Last week I was thinking about all the ways we connect and bond with our children. Looking at the little rituals and and space we create that give us moments to express love on a daily basis I was reminded of times of sweet connection. For many of us, when we’re pregnant, we rub our bellies to sense our babies and demonstrate our growing love. After birth, skin to skin cuddles, kisses, nuzzles, and breastfeeding, to name a few, help us both to connect with our child and to communicate love. Caring for them and meeting their needs for warmth, shelter, food, and hygiene, bonds our families closer together. Including them in our activities, having them close to be a part of what we have going on and not passively set aside, gives us the opportunity to bond through shared experiences.
Babywearing did not begin to be an important part of our parenting until our third child. With our first two daughters, we relied heavily on our stroller and our arms. We had a carrier but it was horribly uncomfortable and it never felt right. When desperate I would use it so I could vacuum once in a while but the carrier hurt my shoulders, my back, and I couldn’t help but think probably my baby too. They just looked so awkward with their legs and arms jutting out and I was anxious they weren’t really secure. Through bath time, reading together, snuggling in bed, play time, and of course breastfeeding were our primary ways of developing connection. We added baby wearing with our third daughter when we discovered the ring sling and both The Piano Man and I regularly wore her at home and while out.
We wore our babies because they liked it. Not because of a parenting style, not because of a trend, and not because of a philosophical belief. Before we’d ever heard of attachment parenting, Dr. Sears, or even the term “babywearing,” we wore our babies. It just felt right. They were clearly happier closer to us and our own stress levels were reduced when they were content. Having them close facilitated a deeper connection making little kisses, conversation, and attention to their needs easier with juggling the demands of our older children, home life, and even working full time.
When our fourth was 8 months old we expanded our babywearing to include a soft structured carrier when some friends went in together to get us a Beco Butterfly II. They picked a print I loved, which I found exciting, but ultimately it was the comfort, ease, and practicality of the design that made the Beco my favorite carrier. But I wasn’t the only fan of the carrier.
By 10 months old Sugarbaby had become deeply attached to our Beco. If she saw it on the closet shelf she would squeal, flap her arms, smile, and radiate excitement. If we didn’t respond by taking the carrier out and wearing her, tears would inevitably ensue. After wearing her, when we would take her out of the carrier, she would pitch a fit even if it was obvious she wanted down and would only settle if we gave her the carrier to play with by herself on the floor. She was obsessed with the buckles and it wasn’t long before her verbal vocabulary was made up of “mama,” “dada,” and “Beco.” Her 3rd word. The Beco ranked pretty high in her life. There were times that I wondered if she was more attached to the actual carrier than she was to me. Reality was, as much as she loved that carrier, what made it so special was that it kept her close to her mommy and daddy and sometimes even a big sister would wear her. It was the bonding. For the longest time she would chatter about the Beco but nothing made her happier than being in the Beco on one of us. “Beco” was her third word because just as mama and dada meant love, so did “Beco.”
Today, 2 babies later, that carrier is still an important part of my ever growing wrap and carrier collection. It has held up through 3 babies now and been loaned out a few times as well. Some day I imagine we will enjoy carrying grandbabies and creating new intentional opportunities to express love with little ones. I doubt I’ll ever get rid of it because it represents one of the ways we bond with our babies and holds so many memories of connection, closeness, and love.
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How do you enjoy bonding with your little ones?
In what ways are you intentional about creating connections to express love and be close?
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I shared this story with my friends at Beco and they loved that “Beco” was Squiggle Bug’s 3rd word and meant so much to our family. In honor of Squiggle Bug and to help more parents and babies enjoy the bonding experience of babywearing, Beco is giving away 3 Gemini carriers (perfect for breastfeeding in) and 3 Beco Minis so your little ones can care for their babies like you do. Be sure to like Beco on Facebook so you can keep up on sales, news, and great baby wearing and parenting tips and information. To be entered in the giveaway, use the widget below.
Wearing my 7 week old is extremely important to me. She was in NICU for 2 weeks and I was unable to hold her for the first week of her life. Through baby wearing we have bonded and I have kept a great milk supply. I’ve already donated 200 oz’s to other babies in need.
I bond with my baby by wearing, breastfeeding, and cuddling her as much as possible. She is only this little once 🙂
I love baby wearing as well. It is so much easier to run after the older kids not having to carry a baby too!
NURSING ….at night time we head to bed and it is just me and the baby noone else and he knows that it is our time. It is amazing!
I love babywearing! We bond by wearing, co-sleeping, close feeding (bottle feeding pumped milk), and just being attentive to our girls’ needs.
I love taking my daughter out to explore the world. Whether it is a walk down the road, a trip to the mall, a playdate with friends or a trip to the beach, she loves observing and exploring and sharing the newness with me. We often use just our carrier and bring the stroller to carry our “stuff”
I love carrying my babies in my belly and I love carrying them in a wrap now that they are outside of me 🙂
My 2 year old and I read a ton of books. I wear my almost 2 week old in a pouch sling!
My little one loves to be worn. Sure way to keep him happy!
I baby-wear (both my 3yr old and 2yr old). We also bed share still.
Dinner time is also a no electronics time. And once a month we put away phones and go somewhere special (usually the zoo or Children’s Museum) to re-connect.
Oh and we spend an hour before bed connecting-bath time followed by snuggles and reading before my 2yr old drifts off to sleep while nursing and my 3yr old cuddles close and falls asleep.
I have been wanting to use a beco carrier but cannot afford one. Winning this contest would be amazing!!
I love this story! I wore my first even before I knew what kind of parent I was. It was a natural thing for me. And now that I am getting ready (in 2 weeks) to have baby #2, I look forward to wearing her as well! I know my 3 year old would LOVE to have a matching carrier, since she has already requested a matching blankie for her baby doll to match her sisters.. lol
I love how babywearing allows you to keep your baby close by and content.strangers will notice and comment on how happy and content my baby is “in there” 🙂
4 month old smiles whenever i put on our wrap carrier!
Baby wearing allows for so much. Breastfeeding, shopping, cleaning, walking the dog. Not to mention, endless smootches all over the head! It’s a win-win for everybody!!!
I love breastfeeding and singing to bond with my babies. I recently was given a Boba carrier and we love it!.
Babywearing has played a large part in bonding for my kiddos and me, I would love to try a Beco!
I love that story!! We bond through snuggles and games, like everyone, and also through BFing and massage.
My little one and I bond through babywearing, co sleeping, lots of snuggles, kisses and hugs. We always find new fun things to do together, just today we went swimming for the first time and she is an absolute water bug just like her mommy.
I love baby wearing too as it helps to take care of my other 6 kids and with out homeschooling. Sadly I have yet to find a comfortable carrier that both my baby and I like.
my 2yr old we make sure to read, snuggle, and nurse at least once with just her an I. With my 12wk old I wear her, snuggle, and nurse at least twice with just her and I.
When I had my first baby, we had a LOT of difficulties bonding. For his first few months I was often afraid to hold him, and he spent a lot of time in his carseat, a swing, or baby bouncer chair. Then when he was 5 months, I saw a lady using a carrier and we got to talking. She described how she couldn’t imagine how people handled two kids any other way, and how much she loved wearing her boys. I picked up a carrier that week, and have been hooked ever since.
Now a big three year old, my first baby has mostly outgrown wearing. And now, I too can not fathom how mothers handle two little ones without a carrier- it has been a lifesaver! When his little brother was first born, I could wrap him up and still play with my first, read books, and cuddle with him, which was crucial to supporting him through the difficulty of transitioning to having a sibling. I still wear his little brother a lot (he’s 16 mos), but occasionally, now that little brother can toddle, big brother asks for “uppy” in the carrier. He snuggles against me like he did when he was a baby, and I love that bit of close cuddling and bonding time with him, since opportunities are otherwise few and far between (and for that moment, I still only have one baby on the ground to keep track of, which is often more than enough!).
I bond with my 10 week old baby boy by baby wearing. I also never got an infant tub, so I just sit in the bathtub and bathe him that way. He loves it ,coos and laughs the entire time. 🙂
Wearing my kids has made them happy and my life easier.
<3 wearing my 4 month old! Don't know how I would get anything done otherwise!!
What a great giveaway.
I wear my 8 month old daughter every day. As a single mother, it not only allows me to bond with her in an amazing way, but also makes my life much easier! Also, it’s great exercise and I can bf while I am doing my day to day tasks! Not to mention, she loves it!
Co-sleeping, wearing and breast feeding for my daughter and I 🙂
I am a single mother so showing her extra love is important to me :):)
I love wearing my babies!
I love just holding my baby and snuggling to bond. Nursing has also been a wonderful experience, and it would be so much easier to learn how to do it in a carrier, since we have two other kids as well.
breastfeeding, babywearing and cosleeping!
We love snuggling & reading books
We bond by cosleeping, babywearing, and interacting all the time!
I sing to my babies. I have sung “San Antonio Rose” to all of them while they were still in utero and once born, and will sing whatever I’m listening to to them. The 3-month-old seems to like it the most these days.
I started baby wearing with my first, then when our second was born early baby wearing saved my sanity- she was only calm when worn. Now that they are older I still wear my toddler occasionally. I love reading them bedtime stories, or stories anytime really. My parents encouraged an avid love of reading by reading to us from an early age and I look forward to doing the same with my children.
My baby loves to be worn, I only wish I had known more about it when my first came along 6 years ago. Back then I only knew about crotch danglers and bags of death. With this one, we started with ring slings, now I’m hooked on MTs. I’ve been wanting to try an SSC too. I really believe wearing has given my baby more confidence as he moves through the world.
I love that her third word was Beco! Somehow “ring sling” just doesn’t have the same baby appeal 🙂
Breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months is one of my favorite ways to bond with baby. Now that baby #5 is here, it’s the best way I can be sure to spend quality time with her individually.
When my son was born in 2008, I was lucky enough to have great breastfeeding and babywearing role models. While they were relatively new concepts to my husband, he has often said that he feels both contributed to the great relationships we developed with our son. I miss those bonds, now that both activities have come to an end, but am looking forward to new experiences with our baby girl, due within the next three weeks!
10 year DD-we play games, read books and keep a mom/daughter journal
5 year old DS and 4 year old DS–we play games, read books and snuggle on the bed and watch movies
2 year old DD–lay down with her for naptime, snuggle on the couch and read books.
When they were little we babywore and held them during their naps
I never planned on co-sleeping, but the 4 month sleep regression hit us hard. Now I love spending the night with my baby after spending a long day at work.
This is so awesome!
We love cuddles and baby wearing allows for extra cuddles when out and about 🙂
My baby is my best accessory 🙂 I LOVE babywearing!
I have not worn my baby yet, but I hate loading and unloading the stroller so I’m sure babywearing will make my life easier.
I love bonding by nursing and walking together.
New to babywearing but now totally addicted! Even hubby loves wearing our wee girl.
Sometimes the only way to get my little guy to sleep is in the carrier. He loves it when we walk around with him and he can look at everything 😉
I wore my babies 30+ years ago and I love watching my grandchildren being worn. My favourite carrier from “back then” was my Baby Matey. I also wore out 3 backpack style carriers with the four children. I loved having my toddlers on my back so they could look over my shoulder and “participate’ in what I was doing and showing to them.
I love using my Beco! Dinner and cleaning is never an issue to get down in our house 🙂
I’ve never felt more bonded to my daughter than when I breastfed her. I also would hold her close and gaze into her eyes. Today, co-sleeping and reading together are my favorite ways to bond.
By snuggling and rocking them even if they’re 3 years old 🙂
This carrier looks so comfortable. I’d love to own one so I can easily nurse in public while wearing my squishy baby : )
Second to last paragraph…it says Sugarbaby instead of Squiggle Bug! 🙂
My 16 month old daughter loves stories. We spend a lot of time cuddling on the couch reading books.
When my dd first wakes up from a nap and after she nurses, I love to just play, talk to her and just hang out on our bed for awhile before I bring her out to the living room. It’s basically me hogging her all to myself and getting those first “after nap” smiles!
Babywearing, breastfeeding, bedsharing, listening 🙂
I’m due in 2 months and am excited to enjoy skin on skin contact with my little boy in the NuRoo I just ordered then keeping him close later with a Beco. It’s amazing no these modern marvels help us keep our children closer!
Would love love these carriers. I’ve heard nothing but good things about beco!
Babywearing and Nursing
Breastfeeding is a BIG bond and wearing, too! My now three yr old associated the moby with nursing, so got pretty excited when he saw it!
We love babywearing and would be so excited to add a Gemini or mini to our collection!!
Baby wearing, breast feeding, bed sharing, cuddling, wrestling, you name it!
I bond with my little guy by nursing him and showing him lots of affection. I also make time to laugh and be silly with him.
We love to babywear. Like Jessica it wasn’t as part of a particular parenting style but because it worked for our family. It allowed me to nurse on the run and saved the arms of my wimpy husband:) The same goes for why we co-slept. It started as a convenience but as we noticed the benefits to our daughter and our own well being we know that if there are future children we will do both.
I started babywearing with my 2nd, she is now 4, and still loves to be held , carried and cuddled. Her 10 months old brother is now regularly in my sling, but he doesn’t seem to love it like his sister. But simply for convenience, I’m sure we will be babywearing until he can walk long distances.
Breast feeding and lots of snuggle time!!
Snuggling is my main way of connecting with both my kids. Just being close to them is what they want most.
Babywearing and breastfeeding! Greatest ways to bond!
my bonding would have to be nursing my 3 week son. haven’t had a chance to babywear yet, but I’m lookibg forward to it soon.
We are expecting our first in just a few weeks and I can’t wait to baby wear!
I have a 2.5 yo and a 13 mo and still wear both of them in my ring sling and mei tai carriers. Babywearing has meant so much to us! I would love to try a SSC, especially the Beco! And I know my toddler would love the mini just as much. Thanks for offering the giveaway!
I love to bond with my babies by nursing them, holding them skin-to-skin (that was a huge part of bonding with my NICU baby), giving them baths… just being together in a relaxed and happy setting.
We love our Beco! I just wish I would have had one with my first child and before my second was almost 3. But she still gets carried and my littlest one loves it, front or back! 🙂
I bond with my girls through babywearing, nursing, cuddling, napping together with my second girl and really enjoying when we wake up together, reading, singing, and doing artwork just to name a few.
My almost 10 month is EBF. I love cuddling with him!
I’m expecting my first child and can’t wait to babywear! Have heard the Becos are top notch! Just started following you on Facebook recently and already loving what you post 🙂
I love wearing our 10 month old! She is much more independent than her big brother, so wearing her helps get some snuggles in before she wants down to play.
We nurse, cuddle, read books, play, babywear, go outside in the garden, anything that involves the two of us.
I love laying down amd nursing my sweet girl. There’s nothing like it. Just the two of us, no distractions!!@! Love
I love babywearing, but my favorite bonding time with my 7-month old is definitely nursing. It’s especially sweet to nurse and cuddle him during our (many) night feedings. Even though I miss getting more than a few hours of sleep at a time, I know I’ll be sad when he starts sleeping longer.
We have a Moby and an Ergo – but I find my self wanting a collection for every occasion, from bumming around the house to going shopping. Never tried breastfeeding DD in one.
My sister’s having a baby in May and I’d love to win her a Beco.
We are adding #2 in a few months, and I anticipate a great need for the ability to hold little one while caring for big sis as well. Can’t wait to wear my new addition!
Newborn: cosleeping, skin to skin, breastfeeding, always held.
Toddlers: getting on the floor and playing with them. Using imaginary play. Older toddler: really listening, letting them make decisions about our time together.
We bond through breastfeeding, snuggling, reading books, and singing silly songs. I hope to start wearing him as well.
Other than babywearing, my little dude and I sing together. He has had an ear for tunes since he was 2 1/2 months old, so we’ll trade sound patterns back and forth (Lalalas and ah, ah, ahs in varied pitch and pattern). We watch kitty videos, read books, meow at each other, and play on the floor together as well.
Love babywearing because it works well for us & our twin girls, we all love it!!!
My 3 yr old and I love to cuddle in bed in the mornings & evenings…tickle monster, hiding under the covers, being silly, singing songs….I also sneak in as many hugs/day as I can 😉
I still wear my toddler to keep that closeness. My newborn is worn out of necessity most of the time, but I love snuggling with her in bed as she nurses.
Nursing on demand, napping together, and baby wearing are some of the big ways that I bond with my little nugget. I love chatting with her and playing too! We spend lots of time reading as well.
I bond with my baby by holding her as much as possible throughout the day, be it in my arms or in a carrier. I love to let her nap with me holding her (usually after she’s fallen asleep at the boob), to dance with her, to sit her on my lap and talk to her. Bed-sharing has also facilitated a strong bond, since the first thing I see most mornings is her big ol’ grin that clearly says “I missed you while you were sleeping!”
Snuggling in bed. Bed sharing. Lots of kisses
Babywearing and nursing.
I have LOVED wearing each of my 5 babies in some way…def became more important as a “need to do” thing for the later 3. I feel like the bond with my babies was made stronger by the closeness and feel sad when I see babies in their car seats/carriers and strollers instead of ON a parent. I still carry my youngest in the ring sling from time to time and she is almost 2 🙂
I wish I had a carrier earlier!!! I don’t get one until my lil guy was 8 months and boy do I wish I had it earlier!!!
Breast feeding, baby wearing, co sleeping, and lots of skin to skin cuddle time!
We read together and play together and talk together with the tv off and other electronic devices off. One of my favorite times is snuggling in bed talking about our day.
My son loved to be on me at all times when he was younger and it still shows now at 2 years old with how bonded we are. I wish I had done the same with my daughter. :’)
Breastfeeding is one of the biggest ways I connect and bond with my daughter, but we also connect by discovering new things every day, being out and about doing activities together, like going to the park or library storytime, and by reading books together.
I just had my first little one and at 18 days old, I have already had him in 2 different carriers! We have a ring sling and a moby wrap and he is clearly happy and comfy in both. I always feel the closest to him when he is laying on my chest-even when I am working on my laptop, he is snoring away on me (he is right now!) so wearing him is just another way to maximize my time with him and still get things accomplished!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing this.
There is a lot of snuggling that goes on in this house. I hope both my boys’ future significant others like snuggling because I’ve spoiled them with constant snuggles 😉 (P.S. I’m pretty sure my previous sentence was grammatically atrocious, but I can be sure when I’m this tired, lol. Okay, I’m going to bed now.)
We had an awkward and uncomfortable carrier with our first two children. Now with our third I see how much the carriers have changed. I have a ring along now. It had become very helpful in days my girl is too heavy to hold, I have arthritis and some days can not carry her. The sling makes simple tasks manageable while still involving daughter. And she enjoys the closeness. I know she feels when I’m in pain. With a carrier it allows me to comfort my daughter when she needs it.
Thanks TLB & Beco for this great giveaway!
My all time favorite way to bond is breastfeeding. With my oldest, who is 12, we do things like paint each others nails or hair.
I love this post!
I’m only learning about how comfortable babywearing can be. I love to wear my toddler when he wants to be held but is just too heavy to carry for more than a minute.
With BB we snuggle and go for walks, with my step daughter we go out to eat at a new place and have a girls day.
I like holding his hand while he nurses.
Nursing and cosleeping help us bond. Would love to win a Beco and babywear too!
We cuddle together, especially in the morning when we cuddle and nurse in our bed. Bedtime is also a special time for cuddles, hugs, and kisses. We’d really love a carrier. DS would love to be on my back watching while I’m busy in the kitchen.
I sing to my babies and nurse them to create a bond.
Our little guy is included in all of our activities. We don’t leave him with sitters so that “we can have alone time” Everything we do we do as a family. I want him to know that we want him around, that his company is a pleasure not a burden.
We started baby wearing as a way to get my first child to relax and nap. She was (still is!) high needs and babywearing was our way to have her near us and calm. Between that and breastfeeding we were able to handle being new parents without getting *too* stressed 😉
Baby wearing, cosleeping, nursing and playing are all ways that I bond with my son 🙂
I connect with my almost-thee year old now by reading to him (he loves his books! I try to always read to him when he asks, no matter what I am doing at the time) and by snuggling at night before bed. We have been having some amazing conversations during bedtime snuggles lately!
Cuddling up in bed with my kids is how we have bonding time. Whether it be nursing the baby or snuggling with my older two, we always feel better all snuggled up in bed. 🙂
I wear my babies, cuddle with them, play with them, read to them, and sing and dance with them.
We bond through nursing, bedsharing, and cuddling. I love being close to my baby
I love to wear my 3 month old (something I didn’t know to do for my 8 year old). The whole family dances together, in pairs, to sleep, etc. 🙂
I dance in the living room with the twins in my arms. Or we play with their toys together. And we cuddle in the middle of the night when they are scared.
Nursing of course, reading books & we do a ton of baby wearing.
I still baby wear with my almost 3 yr old and my 5 yr old. It keeps us close, allows them to go on long hikes with us and makes me miss when they were small 🙁
I breastfeed, baby wear, and co sleep.
I baby wear my 3 month old but she is getting to big for the wrap we have now! Nursing, reading, dancing cooking, playing board games & art! Some are with the older ones 🙂
Baby wearing and breastfeeding are certainly two of the biggest things I do to bond but I also recently started staying home with my kiddos and that has made a HUGE difference in how well we relate to one another and I look forward to raising my kiddos without someone having to step in during the day.
I bonded with my baby through breastfeeding, bed-sharing, baby wearing! We love this method of parenting, and my toddler and I are still joined at the hip. I wouldn’t miss out on any of these connections for the world, and look forward to doing it all again with #2!
No kids…yet : ) But I’d say reading to them daily!
We cuddle and read book together.
Baby wearing was a huge part of our bonding! As was breast feeding.
I love singing and dancing with him in the sling.
I wanted to wear my son a lot, but he never seemed to like being in the carriers. I don’t think he liked the confinement. His little brother will have less of a choice in the matter, as I will need to pop him in the Moby, Mei Tai or Boba while I chase after my two year old.
I love to snuggle with my little boy after nursing. We also really love bathtime & playing on the floor together, wiggling his arms & legs & singing silly songs to him.
Breastfeeding and babywearing. Also lots of cuddling during playtime, and bathtime.
I know I will be baby wearing a lot when the new baby comes in May! I have a super active toddler, and I’m afraid I won’t get to bond with #2 the way I did with #1…baby wearing makes it easier for cuddling while chasing a wild 3 year old!
My husband really babywears more than I do, as he’s a stay at home dad. But we both wear him in different carriers (so we don’t have to readjust the straps constantly)
Breastfeeding and snuggling! My two year old ds now says “mommy come on the couch and ‘nuggle me!” 🙂
I take my kids everywhere with me. This includes a lot of baby wearing for my 2 month old!
I bond with my son by breastfeeding and constantly cuddling and kissing him. With a 2 1/2 year old baby wearing is a necessity especially since he loves to be held!
I love wearing my little kiddo to bond. It is so sweet when she looks up at me while in a front carry, or when she plays with my hair in a back carry. We read stories every night before bed and she is my new running partner. Pretty soon I hope she will be able to ride her bike while I run.
I’m still trying to find a carrier that will work for us. So far Mr Squirmybut doesn’t like any of the ones we’ve tried.
I like to cuddle with my little one
Ways we love to use to intentionally bond: cosleeping, breastfeeding, baby wearing, snuggles, rocking and singing, reading books, eye contact, talking, tickle sessions where we always wait for a cue before we tickle again, praying together, and playing together… mirrors are such fun!
I bf, coslept, and did my best to parent with intention . Baby wearing is something I would love to start doing!
Babywearing, breastfeeding, and cosleeping. Love being close to my little ones!
Right now I’m pregnant so talking to her and setting up her stuff is how we bond.
Babywearing is something I’ve always known I wanted to do. I can’t wait until our little guy is born in July!
Babywearing, reading books, cuddling at bed time are just some of the examples of how I bond with my children
We took our little guy (5.5 weeks) to the mall yesterday and his mei tai was great. I’d like to try another soft carrier though. His dad has a “manly” carrier but it definitely is a little to industrial for mom. Beco seems like a good middle of the way carrier.
I think my favorite way to bond is through cosleeping. Even though I swore all through pregnancy that I would never be one of ‘those’ moms, my daughter’s needs (and also my own… hello, sleep!) led us to a closeness and comfort that we’ve enjoyed for over a year now.
I love wearing my girl! It does reinforce the bonds we build in other ways and makes it easier to kiss little heads, pat little bottoms and snuggle through the day!
I connect with songs, making them up and singing with my toddler. I wear my 6-month old everywhere!
I am getting more into babywearing this time around. Loving the Baby K’tan right now. Would love to try a soft carrier like the Beco!
With my kids when they were little I wore them all. Now I’m still wearing my youngest, but try to keep up the connection with the older 2 by snuggling up and reading together every day.
Snuggles, lots of snuggles!
nursing, babywearing, co-sleeping, cuddling, reading books in the rocking chair…lots of ways 🙂
We had a rough go at breast feeding and so the need for another bonding ritual was needed and well I needed my hands as well. I’ve been wearing my now 15month old everyday since she was a few weeks old. We love it and our love has grown into a baby wearing group in our city. I plan to wear all my babies and hope to pass on their legacy wraps to them so they can wear their babies.
Breastfeeding and snuggles before/during sleep times. I wish I had been able to wear DS more when he was a baby. He wanted to be free and fussed very soon after being in the carrier/sling/wrap. Wanted his arms free, then his legs, then would get mad because he couldn’t look around as much as he wanted to. 🙁 At around 8 months he got better about being in the carrier, but I had to be moving. If I wasn’t walking/hiking, he wanted out! I really hope that this next one likes the wrap because he or she will be in it a lot while I’m chasing a toddler!
Breastfeeding, babywearing, bedsharing…
Breastfeeding and babywearing! Lots of snuggles once they’re older.
To create and keep a bond i try to make sure i stop and take time for them even if I’m in the middle of something. It reminds them they are important and loved.
Wearing, breastfeeding and being a SAHM
We love to babywear and cosleep to bond with our little gal.
I wear them, snuggle, play, and talk to them.
There are so many ways. I try to make time for each of our 3 children, in ways they enjoy. We spend so much time reading; they love it, I love it, & I know how much they learn from reading. My 4YO loves games, puzzles, animals, so I try to play with him using his interests. I do the same with my 3YO; she loves being a little Mommy, playing with her baby dolls & taking care of them. I wear & breastfeed our 10 month old, which I also did with our older two, & I know the bond I’ve formed with her. We’ve started homeschooling, which is an amazing way to bond & learn with your children.
I bond with my daughter through breastfeeding, co-sleeping, baby wearing (we’re new to wraps and SSC), cuddling, reading and playing together.
I get a lot of bonding time with my daughter being a stay at home mom. My favorite bonding is rocking her to sleep shes a year old and still needs her mommy to help her fall asleep which i love.
I still wear my son, who is now 2 1/2. I’m expecting a daughter in May and would love to add a Beco to my small but growing carrier collection!
I bonded with my most recent little one by wearing her in a sling style carrier while she was little. Now that she is older and my fourth baby is on the way, I need a more heavy duty carrier that doesn’t kill my back.
We sing, cuddle and I kiss on her face and belly.
Breastfeeding, co-sleeping, and babywearing are the best ways I’ve bonded with my babies. I find that my big kids (8 and 5) occasionally benefit from co-sleeping, too, especially when my husband is away on business and they’re in need of a little more security/snuggles. megancrose@gmail.com
We love to bond while cuddling and reading books. My three-year-old has memorized hundreds of books.
My 8 month old still loves being worn! She also loves being breastfed by her mommy or being rocked by her daddy.
we bond by tandem n ursing tandem baby wearing… I read to my toddler while baby watches in amazement.
I love to snuggle with him, especially at night when he can’t fall back asleep. I always hold him when I feed him. He is usually held when he’s even asleep. I don’t have a carrier yet but I still love snuggling with him.
Cosleeping and babywearing are both important for bonding for us! I would love to try a Beco!!
When they were tiny, I bonded through nursing and babywearing. Now that they’re older, we bond through play, whether it’s building legos, having a tickle fight, or sharing one of my favorite childhood movies.
Even while I was pregnant I knew I’d prefer carrying than pushing a push chair and I was right. I’d really love to own a Beco as the buckles will make it great for faster ups and downs. I’ve discovered I lean towards AP and we breastfed, co-sleep and cloth nappy, all of which just feel right (though not always easy!)
We are a baby-wearing family too. My three-year old son now wears his baby doll using one of my scarves like a wrap.
We also bond through rituals – we have a futile ritual of making hot chocolate. My son loves to make it, but half the time doesn’t finish it. He just likes to make something with Mama or Daddy.
We have always tried to babywear our babies from the the beginning. With our oldest being in the NICU, we bonded by doing a lot of kangaroo care. It was one of the best things to help us bond and to definitely help us connect to each other in the odd circumstances
Babywearing and CoSleeping along with cuddles is our fav bonding times.
We love babywearing and co-sleeping. We also breastfed until baby decides to wean or mommy has another baby on the way, most until they were 2 or 3! We also homeschool all 6 of our children!! We do our best and how they know how much we love them!!
My 4 month old loves nursing, baby wearing, cuddles, and conversations with Mommy and Daddy. 🙂
Babywearing, snuggling, and nursing are my favorite ways to bond with my little ones!
I really struggled with nursing my first, he had a dairy allergy and just wouldn’t nurse. So for 2 months I had to pump and feed him, but through the struggles it really helped us to bond and he’s mommy’s boy at 3 years old now, and we have a 16 month old daughter as well she was luckily an easy one to nurse 🙂
I like that you mention that you don’t babywear because it’s popular or it goes with a certain parenting style. We also babywear because it fosters a connection with our baby. We don’t subscribe to a specific parenting style… we practice what I call intuition based parenting. We do what feels right when it comes to nurturing our child. And babywearing is one of those things that feels right.
We bedshare and it makes nursing much easier. We also baby wear but at 2yo he won’t let me do it much any more.
We to baby wear out of necessity having 3 under 3 but also to get some one on one time with the boys as needed. When the one year old needs mommy on to my back he goes and he loves it!
Breastfeeding was our earliest bonding, but now that baby boy has weaned, we spend lots of time snuggling!
Carrying my babies lots, baby sleeps with us, breastfeeding, kisses, babywearing, being included with family life as it happens.
I love co-sleeping, babywearing and nursing!
Breastfeed and holding her close while she naps during the daytime.
We got a Moby wrap for our first baby and I fully expected to be using it all the time. However, it was so difficult to put on by myself, and I never felt like he was really secure. If we had to wear him, or later his little brother, out somewhere, we just used the hand-me-down Baby Bjorn. It was terribly uncomfortable, but at least we knew they wouldn’t fall out. Now that we’re expecting baby #3, I really want to find a carrier that’s comfortable for all of us, and preferably one in which we can breast feed.
We bond with babywearing, nursing, bathtime, storytime, and lots of snuggles.
Breastfeeding has been a huge part of bonding for me and my son, now 16 months old. I loved wearing him, but he would only tolerate it when he was ready to fall asleep.
I hold my baby all the time. I hold her probably 20 hours of the day. I cherish that time because I know it passes so quickly – and being with mom is what she knows – however, I have 7 children and having a quality carrier would make it easier to do things with my other children. Sometimes the 3 year old and the baby and I just sit and read or watch tv – it’s nice calm quality time.
I don’t know who’s more excited at the idea of snuggling up with our little guy, my husband or me. My husband is so excited to bond and be close while I’m excited to finally be able to see him (and of course, bond and be close :D).
Id same the best way to be close and bond is breastfeeding and baby wearing. I do both with my 1 month old and my 3 year old 🙂
We bedshare and are still nursing at 17.5 months. Being able to breast feed while baby wearing would have made life so much easier and less stressful for all involved when my son was younger since he nursed every hour until he was 10 months old but I didn’t have the appropriate carrier for it (we have a Britax. Only used it a handful of times. Wasn’t comfortable for anyone involved). This would be awesome to use with him and for future babies.
nursing, and now that my first child is 4, by snuggling while reading books together
Lots of snuggles of my bigger kids and babywearing and breastfeeding for the baby!
I have two daughters who love babywearing. I know they’d love one of these!
I am a full time WOHM and babywearing is huge way for us to connect at the end of the day and on the weekends <3
We love our morning snuggle time 🙂 Before the little boy I watch is dropped off my son and I sit in the rocker and just talk, sing and wake up together!
We wear my 20 month old in our Tula, she’s a tiny little thing so she still fits in the regular size. I’m now pregnant again and would like a second carrier so both can be carried at the same time :).
holding her whenever she wants/needs, breastfeeding, babywearing, cosleeping.
I didn’t discover babywearing until my 5th baby. I so wish I had discovered it sooner! I’m definitely planning on bonding with baby #6 by wearing him when he arrives in July! Currently, to keep the connection with our youngest (2 1/2 years) we bed share and full term breastfeed. It helps keep us so close and those snuggles are worth more than any money!
we love babywearing <3 nine in, nine on
We bond by breastfeeding, co-sleeping, taking a daily walk together, reading and playing together, and cooking and eating together. Now that I’m thinking about it, we do nearly everything together!
My oldest and I still bond by playing together and her helping me do certain things. The baby and I use baby wearing and breastfeeding to bond for now and will continue to do both for awhile. I’ve been looking into buying a beco, so winning one would be great!
My little one is on the way in August but I look forward to bonding by keeping her close to me, babywearing and breastfeeding
I LOVE babywearing! I have a woven wrap ,but would love to try the Beco carrier. Babywearing has helped my relationship with my daughter because I wasn’t able to nurse. It helps me feel closer to her especially when she needs to be snuggled.
We co-sleep, breast feed, park trips and cuddle time. I work full time so I try to get as much one on one time when we are together
Co-sleeping definitely helped with bonding as well as making time for some snuggles. Almost 5 years later & he still co-sleeps with us from time to time. 🙂
As a dad, I may not be able to breastfeed our baby and bond with him that way, but I love wearing him with a carrier every chance I get. I feel that my bond with the baby is developing everytime we head out and I get to carry him.
Definitely having baby in close contact “baby wearing” makes those luvies easier to give
Reading books with my 2 oldest while snuggling at night time. With my current youngest, snuggling throughout the day…used to breastfeed, now we just cuddle at night and nap time!
We bond by nursing…I LOVE watching him get nourishment and play with my nursing necklace (used to be my bangs…ouch!)
We also bond through my love of music, I play ukelele for him and he LOVES it! If he’s in the jolly jumper, he dances like crazy! So sweet!!
Cuddling with my baby (who is 4 months), singing to her and giggling with her are my very favorite times 🙂
We bond while snuggling Reading books. We love reading time in our house.
At 7 1/2 months, nursing and reading books together are two of the ways we bond. I’m sure there will be many other meaningful moments to come!
I’ve been looking forward to baby wearing since I had my 1st son 4 months ago but couldn’t decide which carrier to choose from. I wanted safetly and comfort over most and was torn between the bedo and the ergo. i purchased the ergo but still felt myself loging to have the beco gemini. I loved bonding with my son by breastfeeding, nighttime cuddles and bed sharing and my husband and I discovered how much we love having him with us always. We never expected to bedshare. Wear him or even thought about other choices when it comes time to feed him, now we are leaning towards baby-led weaning. These choices came naturally when we connected and bonded with Jude. We let him show us what he liked and what he wanted and we followed his lead. We couldn’t be happier with our family bond.
We sing together, while being wrapped my son and I take turns singing. His is more just screaming but I love it the same. I love making these special bonds because all I have to do is start singing when he is upset and it calms him down.
We sing together, while being wrapped my son and I take turns singing. His is more just screaming but I love it the same. I love making these special bonds because all I have to do is start singing when he is upset and it calms him down.
I love babywearing. It allows me to keep up with my 3 yo and bond with my baby!!
we make connections with our twins, every day we try to learn something new from them. we sit on the floor, see them up close, touch and love on them always. my twins are 13.5 months old and love being worn and i only have one carrier so this would be awesome to win!
Breastfeeding is my favorite bonding experience I have with my children
Nursing is by far our favorite bonding time, but bath and story time are nice too! I would love to wear her more but the carrier we have KILLS my back. I would loooooove to win this one!
I wear my 9month old every chance I get. It’s great bonding and awesome to have the help of a carrier when chasing my toddler. The baby get fussy and when I pick him up he instantly stops. I just love it! I have a ring sling and a baby k’tan, but I’m very interested to try a beco, is love the be able to wear him on my back.
Snuggling, rocking. babywearing, playing, and breastfeeding 🙂
nursing and wearing! And of course, with my oldest, just snuggling in bed counting the stars, telling stories, and singing together. <3
Nursing is our favorite way to bond.
Breastfeeding, babywearing, story time, songs and play time are my favorite ways to bond with my two little ones.
Nursing and babywearing most definitely, but since I have twins, I like to give each some little one on one time.
I struggle with wearing my toddler, because the carrier we have now is not comfortable. I would love a Beco, but can’t afford it right now.
I like the bonding moments when I am nursing.
Nursing is our main bonding time. Just my wee girl and me hanging out.
I just started looking into baby-wearing. Looks good!! 🙂
Snuggle time, breastfeeding, babywearing, napping together…so many more ways!
Babywearing and nursing the baby, and singing and reading to my older one.
I LOVE MY BECO! and my moby!!! It’s such a special time between me and my little one.
Nursing, wearing, playing, reading, singing.
We love to bond by cosleeping and lots of babywearing!
I hardly use our pushchair, I babywear! It is SO much easier and I love how close DS is to me.
I loved babywearing with my daughter! She’s 21mths and we still wear her on our backs when we go snowshoeing or for long hikes. I’m due for another baby in May and since my first experience was so positive, I expect I’ll be wearing this babe even more!
We bond with our little one through fun and games at the swimming pool (his favorite!) and we bed share which has been great for daddy binding time.
I find the best connections and memories are made from our unintentional actions/activities.
We baby wear and co sleep. I love having our little man close at all times! DH especially loves baby wearing because it lets him hold our son for long periods of time, but doesn’t hurt his back.
After a failed attempt at babywearing with my first, I connected with him more through baby request breastfeeding. He also tends to share a bed with me and ny husband. With my second baby on the way, I’m hoping babywearing is our future for connections and maintaining connections with my Squishy.
My daughter spent nearly a month in the hospital (over two periods of time) and she spent most of that time in the sling… she was 19m and 22 months at the time and she was very sick… she nursed, she cuddled, we could go for walks and she could be in the sling while I held the IV and the sling became her respite after or during procedures. It was always a safe place.
The nurses and doctors thought it was amazing how calm she was when she was on me and I even helped other moms on the floor by making makeshift slings with sheets so that they could have go hands free while still meeting their child’s needs.
I can’t imagine not babywearing…
I attempt baby wearing but don’t always trust the wrap I have since over time it slips. I spend much of my days off with my 32.5 weeker laying on my chest in the recliner. After him being in the NICU for 48 days I don’t mind dropping everything just to make him happy.
So sweet! I would love one!
This story made me tear up- so sweet!
Breastfeeding… I’ve been amazed at how much I’ve enjoyed it and what a special bond it has created!
My 10 month old and I love to bond through being worn in our sling and singing.
Me and LO had difficulty breastfeeding, so I make sure we have abundant snuggle time and skin to skin contact. I have bought 2 different baby carriers now and dislike them both! They are so uncomfortable, I am dying to win this giveaway so I can wear my DD in comfort! Thanks!!
I started babywearing with my 3rd out of necessity. I have two other children an 8 yr old daughter and a 2 yr old son. When out I found that double stroller was just to bulky and using my Ergo was a better option. Now I have ventured into the world of WC SSC’s and wraps and MT’s!! My 3rd is only 5months old bow and I love wearing him everywhere we go and at home! He loves it too and hates when he is out them!
I love wearing my lo. And co-sleeping and-bathing.
I wear him of course… we go everywhere together and he is always on me… in my handy dandy Beco Gemini now with a second soon to be in the making I would love a second Beco to carry both of them in… one on me one on my partner…. and of course he’s going to need a doll carrier to carry his baby in…..This boy was born 11 months ago and to this day he has been carried and worm more time outside than he was inside!!! Loving motherhood
We bond by baby-wearing, part-time bed-sharing and breastfeeding. Reading with my toddler and baby piled up on my lap, or my oldest’s lap. I’d love to win this, so I could wear both of my girls at once 🙂 Borrowed one to try from a friend, and my toddler (and I) loved having her ride on mom with her sister! I had them both asleep on me before our shopping trip was done. Would be great when they’re both congested and only want Mama too! My toddler would love to carry her baby like I carry her and sister. Thanks for the chance to win!
My two year old and I snuggle on the couch and read his books. We will also turn up the toddler songs on pandora ad dance and sing in the kitchen!
My husband I wore our daughter everyone. We have a picture of us taking our 3 day old baby for a walk in a front carrier. I am sure that with baby number 2 on his way that we will be using a carrier more and more with a busy 2 year old to run after!!
I bond with my children by spending as much time with them as possible, and trying to appreciate all the little things they do. They are only little once!!
We babywear, bed share and breastfeed which all creates a special bond. One of my favorite ways to connect with my 3 year old son is to read him stories and talk about our day as we’re snuggling before he goes to bed. It’s just such a sweet time for us!
Babywearing and making sure I set aside time every day to connect with both of my sons individually 🙂
I bond with my children as infants through breastfeeding and baby wearing.
I love to wear my little lady while buzzing around the kitchen and making dinner. Cooking & baking are some of my favorite things to do and I want to teach my daughter the joys even at this early age. 🙂
i didn’t wear my first child very much because it was easy to just hold her and go about my day. now that i have 2, i find myself wearing my 2nd much more. i’m glad that i get to hold him close but am still able to go about my day and care for my oldest.
I love to wear my 26 month old when she lets me & we get lots of bonding time through breastfeeding & cosleeping. Bonding with my 10 year old comes in all different forms, helping with shopping, doing crafts, teaching her how to sew & crochet, weekend sleepovers in the family bed. She loves to wear her babies in the kid sized moby wrap!
Breastfeeding my 4 week old and dancing with my 16 month old. 8)
I’d really love to have a Beco for myself and for my 2yo and future babies. Like your kiddo, she has been wearing her ‘babies’ on her back.
babyeearing has been absolutely lifesaving with my 14 month old, I tell all my friends they must gt a carrier!
I bond with my kids by being a STAHM and homeschooling my oldest. We go everywhere together and love our projects for school and reading stories together at night.
Baby wearing in my ring sling and ergo have been my go tos…always wanted a beko as I have heard amazing things about them!! Love your blog!!
I am a stahm so I am with my children all day. With the youngest I bound with him by breastfeeding and wearing him whenever I can. With my oldest we bound over reading and drawing which is her two favorite things. I believe that to truly bond with your child you need to take an interest in what they like.
I would love to win the Beco! I have a 2yr old and another on the way. I have a woven wrap but something with buckles would prob be easier to handle with a toddler running around!
Breastfeeding and babywearing!
I only discovered how amazing babywearing is with babe #4! Love my woven wrap, ring sling and ssc! Hubby will babywear too!
I bond with my baby boy through breastfeeding, co-sleeping, cuddling and carrying him around. He is so long, i haven’t found a comfortable baby carrier. We also like to snuggle and look at books.
we bond through breastfeeding, playing together, co-sleeping, sharing stories and talking about our day. And especially babywearing. Our stroller is rarely used!
Love to cuddle babies! Even if I’m not wearing one, I have one attached to me somehow.
Nursing, snuggling, holding in my arms!!! I love time with my baby!
When my son was younger- birth to 3.5, nursing was definitely our special bonding time…especially once he was mobile and ALWAYS moving aside from that time (okay, sometimes during that time too, as I’m sure other extended nursers can understand!)…now it’s definitely our pre bedtime snuggles…love being close to him, and can’t wait to snuggle our new little one too!!!
I take walks with my four yr old in the park, and I nurse my one month old
we bond through breastfeeding, co-sleeping, cuddling, talking. just always loving on my little girl 🙂
We bond through everything in the everyday. It is how we feed, hold, wear, bath, and interact with our children everyday.
I am EBF and co-sleeping with my 3 week old son just as I did with his older brother. But I would LOVE to baby wear!!! My little Ug Duck is a very needy healthy baby and being able to wear him would make him and I happier.
Baby wearing and co-sleeping are my favorite times for snuggles.
I EBF and cosleep with my infant and babywearing helps me to meet his needs and the needs of my toddler at the same time.
My toddler weaned while I was pregnant but he still insists that he “snuggle my skin” — I thought our connection without breastfeeding. I was wrong, he still needs my love and touch just as much.
I loved wearing & co-sleeping with my youngest. I now love to cuddle with my kids, read books together, and I especially enjoy spending time outside with them.
I bond with my little ones through breastfeeding and making sure to spend as much time with them as possible. I try really hard to not let the phone or the computer take priority over them. Also, I do various activities with them.
Just discovered baby wearing with my second baby and I love it. I still get plenty of snuggles before bedtime with my big girl though, and she’s even gone for a few spins in the SSC too.
I bond with my baby through breastfeeding and babywearing.
I hold them as much as possible. Whether its baby wearing or just picking them up as I do my daily routines around the house. I love seeing there faces of curiosity as I’m cooking or picking up the house.i will always hold my babies no matter what anyone says…
i read with them and we go through my old photo albums. i baby wear and take them everywhere with me!
i love baby wearing and i talk and read to them alot
My Second is 5 1/2 months old. I have not gotten into the groove of consistently wearing her. It is something I would really like to do though! I work and want to bond with her as much as possible when I am home.
I have always wanted to do a baby wearing product but could never find the right one or afford one. This would be great to win.
I believe the best way we’ve bonded is by nursing. It feels like our souls are connected when we look deep into each others eyes
I’ve bonded with both of my children through breastfeeding, baby wearing and creating art from an early age.
I started wearing my son when he was a few months old, we had registered for a carrier without having much knowledge about them and my husband used it sporadically but I hated it. I wore my son more once I invested in a moby wrap but still not as much as I’d of liked to because it was just SO MUCH fabric. I’m a military wife and art therapist turned preschool teacher (it’s funny where life takes you) and we just had our daughter 3 weeks ago.
My wrap has become a necessity my daughter (especially since she was breech and her hips are being checked out by doctors to make sure they’re placed correctly) and I still bond with both my children through creation but I would LOVE to have a carrier that is easier to transport and wear while still positioning my children correctly. Unfortunately the Beco is not something in my budget at this time, hopefully I can test out my luck here.
My son LOVES being outdoors so we bond by just hanging out outside whenever we can. We also co-sleep and I feel that deepens our bond.
Nursing has created an incredible bond with my 2 year old in the past and now with my 2 month old. I use baby wearing as a way to spend time with my infant, while engaging my 2 year in imaginative and creative play. She loves to copy mommy – including nursing her babies. I would love a Beco mini for her to wear while I wear her brother.
I nurse and try to give my undivided attention and eye contact when they talk to me
We bond through baby wearing, nursing, lts of cuddle time and lots of one on one time
I live in NYC, and wear my 6 month old everywhere. I love it!
Cuddling is our main bonding…so important for kids of all ages.
I love these carriers, and would love for my daughter to wear her babies just like I wear her little brother. I can bond with both my babies at the same time this way!
I have a 3 year old and a 4 month old. We bond in so many ways. I baby wear, co-sleep, play, talk, breastfeeding, the list goes on. I love the connection that I have with my kids. Nothing better than that.
I babywear, co sleep and read books…lots of books 🙂
Nursing is one of our favorite bonding times as well as being worn when we are out and about. I have been wearing him to high school basketball games since he was 2 weeks old. It is one of the times he is most calm and relaxed. He is a bit colicky, so wearing him helps him to settle down (and covers up mommy’s post-baby bump!).
I love my Beco! I alternate it pretty regularly with a ring sling, but when we are out, the Beco is my go-to. I especially love that it even buckles all the way around my 7-month-pregnant belly. My daughter loves it and likes to play with it, too. Totally need to get her one for her baby doll, so she can still feel the love when her new baby sister is riding in my carrier.
I wear them around the house and when we go out, read them stories, cuddle.
I wear my little bunny everywhere.
Some people think its silly for me to spend money on carriers, until they tried wearing my baby.
Then they found out that baby wearing shouldn’t hurt their shoulder or back.
She’s 3 and she’s still worn almost daily in woven wraps. She also loves “boobie” very much still.
reading lots and lots of books 🙂
I love baby-wearing. Newborns are my favorite, just cuddling and holding them and knowing they are so content in your arms. I’m pregnant with my third and excited to hold my little baby soon.
I bond with my lil guy while breastfeeding and snuggling 🙂
I love baby wearing too mostly for the practicality and usefulness of it.
when I feel his kicks i push his little feet
parks, family play time, museums !!!
Squiggle Bug has the same carrier print that I do. Rock on, tiny babywearer!!!
I wore my first for as long as possible. Number 2 is on the way and I can’t wait to feel that connection again. Love Beco products.
I bond by babywearing! The other day I pulled out the stroller and it had been so many months since we used it that Baby Love couldn’t even possibly be squeezed into the straps until they were about doubled in length. I love my Beco 4g and would love an update!
Naps with the little one. Board games with my 3 year old.
Either my boyfriend or I wear our daughter daily, and have for almost all of her 12.5 months! We mostly use wraps, but have been considering adding an ssc for quick ups and downs….
Love to read & snuggle with my 19 month old
so many ways to bond with my 17-month-old. my favorite are nursing before naps and bedtime, listening to his chatter and co-sleeping for part of the night just because I love to wake up to his happy face next to me… and it helps with those darn molars to snuggle!
I want one!!
After sling and carrier wearing our first four, I’m dreaming of a Beco for our fifth, who is coming to us with some challenges to say the least, and will need even more nuturing and encouragement to bond. Great post, thanks!
I love babywearing & I have a great sister to thank for that. she was the one who introduced me to the world of babywearing. It’s been a great tool for bonding & sometimes just getting things done around the house. It has also helped my sister & I to be closer & I’ve found a great community of support because of it.
Due with my third in June and had already decided I want a Gemini for this one but this post just made me want it more 🙂
I love baby wearing and my Beco. I only hope one day my son says “Beco” and associates it with love and being close to mommy and daddy.
Right now my 9 month old son’s favorite activities are playing catch/rolling the ball back and forth and reading “Hop in the Garden”. Sharing those special times with him are so much fun and the best bonding. And of course, I love our babywearing walks!
Nursing and babywearing for sure when they were little. Now that my eldest is almost 4 we make sure to have quiet time together and read or play, just bond.
I love to dance with my daughter it’s a chance to hold her close. Sing to get and get in our bonding time
We bond through baby wearing, cosleeping, and daily playtime.
I love doing activities with my 2 year old and can’t wait to wear our newborn this summer while playing with big sister.
Breastfeeding, baby wearing, and cuddling!
I would love to try the Becco! My daughter loves being worn 🙂 We bond through breastfeeding, co sleepin & babywearin on top of her daily love and snuggles!
We love to cuddle and read. I wish I’d had a carrier with my first two babies. I finally got a Moby when my second was 5 months old and I soooo wish I’d had it earlier. She had such bad colic and was fussy and unhappy all day long. I feel having a carrier to hold her close would have helped. Sometimes the only way to get her to calm down was for my husband to lay down with her and hold her against him with her arms down tight- like we could have done in a carrier- then she would go to sleep.
I snuggle, and breastfeed, and wear her. I think the most intentional bonding time we have now that she is almost a year is mornings and evenings in bed. We giggle, and make up silly games of clapping, and tongue clicking. Last night we spent a good twenty minutes with her pushing my belly button so I would say belly button in a funny voice. Daddy came to see what all the giggling was about so we got his belly button too, then hers. Just the little moments where I am completely focused on her, and her exploration.
I’m a distractible technophile, so for me bonding means stretching my attention span and focusing to just BE with my kids, in their moments, in their interests. I know it sounds vague but it’s more important than any of the details of what we’re doing at that time.
I am pregnant with my first and can’t to wear my baby when she makes her grand arrival early this summer. I am a yoga teacher and plan on teaching my friends how to do some light yoga while wearing their babies too, it will be a great way to bond with baby!
Wearing my baby just feels right to me too 🙂
love reading to my little ones while cuddling. also wouldn’t be able to give up babywearing!
Love to carry my baby around the house, at the mall, for walk…to sleep together, sing and most of all to breastfeed…10 mo wonderful experience – ON DEMAND;))) you can read my Breastfeeding Love story on my blog too: http://mommyismybestrole.blogspot.com/2013/02/what-i-wish-i-knew-and-did-not-know.html?m=1
Cuddles, breast feeding, wearing and spending time together.
We bond through daily playtime and when papa gets home from work we all sit down and watch a cartoon or movie before bedtime. I also bonded with my 3yr old and 2 yr old with our beco butterflyII until I couldnt anymore due to a 3rd high risk pregnancy. Were currently bonding with our 3rd daughter through kangaroo care at the NICU. I’m also pumping breast milk for her but I cant wait to begin breastfeeding to deepen our bond.
I LOVE my beco!!!! We started with a ring sling, then received a third generation Beco from my BFF and have added other carriers along the way, but if I had to choose just one I’d choose Beco as it’s the most versatile. We foster intentional bonding by babywearing, breastfeeding (including inducing lactation to bf our next child who is joining our family through adoption), lots of skin to skin contact, cuddles, stories and in general being in touch with what our baby/child needs.
Baby wearing was a big factor in our early bonding, only second to breastfeeding.
We nurse, snuggle, play and dance around the house. Scrunch is our first and we registered for a regular Baby Bjorn before we knew anything about baby wearing and proper positioning. I’ve used it a few times, but not for very long as I’m worried it’s not super comfortable. Even so, she loves being worn…so I’ve been eyeing a Beco for the last month or so. Just not in the budget at the moment
My son is now 23 months old, so I bond with him by getting on his level and engaging in the activities of his choice. When things need to get done, I involve him in “helping” me with the laundry, cooking and feeding the dog, etc. We still have our quiet bonding times when nursing and we dance together on a daily basis. And I love that he still likes to be worn! (He’ll say “Mama, carry you” when he wants to get into a carrier. I don’t think he quite understands how to use his pronouns yet, but I like to think that he wants to carry me!)
We have a Beco butterfly II (hereafter BBII) as well and it is on my list of five must have baby items. (Moby wrap for when they’re newborns, BBII for when they’re bigger (we got our BBII when bug was 8 months old so I’ve never tried it with a little), boppy pillow for breastfeeding, Breastpump, and cloth diapers. I *LOVE* wearing my baby bug! She is now 14 months old and loves to be in her Beco. We make our connections through breastfeeding and baby wearing. I have the luxury of being able to hold my bug during her naps. She nurses to sleep and then uses me as her paci. I run my fingers through her hair, watch her sleep, and listen to her breathe. She will use my breast as a pillow and can always feel my chest rise and fall as I breathe and she can hear my heartbeat. I know a lot of people say I am spoiling her and that she will never “learn” to sleep on her own, but you know… I don’t care. I am connected to my bug and she is to me. When we’re out shopping and people are buzzing by, yelling, and there are loud noises my little bug is able to fall right to sleep because she can feel my chest rise and fall as I breathe, she can hear my heartbeat, and feel me kiss her head or run my hands through her hair. I doubt I will be able to connect with my next child quite the same way, just the logistics of having two, so I want to make sure I soak up every second I can. The connection goes both ways… It’s not just good for baby. It’s good for mama.
I love to babywear as well, along with nursing into toddlerhood (20 months for my 1st… 15 months and still going for my 2nd) and lots of snuggles and hugs!
I love to bond with my baby by breastfeeding him and holding him close.
We bond through breast feeding and snuggling and just making eye contact. My little one is 8 months old and my 4th child in a very busy household with big sibs many years older. When I make eye contact with my little guy among the chaos he just giggles with glee. I love the idea of baby wearing but with a bad neck/shoulder thing I find it tricky to have an easy to put on carrier (that is easy to get LO in and out of) that is also super comfortable for my troubled neck/shoulder/back.
Co sleeping, especially with my newborns, was a great way of bonding. My older two (7 and 5) still sleep with me most of the time (after a hiatus from ages 2-4 or so!) I also loved wearing my 3rd baby, I had a Moby wrap, Mei tei and SSC.
beco is my first baby carrier. it’s help me so much for doing daily jobs at home 😀
I have bonded with her by snuggling her to sleep each night on top of my chest. Something I swore I would never do has become my special time with her that pointy bony daddy can’t compete with.
Keeping baby close is so important!
I bond with my LO by wearing him around the house, breastfeeding him on cue, holding him in my arms while we cosleep, and giving him baby massages. 🙂
I include her in everything I do. We cook, clean, shop, sleep, and take bathes together. How else will she learn everything I know? I think my favorite bonding times are when we are nursing or when I get her into a carrier and we go walking. I love it when she tells me which way to turn. Lol
We would love to try a BECO. We love to read together and snuggle (when the little man sits long enough)! We are going on a vacation soon that a carrier would be perfect for!
Breastfeeding and baby wearing is the best way to bond with my 4 month old.
I love wearing my 9 month old…I wish I did it more often – but she is just so dang independent/wiggly – I think she would love being carried on my back…I just haven’t mastered that with my Mei Tei yet.
Breastfeeding and babywearing, morning cuddles, storytime, family bath time and cosleeping are some of the ways our family bonds <3
nursing, babywearing, and…dare I say it, co-sleeping!
Nursing and baby wearing are tops here.
We bond with our little one by wearing her or having her in our arms. Sometimes society’s expectation of not holding a baby all the time makes me nervous, but then I remember to do what feels right for my baby and me! I would love to win a Beco to carry our little girl in! And the kid sized one is adorable too!
I do a lot of cuddling in the glidder and reading books with my two little ones. They both love it and I love snuggling them close. I wish I had a baby carrier, it looks like it not only makes things easier, but also keeps your babies snuggled close. My two year old and six month old would love it. They are just so expensive, though.
I love this post! I think if my husband wore our baby girl more often then she would be more likely to snuggle up with him as well! Thanks for posting.
Ive bonded with my son by co-sleeping. Doing art projects and wearing him.
Besides the obvious answers of breastfeeding & baby wearing my 13 month, my husband and I have Saturday morning snuggles. We spend about an hour just hanging out in bed with our miracle.
Definitely wearing – she immediately stops fussing!
breastfeeding and singing together
Breastfeeding. Lots of cuddling for sure. Cosleeping/bed sharing. Reading stories. Babywearing. Singing together.
Thanks for a great giveaway!!
I actually will be exploring ways to bond with my LO when s/he gets here! This is the only child we’re planning to have (my husband already has three that are half grown elsewhere), so being close to him/her is extremely important to me, even at only 17 weeks! Haha, I’ve heard a lot of really positive things about babywearing and breastfeeding routines so I’m definitely planning to work these into my gameplan. I’m also going to be stealing ideas from some of the comments. Many of these sound awesome. 😀
We baby wear all the time, and could really use another soft structured carrier so that we can wear both children at once!
I am excited to “wear” my baby on the family ranch- this business involves a lot of walking around and talking with people and having my baby close to me, being hands-free and being able to talk with guests is important! Plus, I love how daddy could use it, too!
I nurse and babywear and when the older kids want to go outside and play, I play right along with them.
This carrier looks awesome! We bond through breastfeeding, baby wearing, and lots of cuddles for story time.
I loved bonding with my daughter through breastfeeding and cuddling, and I can’t wait to do the same with our next child.
We bond through babywearing and lots of cuddles.
I love holding her and playing on the activity may with her. Every day I see her do something new. Bonding for this ftm has been amazing.
We LOVE to rock! 🙂 She wants to curl up in my arms in her rocking chair and snuggle. She LOVES helping me around the house – I try to find one step in each of my tasks that she is able to help with. (Laundry, dishes, sweeping, etc.) We didn’t know much about baby wearing with her, but now I know more about it, so we want to do that with our 2nd child. 🙂
I bond with my babies by co-sleeping, breastfeeding, baby wearing, and just a lot of physical closeness.
We bond through babywearing, cosleeping, and breastfeeding. We cuddle lots, too!
I love babywearing also. I love the bonding time, convenience, and my little one loves it also.
I love wearing BabyCakes – even if its just walking around WalMart (getting all sorts of looks might I add)… I wrap her up and she’s instantly soothed and conks right out 🙂
We bond by snuggling and nursing after long days of playing.
Love my Becco. BF is a breeze in this. Would love to win one for my best friend and a mini for my almost 2yr old niece.
I routinely baby wear my babies (and toddlers 🙂 ). They do everything with me. I think including them in your daily routine and explaining what you’re doing creates great bonds (and vocabulary).
We bonded through nursing mainly, talking/explaining daily activities, and reading books.
I too love to bond by wearing my babies! I try to hold them/wear them as much as I can!
I have an ergo and love wearing my little boy but I have been so wanting to try over types of carriers, including the beco carrier!
My best bonding time is nursing. I chit chat while I nurse and I’m pretty sure it’s the only time I have my 16-month-old’s full attention!
Snuggles all the way, and babywearing! My seven-month-old Scrunchie is the happiest in our carrier–it’s a guaranteed way to keep her happy and relaxed! I would absolutely to win a different carrier, though–mine is an old, old one I picked up at a garage sale. Everything is so expensive! It would be amazing to wear a carrier that didn’t hurt my back! 🙂
I love bonding by breastfeeding and babywearing. My DD lived in my moby when she was a newborn! I also love cuddling and getting down on the floor at their level to interact with them!
I love to bond with my daughter through nursing!
Wearing my little babe helped me bond with her. I hope to be able to wear her for many years to come.
My 12 month old loves my long hair. Every morning and night we sit in our rocker, snuggle with a book, and she rubs her tiny fingers on my hair. It relaxes both of us.
We bond while breastfeeding, cosleeping, reading, laughing, and playing! I love my little peanut!
My son and I bond using our Girasol wrap! He loves spending time with mommy and looking around. He is almost 14 weeks old 🙂
We also have some amazing bonding time after his bath. He gets a massage every night and loves his hands massaged! We sit and talk for awhile as I give him the massage 🙂
We also cosleep, which is amazing! Love it!
I love baby wearing! My son (3 years) has shown an interest in baby wearing as well. I made him a moby style wrap for his “baby” the other day and he LOVED it!!
I would love to win a Beco. I’ve used an Ergo with babies 1 and 2, and would like to try a Beco with baby #3. There aren’t any stores around here that sell them, so I haven’t had the opportunity to try one out.
I bond with my baby boy (5 mths) by breastfeeding, staying home with him, and holding him in my arms.
This carrier looks awesome. I love wearing my first and I look forward to bonding with my second in that same way 🙂
We breast-feed, baby-wear and snuggle, snuggle, snuggle!
Every night we give my 2 year old son and 1 year old daughter a bath together. After that we each take one child to read and snuggle with before bed. Both really enjoy the one on one time with us and we love it! Sometimes I get a babysitter for one of them so that we can go do something special together. In the mornings before we start our day, we all hang out in need while my 2 year old tells us what the weather looks like for the day and what he wants us to do that day. My son didn’t enjoy being worn…that is until my daughter arrived and he saw her in the carrier (mei tai style) and now he asks to be carried in it all the time!
Cuddling, baths together, rocking and reading a lot.
My LO and I bond through babywearing, cosleeping and nursing. Our really special moments are when i sing and dance for her and with her (in her carrier). She laughs and smiles non-stop! I love being silly with her!
My oldest and I love to cuddle (he is such a cuddle bug) but my 11 mos old is a crazy boy so we do lots of activity with him. He actually loves being in a carrier while we kick the soccer ball to my older son.
i love to bond with the lil ones by taking them everywhere and reading to them!
I’m pregnant with my first, but baby wearing has always been something I have believed in. Lots of cuddles and kisses and time together.
The Ergo is still the fave for our third child. Just got through a week of Disney using mostly the Ergo, but the Kokopax as well.
babywearing, breastfeeding, daily outings together that she gets to pick, and lots of time talking and reading together, and naptime snuggles
I never thought I would like baby wearing, I tried carrier after carrier and they were all so uncomfortable! I tried a friend of mine’s Becco and it was AMAZING! I would love to try them with me little one.
Wearing my baby, nursing and lot and lots of cuddles!
Now at 4 my son will come up to me and say “Hold me in bed?” and we go snuggle in bed for a few minutes, chatting, then eventually tickling. 🙂 We do this a few times a day. I love when he just comes up to me and asks “Hold me please?” Anytime, I’ll never say no to that!
After a really rough start and some very discouraging ‘advice’ from both the hospital staff and our local public health nurses, I find that the most special bonding time I have with my ds after 11 months is still breastfeeding. He has just learned to sign for milk and we are both pretty excited about it!
Morning cuddles!
I bond with my kiddo by wearing her as much as possible and cuddling… especially love still rocking her to sleep.
I have completely fallen in love with babywearing with my 2nd child!
Breast feeding and Babywearing 🙂
I bond with baby by babywearing, giving her all the love and attention I have, co-sleeping, and even sharing bath time on occasion.
I am growing to love baby wearing more and more. With my first, I never felt really comfortable with either carrier we tried. With my 10 month old it is great – I have even been able to nurse him while wearing him, which is huge for me! My husband and our teenage son even love wearing our Booboo to be close to him! It isone of the many ways we bond as a family 🙂
My first carrier was a Moby wrap. I loved it but hated how long it was because I couldn’t put it on while I was out running errands without the ends dragging on the parking lot. So then I got a K’Tan because it was easy to slip on whenever I decided to use it. I didn’t use it a lot around the house, but now I wish I had. Baby was seriously cranky from around 3 months to nearly 6 months She wouldnt let us put her down, so my poor arms were tired. At 5.5 months I got an Ergo and it seriously changed my life! I started wearing baby on my back and the crankiness went away and I feel like we bonded so much during that time!
If I was one of the first people under the sun to have a Soleil I would wear the crap out of my new baby (due in August) so that I can chase after my soon-to-be 2 year old and soon-to-be 6 year old boys! 🙂
“If I was one of the first people under the sun to have a Soleil I would show it off everywhere I went! My son Oliver would be the happiest baby around town in it! 🙂
I would take it on vacation!
“If I was one of the first people under the sun to have a Soleil I would carry my little one with me so as make sure that he gets all of the expierences and can see what life has to offer and to let him know that I am always there. And his older sisters could show him the world as well..” He would get lots of time showing off his Soleil. With 4 kiddos we do a lot of hiking and activities..
If I was one of the first people under the sun to own a Soleil I would give it to my sister so she can experience all the joys (and conveniences!) of babywearing. (Comfortably and in style!)
If I was one of the first people under the sun to have a Soleil I would wear it EVERYWHERE! I love babywearing, my kids love to be worn, but having a second carrier would be wonderful so both my kids could get carried. The pictures are beautiful!