Sleepy Baby

Saoirse sometimes decides that, despite being very sleepy, sleep is the last thing she wants to do. Yes, at 2 months old, this is already happening. But anyway. She will periodically burst out into tears from her sleepiness and nothing but sleep will make such outbursts cease. Breast feeding, no. She pops off of the boob before it can work its magic, at least unless I go and lie down in bed with her. 

Here's where the fact that I have decided everyone should own a baby carrier plays in. One thing I have found that is guaranteed to knock her out is putting her in the baby k'tan and plodding my way around the block a few times. She's usually unconscious before we've gone 1/3 of the way around the approximately half a mile that our block is in length. She just nearly can't stay awake in the baby k'tan if I can keep moving for a while. Once she's good and asleep I can remain in one location for small periods of time. But too long being still and she wakes right back up. However, this makes shopping way easier than it would be otherwise. I put her in and start walking around Target and she's gone. And my trips are virtually never cut short by an upset baby. 

I value this while it lasts, as some day that most likely won't be the case.

It frees my hands as well, to do things like post to this blog while getting a work out of walking 1+ miles (sometimes we do more, but always at least 2 laps) with a sleeping, roughly 12 lb baby strapped to my front.

We've had a cold snap lately (it was 70 degrees Monday, there's a high of 52 today), so I'm having to think of more brilliant ways to keep her warm during these walks. Socks are a must. Not uncommonly fleece sleep n plays are brought into use, which removes the need for socks. I bought her a Carter's outfit yesterday largely for the hooded jacket both to keep her warm and to not force the use of short sleeves out of her wardrobe if we left the house. I'm thinking of going back to the kangaroo set up on the k'tan, as it keeps her feet and legs inside the fabric, as opposed to the hug where her legs hang out. She's getting to be big enough to push out, but she generally falls asleep and that totally wouldn't be an issue. Otherwise, she may shortly be piled into a too-big (6-9 mos, she still wears 0-3/3 mos) fluffy penguin footed warm suit thing. I'm pondering a poncho type thing for myself, largely to provide an extra layer between her and the elements as I have jackets and coats. But I have yet to find one that I would wear. I just want something else to hold the heat close to us, as we do these walks 2-4 times a week, depending on when sleepy time hits, whether or not she falls asleep on me and I can get her into the swing and whether or not we're getting into the car, as that will generally put her to sleep as well if she's tired. 

But hey, it makes me get out and walk at least a little. 

Baby K'Tan

Let me share with all of you one of the best baby products I have found thus far: the Baby K'Tan .

I adore this product. For a wrap, it has a surprisingly small learning curve considering the lack of buckles and the variety of positions available once your baby is bigger than Saoirse. I use this thing almost any time I will be in somewhere more than 10 minutes and/or need 2 hands. 

I swear a third arm should pop out when the baby does. Cause that would be helpful. 

Sitting around at the Revenue office to get car tags renewed

I use this thing for solo runs to Target and to make it to where runs such as that can last long enough. Because my arm strength sucks and 10 lbs gets really heavy 20+ minutes in. And having both hands at my disposal is AWESOME. 

First time. We've gotten the fit and all down better since then. 

I'd wear it around the house more, but until she falls asleep she isn't happy to be in it unless I'm moving. Once she's unconscious, I can stand still, but until then movement it is. And there's only so much that I need to do that doesn't require bending over, therefore once again reducing me to one hand, or that doesn't require standing in one place. And it is not enough to knock her out. So this is largely used for walks and shopping.

However it did make trying on jeans for the first time since giving birth pretty easy. I got new pants and Saoirse got to sleep on me. Win/Win. 

The only complaints I have are that my baby is very exothermic and this thing is kind of warm and it is sized. But I get warm with her on me anyway so it's kind of a warm with one or no hands or warm with two hands kind of deal. Two hands is superior. Also, it isn't one size fits all, unlike some other carriers. There's no adjusting it between users which is both awesome and inconvenient in some ways. That's not a deal breaker for me, though. I haven't tried it on my husband but we tend to wear the same size in shirts so maybe it will fit him too. Its non-adjustability is actually the only way to make one of my favorite traits about it possible- the fact I don't have to figure out how to wrap it around me and tie knots while attempting to hold a baby against gravity. It's never going to be too loose, as the two loops that comprise it don't change length. Sitting her in the first loop while I get the other one into position doesn't leave me scared to death that if I don't have a steel grip on her she will crash to the ground. I obviously keep a hand on her but there is some support under her aside from me. The two loop system also seems to make this easier to use and less daunting, at least it did to me. 

We've only ever done the Kangaroo position since Saoirse is still small. While she pushes up against other things with her legs, she has yet to show an inclination towards doing so in the K'Tan. When she does, we'll definitely move to the Hug position, where she can't push her way out. That position doesn't look any more difficult to put her in. 

I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in babywearing. In fact, after using it, it may be a go-to baby shower present for friends who have any interest in wearing their baby. 

This is not a sponsored post. I just wanted to share.