Baby wearing is one of many things I assumed that I would embrace when I was pregnant with my first son that actually, for various reasons, ended up being something we didn't pursue.
I loved the idea of wearing my baby - having the freedom to use my hands and get on with tasks around the house, having baby close to me, using it to build upon our bond - and I went into it with the best intentions.
I had a carrier that I used on a few occasions, but for some reason neither myself or Tyne enjoyed it.
Instead of being soothed by being worn, Tyne seemed to become more unsettled and seemed to prefer just being held without the carrier or set down in his rocking chair - he was a baby who seemed to like his own space!
And likewise, instead of finding it a helpful tool I actually found babywearing to be quite cumbersome - I found that I felt more secure simply carrying the baby in my arms, and because he was my only child and I was on maternity leave I never really had any great need to get a lot of tasks done whilst wearing him - my household tasks could always wait until his Dad was home from work and so the need just wasn't there.
And so - because neither of us had enjoyed the experience first time around - I never even thought about baby-wearing my second child and never purchased a carrier.
However, I was offered the chance to try out the Papoozle and as someone who is always keen to try new products I decided there was no harm in giving it a go.
What I discovered immediately is that all babies are very different - where Tyne didn't like to be worn, Noah most definitely did! He was instantly soothed when put into the carrier, and seemed to really enjoy the closeness and security of it.
And because he seemed to enjoy it, I liked it much more too!
I found that, with a second-child, baby wearing offers many more benefits - leaving me hands free to hold my toddlers hand, help him up and down from things, assist him with whatever he's doing and do various tasks hands free - it's no myth that your workload doubles along with your children with more laundry to be done, more dishes to be washed and more general cleaning & tidying and so having the opportunity to be hands-free whilst still caring for baby is priceless as a mother of more than one child!
And because I'm balancing my time and affection between two children now I had often felt that the baby tends to lose out as the toddler vocalises his need for cuddles, stories and so on meaning my attention tends to go to him more often during the times that they're both awake - but baby-wearing means that even while doing these things or just carrying out simple tasks such as walking around the shops, I'm close to Noah, cuddling him as we go, kissing his head every now and then...and keeping that bond and affection going.
I have certainly been converted this time around, and I do think that the Papoozle carrier itself has helped massively with that as it is SO very user-friendly and comfortable to wear.
I had found a lot of carriers and slings to be quite complicated - I'm the kind of person who gives up very easily if I don't understand something first time and so I need very clear instructions on how to correctly do something - the Papoozle comes with just that and made it so simple to get started.
The wrap material is attached to an adjustable waist belt with clip which you put on first - you then drape the long wrap material up across your body so that it hangs down the back of each shoulder, you then cross the material at the back and bring it around to the front to tie it in place - leaving space for baby inside.
Once baby is securely placed inside in the "M" position and is at "kissable" height, you wrap the second piece of material around the baby and tie it in the back, for additional support.
The Papoozle is one size fits most (from 5ft 3 to around 6ft 5), and is honestly so very comfortable - I wore it on the day these photographs were taken at a theme park where we walked around for at least 2 hours, my back didn't ache at all and Noah remained cool and comfortable throughout.
The Papoozle is available in teal, stone or black and is priced at £49.99
It is suitable for use from birth up to 35lbs.
To find out more, please visit www.papoozle.com
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