Imagine learning to use a woven wrap without YouTube video tutorials, without a local group to get you started, or without a local educator to provide one on one instruction. I know it sounds overwheming – and it was! In the early days on TBW, the babywearing community was doing just that. We were finding a love for wrapping, and boy, oh boy, did we find it. Choosing and Using Wraps, Chatter – Wrappers Paradise, and Handwoven Geekery – the most active forums – have been the heart of TBW for many years. Collectively, these three forums contain over one-hundred thirty-two thousand threads and that number grows daily.
In this installment of The Best of TBW, we will talk about wrapping. The wrapping rabbit hole is a deep one on TBW with tons of history and information. But let’s start at the beginning with the oldest wrapping thread on TBW. There isn’t really much that’s remarkable about this thread, except that it is indeed the oldest. It was posted December 5, 2003, a little over two weeks after the initial launch of TBW. It’s a simple question about tying a wrap, and the answers are just as simple – a humble beginning for what has become a fairly complex series of positions, carries, variations, and finishes.
Practicing a Carry of The Week in 2009
The next thread on the list is actually a series of threads. In the winter of 2007, a simple concept was born, and quickly took the shape of the Carry of the Week Series. It has now run for more than seven years and covers seventeen sessions on TBW. This is the place where many old timers learned to wrap, perfected our carries, and experimented with variations. Many of you might see this tradition living on in “Carry of the Week” or “Carry of the Day” series on facebook, Instagram and in local babywearing groups. It’s a highly effective way to learn to wrap.
There are tons of wrapping resources, but I have a couple of favorites to share. The first is The Wrappers Visual Glossary. The second is The Wrapping Cheat Sheet. These threads together lay out the elements of wrapping and break carries down into steps. If a wrapper is familiar with these elements, they can put them together into a freeform carry, which is a fun way to experiment with wrapping and how many carries their and variations came to be.
Wraps are woven textiles; some are woven by machine and some are handwoven by artisans, but one thing they all have in common is that they are all unique. A great thread to learn about what is normal and what isn’t is A guide to knowing what is normal for wrap conditions and characteristics. When you have the inevitable pull or broken thread, knowing how to fix it is a basic skill every wrapper should have. The IBC2014 Woven Repairs Workshopis a collection of links and information about making simple repairs.
Some rainbow wrap geekery
The geekery runs deep on TBW and Wrappers Paradise contains a lot of very specialized information. Ever wondered when and why we started to weigh wraps? We have a thread for that. Ever wondered what wraps exist in a certain color? We have a thread for that too. How about the basics (and not so basics) about woven weaves? Check these out! Wrap Weave 101, and Wrap Weave 301.
The wrap forums are also home to many social threads. What did you wear today? (WDYWT) where you can check in and say hi, track your wraps monthly thread, where you can list your stash and track your usage. You can also squeeee about fluffy mail, Talk your friends out of their ISO’s, ride the wagon, or find support while you destash. If you want to just jump in and ask a question or chat about your wrapping experiences, please do! You are among like-minded wrap friends here – and there is no such thing as a dumb question or topic.
I often get into the wrap forums and think to myself, will I ever get to a place where I have read every thread in here? The answer is no, probably not. But I will keep trying because they will always be one of my favorite places in the babywearing community to talk wraps.
In 2006, a Babyhawk meh dai was my very first carrier purchase after joining TBW. Meh dais have remained one of my favorites carrier types because they are comfortable and easy to use. In this third installment of The Best of TBW series, I will discuss the influence that Asian Style Carriers have had on the western babywearing community and share some classic threads from TBW about the Meh Dai and two of it's popular cousins, the podaegi/nyia and the onbuhimo.
my first meh dai in 2006
The meh dai (China) is just one of many carriers that make up the Asian Style Carriers (ASC) category. Other carriers in this category are the Hmong (used by the Hmong people who live in the mountains of China, Laos, Vietnam and Tailand), the Onbuhimo (Japan), the Podaegi (wide blanket), Nyia (narrow blanket), and the Chunei (Korea).
ASC’s all share a similar structure – a rectangle of fabric that makes up the body of the carrier and straps to tie the carrier around the caregiver’s body. What makes them different from each other is their strap configurations which allow caregivers to meet different wearing needs. You can learn more about each of these carriers on this thread from June 2007: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/mt-onbu-hmong-pod-whats-the-difference.141796/
Meh Dais
back carry in a meh dai
The modern meh dai descends from the traditional chinese meh dai. The americanized meh dai has a taller and wider body and longer, wider and sometimes padded straps. The most common method of use is also slightly different than it’s traditional counterpart.
Meh dais quickly rose in popularity due to their ease of use and beautiful designs. Many meh dais are literally works of art. Meh dais are made in fashionable prints and luxurious fabrics. If you have an hour or two, fall down the rabbit hole and check out the many meh dai photo threads on TBW: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/asian-inspired-and-soft-structured-carriers-photo-thread-index.19882/
I am often asked about the name, meh dai. What does it mean and how do you pronounce it?
Since the first publication of this post, the #notyourpodbutai movement challenged the anglicized naming conventions of ASC's that were set when they first entered the western babywearing market. We have returned to using traditional names and educating about their proper pronunciation. Meh dai is Cantonese and we pronounce it ‘meh-die’. You can learn more about respecting east Asian tradional baby carriers and preserving the cultural origins of these carriers here: https://notumblr.comtyourpodbutai.
There are variations on what meh dai means, but many agree that it means to wear on the back with a strap or tie:
http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/meaning-of-mei-tai-name.261839/#post-2656109
When bringing the meh dai to the US, many vendors wanted to be sure that they were using the right terminology and names for the Asian style carriers that they were producing. This thread from June 2004 is a little slice of history – bringing community pioneers, Vesta (EllaRoo, Peppermint.com, founding member of the BCIA), Kelley (Kozy), Carole (Sakura Bloom), Kaire (Freehand), Nelly (Angelpack), Grace (mangobaby) and others to discuss the development of the name and some of the history behind it’s modern application: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/anyone-speak-chinese.1703/
Over the years, the meh dai has evolved. A cottage industry was born with the opening of online shops that were designing, sewing and selling meh dais and each vendor put their own distinct twist on their particular design. This developed the many features from leg padding, to sleep hoods, to strap angles that we see on meh dais today.34
It’s hard to pick just one or two threads because there are so many, but this thread is one of my favorites all about what exactly is the magic that makes up the babyhawk headrest. The headrest has always been a highly guarded secret, that has no doubt been influential in the design of meh dais since it was introduced:
http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/bh-headrest-padding.93609/#37;20bh
Another great thread that I think has been influential is that of the cutting diagram of Octi Meh Dai. Shannon/babyraecreations the designer of the OMT, was at the forefront of the evolution of wrap conversion meh dais. When she closed her shop she graciously shared her cutting diagram and answered questions for those who would like to make their own version – it’s now an interesting piece of history in the context of how popular wrap conversion meh dais have become in the past few years, making up a large portion of commercially available Meh Dais today: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/mts-cut-from-wraps.224860/
Before video tutorials, photo threads and tutorials were very popular on TBW. Two threads that have long been great community resources are the apron/non-apron thread: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/how-to-tie-apron-and-non-apron-pics.392923/
And the shoulder strap tying variation threads: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/photo-tutorials-how-to-tie-mei-tai-shoulder-straps-tibetan-and-other-variants.494403/
Another fun geeky subject is about construction. How can different methods of construction and materials affect comfort and longevity of meh dais?: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/physics-and-structure-of-mts-and-sscs-and-other-abcs-what-can-you-tell-me.461330/
Beyond the geekery, TBW has always loved a good stash shot thread and one of the most epic meh dai stash shots belongs to our beloved Alison/mom2twinsplus2 and her very literal mountains of meh dais stash thread: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/ever-wonder-what-100-ring-slings-look-like-spread-on-a-living-room-floor.431616/#post-4844940
Podaegis/Nyia and Onbuhimos
a wrap conversion nyia with wrap straps
Podaegi/Nyia and Onbuhimos have both ridden waves of popularity over the years. These carriers don't have waistbands which makes them an excellent option for high back carries, and while they sound similar to each other, they are very different from one another!
The Podaegi/Nyia is an elongated rectangle of fabric – called the blanket – and the blanket can either be wide (podaegi) or narrow (Nyia). They only have shoulder straps that can either be angled or straight. The Podaegi tips and tweaks thread is a great place to start learning about podaegi: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/podaegi-tips-and-tweaks.76522/
This fun photo thread from 2007 is an interesting array of the popular fabric prints and styles of Podaegi/Nyia at that time:
http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/share-your-podaegi-pics-please.112094/
The Onbuhimo is the most recent rising star in the community. Hybrids – the buckle onbuhimo and the reverse onbuhimo are fairly new evolutions and have helped launch them back into popularity. But let’s talk about their predecessor, the classic ring or loop onbuhimo. There are a couple of great threads about onbuhimo. This one has a lot of chatter and information about onbuhimo: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/onbuhimo-tips.73152/
And this photo thread from 2006 shows how much the the onbuhimo has evolved in recent years: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/onbuhimo-onbu-various.31430/
An interesting twist in the story of the onbuhimo is Mrs. Peterson and her baby toter. In 2008, a video was found in the CBC archives about babywearing. The interview from 1963, features Mrs. Peterson and a carrier that she made – this carrier was basically a non-adjustable onbuhimo: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/babywearing-circa-1963.286164/
The DIY community quickly picked it up and started experimenting and making their own versions of the baby toter: http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/i-made-myself-a-mrs-peterson.286930/
But one of the main drawbacks was that the baby toter had to fit the wearer just right. But a remedy to that would be developed shortly in the form of buckle onbuhimos:
http://thebabywearer.com/forum/threads/those-interested-in-the-mrs-peterson-buckle-onbu-mrs-peterson-pics-added.357557/
The long and rich East Asian babywearing culture has been so influential with it's centuries old traditions that are still ongoing. We have benefited greatly from the influence and inspiration as it has led to the the wonderful variety of babywearing options that we enjoy today.
Editor’s Note: This post has been heavily edited and updated from the original post to reflect the current names used for this category of carriers.
“It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got a sling.” That popular slogan from the early days of TBW sold a lot t-shirts , and for good reason – slings are one of the oldest and simplest ways to wear a baby. Sling carriers consist of a simple swath of fabric that is worn across the body like a sash and is tied, sewn, or secured with rings or buckles.
Many cultures use sling style carriers and have for centuries. These slings are often multipurpose garments that are also used for wearing children. In the US, sling style carriers inspired early carrier designers. This patent #US000416970 filed on December 10, 1889 by C.C. Taylor shows a sling style carrier fashioned out of mesh and buckles. The “Suspensory Garment” is just one example of how the concept of the sling has influenced babywearing for generations. There are two main types of sling carriers that are popular with caregivers today: the ring sling and the pouch sling.
The ring sling was first designed by Dr. Raynor Garner in 1981. The first ring slings had padded shoulders and rails and had closed tails. This style of ring sling, not to be confused with bag slings, became known as a closed tailed ring sling and are still available for purchase today.
Wearing my son Benjamin in a Kalea ring sling in 2009
Improvements to the design of the ring sling came in the form of unpadded rails, an open tail, and a variety of shoulder styles. As the small cottage industry of ring sling manufacturing grew in the early 2000’s, shoulder styles became very distinct and each maker had its own signature shoulder. To see various shoulders that have been used over the years, check out this thread showing ring sling shoulder styles.
A slingified Girasol Woven Wrap
Another interesting development in the ring sling category has been with the fabrics that have been used. Many early slings were made from bottom weight fabrics. Lightweight denims and canvases make a sturdy and durable sling, but they can be harder to adjust and not as comfortable for some wearers. Linen and silk became very popular fabrics as they are breathable, soften up nicely with use, and are easy to adjust, but one of the biggest things to happen to ring slings was the wrap conversion. Once called ‘Slingifying”, woven wraps turned ring slings changed the wearing world. This fun thread from 2006 asks the question “Why would I need a slingified wrap?”, the responses are mixed – who could have known that wrap conversions would take over the ring sling world in a big way?
Pouches are the second type of sling carrier that we see often today. In the 1940’s -1950’s, two pouch style carriers were on the market, The Pleat Seat and The Cuddle Seat. You can see and read more about them here in this thread; North American Antique and Vintage Carriers from the 1900-2000. Pouch slings in their current form offer a sleek, compact design which has made them a popular diaper bag staple for over 10 years. The tube-style pouch with a curved seam was designed by author Hygeia Halfmoon and was known as the Cozy Cradle.
A Hotslings Pouch
Pouches peaked in popularity when vendors like Kangaroo Korner and Hotslings came on the scene. The KKAFP (Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch), was a fleece pouch that adjusted with rows of snaps. Hotslings introduced their large range of standardized sizes – making fitting pouches easier than before.
Though pouches are less popular now than they used to be, they still hold a place in the hearts of many babywearers – Check out this thread from 2006 posing the question “What makes a ring sling better than a pouch?” I just love the statement made by long-time TBW member hollyml that sums up the pros of both ring slings and pouches, “The huge advantage of a ring sling is it’s adjustable. The huge advantage of a pouch is you don’t have to adjust it.”
It was the spring of 2006 when I found my community. I was anxiously expecting my fourth child and searching for reviews of baby carriers when I accidentally stumbled upon it. Tucked away in a quiet little corner of the internet, a small group of caregivers had come together to share information about a centuries-old parenting tool now known as babywearing.
TheBabywearer.com, or TBW as it’s commonly called, is a website dedicated to the education and advocacy of babywearing. TBW was built in 2003 by Jennifer Norton and Denby Angus. When searches to find comfortable carriers and information
about babywearing turned up little, Jennifer and Denby decided to build a website to help other caregivers find that information.
TBW founders Jeni and Denby
Jennifer writes, “I had hoped to find some way to compare types of carriers, reviews of brands, a listing of retailers etc. I bought a few different styles on-line to try them out; some that cost me a lot of money, some were well-loved by others (according to testimonials on the vendors’ sites) but many just didn’t work for me or Denby. It was a frustrating and expensive process. The best part of this phase was finding the Yahoo! babywearing email discussion group in about February, which introduced me to lots of new friends and more carriers!
After months of searching, buying, trying, sewing, etc. in July 2003 the idea for a babywearing information website was born, with the initial emphasis being a place to list all of the vendors and products, and for consumer reviews. Denby agreed this was a good idea and volunteered his assistance as webmaster, having previous programming experience but no web skills. Babywearing-related articles were added as an idea, and work began.”
After four months of hard work and some bumps along the way, TBW officially launched on November 17th, 2003. The site grew rapidly and steadily; so much so that it required three web hosting upgrades in the first couple months.
Historical home pages; top circa 2003, middle circa 2006, bottom circa 2010
In 2006, TBW transferred ownership to Melanie (koalamama). The following year, ownership was transferred to Christy (MonteMama). She owned TBW until it was transferred to Crystal in 2010, who owned it until its final transfer to Babywearing International – for safe keeping – in 2013.
During all those years, TBW saw huge influxes of members and traffic. TBW boomed with new vendors, carrier styles, and brands. Local communities and babywearing groups found each other in the forums and grew rapidly. Babywearers gathered together on TBW to geek about wrap qualities and intricacy of weaves. To compare strap angles and debate the pros and cons of seat darts. To discuss shoulder styles and construction methods. But it wasn’t all about the wearing, it was also about coming together to support each other. We laughed together, we cried together. We celebrated together and we mourned together.
In the past few years, much of the TBW community has migrated off-site to Facebook groups and other popular social media outlets as technology has evolved, but the history of how the babywearing community was built is still there on TBW, where we will hold it for future generations to discover.
I am excited to bring you this new blog series, The Best of TBW, where I will share some of the treasures on TBW with you. Whether you are an old school TBW alum, a brand new babywearer, or somewhere in between, there will be something for everyone.
“Each day learn something new, and just as important, relearn something old.” ~Robert Brault
This year Disneyland is doing a promotion called "Give A Day, Get a Disney Day." In return for a day of service, you recieve a free one day one park admission ticket to one of the Disney parks. I was so excited to get my kids involved and we signed up for 2 activities. The first one was planting trees and creek restoration. We had planned on taking all of the kids and getting our hands dirty, but we had a rainy weekend so we decided to cancel. The second one we signed up for was making blankets for Project Linus. We made five no sew fleece blankets. It was alot of work but a ton of fun. Everyone did their part and the kids learned alot about how to cut straight lines and tieing knots. What a great way to spend a rainy afternoon with our family!
Laura removing the tape that we used to get a nice straight cutting line.
(L-R) Samuel, Sarah, Laura and Adam tieing fringe.
Samuel cutting fringe on the Bug blanket.
Adam helps Zwieba to tape off the blanket edges.
All the completed blankets in a pretty little stack.
Eliza loves gadgets. She knows how to use my iphone better than I do, she love's playing with the camera, the video camera, and the kids gameboys. Every so often, I find that my little one has been photographing her world and it is always interesting to see her pictures;
Eliza looks up: To the right:
To the left: To the front: and of course a self portrait:
Sometimes I feel like I forget how amazing life is. I often get caught up, worried about this or that. Burying my brain and busying my hands. So busy waiting for the next great big thing, that my here and now is often filled with wasting time and making excuses.
Then there is a moment, like this one where I am sorting through photos; clearing my memory card; that I come across pictures that my 3 year old daughter took when I was busy doing something else. Pictures of things that I take for granted - things that are worthy of her lens.
This past summer the coast guard started construction on our housing. They are removing the stucco and replacing it with nice siding, replacing the windows and doors, and enclosing our carport into a garage. Sounds great eh? Well last week they finally got to us. They poured the footings for our new garage and changed out the support beams. They set up scaffolding all around our house as well. Yesterday they started demolition on our neighbors house so as you can imagine, it is now a construction zone in our yard! Very dusty, dirty and NOISY! I thought I would take some pics of their progress as it moves along and post them here. Hopefully we will have a fancy new house in the next couple of months!
