Consciously Parenting and FREE Teleclass

I can't remember how I came across the Consciously Parenting website, but I wanted to share it with you all. It's a great resource and at this time of year, with all the stresses and pressures of extended family, travel, excess consumerism and the like, parenting consciously can be especially challenging.

A special bonus is that Pam Leo, author of Connection Parenting: Parenting Through Connection Instead of Coercion, Through Love Instead of Fear is offering a FREE one-hour teleclass on Parenting Through Connection, on either Monday, December 15 or Tuesday, December 16. Connection Parenting is a book I highly recommend and I'm looking forward to tuning into the teleclass.

Store-Wide End of November Sale - Get 10-15% Off!

This weekend only (Nov 28-30) EVERYTHING in the store is 10% off!! Also, all instock Beco Butterfly II and Pikkolo baby carriers are 15% off!

Free Ship Day - November 17, 2008

We will have a FREE SHIP day -- on Monday, November 17th -- all orders over $50.00 USD placed between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. PST on that day will have the shipping charges refunded. Please note that this offer applies to orders shipping within North America only, but we will refund 50% of the shipping charges to international destinations. Please also note that this offer cannot be combined with any other specials or discounts.

Big in Japan

One of the things I love about having an online business is the opportunity to make contacts with people in many other countries. So far, I have had the pleasure of doing business with many European countries, Australia, and more recently Japan. In fact, this past month I had a surge of orders from Japan for some of my EC-related items such as our Continuum Family baby gowns, diaper belts, and split crotch pants. I found out through one of my Japanese customers that she is going to be one of the main presenters at an upcoming EC conference entitled "Babies do not need diapers -Quest for the lost physical abilities of human body" on November 2nd at Tsuda College and she wanted to have some of my supplies available for people interested. How exciting is that?! I was also able to facilitate a connection between this customer and Christine Gross-Loh, author of The Diaper Free Baby, as they both live in Japan. I had the song "I'm Big in Japan" by Tom Waits running through my head all day after that... :)

Update: Here's a picture she sent me after the conference of her makeshift EC store:

FREE SHIP DAY Extended

Due to some technical difficulties and power outages in our area, our site was unreachable part of yesterday and much of the day today. So, we have decided to extend our FREE SHIP day until 11:59 p.m. PST tomorrow (Tuesday, October 14th). All orders placed up until that time will have the shipping charges refunded. Please note that this applies to orders shipping within North America only, but we will refund 50% of the shipping charges to international destinations.

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your ongoing support and business!

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving -- October Specials

Thanksgiving is an especially celebratory time for us. Our second daughter, who just turned 3, was born at home on October 9, 2005, the day before Thanksgiving that year. Continuum Family online was launched a year later, on October 3, 2006. We are thankful for two beautiful, healthy girls (and have a boy on the way, due in January 2009!). We are thankful for the great success of Continuum Family. We are thankful for the opportunity to be able to work and be home with our children. I get a lot of fulfillment out of being able to provide families with information and products to support them in their natural parenting journey.

So, please celebrate with us this month! We will have a FREE SHIP day -- on Monday, October 13th -- all orders placed between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. PST on that day will have the shipping charges refunded. Please note that this applies to orders shipping within North America only, but we will refund 50% of the shipping charges to international destinations.

Also, we have new shipments of both Beco Butterfly II and Pikkolo baby carriers arriving later this month. Both are available now for pre-order. For the rest of October, with the purchase of either of these carriers, you can receive a FREE basic pouch sling in any size from our Everyday collection. Just let us know in the notes at checkout which one you want. Please note that this offer is good for a basic sling (without padding or pocket) but you can upgrade to these features as well as upgrade to one of the Designer/Luxury or Organic fabrics for an extra charge. Also, sorry but this offer cannot be combined with the free ship day on Monday, October 13th.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

New Beco Butterfly II Model Released!

We are excited to announce the release of the Beco Baby Carrier Butterfly II! This new model has the same great features as the current Butterfly carrier, plus several brand new features resulting from Beco design efforts and customer feedback.

Main new features:

• Removeable infant insert is adjustable in size (recommended for infants 7-15 lbs)
• Removeable head rest (hood) -- design changed from a square to a more complex shape with flexible sides which attaches to the body with resin snaps in a faux pocket. Hood/shoulder straps also attach with snaps.
• Webbing part of the shoulder strap is the same length as the current Butterfly; fabric part is 2" longer
• New retail packaging, DVD and printed instructions
• Butterfly 2 is proudly produced exclusively in the USA

Fabrics available for the Fall 08 season are:

• Avery
• Carnival
• Espresso
• Jacob
• Metro Black
• River
• Sara
• Trinity

We will have our first shipment in mid-October - they are available for pre-order now!

Our Top 20 Products

Ever wonder what other people buy when they visit our site? Here's a list of our Top 20 Best-Selling Products:

1) "Shi Shi Nix" EC Baby Pants -- these trim yet absorbent pull-up trainers from Australia come in a variety of very cute prints
2) CF Bamboo or Hemp Prefold Diaper Belt -- our lightweight diaper belt is a quick and easy way to secure a prefold diaper
3) Little Beetle Learners - Organic Training Pants -- these sporty trainers provide full coverage in a side-snapping trainer that can also be easily pulled up/down
4) Eco Nix - Organic EC Baby Pants -- these are the luscious, organic version of the Shi Shi Nix - the optional groovy embroidered spiral makes them unique
5) Unbleached Indian Prefolds --a soft and absorbent cloth diapering staple
6) Gauze Diaper Doublers - these economical inserts can be used to boost absorbency of diapers, training pants, even regular underwear
7) T-Shirt Gown -- this ever-popular, economical baby gown fits young babies up to toddlers
8) Papoose Cloth Training Pants -- inexpensive, all-cotton training pant
9) CF Tiny Undies - Cotton Interlock/Jersey -- our tiny underwear is geared for babies from 6-24 months
10) Transparent Potty -- this cute potty has the added benefit of being able to easily see when your little one is finished
11) CF Fleece Prefold Diaper Belt -- the polar fleece version of our diaper belt
12) CF Potty Cozy - Polar Fleece Solids -- handy for keeping the potty warm at night or in the car
13) CF Split Crotch Pants - Bamboo or Hemp -- functional and cozy, these pants make pottying easier
14) YES! Maternity/Nursing Bra -- my all-time favorite nursing bra!
15) Baby Potty Bowl - Red or Blue -- very handy for infant and nighttime pottying
16) CF Trainer Cover - Merino Wool -- light and breathable protection over any cloth trainer or trim diaper
17) Snappi Diaper Fastener -- the easiest way to secure a prefold diaper (besides the diaper belt)
18) CF Side Snap Training Pants - Cotton -- released in May 2008, our non-waterproof bikini-style trainer is fast becoming a favorite
19) CF Tiny Undies - Organic Bamboo Jersey -- organic version of our baby/small toddler underwear
20) CF Side Snap Training Pants - Bamboo -- organic version with buttery bamboo terry outer and bamboo velour inner option

Continuum Family is Moving!

We are excited to be relocating to beautiful Victoria, British Columbia next week! To celebrate, we are offering 4 days of FREE US/Canada shipping on all orders placed between July 19-22 inclusive. No need to enter a coupon at checkout -- we will refund the shipping charges on all qualifying orders placed on those dates.

Please note that we will not be shipping between July 23-27 and our site may be offline for a couple of days between July 24-26. Order shipping will resume July 28.

For Victoria area residents, we will be offering free pick up or delivery, so as of July 28 you'll be able to save on shipping costs when ordering from us. If you're in the area you can also contact us to book an appointment to come and "try or see before you buy" on a number of our items, as well as get babywearing assistance for any of the carriers we sell.

Beco Butterfly: June 2008 Prints

Here's a preview of the two gorgeous new Beco Butterfly prints for June 2008.

On espresso straps, Jacob:



and, on black straps, Avery:



Pre-orders are available now in our store, for shipping in first week in July for these prints as well as more Abby, Allison, Carnival, Natalie, and Sara. Currently in stock in limited quantity are Emma, Espresso, Isabella, Martini, and Metro Black.

Beco Butterfly or Pikkolo?

Julie writes:

"Hi There! Just looking for a little advice... I have been trying to decide between the Beco and Pikkolo for some time now. A friend of mine has the Beco 4th generation and LOVES it. I have tried it a couple of times with my 21 lb. 6 month old son and found it pretty comfy- it didn't hurt my back at all which was awesome! However it did push the top of my pants down and I kept feeling like I should scoot my son's behind up so it stopped pulling down on my waistband. My son loved it- both times he fell asleep within about 10 minutes- and was totally content while I walked, talked, played with my niece. I am buying it for this summer as a convenient way to keep him close and get things done around the house and as we run errands, take day hikes, etc. As for the pikkolo- the reviews are fabulous. I was just unsure about the unpadded waistband- and I know you are supposed to wear it on your natural waist- which I would think dug in- and may not distribute the weight as well as your hips would?? Cool thing is it looks like the baby can see out better- but can they sleep or feel as secure because they aren't as supported? We are planning on having another baby in the not too distant future- so I'd like something that can last me for a couple years if possible. If you had to but only one- what would it be?... Thanks for your advice in advance!" Julie

Hi Julie,

Hmmm, a Beco or a Pikkolo? Really good question! :)

I loved the Beco 4th Generation too. As I'm sure you are aware, Beco has discontinued making it in favor of the Butterfly model, which is quite a bit different than the 4th Generation.

I know what you mean about the padded waistbelt pushing the top of your pants down. I also find this a minor annoyance of that feature, despite it making the carrier very comfy to wear for long periods. I too was skeptical about the unpadded waistbelt of the Pikkolo... until I tried it! I found it surprisingly comfortable. It didn't cut into me at all and the top of my pants stayed put! You do wear it a bit higher but I find that once my toddler is in it ends up settling right on top of my hipbones anyways, so it still distributes her weight evenly and properly. The body of the Beco and Pikkolo are about the same length, so baby will be equally supported in either.

The Butterfly takes a bit of getting used to, especially if you're not used to putting baby in the internal sling of the carrier first, then putting the carrier on. A nice thing about the internal sling though, is that baby is perfectly positioned in the carrier every time. The Butterfly is a great carrier for those new to doing a back carry, and makes it easy to do a back carry with a very young infant using the built-in infant insert. The internal sling also allows you to adjust the distance of baby from your body, totally separate from the shoulder strap adjustment. Wearing baby very close with the sling buckles tightened up, but keeping the shoulder straps fairly loose, makes it so that baby's weight sinks down and is supported by your hips, not your shoulders.

I really like the unique cinching mechanism in the body of the Pikkolo. Not only does that enable you to do ergonomic forward facing front carries (only with babies under 20 lbs though, otherwise it kills your back!), but smaller babies don't have to spread their legs as wide while riding. The Beco Butterfly achieves the same thing with their infant insert, which is narrower than the main body of the carrier. Oh, and you can do hip carries with the Pikkolo, but not with the Butterfly.

The Pikkolo has great memory foam shoulder straps which I found really conformed nicely to my body. The Butterfly has narrower, ergonomically curved shoulder straps which makes for a very nice fit and is especially great for narrow-shouldered wearers. The fabrics used in the Butterfly are softer quilter cottons and twills. They are gorgeous, unique and colorful designer prints. The Pikkolo fabrics are more neutral, subtle, heavier canvas-like fabrics that soften up great with washing and are ultimately probably more durable.

Also, you will be able to get a padded waistband sleeve for the Pikkolo as an accessory option that will attach to current models -- should be available in the next couple of months and will make that carrier even more versatile.

As for which one I'd personally choose? Hard to say - they're both great! I do reach for the Pikkolo more often at this point because my youngest is 2.5 and I find it too awkward to get her into the internal sling of the Butterfly. I'm also an experienced babywearer so don't like having to put her in the carrier first, I like to just quickly hoist her onto my back. But, if we were to have another baby, I think I'd lean towards the Butterfly as the fabric is softer and I like the idea of the built in infant insert to do early back carries.

Another important consideration for many when choosing a carrier is -- which one has the fabric/pattern you like best?

Hope this helps you some!

Beco Butterfly: May 2008 prints

Here's a preview of the start of the long-awaited Butterfly summer collection. They are due to ship from Beco soon and I hope to have my first shipment the week of June 9.

On espresso straps there's:

Allison:



Martini:



Natalie:



As well, the ever-popular Carnival print will be available again:



On black straps there's:

Abby:



Isabella (which first came out in March and is available again now):



Morgan (which came out in April, and is still available):



and Sara:



I think this is a beautiful collection with something that's sure to please everyone.

I believe there will be two more prints released in June and possibly a couple more in July/August. These will be previewed here as soon as I am able to release them.

I will be offering presales on my site once I get the shipping notice from Beco around May 21. It's always a bit sketchy as to what's actually coming in a given shipment so I don't want to presell until I know what's actually coming. Please be sure to contact me if you are interested in a specific pattern so I can make sure I order enough.

Happy Babywearing!

What Mother's Day Should Really Be About

Pinky McKay Newsletter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This newsletter is brought to you by Pinky McKay, International Board Certified
Lactation Consultant, certified infant massage instructor, mother of five and author
of 'Sleeping Like a Baby', 'Parenting By Heart' and '100 Ways to Calm the Crying'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The hand that rocks the cradle!

Hello,

Are you getting a little sick and tired of the commercialism surrounding mothers
day? Especially when it can seem that for the rest of the year - at least in the
day to day doings of mothering - the status of mothering seems very low.

Just to give ourselves a wee value boost, let's consider some meaning behind our
special day: Mother's day, as first conceived by Julia Ward Howe in 1872, was
a time to re-dedicate oneself to the task of world peace.

Howe said, " our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have taught
them of charity, mercy and patience. We, women of our country, will be too tender
to those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure others."
While Howe's sentiments are just as pertinent today, there are now many choices
around mothering and how - or how much - we do this. At a workshop I did a short
while ago, we were discussing the values each person wanted to impart to their
child. One woman had a lightbulb moment - "how can I model these values when I am
only with my child a couple of days a week?"

While our choices about how we parent are personal and will reflect our own personal
values, it is worth consciously taking time to think about what really matters and
how our choices will influence the values that we want to model for our little ones.
It is also worth remembering that we will never get this moment, this hour or this
year back - ever again.

So this mother's day, as you eat your chocolates - or cold toast - please spare
a thought for Julia Ward Howe's vision thatMother's day should be dedicated to world
peace.

While the superpowerful, unencumbered with children, blindly assume that mothers
spend their days sipping lattes or watching daytime television while their little
ones quietly amuse themselves, you are in fact, nurturing tomorrow's world: giving
sons and daughters healthy bodies, agile minds and compassionate spirits.

Because we value the lives of our children and children everywhere, who but mothers
can more effectively teach the next generation to care for each other and to care
for our planet. Because we are mothers we have a larger stake in the world!

Pinky


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beco Butterfly: April 2008 Prints

Here's a preview of the new prints Beco will be releasing later this month. They will be shipping from Beco at the end of April, so I hope to have my shipment by May 9 or so. I will not have all prints available -- see details below.

On espresso straps there's:

Emma:



and Chloe:



and Olivia, which was first released in March but now due to fabric supplier problems will not be available again in the foreseeable future:



There's also still Ethan, which was released in February.

On black straps there's:

Morgan:



And Aubrey, which was released in March:



and Isabella, which was released in March but again due to fabric supplier problems will not be available again until end of May:



I will also have some more Metro Black and Espresso for those who prefer an unpatterned carrier. Oh, and for those that have been asking, the Carnival print will be available again in late May so I should have some by early June.

I will be offering presales on my site once I get the shipping notice from Beco around April 28. It's always a bit sketchy as to what's actually coming in a given shipment so I don't want to presell until I know what's actually coming. Please contact me if you are looking for a pattern that I don't have coming (Ethan and Aubrey are currently not on order) and I will check to see if it's still available from Beco and can be added to my shipment.

Happy Babywearing!

Waterproof vs. Non-Waterproof Training Pants

Koyuki writes:

"I am EC'ing my 3-month-old. Currently, I just use cloth diapers - a snappi'd prefold at home, and a prefold in a Bummis cover when outside. It's OK at home, but a little bit of a pain when out and about - taking it all off and putting it all on again. So I want to look into training pants, which I feel like would be easier. My main question - what's the advantage of a partly-but-not-fully waterproof pant like the Shi-Shi-Nix (perhaps worn with a wool or fleece cover) versus a fully waterproof pant like the Bongo Baby pullup...? Also, would something like the Shi-Shi-nix fit under a wool cover like Lanacare/Aristocrats/MamaBless?"

Hi Koyuki,

I definitely recommend moving to training pants when you're in the EC'ing groove, as they are infinitely more convenient to use (and less laundry to wash) than diapers. If you're still having poop misses, a side-snapping trainer is a good one to choose, but if you're down to only a few pee misses a pull up trainer is the ultimate in ease and trimness.

The advantage of a partly waterproof training pant such as the Shi Shi Nix, Eco Nix or Little Beetle Learner is that it will absorb a full pee without getting outside clothing wet (provided you change it right away) but it's still relatively easy to tell when you've had a miss because it will feel damp on the outside. This enables you to to keep in tune with your baby and communicate about misses promptly but not have to be wiping up puddles.

A fully waterproof training pant like the Pull Up Pocket Pants is useful when you want more protection for outside clothing in the case of not being able to change your baby right away, such as when you are out and about or during the night if you are not EC'ing at night. The wool or fleece trainer covers that I have designed are a very handy and economical way to add more protection to your stash of non-waterproof trainers, so you don't have to buy (as many) separate waterproof trainers. Also, many people do not like the PUL outer of many waterproof pants and prefer to use the more natural wool cover for the extra protection.

My trainer covers are cut lower in the rise and are trimmer than regular diaper covers. They will fit over many types of trainers, including Shi Shi Nix, Eco Nix, Little Beetle Learners, Papoose, Gerbers, Imse Vimse, Bright Bots and other trainers of similar cut. (Note: I will also soon have my own version of a bikini cut side snapping trainer similar to Poquito pants which will also fit under my covers. And, I am also currently working on designing my own version of a pull up pocket trainer since Bongo Baby is no longer wholesaling these).

You can certainly use a cover such as the LANACare, Aristocrat or MamaBless wrap over a trainer. We found with the LANACare (which I used before I thought to design a wool trainer cover) that we could size down when using over a trainer. It was still fairly long in the rise, but did the job nicely, if being somewhat overkill. It's a trimmer and softer cover than Aristocrat, which is why I carry it. Although the Mamabless wrap is beautiful and soft, I wouldn't recommend it for use over trainers because it is cut very large and is quite stretchy. It's really designed to be used over fairly bulky cloth diapers. Plus the wrap/tie design makes it a bit cumbersome to take on and off quickly for EC. I recommend it more as an overnight cover.

Hope this proves helpful!

pikkolo™ Coming Soon!

I received my sample pikkolo™ soft structured carrier from Catbird Baby the other day and finally had a chance to test drive it on a hike yesterday. Here's my review:

Overall... what a great carrier! I was really skeptical that the unpadded waistbelt would be comfortable but in fact I think I might prefer it to a padded waistbelt now. The downside of a padded waistbelt (and maybe this is just me) is that it pushes the top of my pants down. I didn't have this issue at all with the unpadded waistbelt, and I really liked how un-bulky it is. And it didn't dig in to my middle at all, even though it seems like it should.

Another thing I LOVE is the memory foam shoulder straps - what a dream! The straps are designed to cross in the back when used for a front carrier but when using as a back carrier it comes with a removeable chest beltto cinch the straps together in front. The chest belt is a bit awkward and doesn't attach to the shoulder straps so would be easily lost, but I believe this is a feature that will be improved in future releases.

I personally don't find the pikkolo™ as pretty as the Beco, but the patterns are neutral and muted enough to appeal to those who don't want a solid color carrier but don't want something that clashes with their outfit or won't be worn by Dad. The pikkolo™ fabric is much stiffer and canvas-like, although I have read that with washing it softens up nicely and it's probably a more durable carrier fabric overall.

Another very cool feature of the pikkolo™ (which I don't get to test as my youngest is 2.5 years old) is a cinching mechanism on the carrier body to make it narrower. This allows for carrying very young babies without an separate insert. It also allows for a comfortable forward facing front carry, which is very handy and not do-able with any other soft structured carrier I don't think (but I wouldn't recommend it once your baby is over 20 pounds as it will throw off your center of gravity and kill your back).

So, I will be carrying the pikkolo™ in addition to the Beco and should be getting my first shipment in mid-April. Please feel free to contact me to get added to an interest list.

Beco Butterfly Voluntary Recall

If you haven't already heard, Beco has voluntarily recalled their Beco Butterfly model carriers produced and sold in January and February 2008. If you bought a Beco Butterfly during this period please read up on the issue and how to resolve it.

Custom Orders at Continuum Family

I'm getting more and more requests lately for custom orders for baby clothing, which is exciting. I love hearing about what people want that they can't find out there and seeing if I can help bring it to them. Here are some recent examples:

1) When Cathy in Australia wanted some split crotch pants for her baby daughter, she mentioned she was looking for something in a wind-resistant fabric. I happened to have some Solarweave on hand that I use to make pouch slings as well as summer baby blankets. Solarweave is a 100% nylon fabric that is wind and water resistant as well as having a minimum 30 SPF. I knew it would be too lightweight on its own to use for the pants, but I suggested to Cathy that we could line it with either a cotton interlock or polar fleece - she opted for polar fleece.



So, here's a picture of the finished pants with the cuff rolled up to show the coordinating fleece lining. I thought they turned out quite nicely, even though Solarweave is not easy to sew with as it has absolutely NO give to it. It was tricky to get it to fit well over the polar fleece.

However, Cathy was very pleased with the pants and sent me this photo and message:

Hi Deirdre,

Just a really quick email to tell you how much we love the pants!! Just tried them today during our unseasonably cold weather (meant to bet he hottest month!) and they fit well, soft and comfy, look great (much more discrete than I expected too), work well for pottying, and misses easily sopped up from the material. Although we don't yet have the cold winter wind I'm so happy to have some pants that are a bit wind resistant. We do lots of walking with her in the wrap, little legs hanging out. And then she is all for exploring - starting to crawl and walk - and the water resistance might make them a bit easier to clean, and definitely to dry them afterwards (I'm envisioning lots of muddy pants this year).

Thanks so much for making them,
Cathy

2) Another custom request we had was from Gloria in Bethlehem, PA who wrote me saying: "I loved the weight of the fleece in the split-crotch pants ... would it be possible to do custom fleece jogging style pants as well?"

I adjusted my pattern a bit and designed what I hoped would be a trim baby jogging pant that fits nicely over training pants or undies. Gloria was pleased with the final result and sent me this message:

Hi, Deirdre.

Thanks so much for the terrific fleece pants. Got them today - and so far, we LOVE THEM. I'd say the pants are an absolutely perfect fit. There's more room through the legs than in a more-fitted straight-leg or legging style pant (love that). The ankles are perfect. The waist is perfect. The rise is perfect. I'd say there might be enough room for a trim-fitting fitted diaper underneath. Not certain. Certainly enough room for diaper belt + prefold. They are by no means too baggy. I love them. They fit like sweat pants are supposed to fit. Perfect! Thank you!

Gloria

I will have these slim-fit fleece pants available on my site in the near future, as either a jogger with elasticized leg as these are or a straight leg pant.

3) Leslie in Honolulu, Hawaii wanted to order a bunch of potty cozys for her attachment parenting mother's club, but wasn't crazy about polar fleece. She wrote "I know this probably doesn't exist, but I would love to have a cozy that isn't made from plastic!" I told her I could make them for her from hemp/cotton fleece, which wouldn't have the water repellent qualities of polar fleece, but is a very durable and naturally antibacterial fabric. She was thrilled with the idea and promptly ordered a bunch of hemp fleece cozys and prefold diaper belts. I thought it was a great idea for a product, so have now added the hemp cozys to my site, for both the potty bowl and the regular potty.

I've also had some requests for custom items from the gorgeously soft merino wool interlock I'm using for trainer covers, which I'll be working on when I get my next order of wool in later in March. Keep those custom requests coming!

New Beco Butterfly Prints for Feb 08

Wow! Interest in the Beco Butterfly has been amazing! My initial order was obviously too small, as it is now 90% sold as of this writing and I've only had them in stock for 5 days! I've just put in another order for more, which I'm hoping will arrive in early March.

Beco is introducing 5 more prints this month. I've only ordered 4 of them because, well, I think the 5th one is kind of ugly and I don't want to sell something that I wouldn't wear or use myself.

Here's a preview of the new prints:

1) Ava - on black straps:



2) Ethan - on espresso straps:



3) Sophia (pink version of the now-sold-out Addison) - on espresso straps:



4) Joshua - on black straps:



Also still available is the ever-popular Carnival print, and I will be getting a few more of those.

I'll be offering these for pre-sale once I get notice that they've shipped from Beco, so check back with us often or contact me to get put on my interest list.

Beco Butterfly vs. 4th Generation Carrier

Tasha writes:

"Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me what the difference between the Beco 4th Generation and the Beco Butterfly Carrier is?"

Good question! And one that many people have been asking me...

Now, keep in mind that I haven't actually seen or tried the Butterfly yet, as I'm still waiting for my first shipment to arrive. Once I get them in I'll be able to write more of a review.

In the meantime, here's what I've been able to glean from the information out there as to how the Butterfly is different from the 4th Generation:

Shoulder Straps:

• The Butterfly features ergonomically curved shoulder straps that are adjustable at both the top of the carrier and at the sides of the body. This is supposedly to enable easy nursing access. The 4th Gen straps only adjust at the sides. Both carriers feature dual adjusting buckles though, a huge plus over other carrier brands.
• Another feature of the Butterfly shoulder strap is that the base of the strap is not attached directly to the body of the carrier (as with the 4th Gen) but to an inside panel (see next point) that attaches to the waist belt. The other end of the shoulder strap attaches to the body of the carrier.

Body:

• The most innovative and unique feature of the Butterfly is that it has an inside panel of fabric which keeps baby securely inside the carrier even when the waist belt is open. The baby can be put in the carrier first and then the carrier put on the wearer (although you can still put the carrier on first and then the baby if you prefer this order, but it seems like this would be a bit more awkward). The panel of fabric is in a "Y" shape so your breasts are apparently not covered up. This would make nursing possible but probably not as easy as with the 4th Gen.
• Another feature of the Butterfly is a built-in infant insert. With the 4th Gen carrier you had to purchase a separate infant insert. With the Butterfly, it's built in but it lays flat against the back of the carrier if it's not used. The insert is narrower than the actual carrier base so small infants can comfortably spread their legs while retaining the recommended position of knees higher than their bottom.

Other Features:

• The Butterfly also has an attached chest strap that's not independent from the shoulder straps as on the 4th Gen (a minor annoyance!). Instead, it's connected to the shoulder straps and slides along their length.
• Although both the 4th Gen and the Butterfly have sleeping hoods, the 4th Gen carrier has a storage pocket for it on the body of the carrier. The Butterfly has a storage sleeve at the back of the waist belt.
• The Butterfly comes with an instructional DVD included in the price.

In summary, I would say that you should probably choose the Butterfly if:

• you are new to babywearing in general
  
• a bit nervous about putting your baby on your back by yourself
• want to be able to do back carries with a very young baby
• like the idea of being able to pass the baby from one wearer to another or to switch easily from front to back carry
• you prefer the prints the Butterfly is offered in
  

and you should probably choose a 4th Gen carrier if:

• you have an older baby and thereby no need for the infant insert
• you are a fairly experienced babywearer who is used to simply hoisting your baby onto your back and strapping a carrier on and would find the inside panel bothersome
• you like being able to easily nurse your baby while in the carrier
  
• you prefer the prints the 4th Gen is offered in
  

New Hemp Pull Up Pocket Pants

One of my customers recently asked me about getting some non-waterproof Pull Up Pocket Pants. She really liked the design, but she wasn't fond of PUL and prefers to use a wool cover for those times when she wants more protection. So, I asked Bongo Baby to do a custom order and here's what she sent:



Aren't these gorgeous? They're made of hemp terry on the outside and either hemp terry or bamboo velour on the inside. She dyed them with solar dyes to make them a little more interesting. In addition to the purple she also sent some done in an indigo tie dye:



I got a few extra pairs for my store, 'cause I think these are a great option for a stuffable but non-waterproof trainer.

Beco Butterfly is (almost) here!!

I've just been notified by Beco that my shipment of Beco Butterflys is officially on its way! Yay!! I've only got two or three in each fabric coming though so if you see one you like, don't delay! They're available for pre-order as of today!

I've also put the Pony Express and Avocado Feathers 4th Generation prints on sale on a whim so if you fancy one of those, better grab it!

Welcome!

Since I just can't seem to add any more hours to the day, I'm creating this blog in the hopes that it will be a more efficient means of:

1. Keeping you all up to date on new and upcoming products
2. Answering all your questions
3. Sharing articles and links of interest
4. Providing other information such as book or product reviews

Enjoy!