Today, we announce something we’ve been bursting at the seams over for a few months now (and developing for much longer): BobaAir!

BobaAir is the lightest, sportiest baby carrier out there and we hope that this first-of-its-kind addition to your baby carrier collection will make that freedom together you have with your family even more effortless (and help spread the benefits of babywearing, too). This innovative new baby carrier is a real game-changer for active families because it is:

• Lightweight – only .7 pounds (11oz)
• Folds into itself to fit into a purse
• Water resistant
• Unparalleled portability
• Easy, quick on/off functionality
• Made of high-tech nylon fabric

BobaAir is perfect to keep stashed in your purse or glove box, and will be a perfect travel companion. In fact, to highlight BobaAir’s convenience, we’re running a special $1000 vacation package giveaway to help you experience a great, surely much-deserved family getaway with the ease of BobaAir. Check out the BobaAir $1000 Dream Vacation Pin-It-To-Win-It Giveaway for more info.

Visit BobaAir in our online shop for more details.

Read the BobaAir Press Release.

Not only is the preemie’s body temperature regulated, his respiration is regulated too.  So is his heart rate.  Not too slow, not to fast.  Just right.  There is less chance the baby will stop breathing (apneic episodes) and the mother is more likely to let down her milk.  There is more milk. And the baby is more likely to nurse longer.  He will digest it better.  He will cry less, and sleep more, and be less stressed.  His immune system will be stronger.  And with those conserved calories, he will grow.  And he will leave the hospital sooner. And he will thrive.  These extensive health benefits of KMC are backed by science.

Unfortunately, knowledge does not equal implementation.  When the NICU staff doesn’t include mothers in the equation, they are not prioritizing giving the baby the highest impact care possible.  The incubator is meant to mimic the womb, but the mother’s chest, as a holding place, is far superior to the static incubator.  Have you heard of thermal synchrony?  Incubators can’t pull that off.

Mothers are tuned by evolution to provide a safe holding place after birth for their babies’ continued growth. When you place a baby upright on his mother’s chest, skin to skin, nutrition, protection, warmth and proximity are all taken care of.  This is just what preemies need to stabilize and focus on healing, development and growth.

The latest KMC study compares to the standard care a preemie would typically receive in a hospital setting.  The findings are moving.  They found an incredible 51 percent reduction in neonatal mortality (from preterm complications) when…

• stabilized babies weighing 2000g/~<4lbs received KMC (on their mother’s chests)
• KMC was in a hospital setting
• KMC was implemented within the first week of birth

The effects of adding mother to the equation are powerful.  Baby+Mother= 500,000 more preemies surviving every year.

The findings suggest that up to half a million newborn deaths due to preterm birth complications could be prevented each year if Kangaroo Mother Care were available for all preterm babies.

Sure, it may seem like wishful thinking to imagine the microenvironment (even if it is thermostatically controlled) of a mother’s chest replacing the high-tech incubator.  We are a techy society.  In this instance we have research coming from low income countries that can teach us a thing or two.  We do have a love affair with the incubator and the controlled environment it seemingly provides.  Of course a mother needs to rest too and continuous skin-to-skin contact may be too much to ask of mothers in high-income countries.  Nonetheless, KMC should be presented to the parents of a preterm infant as the most effective care.  Without say, it should be made available as a choice.  It could have a major impact if implemented at scale.

As Dr Joy Lawn says,

“No matter if babies are born in Lilongwe, London or Los Angeles, preterm babies need extra care to survive. Kangaroo Mother Care is low-cost and feasible, and we now have proof it is one of the most highly effective ways to give more babies the chance to survive and thrive.”

We cannot ignore the facts.

I leave you with this video where my friend Angela shares her story of moving from outsider to playing an active role in her preemie son’s recovery. Kangaroo Mother Care is her secret.  She will inspire you with her grace.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

She named her son “Levi”- meaning “we are one”.  They are amazing together.

1. Shopping: Whether it is for groceries, or to celebrate getting into a size that makes you smile, moving through the aisles with your little one comfortably in a baby wrap or baby carrier means your hands are free to find the deals. And a carrier means never needing to leave a stroller outside the store, or worst yet, having to maneuver it around store displays and other shoppers.
2. Cleaning: Getting it done around the house is often a two-handed job. Free them up for washing dishes, vacuuming and the rest by wearing your little one close. Now that my son is 13 months, he likes to help by chasing the vacuum around the room and retracting the cord, but for many of the early months he would nap peacefully while I moved around the house.
3. Exercising: I love walking and hiking with my son in our Boba Carrier. For longer distances, I am more comfortable with him on my back, but when we are just out for a mosey, I like to wear him on the front. Having him snuggled up on my chest means that we can stop to explore together: a leafy tree, the ducks splashing in the creek and saying hello to others we might meet out on our walk. Having him close to me, and sharing at eye level, means that we can greet it all, new and old, together.
4. Playing Together: Dancing around the living room while babywearing makes dips and spins even more fun. Carrying your child while singing and playing with new sounds like humming and whistling allows them to feel the vibration in your body and theirs, as well as offering a close-up to study and learn from your face.
5. Settling Your Little One Into Sleep: As a momma, I have my ways to settle my little one into a restful sleep, but wearing our son for our nighttime walks is my husband’s way. Carriers that keep your babe resting inward against your own body offers them a closeness to the heart, breathing and voice that puts them most at ease. Carriers are awesome for sharing sleep-time closeness for papas and their little ones.
6. Snuggling: When I was pregnant, I rubbed and rubbed my belly, so much so that my family still jokes about it with me. And no, I was not expecting a genie at the end of all that rubbing; I just loved my growing belly and the little person who was sharing those sacred months of pregnancy with me. Wearing my son on my front offers up a little of that precious sweetness that we both enjoy. I still rub (and rub) his back and booty while he snuggles in close to me.
7. Breastfeeding On The Go: When you are out and about as a family, wearing your nursling on your front means you have the opportunity to create a quiet and comfortable place to breastfeed, where ever you happen to be. Here is a short video to show you how.
8. Soothing a Sick Child: Wise mothers know, and science supports, that settling your little love onto you, belly to belly, skin to skin, helps to soothe a sick belly and promote a quicker return to wellness. Using a wrap or carrier means you can do this longer and more comfortably for both of you. Watch for a future Boba blog post on the physiology behind this awesome parenting tool that both mothers and fathers can use with their babies and young children.
9. Travel: Rolling through the airport with your babe on your back means your hands are free for boarding passes and pulling your bag. And once you arrive, where ever you arrive, wearing your child is a fantastic way to get out and explore while keeping your little love safe and both of you comfortable.
10. Learning and Living:  Wearing your baby means sharing your day, your views, your hugs with others, your walking pace, your routines—-all the things that make up your day. When you are sharing a life together, you are offering beneficial learning opportunities, big and small, to your child. Every stir of the spoon, every color named out loud is done in sharing, and this is a great benefit to both of you.

This mama looks far from cruel! Still, forward facing is not ideal.

Recently Catherine Fowler of Australia made a comment that parents who face their babies out are “cruel and selfish“.  Actually for the record she said they were “inadvertently cruel”.  I am not here to judge you ladies and gentleman; a walk around the block with your baby in the forward facing position will probably not wreak havoc on your child’s development or health.  I don’t think any parent holding their little ones are cruel.  But when you start to weigh in on whether your baby should maybe change perspectives and face the world head on or not, here are some reasons not to let your baby face out, for your consideration- of course.

Carrying your baby facing out…

1.  Does not support your baby’s legs-

Your baby’s legs should be pulled up to at least hip level if not higher. This is possible only if the fabric in a baby carrier covers the whole back of the thigh, to the backside of the knee, or if the carrier has footstraps.  When your baby is facing forwards with legs unsupported, it isn’t that his legs are simply dangling,  his spine and hips are unsupported to and there is simply nowhere for baby to sit.

Check out this medical research by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute and the infant biomechanics in different types of baby carriers.  A baby carrier that supports the legs encourages proper hip development.  Front facing carriers do not support little hips.  Those babies already diagnosed with DDH should steer clear of front facing carriers.

Choosing an ergonomic carrier that supports the legs is important for healthy hip development.

2.  Makes it tough for the wearer to carry the baby-

It’s much harder to carry something that curves away from your body than something that embraces your body. The wearer has an awkward load and often ends up arching her back to compensate.  Babies bodies are naturally adapted to being carried facing you.

3. Places your baby in an arched or hollow back position which places pressure on the spine-

With no leg support and facing out this baby is unstable, forcing him to assume a hollow back position (as shown with red line) to compensate.

Extending the back (like arching after waking from a nap), is not injurious or “bad” in and of itself.  The problem arises when you compress a “hollow back” under a load.  Placing an infant in a front facing carrier stretches the naturally convex rounded curve (see infant spinal development in upright transport paper) of his spine into a hollow back position.   With nothing to cling to, weak abdominal muscles, and retracted shoulders, the infant’s pelvis tilts backwards and is forced to not only carry weight of his own body but also to absorb the force of every step that the carrying individual takes- all on his little compromised spine.

3.  Places undue pressure on groin and may chaff the inner thighs of your baby-

This baby is leaning on his dad for some extra support. Although it stabilizes him, it is less than ideal to spend the day transported in this position.

Chaffing is no fun.  Being suspended by your baby’s most sensitive parts is not ideal, especially for little boys.

4. May overstimulate your baby-

Babies can face their parents and still experience the world around them and take it in at their own pace.  It is very easy for a small infant to become overwhelmed.

5.  Doesn’t support the head or the neck-

Positional asphyxia is possible when babies have no neck control and their chin falls toward their chests.  Little babies should never be placed in a position that can compromise their airways.  The US Consumer Products Safety Commission recently passed a law that the warning labels of forward facing carriers must state that babies should not face out until adequate head/neck control is achieved. The law does not extend to sleeping infants even though they don’t have control of their necks or heads while snoozing.

6.  Makes thermoregulation more difficult-

The flexed position a baby assumes on his mother’s chest is more efficient at conserving heat than chest exposed. Check out kangaroo care and thermoregulation benefits.  The baby also has more fat cells (insulation) on its back side than front.

7. Makes it harder to respond to baby’s cues-

With no eye contact it is harder to communicate with your baby, check their airways, see their spit up, see them rooting, practice EC, and know their needs.  There’s a neat study that shows that even front facing strollers interfere with your ability to interact with and respond to your baby.

The mom is holding her son’s legs trying to support them for lack of a seat. He is supported by two pieces of fabric over his groin. If it weren’t for the fabric in front of his shoulders, he would fall forward. Not very supportive.

8.  Throws off the baby’s center of gravity-  Most often the wearer will intuitively stick out her pointer fingers for the baby to grab on to and stabilize himself or the wearer will try to support the baby’s legs by lifting them up in the front. With no seat and nothing to grab on to in front of him it is tough for baby not to arch his back under the weight of his own body.

9.  May not be so wonderful on your back either-

Carrying a load with an arched spine will give you an aching lower back.

Carrying your baby facing forward is not the best option.  It’s not “cruel”, but it’s not ideal either.  Embracing your baby, or having them embrace you (like when you’re backin’ the baby) is what your baby is adapted to do and quite naturally the way to go.

Oscar-winning Actress Jennifer Connelly doesn’t only have a beautiful mind, this mom of three totes an adorable babe as well! The 40-year old mum was seen carrying daughter 4-month-old Agnes through Tribeca earlier this week in a Boba Twilight.

We love it! Fall is upon us so we can imagine how chilly NYC is these days. Seasoned mom Jennifer is enjoying the benefits of being hands-free while keeping her little one warm & snug as a bug. While Jennifer is known for her roles on the big screen, she’s definitely a woman after our own heart. When her baby was a newborn she was seen carrying her in a wrap style carrier. Agnes Lark was also born via a home water birth.

Agnes is Jennifer’s first daughter. She has two sons: Stellan, 8, and Kai, 14.

Thanks People.com’s Celebrity Baby Blog for breaking the story!

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More photos of Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany and Agnes, updated 10/14/11, 2/14/12

Credit: Humberto Carreno, New York NY, Thursday, October 13, 2011

Credit: Humberto Carreno, New York NY, Thursday, October 13, 2011

Credit: Flynet, New York NY, October 12, 2011

Credit: Flynet, New York NY, October 1

February 12, 2012 in NYC. Photo via www.dailymail.co.uk

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Side note: The Boba Twilight is no longer available for purchase, but we’ve got a whole host of other prints to tickle your fancy with the launch of our new Boba 3G.

While a walking toddler’s spine is “s-shaped”, a newborn spine is “c-shaped” so their thighs naturally pull up in the front of their little bodies. When a newborn lies on his back, if he is in good health and has good muscle tone his thighs rise right up toward his chest. Actually, newborns have a pretty hard time flattening out their bodies and straightening their legs to to the surface under them.

Our babies naturally assume flexed widespread legs. Makes them easier to carry!

When you pick up a healthy newborn, the same thing happens, his thighs pull up toward his chest and he assumes a flexed widespread position. The shape of a newborn spine could never support walking but on the other hand spending most of his day flat on his back with his naturally curved spine flattened out is not what nature intended either. The c-shaped spine and flexed widespread position a newborn assumes when picked up are the anatomical considerations that suggest babies were meant to be carried in arms.

The frog position that babies naturally assume when picked up help parents carry them.

If we go back to the beginnings of our human ancestors, the adaptation of flexed widespread legs on mom’s hip made carrying a whole lot easier, especially with the emergence of bipedalism (when mom moved upright and was walking on two legs) and became less hairy than she used to be (less hair for baby to cling on to).

"If you had a little extra hair Dad maybe I could help pull my own weight a little."

With nothing to cling onto, mothers needed to start supporting their baby’s backs, holding them in their arms. Some of the grand apes carry their young babies like we do on their hips or in their arms with backs supported. Although our babies may not be able to clutch and support their own weight holding onto the hair of their mothers, they do still cling. They actively press their legs against their mother’s body when she turns unexpectedly or moves abruptly. The baby is in synch with mom’s varied movements and responds appropriately to maintain his position. Little flexed human bodies actively contribute to and are adapted to being carried.

Flexed widespread legs, the c-shaped spine of the infant, and the clinging reflex are all anatomical adaptations that suggest that our babies are meant to be carried. So don’t leave them in a nest or in a container. Our little ones were meant to be carried. Bring ‘em along for the ride!

Nursing in the Boba Wrap-

Thanks to the fabric, you do not have to untie the wrap or loosen it to nurse your baby. Simply widen the shoulder piece and lower the baby to a comfortable nursing position and latch on!

The shoulder piece has you covered!

This is what nursing in a baby wrap usually looks like.

1. You push your baby down in the wrap (usually pushing him down where his thighs meet his torso).
2. You reach under the shoulder strap and lift your breast to your baby’s mouth.
3. Remember that you will stay tummy to tummy with your baby.  Don’t try to latch them on as if you were somewhat cradling them (like when you nurse your baby sitting down).   Your baby needs to be completely vertical.
4. If you desire some extra privacy, you can easily stretch the shoulder strap fabric to cover yourself or your baby (you should still be able to see your baby’s nose and mouth).

If the baby is frustrated and can’t latch on, take your baby out of the wrap all together and nurse your baby normally.  When nursing with your baby out of the wrap (while still wearing the wrap), the “x” (the two pieces of fabric that cross in the front) actually work amazingly as discreet cover-up.

Nursing in the Boba Carrier

Nursing in the Boba Carrier is very similar to nursing in the wrap.  Here’s how-

1. Stick out your elbows (like chicken wings) and with your thumbs adjust the side webbing buckle so that you have some slack.
2. Lean forward support baby with one hand, lift up your shirt with the other*.
3. Reach under the shoulder strap and lift your breast to your baby’s mouth.  If your baby is too high shimmy down the waist belt a little.
4. You can use the hood if you want as a nursing cover.

*One of the most helpful tips for nursing in a baby carrier is layering your shirts.  Special nursing shirts are nice, but you don’t absolutely need them to nurse discreetly.  When nursing in the wrap the shoulder piece acts naturally as a nursing cover and no one can tell what you are doing from three feet away.  If you are standing in line or in a crowded place or if people are taller than you, you may consider extra top coverage.  With the Boba carrier you will usually need coverage on the top unless using the nursing hood as a cover.

Here’s the secret to being able to nurse swiftly and gracefully in a baby carrier anywhere-

Wear a stretchy cami under everything!  It will work wonders.  Layer your shirts so that you can lift the outer layer up and pull the undershirt down from the top.  Or vice-versa.  Lift your cami up and pull down your outer shirt.  Wearing two layers is incredibly convenient and it makes for more discreet nursing.  When you layer your shirts you are not drawing attention to the fact that you are nursing-everything is covered naturally.  This way you don’t have any of your torso or side showing or exposed to the elements.  You can literally “sandwich” your breast so that you have coverage on the top and coverage on your sides.  A cami under a zipper down, button down, v-neck shirt, or wide necked shirt works wonderfully.  You can even do it with a turtleneck sweater, but you will be lifting the sweater up in the front and leaving the cami tucked into your pants.  Just lean forward a little, reach in between yourself and your baby and lift up one shirt and lift your breast to your baby’s mouth.  Voila!

Some Extra Nursing Tips

• You will latch easier if you lift your breast to your baby’s mouth and hold it there.  You will need to support the breast with one hand if you will be moving, walking or hiking.   Even if it doesn’t allow you to be completely “hands-free”, you will still have one free hand.
• When holding your breast place your thumb behind the nipple and other fingers underneath your breast.  This way of holding will make it easier for your baby to latch.  If you are large breasted this will ensure that your baby has adequate space under his nose.
• You may need to help keep proper positioning of your baby’s head or body while nursing if your infant is very small
• It is easier to pull your shirt down from the top to nurse.
• Try wearing nursing shirts, button downs, v-neck shirts or stretchy tank-tops to avoid having to untuck your shirt.
• Try nursing at home at first (not wearing a shirt helps you to get a good feel for things) in the wrap or in the carrier when your baby is calm and content.
• It is actually easier to nurse while standing up in a baby carrier.

Mama nursing her boy out on the foothills.

It may take a little practicing, but learning to nurse in a baby carrier means freedom for mom and contentment for baby. It’s really not as hard as you may think!  To learn more about all the advantages of wearing your little one in our Boba baby wrap or our Boba baby carrier please click here. To compare baby wraps, baby slings and other baby carriers please visit our Compare Baby Carriers page.

Breastfeeding Articles and Handouts by Dr. Jack Newman

Dr. Jack Newman is a reservoir of knowledge on the subject of breastfeeding. We thought to include his handouts below since we are on the subject!

And of course because Boba Inc shares the same passion in helping mothers succeed in breastfeeding.

Dr. Newman has worked as a doctor all over the world in South Africa, Central America and New Zealand. He is board Certified by the AAP. He left the position as the acting chief physician of Emergency Services and chose instead to devote his life to helping mothers and babies succeed in breastfeeding. He created the first hospital based breastfeeding clinic in Canada over twenty years ago. UNICEF has used him as a consultant for the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative and has evaluated Baby Friendly Hospitals in Eastern Africa and Canada. Dr. Newman has published a help guide for professionals and mothers on breastfeeding called Dr. Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding in Canada (revised edition, January 2003), and The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers in the US. Here is a list of some of the Handouts and Articles that he distributes in his Toronto Clinic.

Empower yourself and enjoy!