Gettin' out

With the Olympics in town, S, Baby and I have been out lots walking around. There is so much to do everywhere in the city. Even though I voted against Vancouver holding the 2010 games in a referendum years ago, I have to admit that I'm enjoying the excitement around me. We can hear concerts or see fireworks every night from our place, even with the scaffolding up across the alley (which doesn't come down until June..ugh). We decided when I was pregnant that we would wait to buy a stroller. There are SO many choices and so many almost scary contraptions out there for carrying your baby that it is overwhelming. We have a convertible carseat (one that doesn't 'snap' in and out of the car - it stays where it is and baby is put in and out instead) so we didn't have any need for a stroller that carries a carseat. Also, neither of us could imagine putting a tiny baby in a basket so far away and pushing him or her around! However, I know that my back isn't the strongest and we love going for long walks so we decided we'd wait until the baby was about 6 months or so and then invest in a stroller.

In the meantime, after a lot of research online and talking to other moms, we decided on the Ergo carrier. We ended up finding one 2nd hand in a consignment shop in Bellingham so we picked it up. We then decided that we wanted a sling as well...at least for the first month or two. We found one at Winners (surprisingly) made by the people who make the Peanut Shell. Great deal! When Baby was about a week old we decided to try her in the sling. She seemed REALLY squished! We took her out to the grocery store and we were both constantly peering into the sling and hoping she could still breathe! Baby seemed to make a lot of noises and squirm in it. We talked to a few people about them and everyone assured us that "babies love them!" I wasn't so sure though. We tried it a few more times and she continued to squirm and grunt and just look uncomfortable. Only one time did she seem comfy and cozy. I decided I didn't like it and decided that Baby didn't like it either. So, we picked up the infant insert for the Ergo at Room for 2 and got help from the staff there on how to use it. They have some great women that work there and carry great products! Anyway, we have been using the insert and the Ergo pretty much everyday since we bought the insert. Baby loves it and calms down as soon as she's in it. I thought we would carry her cradle style more often but it turns out we carry her in the frog position all the time and Baby prefers it. We both still panic a bit when she buries her face into our chests and we worry she can't breathe. We spend a lot of time adjusting her in it but it hasn't stopped us from packing her around the city in it every day! The Ergo is apparently the best carrier for many reasons....one of which is that it is easy on the carrier's back. This is totally true...I have back problems sometimes and it is not the cause of any back issues so far. However, my back does get tired after a couple of hours of walking around so we will definitely be purchasing a stroller in early summer likely. For now, we are both enjoying the extra cuddle time that the Ergo allows us :)