If it weren't enough that my girls were (and one still is) in the hospital, when they get out, the necessary products they need aren't available to them because of their small size, one item being baby carriers. Mimi is home with us and she is a crybaby, just like her father, and wants to be held all the time. I don't have a problem with that. My baby wants to be held, so I'll hold her. Those special moments were taken away from us for the first 2 1/2 months of her life, so I don't mind catching up. I didn't think I'd be a "babywearing" mami, but I'm open-minded and the idea is becoming more and more of a reality. A friend of mine, Huppie Mama, sent me an article Ten Reasons to Wear Your Baby. The first reason being it's convenient. I would get so much done if I were able to carry or "wear" Mimi around. Other reasons are having a happier baby, good exercise for mommy, and better communication between you and baby.
Back to my issue: baby carriers start at 7lbs., which would be for a full-term baby. My girls are barely 5 lbs! Not only is it unfair, but it also puts preemies in danger of being put in a carrier not built for them where they can fall out. It also doesn't allow preemie parents, such as myself, to be "babywearing" parents if that is what they wanted to do. Coming from experience, there are a ton of things that you dreamed of happening while you were pregnant that are thrown out the window when your bundle of joy comes 3 months (or more) early. Some sense of normalcy and parts of that dream can still be a reality, we just need the right products to do it. Annoying isn't it?
I just wrote a long comment and lost it, so hopefully I can remember it all. You're having the same problem that I had... In this country, we have modernized parenting. Everything is one-stop shopping. You go to Babies R Us and get the baby carrier off the shelf, the bouncer chair, the swing, pacifier, pack n play, etc. But what happens when you don't feel comfortable with that baby carrier or your child doesn't like the bouncer or the swing? Or what if those options didn't exist? I look toward developing nations to see how they do things. If you are a mom who has to go back to work farming or tending to all of the other children, you find a way to carry your baby. There are baby carriers for preemies, but you won't find them on the shelves at Babies R Us. You'll have to look on message boards to find what other mothers have used or shop at lesser known websites to find what you want. That's what I do to find the products that are right for us... because there are VERY few things that we purchased at Babies R Us that we use. Be creative, be open-minded to other options, and you will find the things that are right for your family.
ReplyDeleteAlso, make sure you look at all the different baby carriers - not just the bjorn-style. There are slings, pouches, mei tais, soft-structured. And what you will learn about most products find on shelves, is that they tend to be the most poorly-made. The Bjorn-style that are so popular are definitely not the best baby carriers :-(
ReplyDeleteThanks Huppie Mama. Premature births are not rare. Preemie products should definitely be available at franchise stores such as Babies R Us. I am fortunate for those who have taken it upon themselves to provide products for tiny miracles.
ReplyDeleteI made my own carrier. It's like a moby wrap. Just five yards of t-shirt material. About two feet wide. Friends of mine with tiny twins LOVE theirs. They bought theirs for $35 each. I made mine for $11 ... You could make two, but you could carry both babies at the same time while they're still tiny. If you buy five yards, just cut the piece down the middle. Lots of sites tell you how to use them (peppermint.com has instructions for using wraps with preemies ... http://peppermint.com/baby-wearing-instructions.html ) Takes some practice, but the wrap-style of carrier will grow with your preemies, and it WILL fit them now. I hope this helps. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of carriers that will work once the babies are 5 pounds. We used a Moby Wrap in the early days, and sometimes pocket slings. We also had a used Weego that reminded my mom of the Snugli she used when I was a baby! (http://www.weego.com/). I think the regular Weego starts at 5lb (maybe?) but they also make a version that accommodates preemies as early as 3lb (and a twin version, which we didn't use, that also starts at 3lb). Might be something to look into. [Not an endorsement, and I don't work for them or anything, I just know they make a preemie carrier...]
ReplyDeleteThe Weego Preemie is so wonderful! It is for 3lbs and up. My son is not even 6lbs and I can carry him all over!. And it is true it is really hard to find preemie stuff. His swing and bouncer are too big and I have to pad around him so he can use them. In addition, clothes are so inconsistent in preemie sizes! Either too small or usually way too big!
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