommy of one amazing little boy known around the 'net as "The Gnome." She's lucky enough to be married to the gnome's dad who works very hard so she can stay home and raise The Gnome. She is a wife, mommy, cook, avid reader, amateur sewer, coffee addict, wine fan, cheese snob, breastfeeder, cloth diaper enthusiast, outdoor lover, dog mom, and blogger. She is passionate about supporting all mamas. She is a huge fan of sharing the love. You can catch up with her on her blog, check her out on facebook and procrastinate with her on twitter.

There are some great resources on her blog includeing How to Nurse in a Moby Wrap and How to Nurse in an ERGO

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

No, I didn't even register for a carrier or wrap! When my son was just a few weeks I bought a Moby Wrap. It changed our entire relationship. He went from miserable baby to the happiest, most content little guy ever. 

What do you love about babywearing?

Having my son close and still being able to get things done. Babywearing doesn't just keep him calm & happy, it mellows me out too. 

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

It's almost always a comment about how cute & happy he is. He always has a smile on his face when I'm wearing him and people comment on it every time.

Is your partner a keen babywearer?

He is afraid of wraps but he wears our son in the ERGO every single night. He even has his very own ERGO! He's always offering to wear him when we're out and about. 

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

Right now we have 3 with another on the way. I am saving up for a Wrap Conversion though!

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

You won't regret it. It makes like so much easier and it makes for a happy baby. If you're breastfeeding, it is the easiest way to do it hands-free. 

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

I'm still on my first child. If I could guess though, I would think I would babywear even more with number two since I will be chasing number one around. 

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

Running errands. I keep a SSC in my car. We haven't used his stroller since he was a month or so old. 

And lastly, what's your favourite babywearing photo?

I've attached a few but my absolute favorite is the one of him in the Moby Wrap. That was the first time I put him in it and he immediately fell asleep with a grin on his face!

When I was pregnant the thought of taking both children shopping terrified me. Why put myself through it?! Grocery shopping is best done online or by husbands surely. And I was pretty sure that no matter what time of day I left the house at least one of them would be cranky. The reality by comparison was not nearly as bad.

My baby is now 6 months old and since the beginning there's nothing that I haven't really done. I actually do the grocery shopping with the two kids because I still haven't been quite organised enough to plan the online shopping thing. I've taken them both on longer day trips and have travelled interstate with them on holiday as well. There was only one situation where I needed a pram. And that was when we travelled to Melbourne and my three year old got too tired walking around.

I love the Hug-a-Bub wrap for short shopping trips. I don't have to find a trolley with a baby seat and silently panic about all the germs that the baby is now lying on and/or licking plus I have two hands for wrangling my big girl which is pretty necessary. Particularly when I hear her say the same thing over and over "I just have to run, mama". Joy.

For day trips I've tried out both options. I've taken the pram and I've taken the wrap. The pram is generally more trouble than it's worth. It's cumbersome to get on and off the train and sometimes to get it inside the carriage I actually have to take it apart, all while holding a baby. Not so much fun. And my light sleeping baby doesn't tend to sleep for an overly long period of time in the pram anyway - she generally just has one sleep cycle in there and that's it. Now that she's more active I often take the pram just so she has somewhere to hang out in and play with a few toys, but it is still far easier to get her to sleep in the wrap.

When she was three months old we went down to Melbourne for the week and she lived in the wrap. The only sleep she really had in a bed was her evening sleep and other than that I pretty much exclusively wore her the entire time. I was at a conference for a few of the days and it made it so easy to participate in everything and at no stage did I need to try and get the pram into a venue, or weave it in between tables and chairs. And I was pretty comfortable in being able to wear her for around 10 hours a day without getting sore or feeling tired.

I'm heading off to another conference next week and although I'm staying overnight I don't want to check in any baggage because I arrive in Melbourne at 7:30 and the event starts at 8:30, so time is of the essence! Again I'll be forgoing the pram in favour of the wrap. She's a bigger, much more active baby now but she still loves it and is quite happy to spend her time in there.

Interesting fact: the pram I own is worth more than my car (my 20 year old car). And although I love having a great pram, I love that I don't have to use it that often and only when it's convenient for me.

We are always so pleased when we hear from users our Hugabub Ring sling!

Tara from Our Whirlwind Adventures wrote about her babywearing experience here! 

She writes:

"And all I can say, after having it for an hour is, I am in love! Forever love. I can actually breastfeed while doing the dishes!"

You can read her full review here.

1) You are creating negative sleep associations

If they sleep in the wrap or sling they will never learn to sleep anywhere else

The theory about sleep associations is not new. You hear it all over the place if you rock to sleep / feed to sleep / wear to sleep then the theory goes that your baby will never learn to go to sleep any other way, and may even have trouble going through sleep cycles at night. But the truth is that it doesn't matter how you get your baby to sleep, in their own sweet time they will start putting themselves to sleep. Sometimes that time is a bit too long for a parents liking and we might choose to give them a bit of a nudge along. But there is no rhyme or reason to it. My first didn't go to sleep on her own reliably until she was over a year old, my second by the time she was six weeks. It might not feel like it at the time, but you will not be feeding/patting/rocking/wearing your 10 year old to get them to go to sleep.

2) Babies should learn to sleep on their own

You are doing a disservice if they don't learn to go to sleep on their own.

The idea that babies should sleep on their own is a rather new one. Adults often have trouble sleeping in a bed alone, or need to have a hot drink, read a book or any manner of other routines to help them get to sleep. So the idea that a baby should be able to go to sleep without company, comfort or help is pretty unrealistic. It might be tempting to think that once a baby goes to sleep on their own, they will sleep for longer and will be better rested and in the long run better off. But it's no guarantee. My little one puts herself to sleep and regularly (very regularly) cat naps through the day anyway. 

3) Babywearing creates 'clingy' babies

The idea that babywearing will somehow stunt the development of independence and resilience.

In the 1950s baby experts thought that resilience was created by parental detachment. However, it is now known that a secure attachment leads to independence, emotional availablility, better coping skills, improved moral development, reduced stress and improved academic performance.

My first baby was what you would call a high needs baby. She would breastfeed for long stretches, preferred to be rocked to sleep (sometimes it took me up to an hour) and in general liked to be held for most of the day. There was lots to love about a high needs baby. I enjoyed that level of attachment and it was lovely to be needed so much.

My second baby was a different creature entirely. She hated being rocked, she was not a snuggly baby (other than being worn in the Hug-a-Bub wrap carrier) and is quite possibly the most laid back baby I've come across. She plays on the floor on her own and doesn't protest when I'm not in the room. She puts herself to sleep. Few things bother her. Even when I took her to have her vaccinations recently she didn't even flinch when the needle went in. She was born that way and other than a brief stint of colic, she is an unbelievably happy baby.

Recently, as she approached 6 months she started to become a whole lot more unsettled. She would protest being on the floor or when I left the room and started resisting sleep. Which is not unusual for a 6 month old. Separation anxiety starts kicking in and they usually have a good amount of teething to cope with as well. But in my little one's case I think it was that unsettled period before she made her leap to the next developmental stage. She's just about crawling. She commando crawls at the moment and pulls herself along. In no time she'll be off and my productivity at home will drop dramatically.

During this stage there are a whole range of things that you can do.

Harness Brief Periods of Productivity

Even when a baby is going through one of these stages they will still tend to have a decent sleep first thing in the morning. In these times I try to get all the things done that I can do much faster when they are in their bed. Like cleaning the bathrooms, changing linen and getting some work done on the computer. And I make sure and save the things that are easy to do with her for later - especially hanging out washing or anything that needs doing outside - because she loves the outdoors.

Hug-a-Bub and More Hug-a-Bub

During these periods, even as a 6 month old, she will live in the Hug-a-Bub either to sleep or just hang out while I do other things. It's much easier than carrying her around on my hip all day. It's one way of definitely getting her to sleep because I can tuck her head in and it stops her thrashing around too much and keeps her settled enough to drift off. To make the most of this time I have a computer set up at eye-level when I'm standing up so I can use it even when the baby is insisting that I stay on my feet.

Variety is the Spice of Life

As it turns out, it's also the spice of baby. Nothing helps to turn a cranky baby turn into a happy one like a change of scenery - getting outside, even looking out a window can do wonders. But even have a variety of different play areas can be great too - an area on the floor, an easily transportable seat so you can take them around with you and maybe a swing if they are into it {mine has found a way to get our swing to approach warp speed so I haven't put her in it recently}

Know That It's Temporary

If you are anything like me you will enjoy these brief periods of time. I'm quite happy to have a baby who requires a bit more of me than she normally would. It's such a great opportunity to forget being busy and just enjoy her company. The house can wait. She's so tiny but will only be that way for such a finite period of time. I'm going to blink and she will be embarrassed to hold my hand when we cross the road. So I treasure every time she demands to be held close and I would never wish it away.

One of the potentially intimidating things about the hug-a-bub wrap carrier when you first get it is how much fabric there is. This isn't just because it might take you a couple of times before you figure out how to tie it with ease, but because it might not be easy to get them in and out for short trips, errands or even if you just need to take them out to change a nappy.

The ability to take a baby in and out of a carrier easily is called it's 'poppable factor'. Cute word that basically refers to how easy it is. So what rates the highest? Pouches are usually regarded as having the highest degree of poppability, followed by slings. Wraps might take more time to get adjusted, but once tied they are just as poppable as a sling or pouch. And ranking as the least poppable are probably structured front and back carriers.

There are a few things that you can do to maximise the hug-a-bub's poppability:

1) I often tie it and adjust it before I get in the car. That way when I get to where I'm going I don't need to tie anything - I just adjust and tighten (if need be) and put the baby in. This is especially helpful if it has been raining and you don't want to get the fabric wet in the car park.

2) If you are only briefly taking your baby out (for a nappy change or a quick clean up) you can also leave the wrap tied on and ready for when they need to go back in.

3) Tie it nice and tight. You won't have to adjust it as much and it will still be really easy to get the baby out when you need to.

Getting them out - how easy is it?

Getting a baby out of a hug-a-bub is really easy. You just lower the pocket, pull both pieces of the wrap down and with a quick wiggle you can lift your baby right out. Which is great because it means (unlike with structured carriersp you don't need to have an extra surface to put the baby while you take off the carrier. The baby is out and your carrier stays tied, ready for the next time you want to use it or for when it is convenient for you to take it off.

What's the most important feature to you in a carrier?

Tenielle Reid is the mother of Ianto and Amelia. Ianto was sadly stillborn at 32 weeks in February 2010, and Tenielle's blog Sweet Soft Smudge was born of that loss. She's been called "brave" for being able to write through her grief, but she doesn't see it that way. She just plods on with life, takes what she gets, and tries to learn from it. Amelia helps. Tenielle is hopelessly in love with her husband Scott, her two babies, and her baby carriers. And chocolate. And Doctor Who. And...

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

Definitely. When I was pregnant the first time, I didn't know much about babywearing, just that I instinctively knew it was the right thing to do. I bought a "bag sling" from eBay and thought that would be enough. I didn't get to use it because my son died, but it sat and waited for the next baby. When I was pregnant with my daughter (Amelia), I researched a few more carriers and bought another eBay dealie, a second-hand ABA carrier. Once she was born, I tried the bag sling and it was terrible. She hated it, I couldn't work out all the straps, it went straight to storage. The ABA carrier was great, but she got too big for it too quickly. That led to me buying my first Hug-A-Bub when she was about three months old. I agonised over the decision for ages - how does the baby stay in? What if I drop her? How am I meant to tie it? It's too complicated for me! - but it was one of the best parenting decisions I think I've made.

2) What do you love about babywearing?

I love being so close to my baby! I love that I can just walk straight up stairs instead of struggling with a pram or stroller, and I can move around small shops very easily. I love that she falls asleep on my chest listening to my heartbeat and knowing she's safe and warm.

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

"Oh, that's so cute!" or "Aww, look at the baby near her mummy!" I've also been asked "Where would I get one of those?" and (from a little boy) "Why did you buy that?"

Last Saturday, I had Amelia in our ring sling and was walking in a rather dark area. I was trying to work out why this woman was frowning and staring at me. She just kept staring, staring, and I was getting a little nervous because we were walking towards each other and I thought she might be planning to hurt me. As we got close to each other,she suddenly smiled and said "Oh! It's a baby!" - She'd been trying to work out what the "thing" hanging off my hip was!

4) Is your partner a keen babywearer?

Oh yes. When we go out as a family, I'm usually the one wearing Amelia, but I know he'll swap with me in an instant. He loves wearing her, though at the beginning he was very scared of dropping her. He didn't want to take his hands from around her until I prised them away! He's perfectly fine wearing her in our pink pocketless wrap, he loves it almost as much as I do. He hasn't tried the ring sling though. I'll get him one day...

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

Six or seven. I use the wraps more than the structured carriers (again, too many straps and buckles for my liking!), but since getting our ring sling a few weeks ago, that's been my carrier of choice. Amelia's started to be a lot more interested in the world around her, so a hip carry is great for her. I haven't quite worked out a cradle carry, so I make sure to have one wrap in (or hanging from) my nappy bag in case she gets sleepy.

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

Do it! It's the best feeling, being so close to your baby but being able to do so many things around/with them. For a newborn, I'd recommend using just a wrap (only because of my aforementioned difficulties with cradle carries), then moving on to a combination of a wrap and ring sling. Maybe a structured carrier for back carries, but I haven't got to that point yet.

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

Shopping, walking anywhere further than next door... I suppose if I ever did housework, that would be one (haha), getting Amelia to sleep when I need to be up and active rather than able to lay down with her.

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

I have a couple.

My husband wearing Amelia for the first time and rocking the pink pocketless.

Amelia sleeping soundly in the ring sling. I had half worked out the cradle carry, but was sitting down anyway so didn't feel the need to do it all properly.

And Amelia peeking up at me two minutes after the last photo with her big sleepy blue eyes.

Congratulations to Kimberley Wheeler who has won this fantastic prize!

Hug-a-Bub is excited to be giving away a wrap and sling bundle to a lucky member of our Facebook Page.

Hug-a-Bub Organic Wrap Carrier

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.

Hug-a-Bub Traditional Ring Sling

The Traditional Ring sling is a lightly padded, modernised adaptation of the age-old traditional sling carriers of Asia and the Americas. It is fully adjustable through sturdy but lightweight aluminium rings and features a wide shoulder and back/weight distribution for parental comfort. The ring sling can be worn in 5 versatile positions that will suit newborns through to toddlers.

The ring sling is also easy to use and quick to put on and take off for both parent and baby. The long tail may be used as a sun-shade, as a breastfeeding cover or it can be tucked away entirely. The traditional ring sling is available in cool hand woven cottons and bright or earthy tones.

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

To enter leave a comment below answering this question: which carrier do you think you would use the most and why?

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) Following Hugabub on Twitter

This competition closes on 8th December and the winner will be announced on the blog and on our Facebook page on the 13th December

Hug-a-Bub is looking to draw from our community and feature reviews of both the hug-a-bub wrap carrier and ring sling on our blog and on our facebook page.

We are looking for people to submit their reviews in words, pictures and video (you can use some of these mediums or all of them it really is completely up to you!) to share your babywearing experience.

Hug-a-bub has a great resource on our YouTube channel and we would love to add to it. An example of some testimonials that we have received in the past is here:

It dosn't have to be a traditional review (although it can be!) feel free to be as creative as you like. We can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.

Suggestions for a video review include:

1. Demonstrating how to put the baby in the carrier in a particular position

2. Settling your baby in the carrier

3. Doing an activity with the carrier

4. Talking about specific ways you use the carrier.

As a thank you to those who have reviews featured on our Blog and Facebook page, you will receive the following discounts on your next purchase with Hug-a-Bub:

20% for a written review

30% for a written review with pictures

50% for a written review with pictures and video

As an example here is a sample review:

Hug-a-Bub, a Review

Every now and then, after my three year old has gone to bed and it's just my husband and I awake with our little one in her hug-a-bub wrap, we look over at one another and exchange a look. Sometimes we verbalise it, sometimes we don't. But what the look says is 'thank god for the wrap'. With our first we became accustomed to hours upon hours of endless rocking in a darkened room, creeping around, not making a sound. So to be able to have some dinner, watch some TV, get some work done or just relax with our baby happily sleeping away in the carrier has been such a blessing. It has taken so much of the stress out of baby sleep that it has left us to just enjoy the baby. And she is a delight.

At first I was intimidated by the single length of fabric, and that's one of the main comments I get about it from people who are unfamiliar with it - that it seems complicated. But it's not. After a couple of times trying it out, I got the hang of it pretty quickly. And if anything it only looks complicated because she is so securely wrapped up.

There are very few things that I couldn't do with her in the Hug-a-Bub. I can go for a brisk walk for exercise or for enjoyment, take my preschooler to the park, clean the house, do work on the computer, make dinner, go shopping, watch a movie or have something to eat. And it is such a relief to me to know that no matter how fussy our baby is, whether she's teething or overtired or just having a hard day, no matter what she will go to sleep in the Hug-a-Bub.

I own a structured carrier and I have put her in it from time to time but as yet she's not keen. She likes to have something to push against, have a bit of a fight before going to sleep and the fact is that a structured carrier gives her too much room to thrash about. She's always knocking her dummy out. She likes the containment of the wrap carrier and she likes that in the heart-to-heart position her head is held to the side so she can have her dummy comfortably.

When people used to ask me what my number one baby purchase was I used to laugh and say a King bed, now I'm much more likely to say my Hug-a-Bub although the King bed is still firmly in second place!

If you have any questions or would like to submit a review please email us at email@hugabub.com.

My baby is now 7 months old. And even though she is generally a very easy baby and goes to sleep on her own most of the time in her bed, I still put her in the wrap all the tme. As you can see, she's a pretty keen traveller this way. And although I own structured carriers, she doesn't really like them and they are far more cumbersome than the wrap.

1) Convenience

It's still so much easier to go shopping with my preschooler having my baby in the wrap than in the pram. It means I can push a trolley (and if I'm lucky the preschooler will oblige me by hopping in the trolley). It means I have two hands free for preschooler wrangling, although I confess my free hands are usually occupied with coffee. 

2) Happy Place

It's great because she's happy to have awake time in the wrap or go to sleep in there. So it really doesn't matter what she needs, those needs are met in the wrap.

3) My number one stress as a first time parent was sleep

Specifically, getting her to sleep. I used to rock her for hours and sometimes I was so tired I just wanted to sit down. But with this baby I know that if she doesn't go to sleep in her bed, she will ALWAYS go to sleep in the wrap. If she's teething it might take awhile, but she will go to sleep. Which means I never have to worry if she is having a hard time going to sleep because I always have a fail safe. In fact she's spent so much time in the wrap that I have a computer set up at eye level when I'm standing so while she's going to sleep I can be doing other things.

4) Good Excercise Option

I'm in the process of losing baby weight. To my horror breastfeeding didn't do the weight loss job for me this time around, so I'm having to do things the old fashioned way. On days when I can't get to the gym, I put my baby in the hug-a-bub and push the preschooler in an umbrella stroller and we go for a long walk. Of course the preschooler doesn't stay in the stroller the whole time but the option is there when she gets tired.

5) Even older babies need skin-to-skin time

As it happens the times of the day when she is most in need of cuddles and skin-to-skin contact are the times of the day when I have the most stuff to get done (hello 4:30pm and I haven't thought about dinner yet). The hug-a-bub wrap carrier is great for me to whizz around and get everything done, especially for those times when she's too overtired to go to sleep on her own

Do you love to wear your babies into their toddler years?

As I was packing for nearly two weeks away I knew I was packing too many clothes. But I kind of couldn't help myself. Not clothes for myself - I just packed the bare essentials for me - but clothes for the baby and the 3 year old - definitely. Baby and kids clothes are kind of my weakness. If I have a choice between buying clothes for myself or buying clothes for them I will always buy for them because it is always more fun. I left most of the toys at home - just a few puzzles and distraction devices and although I knew I would have to take a car seat with me I decided to leave the pram behind.

As we were packing up my mother's small car with all the stuff I did bring, I was very glad that I didn't bring it - there's now way it would have fit - not with two car seats in the back of her car!

1. I Didn't Miss It

I thought after about a week I might regret my decision not to bring it but I didn't miss it or even really notice that I didn't have it. Unlike the times I'm at home and I forget to bring the carrier. That I always regret.

2. It Made Christmas Shopping Easy

I managed to buy 6 Christmas presents in about 45 minutes for the part of my family I was visiting. I'm a big fan of speed shopping. Get in, get out, no fuss. Speed shopping with a wriggly 8 month old baby is definitely improved by her being asleep in the carrier.

3. Overstimulated Babies Like to be Worn

Being on holidays around a lot of keen relatives who hadn't had much of a chance to see the baby previously, means that the baby missed out on some of her sleep. And she was often far more keen on checking out all the new people than having a rest. Which is all well and good until she hit the wall of tired and needed to sleep but was too overstimulated and overtired to do so. It was nice to know that I could just wear her to sleep while still spending time with my family.

4. A Birds Eye View is Better Than Looking At the Sky

My baby far prefers to be perched up in the carrier looking at everyone, checking out people's faces and in general surveying her domain rather than being in the pram. Instead of looking up at the sky if she's in the layback position or looking at the people's legs if she's in the upright position, she gets to see the way everyone else does. It is possible that this is why strangers told me that my baby was a flirt. She learned all about peek-a-boo while we were away.

5. Country Towns Don't Always Have Footpaths

I was staying in the country so not everywhere is guttered or has foot paths and some of it could have been annoying to navigate with a pram. It was much easier being on foot without having to push anything. My pram handles off-road pretty well but I don't think it would have been a smooth ride for the baby. I doubt she would have gotten much sleep.

Now if only I could convince the flight crew that the carrier is superior to the infant seat belt I'd really be on to something . . .

If you are anything like me, when you first had a baby you bought all kinds of things that where a complete waste of money. And some things that you bought that you didn't think you would ever use ended up being a real life saver.

I then repeated a similar experience with my second baby when I found what she liked was so very, very different from her sister. So I suppose the most essential baby item will vary from child to child.

My Child Magazine is running My Child Excellence Awards in conjunction with the national baby shows and Hug-a-Bub is in the running for the Best Travel Product category. We have had some fantastic feedback about the carrier and know that many people feel it is the absolute best thing that they bought for the baby stage of their parenting, so we would love for people to vote for us in these awards, so even more people will be able to find out about these babywearing benefits.

By voting you also go in the draw to win an amazing family holiday valued at over $1,600. To vote you have to register first. Once you are registered, you can login and head to the consumer voting page.

Thank you Hug-a-Bub community - we appreciate you taking the time!

Once you are registered, you can login

 and head to the consumer voting page.

And to say a very big thank you we are giving away a chance to win one organic Hug-a-Bub wrap carrier to everyone who votes for the next week. Once you've voted just leave us a comment letting us know and you will go into the draw.

"I found it so easy to use and after a few times found I could put it on in a couple of minutes. My bub is the most relaxed baby and I honestly put it down to the hug-a-bub and bub being so close. Didn't hurt my back like others and could wear it hours on end." - Edna, January 2013

"Just bought it for our newborn- she sleeps so easily in it. Takes a few goes to get the wrap right but once you got it it's easy! I got the green one with the pocket- the pocket certainly makes it easy to stow away- much recommended for hands free safe sleeping newborns!" - MummyN, November 2012

We love hearing from our customers and you can check out over 60 reviews of Hug-a-Bub carriers here.

Kidspot Best of Awards

We've been so proud to be part of the Kidspot awards in previous years and nominations are currently open until the 18th March.

We would love it if you would take the time to go to the Kidspot nomination form and nominate Hug-a-Bub. You can nominate us for our wrap carrier and our ring sling.

How to Win

To say thank you for nominating us, every week we will be giving away one carrier (either wrap or ring sling - your choice!) to people who have nominated us. So after you've nominated, come back here and leave us a comment letting us know that you have so you can go into the draw!

Piper was my second child, but she was the first one I used a Hug-a-Bub to babywear. And because it was so much more comfortable than other slings I had used, I wore her a lot. I wore her almost continuously up until she was 6 weeks old because she had colic and it was the only thing that seemed to calm her down.

And I wore her almost everywhere after that because having a 3 year old it just made my life much easier. And even when my 3 year old, Riley was at preschool I would often wear her at home because I could get work done or do some housework while she slept. She was quite comfortable in the Hug-a-Bub until she was about 18 months old. And she preferred it to any other type of carrier.

Myth 1: If you wear them all the time they won't learn to sleep on their own

If anything, I found the opposite to be true. Because she went to sleep in the wrap all the time, she seemed far more capable of going to sleep on her own and was putting herself to sleep from a very early age and didn't seem to need as much soothing to get back to sleep in between sleep cycles. She transitioned very easily from the baby hammock to the cot and then to a toddler bed. As far as getting to sleep, she was just easy.

Myth 2: If you carry them around they will never want to walk on their own

I would have been quite happy for Piper to take her time with crawling and walking but she was early with both. Now at the age of 2, I'd be quite happy to keep carrying her around but she insists on being put down to walk. And she's slowly getting the hang of the hand holding thing. Although that has been a very long process.

Myth 3: It will hurt your back

One of the great things about the wrap is the even distribution of weight. So even during periods of babywearing for over 8 hours a day, I didn't experience any shoulder or back pain from it.

Myth 4: If you carry them everywhere, they will be too dependent

Babies are relatively dependent anyway, so this is an odd one. But if anything, the security that Piper had from being worn everywhere meant that she became quite independent early on. She plays on her own a lot. She potters about the house doing her own thing and has never really had any periods of separation anxiety. When I leave, she doesn't really care. And when I come back she laughs.

Myth 5: It limits your freedom to do what you want to do

For me exactly the opposite was true. I didn't have to worry about whether it was nap time or not, I could do what I needed to do whether that was taking my 3 year old to the park, or cleaning the house or sitting down at the computer to get some work done. I was no longer tied to the baby's schedule. Which was great because Piper never really had much of a routine, so she was pretty unpredictable that way.

Myth 6: Closely related to Myth 1. If they sleep while being worn, they won't sleep in their cot when you need them to

Babywearing is great and I really enjoyed having all that closeness and cuddles with Piper. But there are times when you do want them to sleep in a cot or in a bouncer or in a bed. Because you want a break, or want to eat messy food or just want to take advantage of some down time. I never had a problem having the best of both worlds. I find the more different places she got used to going to sleep, the easier it was for her to go to sleep pretty much anywhere.

Two yeas later. I'm glad that I didn't listen to any of those things, and just did what I wanted to do. Because I don't have a baby anymore. I have a two year old adventurer. But luckily she still appreciates cuddles as much as I do.

At Hugabub, we love babywearing fashion! And we are so excited to be nominated in the 2013 Kids Fashion Review Style Awards. You can vote for us here!

We have recently joined Instagram and think there would be no better way to celebrate the style awards than by having people share their photos of their babywearing style! To make sure we see your photos tag them with #hugabub.

To get you started here are some top tips to rock that babywearing style.

1. Do embrace bold colours

Sure, a lot of what you are wearing on top will be obscured by a baby carrier, so you might as well make a pop with your colour choice!

2. Wear shoes that you love

If you are confident wearing heels while babywearing, go for it! If you tend towards the clumsy side like myself go for the boots that you love or some fun flats.

3. Don't wear billowy tops

I love a good flowing top as much as the next person, but it will be lost once you are wearing your baby, save it for another time!

4. Necklaces might be out, but bracelets are in

Generally you don't want anything between you and that baby's head, not to mention the pulling that would happen if you were wearing a necklace! But bracelets are a great way to still wear your jewellery.

5. Don't expect anyone to notice anything except your baby

Babies are highly distracting, it's only natural.

We look forward to seeing your photos!