Which Type of Baby Wrap Do I Need to Carry My Baby?

As parents, we are very lucky in our current market place to have access to a huge range of different infant carrying wraps, but this diversity can make it confusing to know which one is best for us and our family.  In this brief guide, we give you a description of the main types of wraps available and some reasons why they may be suitable for you.


Stretchy Wraps 

Stretchy wraps are normally more suitable for newborns to approx. 9-12 months of ages depending on weight. The soft stretchy fabrics will provide the right level of adaptable, supportive fabric around your new babies developing body. The stretchy fabric gives room for beginners to accommodate this learning curve and still support baby.

The Stretchy Moby Modern Wrap

Stretchy Wraps are often made from a cotton rib knit fabric that provides great suppleness, stretch and bounce. All stretchy wraps have a different range of stretch, elasticity, density and weight (grams per metre) and these are all things that need to be considered.

Hybrid Wraps

Hybrid Stretchy Wraps contain a mix of spandex which provides a dense and high elasticity carry, ideal for heavier infants and so lasting longer.  An example is the JPMBB (Je Porte Mon BeBe) Wrap which is 95% cotton and 5% spandex and has a 3 way stretch.

Most Stretchy and Hybrid Wraps are all approx. 5m long in length as standard, although you can get shorter ones if you look and then can vary anything from 50-70cm wide.

The JPMBB Hybrid Original Wrap

Woven Wraps

These are similar to stretchy wraps as they are pieces of fabric that are tied in different ways around you and the baby. However these are woven to be more supportive - they have little or no stretch and can accommodate heavier toddlers, whilst also being used from birth. Over the last few years there has been a huge increase in different brands and styles. But in summary, here are some different weaves to look out for and a table of varying lengths:

Straight weave/gauze:

Simple fabric, often cheaper and potentially thinner

Cross twill (German style woven):

Often one coloured or striped, they also have a good diagonal stretch which can make an easier wrap.

Jacquard:

Also has diagonal stretch and the capacity to support any pattern you desire. These are very smooth to wrap with but potentially not as sturdy as cross twill.


Woven wraps come in different sizes to take into account different sized adults/infants and to facilitate a huge variety of different carries. 

Woven wraps have a slight learning curve but once mastered are a truly custom fit - and woven wraps are coming soon to Born! Watch this space!


You can get more advice and see demonstrations of baby wraps and carriers from trained infant carry consultants at Born (please ring to book an appointment) or your local sling libraries and infant carry consultants.

Visit Borndirect to see the full range of Baby Wraps and Slings

Night Nannies, free drop in help at our Bristol store

Are you struggling with your baby's sleeping patterns? Camilla from Night Nannies has worked with families and their young babies and children for over 15 years, offering advice on normal feeding and sleeping patterns and how to solve bad sleep habits with gentle and realistic solutions.

In April, Camilla will be coming into our Bristol store to offer help and guidance to parents with any issues or questions they may have about their baby's sleep patterns.

Since 1999 Night Nannies has given over 5000 parents throughout the South of England a good night’s rest and expert solutions to sleep, feeding and routine problems.



On 27th April 2015, Camilla will be in our Bristol store, to help you with any questions or worries that you may have. To book a slot or to find out more, please contact our Customer Service team on 0117 9245080 or email customerservice@borndirect.com.

Watch Camilla talk to Eva when she came into the BCfm studios for the Health Hub show.

Here are Camilla's top tips for night time parenting

At Night Nannies we look as all cases as individuals - parents contact us for support and we feel that a sleep problem is only a 'problem' if it is causing upset within that particular family. We will then look at that issue and offer advice for the individual family, following gentle guidelines only.

1. Always try to put your baby down awake so he will recognise where he is if he wakes up in the middle of the night. "Leave a little time between your baby's feed and bedtime. If you feed your baby to sleep, feeding and going to sleep will become linked in your baby's mind. When they wake in the night, they'll want a feed to help them go back to sleep." http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/getting-baby-to-sleep.aspx#close

2. As your baby gets older (from about six weeks) and is beginning to stretch the time between feeds, ensure that the last feed of the day is a really filling one.  Often your baby will be too tired to make the effort to feed properly, but persevere as this will enable you both to sleep for longer.

3. Don’t worry if your baby grizzles when you put him down to sleep.  Babies often create their own wall of “white sound” in order to cut out other noises that are preventing them from going to sleep.  If your baby’s grizzles increase or continue for more than 5 minutes you should, of course, establish what is wrong.

4. Use a dummy to settle your baby at the beginning of his sleep, whether a nap or an overnight sleep; however, do not let him become dummy-dependent by using it throughout the night – once it has fallen out, leave it.  This way, he will not become used to having it returned to him and will learn to sleep without it. (However, if breastfeeding, wait until your baby is one month old to ensure breastfeeding is well-established). (http://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/dummies)  

5. Once your baby is weaned (from 6 months), he is able to start sleeping through the night as he will be getting sufficient nutrition during the day. We are saying that only from 6mths it is developmentally possible (as long as the baby is eating well in the day and fully weaned onto solids), for a baby to sleep longer at nighttime, as he is getting sufficient nutrition throughout the day. This is only if that is what a parent should want to achieve. This is actually to avoid higher expectations; often we hear that parents want a younger baby to sleep through/ give up nighttime feeding - we are actually saying quite the opposite, that this is not developmentally possible.

6. Maximise the differences between daytime naps and overnight sleep (nursery and kitchen, dimmed light and bright daylight, calm one-on-one time and busy family chatter).

7. Help your baby to develop his internal bodyclock (or Circadian cycle) by keeping his feed times and nap times consistent during the day – it will help with his overnight sleep.

8. Put in place a regular evening routine so your baby picks up on sleep associations (for example, a bath, a massage, storytime with older siblings, feed and bed).  Try to make this a transferable routine, so that it can remain the same when you go on holiday or to granny’s for the night.

9. Ensure your baby’s bedroom is a peaceful place, somewhere he can sleep well.  Try to keep toys downstairs, have soft lighting and subtle colours.  A black-out blind can be particularly useful to keep out early summer sunlight.

10. Make sure your baby’s room isn’t too hot (or, less likely, too cold). An ideal temperature is around 18°C.

Remember: if you are breastfeeding, you will not be able to begin guiding your baby into a good sleep routine until this has been well-established for your baby, ie: between 4-6 weeks. That is not to say that some of the above tips like a good bedtime routine and the difference between day and night can’t be started! But don’t expect too much, your baby is small and needs to be fed regularly to establish your milk supply.

Post a Review and Win 15% Off for a Year!

Join our 15th birthday celebrations by sending us your product reviews, and you could win 15% off all Born purchases for a whole year! 

If you have been a customer at Born, we'd love you to give your opinion on your purchase – by doing so you'll be helping others choose which products are right for them. So whether you thought your purchase was fantastic or flawed you'll be helping people just like you!


Win our monthly prize draw
We can't thank you in person for adding a review but we can say thanks by entering you into our monthly draw to win £20 worth of Born gift vouchers. The draw takes place at the end of every month, and the more reviews you make the more chances you have to win.


It takes no time
Adding a review is quick and simply. Just click on the Review button below, log in to the site and review away, you can even add a video review! 

Bonus Prize (as it's our birthday!!)

This week, we are celebrating the 15th Birthday of our Bristol store (where it all began!). We're celebrating by entering every review into an extra Birthday Prize Draw! You could win 15% off any Born purchases for a full year!

Our Birthday is THIS SATURDAY!!!!  So to be in with a chance of winning, make sure you submit your reviews by midnight 21st March 2015!

We'd especially love feedback on our Baby Carriers, Slings and Wraps, so if you review one of these, we'll enter you into the birthday draw twice!

 

Happy Birthday to Born!

Born is 15 years old this week! In addition to too much cake, birthdays always bring on a bit of reminiscing, so we asked Eva and Georgina Fernandes (sisters and co-founders) to tell us what led them to set up Born and how things have changed over the last 15 years...


What led to the birth of Born, 15 years ago?

Eva: 

Eva and Family

When my daughter Maya was born 17 years ago, I was a new mum who wanted to use washable nappies, use chemical free products and baby wear, and have ethically made toys and clothes.

I became acutely aware that there was no single place that served all my needs. I founded and volunteered at The Bristol Real Nappy Information Service and encountered other parents who wanted the same products but like me were frustrated at the lack of availability of these items on the high street. I felt strongly that people should have a choice about buying baby products and that sustainable and ethical products should be just as readily available to everyone.

Georgina and Family

Georgina:
When Eva approached me with her idea to set up Born, it just made so much sense to bring natural, organic, ethically sourced products onto a shop floor. It has been amazing to share the product knowledge and our experiences with our customers in a retail environment.







Why is selling sustainable and ethical products important?

Eva: It's just the right thing to do. I can't imagine feeling good about my baby wearing clothes that a child had made.

Georgina:

It is extremely important to me and the team at Born. It is a lifestyle for us and we question very carefully that products fit our criteria to support the planet and the workers.

Making Pebble toys in Bangladesh

What are your favourite 5 products that Born has sold in the last 15 years?

Eva: 

The Tripp Trapp Chair  - It is the epitome of sustainable furniture, something that goes from birth to adult. We have them in our house and I use one in the office.

Washable nappies - I loved using them. There is nothing more satisfying than putting away a pile of washed nappies ready to re-use!

Slings - I loved baby wearing and love sharing these products with parents in the hope that they find baby wearing as beneficial.

Bravado bra's - They are so comfortable and stretchy and that means you don't have to buy lots of sizes as your breasts change.

Earth Friendly Baby Bath and Shower - Me and my family still use and love it!

Georgina:
Slings/baby carriers - There's nothing like the feeling of carrying your baby close, and there have been some gorgeous carriers and slings over the years.
Organic toiletries - These have been really popular and I love the fact that they're not just for babies - the whole family can enjoy them.
Organic blankets - The blankets that we sell, especially the David Fussenegger ones, are so fantastically soft and snuggly - we've been using ours for years!
Natural parenting books - I've seen how these books have really helped and supported so many parents to have faith in their own parenting instincts.
Wooden toys - Gorgeous colours, safe for babies and for the planet and so much fun to play with when the children have gone to bed!

Have people’s buying patterns changed over the 15 years?

Eva: Yes, there are far more suppliers of washable nappies, organic clothing and sustainable products now, which illustrates the growing demand for these products.

Georgina:

Yes definitely. The products we brought to the shop floor 15 years ago are now on shelves in many high street stores and even some supermarkets. The availabilty and information online also now means that everyone can find and use these products easily.

Where would you like to see Born in the next 15 years?

Eva: I'd like us to have an even bigger range of ethical and environmentally friendly baby products.

Georgina:
I'd like to see us develop our wholesale side so we get the wonderful products we have to a lot more customers here and around the world.


What excites you personally about the future of Born?

Eva: The growth of online as it means more people get to experience Born.

Georgina:

The Born brand and ethos being known and used by future parents and the younger generation knowing that they have many different choices and products, and that parenting can be so natural, holistic and simple.

Desert Island Babies - What would YOU Take?

You are shipwrecked on a desert island with your baby. Which five products would you take with you and which one luxury item? As part of the Born 15th Birthday celebrations, we asked Born Founders Eva and Georgina Fernandes about their Desert Island Baby necessities, and discovered it was a great exercise for really prioritising what you need to care for your baby!


Eva's Desert Island Baby Necessities:

1. A Baby Sling

This would be a necessity whether I was on an island or in the middle of civilization! Carrying my baby in a sling means that we'd be together all day, my baby would be safe as I wouldn't need to leave them, and I could still get on with building my shelter and other island tasks!


2. Organic Babygrows and vests
I would want to keep my baby out of the strong sun, so some gorgeously soft organic cotton baby clothes would be great to have. If I could only have one, I'd choose a babygrow, then I could cut the feet off and turn it into a romper suit as my baby grows!


3. Aden & Anais Swaddles

These are great because they would be soft against our skin, and would be perfect for swaddling the baby to make them feel safe and secure. They are also large enough that I could use them as sheets and bedding!

4. Muslins
Muslins would be really useful as I could use them for nappies, for wiping and cleaning, for giving shade to my baby...

5. Organic Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil has so many uses and benefits, and if we can't find any food, we could always eat it too! There might be coconuts on the island, but I'm not sure how to turn them into coconut oil!

Georgina's Desert Island Baby Necessities:


1. A Sheepskin Rug

This would be perfect for me and my baby to sleep on - beautifully soft, and it would help keep us cool during the day but would be nice and warm during cold nights! It would feel nice and secure for my baby, too!


2. Toiletries
Weleda Nappy Cream for the baby and Coconut Oil for both of us - perfect for any skin type and I could do baby massage with the oil, too! If I could only choose one, I'd choose the oil as it has so many uses.


3. David Fussenegger Baby Blanket
This would be a must have as these blankets are gorgeously snuggly and would be ideal for keeping us warm at night, for using as shade, as a play rug, as a makeshift towel or to wrap my baby... and if I take one that comes with it's own cover, it can be a toy or a hand puppet too!

4. Washable Nappies
Perfect for a desert island. I guess about 12 could see me through till potty training (if I was here that long).

5. A Wrap Sling
Totally comfy for me and my baby and completely practical too. I think walking along wearing my baby would be just bliss on a desert island!!

If you could take one additional luxury item, what would it be?

Eva:
Reusable Cotton Nappies - If we didn't have them, we could get by, but they're nice and comfy for the baby, and if we are there for a long time, we could use them for other things when the baby no longer needs them!

Georgina:
A wooden toy for the baby to play with and to chew when they were teething.

If you lose the all the items in the sea, which one of those products would you save from the waves?

Eva:
I'd rescue the Aden & Anais Swaddle, because I could use that for a blanket, for shade, for sleeping on or for turning into a sling to carry my baby!

Georgina:
I'd rescue the sheepskin rug as the benefits of the sheepskin are so safe and comforting for babies.



It's amazing that the answers given independently by Eva and Georgina were so similar! What would you choose? And if you could get rescued, would you choose to go or stay on your tropical island?!

Live Family Illustrator in-store at Born London for Mother’s Day!

On Saturday 14th March - between 12 and 5pm - come and meet local family illustrator Katherine Mengardon of ‘karuski’s little shop of colours’, who will be drawing live in our Stoke Newington shop. Gift certificates will be available on the day for a truly unique Mother’s day present idea!

You might have already spotted Katherine’s work, which has taken pride of place in our Stoke Newington shop for the past few months. We are big fans of her art, so we wanted our customers to have a chance to meet the artist and see exactly how she works first-hand. 

Katherine starts with ordinary pictures to create bespoke portraits that truly capture each individual person. You can ask her to include specific clothing, favourite toys, family pets, bikes or scooters, or anything else that you feel is most representative of your family (Freddie Mercury, a kayak and the Gruffalo have all made appearances in the past!). 

Katherine offers a number of different options, from walking families to family trees, or genealogy taken to its most logical by perching an entire family in a tree, surrounded by significant words to each person, hidden in the branches. You could also decide to get your family coats of arms done!

So make sure you pop in on Saturday 14th in the afternoon to check out her work.

“Thank you Karuski's little shop of colours for doing such a wonderfully detailed, accurate and incredibly fast piece of art which I hope will become a treasured heirloom!” 

Lindsay, London 

Family portraits start at £100, and family trees at £150.

You can find more information and pricing options at www.karuski.co.uk.

Ergobaby Flash Sale This Weekend at Born!

We're having an Ergobaby Weekend! 

Visit our shops or website for 20% off all Ergobaby carriers, wraps and accessories in stock at Born. This includes the Ergobaby 360 Carrier, the Original Carrier, the Performance Carrier, the Winter Fleece Cover, the Raincover, the Teething Pads and much more!

The Flash Sale starts at 5pm on Friday 6th March (that's tomorrow!) and finishes at 9am on Monday 9th. 

Tell your friends and keep an eye on our Facebook page for further updates!

Visit our shops in Bristol and Stoke Newington or the website at www.borndirect.com

Six things every parent should know about cloth nappies

Thinking about giving cloth nappies a go but still a little unsure? We asked Eva, Born Founder and  author of "The Real Nappy Guide" used by councils across the country, to pass on some advice for new parents. She came up with these six golden points:

1. Changing cloth nappies is easy

Cloth nappies have moved on leaps and bounds from the old-style terry squares, pins and PVC pants that were used a generation ago.

Modern real nappies are fastened with Velcro or poppers, or are shaped (so no folding is required) and the waterproof covers are polyester and breathable.

They can be made from a variety of fabrics that are safe against your baby's skin, including cotton, ultra-absorbent bamboo and hemp or fast drying microfibre.


2. Cloth nappies will save you money (even if you only use them part time!)

On average, you will save £600 using washables over disposable nappies. That's just with the first child! The more children you have that use the nappies, the more you save.

Waterproof Nappy Cover by Bumkins

3. Cloth nappies are stylish

There are so many trendy designs of nappies that, nowadays, they are a fashion statement. Brands like Bumkins are sought after for their bright colours, prints and cuddle factor.


 5. A few extra bits can make cloth nappies even easier

There are three parts to a real nappy;

• The outer waterproof but breathable wrap.
• The inner absorbent part.
• The liner, usually made from soft fabric or strong but flushable paper.

The only other bits you might need are a nappy bucket and net, and a waterproof bag to store your wet nappies in when out.


 6. Washing cloth nappies is a breeze

Throw away or flush the paper nappy liner. Wet or soiled nappies get stored in a bucket with a lid and transferred to the washing machine for a rinse and spin to flush out the wee. Then put in other whites and wash on a 40 or 60 degree cotton wash. No need to boil!

Shaped Cotton Nappy by Bumkins at Born

All our nappies are extensively tested by parents and babies who tell us what they really think, so we just know that you'll find something in our selection that suits both your budget and your lifestyle.

Visit Borndirect to view our full range of reusable washable nappies and accessories, or pop into one of our stores for help and advice.

How Great is your Sling? Tell us and Win!

At Born we love slings and baby carriers.  We love the security that a sling offers to both baby and parent, we love practicality of having your baby with you as you go about your day and we love the closeness and the bonding that babywearing promotes.

As babywearing grows in popularity, there is more understanding about the need for ergonomically safe positioning for the baby and the parent. Consequently, better carriers are being designed and  there are now safe carriers, slings, wraps and mei tai's to suit everyone's needs, tastes and budget.
So in our mission to spread the good word about baby slings, we want owners of carriers, slings or wraps from Born to help us tell others about how great they are.  And if you think they're not so great we'd love to hear from you as well.

If you'd like to share your thoughts and review your sling, simply click on the Review link below, log in to the site and review away!

And as a way of saying thanks, each sling reviewer will be entered TWICE into our 15th birthday prize draw, where you could win 15% off ALL Born purchases for a year!

The closing date for the birthday draw will be midnight of Saturday March 21st 2015, but remember all reviewers go into a monthly draw for a Born Gift Voucher as well, so even if you miss the deadline you can still win next month.