Below is my review of the Ergo baby carrier (ERGObaby carrier)…

Enter the Ergo baby carrier. I wonder constantly why I didn’t happen upon this one sooner–but I don’t mind in a way, because I can fully appreciate it in all it’s wonderful-ness very fully, right now! I’ve seen the Ergo baby carrier in action–several friends, down to my sister (who has, in the last few years, become quite a sling connoisseur herself) say that this is their absolute favorite.

They love the versatility, not only in positioning but in use with kids of different ages. I can totally appreciate that now as well, as even walking around my house, I have come to putting the toddler in the Ergo baby carrier on my back while carrying or slinging the newborn. Wow! The Ergo is top-of-the-line sturdy, without being bulky and heavy. Extremely well-made, there is not another carrier out there that I have found that is more comfortable on my body.

I feel completely balanced with it on, no matter the position. Plus, at this point, the sort of classic, rugged style is exactly what I need and want (I have a simple, beige colored one–there are more ornate, decorated versions available). Completely practical and fashionable in design and function, I can hardly ask for anything else.

The best part is, even though a newborn gets carried in a vertical position, Ergo has gone to extremes to make this comfortable and physically healthy for the baby. Being sensitive to baby’s neck and leg development, they developed the Ergo infant insert which is a godsend. If it were possible to use the Ergo without this insert, (they of course don’t recommend that), I’d be back to my days of the Baby Bjorn.

It just wouldn’t work that well, making it kind of obsolete for new babies. But the insert is really cool; it’s this little cotton bed with kind of a “seat” on it for the baby’s bottom. You wrap baby in the bed and Baby kind of rests her bottom on the seat, with her legs able to be folded in her natural baby position (not too open, or splayed; bad for hip development). The Ergo infant insert keeps the rest of her body from sliding around the carrier, and just provides extra support and cushion.

The minute I put my 4 week old daughter in it, it acted as a sedative! Within minutes her eyes were closed, and she was snug between the insert in the carrier and my body. Best of all, there is virtually no way her head can roll around or that she can fall out (unless of course I stand on my head:) while I attend to a toddler, or pick him up off the floor.

Another bonus of the Ergo is the fact that someone other than me can wear it ( all my other slings were sized for me). Today, I took all 5 kids to the library by myself, and found out that it’s also pretty simple to nurse in the carrier, which was a good thing because it made more sense to just keep baby where she was as I was still running around after everybody else.

Thank you, Ergo! You are exactly what I need to be able to be the mama I want to be to this wonderful and special fifth child. It would be easy to put her down while I cook meals and take care of everyone else, but I am so grateful that I don’t need to do that.

She is receiving the closeness and love that I believe babies need; nothing more really, than their mama’s skin. And last but not least, I feel really comfortable having her in the Ergo baby carrier while I attend homebirths. Acting as the midwife now, and not the assistant, I need to feel like I can take care of the laboring mama AND my baby. I think the Ergo will be the perfect solution when baby needs to be held, because I really will have my hands completely free (and most likely have a quiet, sleeping baby on me to boot:).

It’s been a trip through motherhood so far; and thanks to my slings and carriers, babyhood, at least, has been pretty seamless. Makes it pretty clear why other cultures have always, and still do, keep their babies and young children as close by as their own body.

It’s the natural thing to do. And with so many options, there really is a match for every mama and baby. So, if and when there is ever a sixth baby in our future, I know I will come across just the right thing….

Get more information about the Ergo baby carrier…

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1. My Baby Sling “Evolution”
2. Earth Mama Angel Baby
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When I started having babies about 8 years ago, I knew all about the baby items everyone said you needed (turned out I didn’t use any of those at all) and nothing about the items that would actually be useful to me. After 5 babies, I can honestly say that there are very few things that are actual “must-haves.” And without a shadow of a doubt, a baby sling or baby carrier is one of them. It is normal for a newborn to want and need to be held all the time, and staying close to your body is the healthiest thing anyway. So, as I have evolved as a mother over these 8 years, so have my choices of slings. I found my needs and likes changing, as well as the fact that not one of my babies has been exactly like another.

My sling journey began with the Baby Bjorn. It must have been a well-meaning baby shower gift since I don’t remember buying it or even thinking that I would need or want a baby carrier. I do remember putting my tiny daughter in it, almost losing her in the depths of it as she was pretty small. Then, I read the directions which stated that the carrier couldn’t be used with infants under 7 lbs., which she was. That, and the fact that it was’t comfortable for me relegated the Baby Bjorn to a closet, where it wasn’t seen for the next two years and then was sold on Craigslist.

For better of for worse, my first wasn’t a really needy baby and so I wasn’t forced to find a sling solution. Not the most stellar introduction to a baby carrier; and if I had not searched further (or more importantly, really needed one with my next child) I may have remained sling-less. What a pity that would have been!

I wish I remembered how I found out about the Peekaboo Pouch. All I remember is my second baby (a boy this time) being fussy, and for sure not wanting me to put him down- for even a second. With a two year old as well, I was struggling. Somehow, I found Kate (owner/maker of Peekaboo Pouch) online. When she rushed me my sling, and I placed my three week old son in it, my life changed forever. This fleece pouch was the most remarkable thing; soft and cuddly, totally comfortable for me and baby as we entered another Chicago winter. In fact, being in fleece and close to my body, I was able to dress him really lightly and take him outside in it, all snuggled up and protected from the weather.

He took to it right away, falling asleep all stuffed in there, and able to nurse in it as well. I still have this sling, and for years we used it as a baby blanket and comfort object for him. A true “pouch” sling, this worked for me and baby boy for a while. In fact, I still love it for newborns, and bought one for my sister as well before the birth of her first. In many ways, it is and was an emotional attachment. I felt like this sling, in particular, saved my sanity and allowed me to revel and enjoy the fact that some babies need more closeness than others. This sling will always hold a special place in my heart; both for its “made with love” touch (thanks, Kate!), as well as the fact that I was able to be the mama I really wanted to be more effectively.

As funny as it sounds, this sling was my entrance into attentive mothering–I was able to feel and experience the closeness with my baby that I craved and he needed. (It seems that presently Kate has taken a hiatus, but her site is still up.)

The Peekaboo Pouch is hard to beat, but by the time baby number 3 was due to come, I started investigating the ever-growing sling options. With 2 little ones to chase, and with needing/wantting to take baby on my daily walks, I was looking for a little more stability. Most importantly, I had started attending homebirths with a midwife (as her assistant) and I really needed a sling that gave my hands more flexibility and freedom.

And so the search began. Probably for pretty strong cosmetic reasons, I decided on trying a mei-tai sling. These have straps that go over both shoulders, have a panel for baby and then also tie around the waist. I happened upon Baby Hawk, very excited. Not only did the sling seem versatile, but the closet designer in me was enticed by being able to pick a pattern and help design the sling. I thought long and hard about that part of it, and finally picked a purple star pattern (with black as the strap color) as my own.

Excited to try it once baby came, I headed to the Y (at several weeks postpartum, of course), sneakers on, and strapped her in. She wasn’t a fussy one at all, and seemed to really enjoy her ride around the track. I, however, was miserable. I couldn’t get the straps around my waist quite tight enough; after walking for just a few minutes, her weight would pull the bottom of the carrier down, throwing the whole thing out of whack. She’d start the walk with her head high enough that I could kiss it, but after just a few laps around she (and the carrier) had sort of dropped.

I think I gave it a few more tries after that, but the bigger and heavier she got, the more uncomfortable it became. I had thought the dual-shoulder straps would avoid the shoulder and back pain, but I was wrong about that too. Super-duper expensive mei-tais are not for me. In fact, I loaned it out a year or two ago during one of my sling demo classes and never got it back. Oh well, I hope whoever has it liked it more than I did! I’m not missing that carrier very much at all……

Baby #4. Feeling a tad discouraged with carriers after the Baby Hawk, but knowing I at least have one awesome sling. Always wanting to be in the know of new baby gear (and especially slings), I ventured out again. Still searching for the elusive carrier that would fit my needs this time. Turns out that fourth baby is a charm! (Although most of my babies have been really easy… my “joke” about why I keep having them:). This baby didn’t seem to need much of anything, except nursing here and there. But with 3 little kids other than him, I don’t think he was ever left sleeping peacefully, or that we let him take a nap anywhere other than the car or sling at all. I looked at many options, and stumbled upon Baby K’tan, which was not well-known (at least at the time).

I watched the How-to videos they had online, and was hooked. It was like a Moby in function, but a lot easier on the brain! I never “got” how to tie that thing (plus at 5 feet tall always felt like a mummy in all that fabric) but this looked so easy! With 2 loops of fabric, it seemed like the best of many slings. Secure, versatile and comfortable. I chose a fun blue tie-dye pattern, and when it arrived, got baby right in it. Easy as he was, he did not like to be horizontal, which ruled out my beloved Peekaboo. But because of the double fabric layers (which are wonderfully soft, by the way, like a cozy T-shirt), he could snuggle up vertically without falling out or being overly contained in any way. Perfect! Plus, being in Arizona meant that the lighter fabric and breathability were vital to our using this sling all the time.

Because it’s also so stretchy and because there are many different holding positions possible, I used this sling exclusively right up until the last month or so of my next pregnancy.

I still use the Ktan, at least partly, with newest baby #5. She was born in May (again, in AZ) and so for pool trips in the 100 degree weather, I opt for this lightweight sling still. However, with this babe my needs changed yet again. #4 is not yet a two-legged, and still very much needs to be carried or in a sling. In a lot of ways, it must be like having twins! So, I quickly discovered that the Ktan does not work so well for me in some everyday situations with 5 kids. Like grocery shopping. I cannot have the newborn in any precarious position; making most every sling I have virtually unusable.

Imagine not just 2 older kids, but a 3 year old (one likely to dart out into parking lot traffic), as well as a baby in a sling and a toddler that cannot walk himself into the store yet. And no empty grocery carts in sight. This means having the baby in the most perfect baby carrier imaginable, one that keeps the baby comfy but more than 100% secure as I bend in all positions to get the toddler our of his car seat AND onto my hip, while trying to hold the hands of the other 3. Whew. Who would have thought. 8 years ago, that my needs in a baby carrier could change so much! From soothing one fussy baby, to needing something virtually indestructible for a 5th child.

And then I found the Ergo baby carrier… (click on the link to read my review)

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Vitamin K is synthesized in the gut, and is responsible for (among many things) the clotting of blood. Compared to adult levels, all babies are born with a “deficiency” of vitamin K. This is the way ALL babies are made, and there is likely a very good reason for it. One possible reason is that because vitamin K helps cells multiply (like as the baby is forming and growing), a surplus of vitamin K might contribute to the overgrowth of cells which we have come to know as cancer. In any case, should we be supplementing a newborn’s body with an overload of any vitamin or mineral? What might the long term effects of this be?

For most babies, this “lack” of vitamin K at birth is not a problem, and as the meconium clears out of the bowels their guts are able to start making their own appropriate supply of this vitamin. But because the levels are “low” to start, all hospitals administer a vitamin K injection after birth in hopes of helping the baby’s blood to clot in event of a hemorrhage-especially one that would not be visible, such as bleeding in the brain.

The risks associated with the intramuscular injection of vitamin K are debated. There have been links between the shot and childhood leukemia, although just as many oppositions contest this relationship. The oral form of vitamin K comes in dropper form, and has not been associated with this cancer risk. However, it is more difficult to ensure the correct dosages are given at the correct times, usually administered by the parents.

Despite popular belief, supplementing the mother’s diet with VK rich-foods so that she is able to pass on extra VK through her breastmilk does not prevent this deficiency in the baby after birth. Studies have shown that the VK in colostrum and breastmilk stays level, and that a maternal diet with a high fat content may actually be the best way for a mom to provide her baby with extra VK. In any case, a healthy, well-rounded pregnancy diet helps ensure that mom is proving her baby with exactly what it needs to grow properly.

Most babies do not have the need for supplemental VK, but some truly do have a disorder- Vitamin K Deficiency of the Newborn (VKDN). 1 in 10,000 babies will develop VKDN, and it is preventable with an injection or oral doses of VK.

For some reason, these babies may have an absorption problem (like cystic fibrosis) or a liver disorder that interferes with the VK synthesis, and are more likely to hemorrhage. Babies whose mothers have been on antibiotics or anti-seizure medications also seem to be more at risk. Some see VKDN as a problem that has been created with immediate cutting of the umbilical cord after birth and birth traumas with forceps or vacuum extractors (cutting the cord too soon deprives the baby of 40% of his/her blood volume). Other risk factors are preterm, low-birthweight babies. Symptoms of VKDN are:

bruising (unexplained or abnormal)
blood in urine or stool
bleeding from umbilicus or circumcision site
severe jaundice for more than 1 week, persistent jaundice for more than 2 weeks
Sources:
Myles, Textbook for Midwives(833)
http://www.vitamins-supplements.org/vitamin-K-deficiency.php
http://onyx-ii.com/birthsong/page.cfm?vitamink
http://www.womens-health.co.uk/vitk.asp

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1. My Thoughts on Vitamin K
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3. A Little Homebirth Question and Answer

When considering the vitamin K shot for a newborn, it is wise to look at the facts and evidence out there before making a decision. I believe that this, like any standard protocol, must be questioned and understood as fully as possible by the parents.

There is a lot of conflicting information out there about the AAP recommended vitamin K shot at birth.

There are schools of thought that say if you don’t clamp the cord, the baby receives a greater volume of blood (and “more” clotting factors because of it), negating the need for a vitamin K shot. But if vitamin K cannot be made by the baby until several days after birth (because this vitamin is synthesized in the gut, once the baby is getting colostrum, which also contains Vit. K) then perhaps some babies WILL need the injection.
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Here’s what most everyone seems to agree on: babies are not born with very much VK in their systems. One group calls this a “deficiency”, hence the absolutely necessary VK shot to correct the “problem”. The other side claims that since the low levels of VK are seen in all newborns, how can we call what’s normal for them a “deficiency”? And what does this super-supplementation do to a baby that does not need it?

It seems to me that nature provided babies with “low” VK levels for a reason. One article (written by chiropractor Linda Palmer) suggests that because VK is responsible for cell growth, too much would allow the cells to grow out of control and perhaps cause cancer. In the most general sense, babies (like birth) are just how they should be and born with what they need to survive.

VK shots should not be given routinely. There are ways to begin providing and supplementing the baby’s body with VK shortly after birth if needed. Colostrum provides VK, as does breastmilk (although in small quantities), especially if the mom is supplementing or eating very VK rich foods. The baby’s gut will begin making it’s own VK as the intestines grow the necessary flora to do so.

There are often certain signs, certain risk factors that might be a clue that a baby either needs helps with clotting (“vitamin K deficiency bleeding”, or VKDB) OR has some other problem (like liver disease) that causes bleeding in the brain. In any case, VK may be warranted in these cases, whether it be an injection or oral.

According to midwife Anne Frye (“Understanding Diagnostic Tests in the Childbearing Year”), premature babies are more at risk for abnormal bleeding, as are babies with infections that would cause clotting problems, like syphilis. “Warning signs” of VKDB are any bleeding symptoms, unusual bruising that did not come from trauma, and extreme or lengthy jaundice, among others.

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Well, I’ve spent the past week researching circumcision in order to be able to present accurate information and “informed consent” to the expecting parents I work with. I’ve done this with many issues so far, and I really do try to present as unbiased a presentation as possible. I myself have 3 children, and I have personally been through the major decisions, like where to birth and whether or not to vaccinate. And although I feel strongly about both of these issues, I can understand that different people come to different conclusions for their own lives, and I have to respect that.

But I cannot do that with the issue of circumcision.

I have a stack of studies, articles, pamphlets, pictures and video. And there is not one paper, one sentence I have read that would EVER make routine circumcision (that is, circumcision done for any other reason except religious beliefs) plausible enough for me to act unbiased.

What might even convince the most conservative parents is that even the medical community, for the most part, does not recommend routine infant circumcision. That is music to my ears, really, since almost every other issue has my beliefs at odds with those of most doctors. But, circumcision we can agree on. Did you know that the US is the ONLY country to practice non-ritual circumcision?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has said that “the data is not sufficient enough to recommend routine neonatal circumcision” (1999), and the Work Group on Breastfeeding for the AAP discourages any “stressful procedures” since they may interfere with breastfeeding. There is even an organization called Doctors Opposing Circumcision (DOC) which is trying to get medical doctors to stand up and refuse to be part of this barbaric procedure. They focus not only on the physical abuse of this “surgery”, but the fact that any surgery must be done for a valid reason and that performing routine circumcisions are a violation of the medical ethics-namely the first rule which is, First, Do No Harm.

There are lists of “myths” that have been perpetuated about leaving your son intact (non-circumcised). For those that haven’t done the research yet, “cleanliness” is the biggest hurdle. Somehow it has been communicated that being intact is less clean, more difficult to keep clean, etc. There is absolutely no medical anything to back this up, and the proof is in just doing it. Keeping an intact penis “clean” is no different than teaching your son to brush his teeth or clean his ears. It is just a ridiculous and invalid argument that has somehow survived.

Other “myths” revolve around rates of infections (like UTIs) or percentages of cancer in those that are left intact. I have not read one medical study that has made me rethink my bias, because the evidence just isn’t there. The American Cancer Society has said, (in response to the possibility of increased penile cancer rates in those left intact) “circumcision is not of value in preventing cancer of the penis”.

So, if the medical evidence is not there, why do parents in the US feel the need to do this to their baby? Circumcision rates are definitely declining, down from about 90% to as low as 35% on the west coast. Clearly, there are parents that are not following the pack any more but many still are. Why??

I have heard so many fathers argue that because they were circumcised, their boys should be. What on earth kind of reasoning is that? That’s like saying your kids should be blind if you are, since you live your life just fine and can manage ok. Don’t we want what is BETTER for our children?

And the argument about “looking different” than everybody else. First of all, that can’t hold up as the circumcision rate declines. More and more boys every year are being left intact, and it is not as “weird” as it used to be. But really, what are we trying to teach our boys? That we made a conscious choice to remove a vital, natural, normal part of their bodies so that they could avoid some teasing?

My favorite illustration of this concept is from a pamphlet “When Your Baby Boy Is Not Circumcised”, written by Edward Wallerstein.

”If parents are comfortable with their decision, it is easily explained. In one family, the father was circumcised and the son was not. At about age 3, the boy asked his father about the obvious differences. The father told his son: “When I was a boy, they thought it was a good idea to cut off that part of the penis”. The son thought for a minute and said: “That’s dumb.” And that was the end of the discussion.”

If you are still not convinced, take a look at a video of a circumcision by clicking on one of the related links. If you can manage to get through the whole thing, you might be asking some different questions of yourself. And one day, your son may thank you.

Circumcision Video

Related Articles:

1. Vitamin K/Vitamin K Deficiency of the Newborn

I love being pregnant, but I have this almost dread about postpartum. It used to seem like a bad word to me, being forced out into the world as a “normal” (non-pregnant) person again, with leaking breasts and even more responsibility than before.

Third time’s a charm, I guess, because I am loving this post-pregnancy time right now. For me, it was realizing I need to view it differently, and use my resources (both past experience and all the new things I am learning now) to really turn things around and find a way to love this time.

Now, I see it as even more special than pregnancy in some ways because it means finding a way to create the first calm, loving space for my baby and my body outside of pregnancy.

One of the most crucial things I think I have learned about “postpartum” is that it can be this wonderful middle ground between pregnancy and “real life.” I never looked forward to it because I was seeing it as just the cessation of being pregnant, which I always love and miss. But I have the choice (more or less) to either throw myself back into reality head first (which is what I have always done) or find a way to relish this new land I am in.

Being an independent woman, I’d never really asked for too much help after birth, figuring that it was my job to take on everything new all at once. And although that is what I will do eventually, I’ve asked for help this time. I really did some thinking the last few weeks of pregnancy in order to prepare-I didn’t want to feel sad, and depressed and overworked and tired and sick like I did last time. So, I simply made up my mind that I was going to spend at least a week in bed, naked with my baby. I told my husband beforehand that I needed to do that, and what it would be like for him while I did. I made a promise to myself to not run around, or even pick dirty clothes up off the floor. And although I haven’t, this break has provided me with so much enrichment and self-reflection that I didn’t count on, instead of simply sitting here bored like I thought I would be.

I am learning to love my body this time too. It’s certainly not the way it was after the first time I gave birth, but it’s pretty amazing nonetheless. There is an amazing, inspiring book for after-birth reading that I just hope every woman can buy and keep for after she has her baby. After the Baby’s Birth, by Robin Lim, is worth it. It did not make an impression on me while I was pregnant, but it is not for pregnancy. I am so glad I kept it around and took it out after the birth. Whether you have just had your first baby or not, the information in the book is much needed and probably unknown or forgotten by most women. This book is written in such a gentle, warm way and provides a kind of spiritual basis for looking at the postpartum time, along with practical ways and tips to make it easy and enjoyable for the body. One of her suggestions, the “postpartum belly pack” was really helpful to me. Not only did it feel good, but it encouraged me to take the time to thank my body for it’s work, and to help it (very slowly) start to heal as gently as possible.

As I cuddle skin to skin with my newborn daughter, we take in each other’s calm because neither of us is going anywhere. I look down at her and I realize that postpartum is this amazing gift that is given to us after we have a baby. It is not a gift that our culture respects, and so there is so little support to squeeze every moment out of these days. But I have reclaimed it for myself this time, and I am so thankful. She will never be this way again, and I will never have this kind of time with her again. And instead of feeling rushed to get my body back, I see it as a whole new journey and part of the life cycle that I need to respect and honor.

Birth is amazing, but so is after-birth. Honor your baby, and your body by loving what there is to love about each miraculous moment. No one will give you the permission, so you have to take the opportunity to do this for yourself. I doubt you’ll regret it.

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1. Postpartum: After the Baby’s Birth
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