“The simplest way of making sure we raise literate children is to show them that reading is a pleasurable activity. And that means, finding them books that they enjoy, giving them access to those books and letting them read them.”
– Neil Gaiman
I’ve grown up loving books. My dad was a writer and his articles used to be published in a renowned newspaper every week for almost a decade. This is one of the reasons why I still prefer spending on book over food any day. They say, children are made readers on the lap of their parents and I can’t agree more!
When I was expecting, I made sure to read a lot and I also researched on which books to buy for my little one. I purchased my daughter’s first set of books when she was a month and half old and I did make some good choices- except, I got all paperbacks. Little did I know that this little squish of mine will grow up too soon to tear the pages down. The first set was in pieces within 4-5 months. I learnt the hard way that it is board books that’s advisable for kids under 2. Similarly, it took me a while and a lot of trial and error to understand what author and category I should consider for my little reader.
I’m often asked by parents regarding which books to buy for their kids and honestly, answering that question in one sentence is difficult. There are a ton of factors based on which books can be purchased- like for example, age of the child, language preferences, topic of interest, budget and reading level.
I always wondered, why don’t we have Indian subscription service of books for babies like they have in several developed countries.
Well, I was wrong because there already existed one- FubuBox! 😊
One day, I was browsing through my Instagram feed and I bumped into one of their posts. I instantly got in touch with them and got one box customised for my girl. It reached my doorstep in a couple of days and we were pleasantly surprised.
Here’s what we received:
- A board book titled ‘Here Comes the Dinosaur’
- A slide and pull book titled ‘Busy Vet’ by Rod Campbell
- And a paperback titled ’The Crocodile Who Didn’t Like Water’
- A pack of play-doh
What I love about FubuBox?
- They ask you to fill a form to know the age and also understand the interest of the child
- The books are then chosen by an expert panel based on your answers
- They select only those books which are written by well known authors across the globe
- They pick books from various genres to add variety to your child’s reading experience
- They not just send books, but also a surprise gift along with the package 🙂
- They’re extremely approachable and genuinely helpful.
Services:
- They currently cater to 0-6 year olds
- They have three plans- 3 months, 6 months and 12 months
- They also design one time birthday box and gift boxes
- They make customized return boxes too
Click here to directly reach their website and here to check their Instagram page.
Thanks for stopping by and reading!
Regards,
Elina
P.S. This is a sponsored post. All the images used are mine and the opinions are genuine by all means
Interviewing a First Time Baby-Wearer + Review of Soul’s Basic Cotton Full Buckle
Today, I have something different for you. A friend of mine recently purchased a basic cotton full buckle after getting inspired from many on Instagram. I was so happy that I decided to interview her and share her experience with you all.
Note: She bought Full Buckle (standard) Carrier in the colour Lacre from Soul Slings, India.
1. What was your reaction when you first opened the box?
When I first saw the colour of this carrier (Lacre), it made me fall in love with it instantly. It’s sophisticated maroon and has a dash of shine on it which makes it look so rich. It absolutely gives the carrier a royal classy touch and can be carried to the parties/weddings or events too!
I was truly impressed with it’s material too. As seen and heard, Soul is surely a hit when it comes to quality. I had not expected this high quality carrier before I experienced soul carriers. And the same goes with this cotton carrier.
Also, it came with a very nice instruction brochure that helps you wear your baby step wise with the do’s and dont’s mentioned, serves as a help to the ones trying baby wearing for the first time 🙂
2. How did you find it when you first tried Baby-wearing?
More than anything else, what I think has to be an important trait in a carrier is how comfortable and wearable it is. Very crucial to each one of us and this has to go with both- the baby and the mother. Only then baby wearing gets easier and is a joy! I must say, whenever I try this carrier, my baby goes off to sleep 🙂 It is equally comfortable for me too. It distributes the baby’s weight throughout my upper body, hence I’m able to use it for a longer time period too.
3. What’s your take on the quality of the fabric/s used?
As the material of the carrier is 100% woven cotton, it is surely comfortable to the baby. Especially in a place where I stay (Mumbai has a hot humid weather almost most part of the year!!). Hence the material that is used is apt and helps the baby to stay relaxed in the carrier, and feel comfy throughout the baby wearing journey.
4. What feature are you excited about?
Lacre Full Buckle supports both “front carry” and “back carry” features. Which means you and your child have an option of using the carrier either ways. I can’t wait to try back carry when she’s a little older 🙂
5. Why did you choose Soul?
For me, my child’s safety is pivotal. When I read about how safe Soul carriers are, it instantly took my heart. This feature shows how much they care for babies! I read that their waist buckles has to go through the safety loop (elastic), that ensures your baby’s safety on a higher level, which is pretty awesome.
6. What’s one advise you’d like to give for first time babywearers?
I feel one should not carry the baby for hours together in the first initial weeks. Your body needs to get habituated too 🙂
What’s your final verdict?
If you are new to baby wearing and would love to start with a basic standard carrier, comfortable and cozy enough to help both you and your baby experience baby wearing, then surely give this a try!
Additional information of this carrier (Taken from Soul’s website)
*Material : 100% woven cotton
*Weight Recommendation : 7 to 18 kgs.
*Adjustments:2-way shoulder adjustment + PFA + sliding back/chest straps
*Price : 3,750 RS.
*Colour : Maroon (range of colours available too).
P.S. Images are taken from Soul’s Official Website
Interviewer: Elina Wadia
Interviewee: Mumtaz Surani (www.instagram.com/tinysoul.za)
BabyWearing Basics: Carrier Fabrics
Narrowed down on category of the carrier-you want to purchase i.e. Buckle-less or Buckled? Check
Chose the type of carrier you want to go ahead with? Check
But just when you’re about to place your order, you’ll notice that there are a tons of options in each category, each priced differently!
Is it just the colour or the print/weave which is different or are they functionally disparate too?
If you’re stuck, I’ve got the answers to all the queries that you may have! 🙂
Firstly, in all the categories, the basic structure and the function of all the carriers remain the same, regardless of the price! They’re priced differently due to the fabrics used.
If you’re unable to decide the kind of fabric you should go ahead with, then here’s what you can do. Decide your carrier on basis of:
- Climate of Your City
If you’re put up in a hot and humid city, choose a carrier which is thinner and moisture absorbent. If I had to explain in short- choose linen, handwoven cotton, Ikat cotton or just woven cotton (Placed in the decreasing order of thinness- based on what I observed). But if you’re put up in a colder region, I’d suggest choosing jacquard which is thicker.
Now, this is only for those who want an elaborate explanation-
If you’re inquisitive to know the extent of thinness or thickness of the one you’ve chosen, search for the same fabric in wraps category (applicable on handwoven, linen and jacquards only) and look for the term- GSM which means Grams per Square Meter. It’s basically a parameter to gauge the thickness of fabrics, especially wraps.
You can use this as a reference to understand what I’m talking about:
Image courtesy: www.sheenslings.com
Less than 180 gsm = really thin
180 – 220 gsm = thin
220 – 260 gsm = medium
260 – 300 gsm = thick
greater than 300 gsm = really thick
This will help you understand how thick thr fabric of your carrier is and will prevent you from buying something that you might regret later.
- Budget
BabyWearing can be an investment for many. If you check the website of these carriers, you’ll notice that there’s a myriad of options available at various prices.
Now the question is- What are the different types of fabrics used and why is there a massive price difference between them?
The prices of these carriers are set based on the quality of fabrics used and the extent of effort that goes in manufacturing these fabrics.
For instance, linen and handwoven cotton are expensive because they’re not easy to produce. However, machine woven cotton is easy to manufacture, hence it’s relatively inexpensive.
Like I mentioned earlier, regardless of the cost, their functionality remains the same.
Here’s an elaborate explanation of the types of fabrics you’ll usually find:
1. Linen
Linen is one of the most toughest to produce and hence it’s one of the most expensive fabrics available in the fabric world.. This is the reason why linen carriers are generally priced way higher than other carriers. Moreover, it is known to have anti bacterial properties and can absorb moisture, which makes them one of the best options for Indian summers, or generally speaking, Indian weather.
The only downside is that it’s only produced in solid colours. So, if you’re looking for a prints or designs, this may not be your pick.
2. Handwoven Cotton
Handwoven cottons, like linens, are difficult to produce. They’re weaved manually by artisans and take a lot of time and effort to manufacture, hence are slightly expensive. However, they’re available in stunning weaves and give a very classy look when used. Since they’re weaved by hand, they’re great flexibility and mouldability. If you check the list of full buckles made with handwoven cotton, you’ll notice that there are two options- one in the mid-range and one, high-range. This difference in the price is because of the amount of fabric used in the carrier- which is in BabyWearing terminology called- Full conversion and semi conversion.
Understanding Full Conversion and Semi Convesion Carriers:
Now, the thing with handwovens made from wraps, and hence are categorised in two types. The Full conversion one has only handwoven cotton used- in the body, waist strap, shoulder straps etc. But, semi conversion carriers have handwoven used only in the visible part of the body while the waist strap, shoulder strap and the main body which is towards the inner side is made of machine woven cotton.
Semi conversion carrier are a great option for those who want the rich look of the handwoven weaves but don’t want to burn a hole in their pocket.
3. Jacquard
Jacquard fabric requires a different loom which helps in manufacturing complex patterns and weaves. This is why, you’ll see a variety of designs and colour combinations in the jacquard category. It’s usually the thickest of all fabrics and this property helps in making carriers more firm and strong.
4. Ikat cotton
Ikat is basically a dyeing technique where the yarns are tied or bundled in the design intended and then dyed so that a beautiful pattern is obtained. This process is also time consuming as the fabric may have to go through several rounds of dyeing to reach the desired level of colour fastens and pattern. Which is why, Ikat cotton is sightly more expensive than the basic cotton variant.
5. Cotton/ Machine woven cotton or Printed Cotton
Woven cotton or machine woven cotton is the easiest to produce and hence is the most inexpensive variant. It’s not very thick nor very thin, making it a great option of Indian weather. It is firm yet mouldable and is comfortable to use too. In short, it’s a great budget friendly variant for begginers.
I hope this article helps you make the right choice! Hope you enjoyed this series
Thank you for all your love!
Happy BabyWearing to you!
Love,
Elina
BabyWearing for Beginners: Which Carrier is Best For You? (Part 1- Buckle-less)
If you’re new to BabyWearing and you happen to check the types of carriers, I’m sure all of it may appear to be very confusticating, especially if you have never seen or tried any before.
I had the exact same feeling when I first came across the concept. I was so unsure of the whole thing and even hesitated to invest in one. Seriously.
If you’re apprehensive too, then this article is for you! 🙂
To make it easier to understand and less confusing, I’ve divided this topic into 2 parts: Buckle-less and Buckled Carriers.
Let’s just discuss the buckle-less variants in this article to simplify it. I share more about the buckled ones soon.
Types of buckle-less carriers:
1. Ring Sling
A Ring Sling is one of the most inexpensive and widely used options of all carriers. It’s basically a long cloth with rings on one end. The other end of the fabric goes inside these rings, making a pouch for the baby to sit in.
Age range: Newborns to preschoolers
Difficulty level: Medium to hard for beginners. Once you get a hang of it, it’s a lot easier.
Price: Starts from ₹1,500/-
Pros:
1. If you’re looking for a budget friendly and durable option, this one is for you.
2. It can be wrapped creatively by those who love playing around with various finishes.
3. Takes less space in diaper bags.
Cons:
1. Slightly more time consuming to use.
2. If you and your partner both plan to carry, take his consent first. Men generally don’t like using Ring slings.
3. Not the most comfortable option to breastfeed. Atleast I didn’t find it very user-friendly. Although it can be used as a cape to cover yourself while nursing.
2. Wraps
Wraps are one the oldest types of carriers. They say there are two types of babywear-ers. 1. Wrap-lovers and 2. Others 😝
Yeah, the ones who love wraps don’t opt for anything else. Because a wrap gives the most cushion-y feeling, snug fit and mouldabity like none other. Although I’ve never tried, but I honestly can’t wait to try one. Probably very soon, once I master all the other types.
Age range: Newborns to preschoolers
Difficulty level: Medium to hard for beginners
Price: Starts from ₹2,800/-
Pros:
1. One of the biggest pro of wraps is the fact that they can be used with ample of creativity. You can make bows, knots and finishes that look absolutely stunning.
2. They grow with the baby. Meaning, theycan be used right from Day 1 until the baby decides to finally stop being worn!
Cons:
1. Beginners may find it a little difficult to wrap, but once they nail it, there’s no looking back.
2. It takes relatively more time to wear in a wrap. May not the best option while dining out or going to a market for shopping, especially in India, because if the baby insists on coming out of it, wearing it again might be a task.
3. Meh Dai
A Meh Dai is a hybrid of a wrap and a Full Buckle. It has a proper body, like that of a full buckle and straps to knot for firmness and sturdiness, like a wrap.
Age range: Babies weighing 7kgs and above
Difficulty Level: Easy to Medium
Price: Starts from ₹3,500/-
Pros:
1. Its a perfect carrier for people like me and who like the versatility and mouldability of wraps but are to hesitant to try them.
2. Far more adjustable than Full buckles
3. Takes lesser space in diaper bags while giving almost the same look as that of a full buckle.
Cons:
1. Slightly more time consuming as compared to Full buckles
2. If worn incorrectly or loosely, might cause back ache. Although that’s applicable for all carriers. But I experienced this, hence shared.
3. Might require tightening if the knots get loose.
I hope you found this helpful. Please like, comment, subscribe and leave some love!
Thanks for reading.
Elina