Breastfeeding 1-2-3 » baby-sling

Another Satisfied (Ring Sling) Customer

Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:18:17 +0000

Breastfeeding 1-2-3 reader Laurie wrote to me to share a picture of the sling she sewed from these ring sling instructions. Laurie said she had a Christmas party at her home when her son Andrew was seven weeks old. She carried him around in the sling all night and he slept most of the time! That’s yet another example of how baby-wearing makes for a happy baby and a happy mother! Here is a picture of the home-sewn sling in action.

Doesn’t Laurie look great just seven weeks postpartum?! Thanks for sharing the picture, Laurie, and great job on the sling!

For the record, I still use the sling my husband sewed four years ago! Nicole is five months old in this picture. We were hiking down to the beach.

And yesterday when the whole family went on a hike in the hills, my four-year-old even spent some time in the sling!

I also recently wore Nicole during a day at the San Diego Zoo and a day running errands. On both occasions people marveled at Nicole all tucked in the sling. They implied that she must be uncomfortable, and they weren’t satisfied by my typical positive response that it’s just like being in my womb. I wanted to shout, “She’s sleeping! How uncomfortable can she be?!” Baby-wearing and breastfeeding keep us both happy for grand adventures that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

Do you practice baby-wearing? Where have baby-wearing and breastfeeding helped you go?

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

How to Sew Your Own Nursing Pillow, Shirt, Bra & Pumping Bra, Cloth Diapers & More

Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 00:00:24 +0000

Jan Andrea offers an amazing collection of free patterns and instructions for sewing your own breastfeeding accessories. Click on the links to:

Sew your own nursing pillow (like a Boppy or Brest Friend)
Make your own nursing shirts from regular t-shirts
Convert a regular bra into a nursing bra (particularly helpful for hard-to-find sizes)
Convert a regular bra into a hands-free pumping bra

She also offers patterns for:

All kinds of slings and baby carriers, including no-sew ring slings and ring-less slings or tube-style pouches
Breastfeeder’s diaper bag/purse
Cloth diapers and cloth menstrual pads

I wish I’d known about all of these sooner! Now I can’t wait to get sewing!

Don’t forget about the projects I offer here at Breastfeeding 1-2-3:

How to Sew Your Own Baby Bibs
How to Sew Your Own Baby Sling (ring sling)
How to Make Your Own Beaded Nursing Necklace

As always, if you make any one of these projects, please consider sending me a photo of yourself and/or your baby and the finished product to be published on the blog!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Poll Results: Best Gifts for the Breastfeeding Mother

Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 17:53:59 +0000

What did nursing mothers say was the gift they’d love to get or loved getting? Approximately one in three respondents said nursing clothing (for all of those interested in nursing clothing, check out the link to the Motherwear line in the bottom right of the sidebar!) One in four said a baby sling and one in eight said a nursing pillow. This chart illustrates the final results:

If you missed yesterday’s Carnival of Breastfeeding, check out several breastfeeding bloggers’ ideas for the Best Gifts for the Breastfeeding Mother.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3