We’re so glad you’re here! At Baby Tula we love nothing more than fostering a love of babywearing in parents and their children alike, we know the incredible bonds it can help to build, and the joy the whole family can get from it. We want to empower families of all kinds on their individual parenting journeys, and one of the best ways to do that is through confident, happy babywearing.
How to make babywearing successful, right from day one:
- If you can, try on some carriers in store or visit a local sling library before you buy your carrier to get an idea of what styles or features may be important to you. Making an informed choice goes a long way to starting you off on the right foot. We also have a handy page where you can compare our carriers on our website, so you can figure out what’s best for you and your growing family.
- Get familiar with your carrier ahead of time. Before baby comes, or before you put baby in, take the carrier out of the box and get to know all its features. For example, learn how to buckle the waist band, adjust the straps, anything to make you more confident when baby arrives. Our carriers are specially designed to be easy-to-use and if you need a helping hand then we’ve got loads of demonstration videos in the Product Instructions section of our website, just find your carrier and click its photo.
- Once baby is here, try babywearing for the first time when they are fed, warm and have a clean nappy on, instead of when baby is upset or hungry. This means baby is more likely to settle and will make the experience smoother for both of you.
- Stay calm. This can be really tough when you’re nervous and just getting started but babies are really smart and can quickly pick up on our nervousness, so try and take a few deep breaths. And remember, if it doesn’t go to plan you can always try again in a little while.
- Which leads us to our next tip... Practice. It’s a new skill, that may be unfamiliar to you both. Using the carrier for you and baby is muscle memory.
- Move around while baby is in the carrier. Babies love movement on your body as it reminds them of the time spent in your womb so it can help to calm them down. Don’t be afraid to start walking briskly, big movements are what they were used to!
- Talk to baby, reassure them with your voice. Narrate what you’re doing. Your voice is calming to them and lets them know everything is okay. It’s also really beneficial for their brain growth, expressive and receptive language.
- Get outside, change the scenery. This can be a great way to vary what baby is seeing and the fresh air will do you both some good. It doesn’t have to be a big outing, a walk up and down the road will generally suffice.
- Remember that throughout different ages and stages, your babywearing relationship will change, just like sleeping and feeding. Your positions in the carrier, or even carrier styles may change depending on your needs or your baby’s needs. Go with the flow and see what works for both of you.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are babywearing groups, communities, and sling libraries with qualified babywearing consultants located all over the country and they will be more than happy to help you troubleshoot your carrier, and give you tips and support along the way. Our Tula Love is a fun place to share photos, chat, and discuss all things about Tula (carriers or woven wrap) too.
And our last tip? Don’t forget to enjoy yourselves! Nothing compares to being able to cuddle your little love close while exploring the world together so every now and then stop, take a breath, and feel that babywearing joy surround you both.