Zerberts

Beating Old Man Winter

2011-12-15T19:12:00.000-08:00

It's getting colder and we have lots of solutions to help you and your little one stay warm this winter!

Get a Hoppediz Fleece Cover to wear under your coat for out door babywearing. (Check out our blog post to see how awesome these are!) Get a pair of these amazing Hoppediz Wool Leg Warmers made with Cashmere and Merino wool. Get $15 off with the purchase of any baby carrier! (See our previous post for code) And don't forget to grab a Hoppediz woven wrap. These wraps are so soft and snuggly right out of the box!

Wraps not your thing? Grab this unique double layer wrap conversion ring sling by SweetPea Ring Sling! Made using an Amazonas wrap, this ring sling is super soft and cushy. The thinness of the Amazonas makes it the perfect wrap to use for a double layer ring sling that is perfect for cold weather snuggles!

And for a limited time, get a FREE Wrapsody beanie hat with any purchase by leaving a comment in the special requests box during checkout. Size and color will vary, but let us know if you have a boy or a girl and we will do our best to find a match. Supplies are limited, so don't wait too long!

Stay Warm!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-11T17:42:00.000-08:00

Tis the season and we're in the holiday mood! Whether you are looking for stocking stuffers or to just want to keep the precious babe in your life warm, we have a special deal just for you. Get a FREE Wrapsody beanie hat with any purchase by leaving a comment in the special requests box during checkout. Size and color will vary, but let us know if you have a boy or a girl and we will do our best to find a match. Supplies are limited, so don't wait too long!

Also this month, buy any carrier and get $15 off a set of Hoppediz Wool Leg Warmers!!! These are great for the cold weather that in upon us and make fantastic gifts, so grab a pair now while supplies last! Just enter "legs" at checkout to receive your discount.

From our family to yours,

Happy Holidays!

International Babywearing Week 2011

2011-10-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

Babywearing... a world of possibilities!

International Babywearing Week kicks off Oct 10th, 2011 and runs through the 16th. This years theme is "a world of possibilities" which is the perfect theme to talk about babywearing and applies in so many ways!

There are so many possibilities of different kinds of carriers making it possible for everyone to find their ideal carrier. Babywearing also opens up so many possibilities to both parents and babies. Babywearing allows parents to get more done and also enjoy much more time being close to their babies. It also allows baby and parents to more easily go places together that might not be as accessible otherwise. Baby also gets to experience and take in so much more of the world when being worn.

So how has babywearing opened a world of possibilities to you? One of my favorites... I love shopping with my baby and toddler while babywearing. They are so much more content when I am wearing them. They get to see all kinds of things while I am shopping and it's so easy to talk to them about what I am doing when they are along for the ride with me. I didn't wear my first when I shopped when he was young and it's a totally different experience. It's also a lot less frustraiting when they are toddler since they aren't trying to climb out of the cart or grab everything within reach... although they can and will still grab stuff while being worn!

I am so grateful that I discovered the world of babywearing and hope more people have the chance to learn about and experience babywearing. So in honor of International Babywearing Week, we're offering 10% off the purchase of any baby carrier at Zerberts this week! Use coupon code BW2011 at checkout to receive your discount.

Do someone a favor and spread the word!!! Babywearing may open a world of possibilities to them too!

HAPPY BABYWEARING!!!!

Boba 3G and more!

2011-10-03T08:33:00.000-07:00

Big changes at Boba Inc

A new website isn't the only thing new from the Boba family. Nap Inc is officially re-branding as Boba and the new website is just one of the exciting changes we are seeing.

For the most part, the re-branding is just a name change. The former Sleepy Wrap is now the Boba Baby Wrap, but it is still the same stretch wrap so many have come to know and love, just new packaging. But the re-branding is coinciding with the new release of the Boba 3G Baby Carrier and a new Boba Pack.

The Boba 3G

The Boba 3G is the third generation of Boba carrier and has some fun new features. One of the more exciting and obvious changes is that the Boba 3G will be available in 4 fun prints as well as 3 solid color combinations. The browns and greens we saw with the 2G are gone, but they've added a solid black to the selection of baby carriers.

The new Boba 3G baby carrier is no longer just for older babies and toddlers! The Boba 3G baby carrier converts to a newborn carrier without needing to purchase an additional insert. (see how) So the Boba 3G is now designed to be used for babies and toddlers 7-45 lbs!

The Boba 3G still has the removable foot straps that are unique to the Boba carrier, but they now have a snap adjustment instead of the hook and loop we saw on the 2G. The sleeping hood is fully removable and can be stored in the front pocket or rolled up when not in use.

New to the 3G, there are now pockets on the waist belt, including a small pocket that zips closed. They've also added shoulder strap holders that can be used to hold a purse in place to keep it from slipping off your shoulder while babywearing. Check out this video for a sneak peak at these new features:

They have stated that the waist belt has been redesigned for maximum comfort, but it remains to be seen if there is a significant difference. The Boba 3G is designed to fit wearers from 5'0" to 6'3" tall with a waist belt that adjusts from 25" to 58" wide.

The price of the 3G is another change from the 2G it is replacing. The new 3G will retail at $120 for solids and $125 for prints. The Boba Carrier 3G Organic will also be available, but only in 3 colors and at the higher price of $160. This is a significant jump from the current cost of the Boba 2G Carriers, especially at the current sale prices available. So some people may decide to pass on the great new features offered by the 3G to take advantage of a more cost effective option.

The Boba Carrier 3G will be available for purchase soon. Stay tuned for your chance to pre-order one of these carriers!

Summery of the Boba 3G features:

100% Cotton
Front and back carry options
Removable sleeping hood
Adjustable sleeping hood, adjusting in length to fit growing babies
Zipper pouch may be used to store your hood when not in use
Comfortably fits heights 5’0” – 6’3”
Waistband range: 25” – 58”
Additional adjustments for easier fit & breastfeeding
Patent-pending removable foot straps
Elastic bands neatly roll up straps
Shoulder strap holders keep purses and diaper bags in place
Easily adjustable chest strap
Uniquely designed to “hug” your child
Converts to an infant carrier without an insert
Extra head support adjustments for infants
Body of carrier rises 2-3” higher than other brands
Multiple pockets for on-the-go storage
High quality military grade buckles

The Boba Pack

Boba has come out with a new bag called the Boba Pack. This is basically and babywearing friendly diaper bag that can be worn over your shoulder, or attacked to your baby carrier or stroller.

The Boba pack seems really cool and I love that it can attach to a stroller, but I am just not convinced I would like it attached to the front of my baby carrier. It seems like an awesome idea in theory, but I feel like it would be bulky and I don't know how much stuff I would feel comfortable carrying in it if I am putting that on the front of my body and on my baby's back. It would be worth a try though, I might be surprised!

The Boba Pack will retail for $100 and comes in patterns that will match the new Boba 3G carriers.

Boba Pack features:

100% cotton
Easily attaches to most baby carriers and strollers, or may be worn over-the-shoulder
Separate waterproof pouch for dirty clothes
10 pockets total, including an insulated bottle pocket
Available in 5 color combinations, coordinating perfectly with your Boba Carrier 3G
Adjustable, removable shoulder strap
Lifetime guarantee

So what do you think? Will you be rushing out to buy one of the new 3G carriers when they hit the market? What do you think of the newborn option? What about the Boba Pack? In love or not convinced yet?

'Feel Good' Carrier Sale

2011-10-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

Time for another 'Feel Good' Carrier event! This time, we're giving away our Cedar Organic Boba 2G demo carrier for only $64 plus shipping!

These carriers are great for older babies and toddlers all the way through 45 lbs! This carrier has been worn a couple times, but is still in brand new condition and would make an amazing carrier for someone that can't afford to buy a carrier.

The intent of the 'Feel Good' movement is to give more people the opportunity to enjoy babywearing. You are not excluded from participating if you already own several and would like the one we are selling, but we ask that you honor the intent and pay it forward by donating or greatly discounting one of your carriers to help another person have the opportunity to babywear.

Also, 'Feel Good' Carriers are not to be sold for profit. If you no longer need a 'Feel Good' Carrier, we ask that you pass it along to someone else for your cost minus some for your use. Selling it for profit would go against the good will in which a carrier was intended for.

Please only enter this drawing if:

you or someone you know needs a carrier and can't afford to buy one new at full price
you don't already own several carrier or you are willing to donate one you do own
you agree to pass on the Feel Good Carrier to someone else once you are done using it or send it back to us so that we may give it to someone else
you agree that Feel Good Carriers are not to be sold for profit
you agree to pay $64 plus shipping for this carrier

To give people a fair chance to purchase this carrier, we will take entries and select one person at random. To enter, just comment on this blog post, our facebook page, or e-mail us through our website. Only one entry per person please. If you comment below, make sure to include your e-mail address so we can contact you if you win. We will select a winner Sunday, Oct 9th.

Don't need or want a Boba baby carrier? Spread the word, it could be just the carrier someone was looking for! We are excited to get this carrier to a parent and child that will enjoy using it!

Find out more about the 'Feel Good' Movement

Leave the car seat in the car...

2011-09-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

Trigger warning!

Tuesday, Sept 20th, a 3 month old baby dies when the car seat they were in fell from a shopping cart. (link to article) This unimaginable tragedy is a sad, sad reminder why car seats should stay in cars.

Most people don't realize this, but balancing car seats on shopping carts is very dangerous. We see everyone do it, and it seems safe enough. I know I was just as ignorant as most other parents. But the reality is that car seats do fall from shopping carts and the injuries a baby receives can be fatal.

There are other dangers too. The shopping cart could roll away and this is especially dangerous if you are in a parking lot. Shopping carts also are easily tipped over, especially by older children than may be hanging inappropriately off the cart.

Infant car seats are better off being left in the car. Instead, babywearing is a much better option. It's not only safer, but babies also tend to be much more content and happy when being worn while shopping. Young babies will often just fall asleep and older babies and toddlers tend to be more patient.

Unfortunately accidents happen and there is no way to be completely safe, be we can be safer and avoid certain risks. Please spread the word about the dangers of using car seats in shopping carts. Do yourself a favor and leave the car seat in the car and grab a baby carrier instead.

My heart goes out the the family in the article referenced above. I can not imagine their pain during this loss. My sincere condolences.

Sleepy Wrap 'Feel Good' Carrier Giveaway!

2011-08-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

Congrats Rishel and Jennifer, our giveaway winners! Stay tuned for more 'Feel Good' Giveaways in the future!

We're giving away a 'Feel Good' Carrier! Some lucky person will win a Sleepy Wrap for only the cost of shipping! These carriers are great for little babies and stretch wraps are my favorite carrier for a newborn!

Please only enter the giveaway if:

you need Sleepy Wrap and can't afford one or you know someone who does
you don't already own several carrier or you are willing to donate one you do own
you agree to donate the Feel Good Carrier to someone else once you are done using it or send it back to us so that we may give it to someone else
you agree that Feel Good Carriers are not to be sold for profit

The intent of the 'Feel Good' movement is to give more people the opportunity to enjoy babywearing. Because of this, we ask that people who already own several carriers donate one of their own if they win a 'Feel Good' Carrier. You are not excluded from participating if you already own several and would like the one we are giving away, but we ask that you honor the intent and pay it forward!

Also, 'Feel Good' Carriers are not to be sold for profit. If you no longer need a 'Feel Good' Carrier, we ask that you send it back to us or donate it to someone else in need. Selling it for profit would go against the good will in which a carrier was given for.

To enter, just comment on this blog post, our facebook page, or e-mail us through our website. Only one entry per person please. If you comment below, make sure to include your e-mail address so we can contact you if you win. We will select a winner Sunday the 28th.

Don't need or want a Sleepy Wrap? Spread the word, someone could use it! We are excited to get this carrier to a parent and baby that will enjoy using it!

Find out more about the 'Feel Good' Movement

The 'Feel Good' Child Carrier Movement

2011-08-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

For those of you that are not familiar with the 'Feel Good' Movement, it was started by a husband and wife that wanted to give people that can't afford baby carriers a chance to get a great carrier at cost. Many brands have joined in the 'Feel Good' movement and donated carriers to the cause. Now we are going to do the same! We have several things we'd like to donate, but to keep people from winning something they don't need, we will be doing them one at a time.

The intent of the 'Feel Good' movement is to give more people the opportunity to enjoy babywearing. Because of this, we ask that people who already own several carriers donate one of their own if they win a 'Feel Good' Carrier. You are not excluded from participating if you already own several and would like the one we are giving away, but we ask that you honor the intent and pay it forward!

Also, 'Feel Good' Carriers are not to be sold for profit. If you no longer need a 'Feel Good' Carrier, we ask that you send it back to us or donate it to someone else in need. Selling it for profit would go against the good will in which a carrier was given for.

So stay tuned. We will be offering a 'Feel Good' Carrier giveaway soon. Some carriers will be available at a significantly reduce price and some will be free for shipping. We are excited to participate in this great movement and we hope you are too!

NEW! Hoppediz Jacquard Pune

2011-08-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

They're here! They're here! And I am in LOVE!!! The latest wrap by Hoppediz, the Jacquard Pune, is amazing.

First, I'll give you the basics. The Jacquard Pune is available in 2 color ways, pink with orange and turquoise with lime. The design on these wraps is a peacock feather and these wraps revers to the "wrong side" which allows for two looks in one wrap.

These wraps are unlike any other wrap from Hoppediz. They are completely different in texture than the Jacquard Chicago. The Jacquard Chicago is much stiffer and feels thicker, though there is no significant weight difference between the two (maybe an ounce or two). The Jacquard Pune is extremely soft and floppy directly out of the box. I would even describe it as having a silky texture, like a really high quality Egyptian cotton or even a silk blend.

Pune Pink taken in shade

Pune Pink taken in direct sun

These wraps are super light and airy which would make them perfect for summer. They are very thin, probably as thin as the Hopp Light, but again, much floppier out of the box than a Hopp Light.

Pune Turquoise taken in shade

Pune Turquoise taken in direct sun

I am not a wrap expert by any means, but I can tell you that I love the feel of this wrap. As soon as I touched it, I wanted to wrap my baby in it. I think I would be petting this wrap all day if I were wearing it! They are also far more stunning in person then what I could capture with the camera. Definitely a wrap you will have to see and feel to believe!

Price increase for Moby

2011-07-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

Moby has finally joined the many baby carrier manufacturers that have had to raise the prices of their carriers. The increase in cotton prices is affecting all cotton products and the baby carrier industry is no exception. Starting Sept 1st, Moby wraps will cost $44.95 for their standard wraps.

Some other price increases going back:
2nd prince increase for Hoppediz
BabyHawk price increase
Price increases again
Maya Wrap price increases
More price increases
Price increases

2nd price increase for Hoppediz

2011-06-25T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hoppediz has announce another price increase scheduled to come into affect July 2011. This is the second price increase for Hoppediz this year. If you have been following, you know that increased cotton prices and shipping costs are two major factors affecting the prices of baby carriers and other products. Read more about it in this post.

We will not be increasing our prices immediately in July. Instead, we will wait until we restock and adjust the prices accordingly. It looks like prices will increase a minimum of $5 per wrap, but could be as much as $10.

So if you have been wanting a Hoppediz wrap, now may be the best time to buy. We have also been seeing price increases in most other brands and more are likely to be announced as the trend continues.

BabyHawk price increase

2011-06-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

Due largely to increased cotton prices as well as fuel prices and other factors, the babywearing community has seen price increases from many manufacturers. BabyHawk is the latest manufacturer to announce a price increase. Affective immediately, prices on BabyHawk carriers will rise $9 each. So the BabyHawk mei tai will now retail for $89 and the Oh Snap is now $149.

It is not likely that this will be the last increase we see. Maya Wrap, Wrapsody, Hoppediz, Sleepy Wrap, and several other brands have already implemented an increase. Moby has yet to announce an increase, but I will be surprised if we don't see one this year.

For more information on the recent price increases, read the previous post where we discussed the issue.

New ABC prints!

2011-06-12T12:35:00.000-07:00

Action Baby Carrier has announced their new 2011 prints! They are introducing four new fun prints scheduled to arrive late July. Snowberries, Galaxy and Robins Egg will still be available, but Kiley, Seaside and Mia will be discontinued.

The new prints:

Camper: Fun owl print paired with chocolate brown straps

Chain: Teal background with white and black overlaying ovals paired with black straps

Happy: Large floral print on chocolate brown straps

Island: Leafy/semi-floral print paired with tan straps

We're excited to get these new prints in stock! Which ones are your favorites?

Coming soon... Hoppediz Jacquard Pune

2011-06-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

Looks like Hoppediz is planning to release a new Jacquard print called Pune. It will be available in two colorways, a turquoise/lime combination and a pink/orange combination. Pune is eye catching with it's bright colors and beautiful peacock feather print.

Hoppediz is expecting to have these available starting the second week in August. We are hoping these will be available to retailers, unlike the Chicago Plum that was a limited release that they chose not to sell wholesale.

We'll keep you posted once these come available! We will probably run a pre-order for them in August. Until then, check out these amazing pictures!

Prices increase again

2011-06-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

With the price of cotton increasing 150% since early 2010, the price of cotton based products is creeping up. (read more about the cotton crisis) We have already seen several price increases in the babywearing community and that was just the beginning.

Effective July 1st, Wrapsody will have to implement faze two of their price increase. Last December we saw the first price increase with their products. Unfortunately, they knew there would probably need to be another if cotton prices didn't fall, so we will now see prices increase another $5 per wrap. They are still hopeful that they will be able to lower prices if cotton prices fall, but as time continues and the cotton shortage grows, that looks less and less likely.

Sleepy Wrap has also announced a $5 price increase starting July 1st. They join Maya Wrap, Wrapsody, Hoppediz, and many smaller WAHM based companies that have had to charge more for their products. It is very likely that we will see more price increases later this year from other brands.

The good new is that maintaining the quality we have come to expect seems to be top priority. No one wants to cut corners and make inferior products just to keep the price low. So at least you can feel confident when you buy your next carrier that it's a few extra dollars well spent.

Newest wraps from Wrapsody

2011-05-29T06:28:00.000-07:00

Wrapsody has come out with 5 new colorways! 3 new Bali Breeze wraps and 2 new Stretch-Hybrid wraps. These wraps are an exciting new addition to the Wrapsody family.

New Bali Breeze:

Lana - neapolitan shades of pink and chocolate

Lily - purple fades to gray

Hope - a rainbow of colors that runs vertically!

New Stretch-Hybrid:

Kai - Brown fades to yellow

Sterling - black rails with gray center

These new wraps will ship next week! We have already ordered some, but you can pre-order one if you don't want to wait! Pre-order ends Wednesday, June 1st.

To make room for the new wraps, Wrapsody has decided to retire some of their colorways. The following wraps will no longer be available:

Breeze: Gaia, Haumea, and Whitman
Stretch: Arie, Collins, Hiruko, Sebastian, Sol.

You can still find a few of these wraps, but soon they will be gone for good. If you are hoping to get your hands on one of these colorways, don't wait!

Rent a carrier...

2011-05-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

No matter how great a carrier is and how good the reviews are, trying a carrier out in person is the only way to really know if it is going to work for you and your baby. Some people have local babywearing groups that rent their carriers out to people, but not everyone is lucky enough to have one of these great groups near them. That's why Zerberts has been working on a rental program that would give everyone a chance to try a carrier before they purchase.

Our program is essentially free. We charge a small fee based on carrier weight to help cover shipping and handling costs. We'll then get a deposit that will be fully refunded once we receive the carrier back. You have 2 weeks to use the carrier and see if it works for you or not. Then just ship it back and your deposit will be refunded.

Visit our website to find out more about how our rental program works.

Here are some of the carriers we have available:
Boba
Action Baby Carrier
AngelPack LX
Oh Snap
Hop-Tye
BabyHawk
Hoppediz Ring Sling
SweetPea Ring Sling
Kalea Baby wrap conversion
Hoppediz woven wrap
Wrapsody Bali Breeze
Wrapsody Stretch-Hybrid

Maya Wrap price increases

2011-05-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

Not surprising, Maya Wrap has raised their prices. They are just another of the many babywearing companies that has had to increase their prices in the last year. Global cotton prices as well as increased expenses to meet new regulations has increased expenses to produce these products.

Maya Wrap Lightly Padded Slings now retail for $74.95. We are currently clearing out our old stock, so grab one now if you are looking for a good deal.

Stretch Wrap Comparison

2011-04-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

There are lots of stretch wraps out there, and lots of opinions about them, but what are the facts? Here's a comparison of some of the stretch wraps available.

My 4 month old and I tested out a Sleepy Wrap, Moby, Anaju and a Wrapsody Stretch Hybrid. My daughter was about 14.5 lbs when we did the comparison. We tested them all during a 4 day period so she wouldn't be a different age or weight in order to make it a fair comparison. We took before pictures with the wrap on, but without baby, then a photo when I put her in the wrap and one after wearing her for an hour or more. I apologize for the leaning baby. I know it makes it harder to compare her position before and after, but she likes to lean! :) Guess the view must be better that way.

Anaju
Time worn: 1 hour 5 minutes

The Anaju wrap is made out of a bamboo jersey. It is super soft, thin, and light with moderate stretchiness. Noticed only a slight settling of the baby in the wrap over the time worn.

Moby
Time worn: 2 hours

Moby's are a pretty common brand. I have heard many describe the Moby as "saggy", but I found there was no significant sag even after wearing my baby for 2 hours in the Moby. I did realize I had tied it too loose in the first photo and had tied it slightly tighter before putting my baby in the wrap (middle photo). Overall, the Moby was comfortable with only a slight settling of my baby while I wore her.

Sleepy Wrap
Time worn: 1 hour 5 minutes

First, let me start out by saying that Sleepy Wraps are VERY stretchy! They are by far the stretchiest stretch wrap I have used. Because of that, I have to wrap super tight when using the Sleepy Wrap. Note how long the tails are even though the Sleepy Wrap is shorter than the Moby and the same length as the Anaju, that will give you a good point of reference for how tightly it is wrapped.

Now, I took 4 photos this time because 20 minutes in, I noticed that my baby was significantly lower in the wrap. So I took a photo so I would be able to see if there would be any further sagging after the initial settling I was noticing. In fact, my baby dropped much lower after an hour had passed. I think I probably could have avoided any sagging if I had wrapped a little tighter, but I had thought it was tight enough.

So if you're using a Sleepy Wrap, make sure you wrap very tightly. The first time I used one, my baby was only 9 lbs and tiny and she still sagged way down because I didn't have it tight enough. So make sure you wrap tight enough to be secure and safe with the amount of stretch it has.

Wrapsody Stretch Hybrid
Time worn: 1 hour

The Wrapsody is a stretch hybrid and not a true stretch wrap since it only really stretches width wise and not length wise. It's nice and thin, but still supportive. It can be used with much older and heavier babies than a standard stretch wrap can. It can also be used to do a variety of carries, including back carries which are NOT recommended with standard stretch wraps.

How they line up

Because of the varied stretchiness of these wraps, I don't trust my ability to measure accurately and fairly. So instead, I placed these wraps side by side so you can see how the length compares. The Anaju is slightly shorter than the Sleepy Wrap, with the Moby and Wrapsody about the same length.

Width comparison

Like before, I felt the most accurate way to compare the width of the wraps was to stack them. The Wrapsody was the widest with the Anaju and Moby being the same length. The Sleey Wrap was the narrowest of the group.

Weighing your options
I threw all of these wraps on my postal scale to see which was the lightest in weight. Now I am sure the actual weight of a brand of wrap may vary since every wrap may not be cut to the exact same size. But this will give you a good way to compare between brands.

Sleepy Wrap - 1 lb 3.2 oz
Anaju - 1 lb 6 oz
Wrapsody Stretch - 1 lb 6 oz
Moby - 1 lb 10.6 oz

Now the Anaju and Wrapsody weighed the same amount, but you also need to consider the amount of fabric. The Wrapsody has significantly more fabric than the Anaju when you consider the fact that it is both wider and longer than the Anaju. So even though the Anaju and Wrapsody weigh the same, the Wrapsody is technically lighter inch for inch. Similarly, the Sleepy Wrap came in as the lightest, but this is not surprising considering it is so much narrower than all the others. So it is not necessarily the lightest wrap overall, in fact, it is one of the heaviest in my opinion.

Thick or thin
There is no good way for me to measure thickness, so I am going to have to resort to describing the feel as best I can. This is very subjective and totally my opinion. I'll list them in the order I think is thinnest to thickest.

Wrapsody: Feels very thin to me, like a very thin, cool t-shirt.

Anaju: Slightly thicker than the Wrapsody, but still thin, light, and breathable like a standard t-shirt or jersey knit sheets.

Moby: Much denser than the previous wraps. Has a tightness in the fibers of the fabric than make it feel heavier and warmer, like a thick t-shirt material.

Sleepy Wrap: Reminds me of super light stretchy sweatpants. Feels kind of on the thick side, but the stretchiness and looseness of the threads almost makes it feel like it could be airier than the Moby.

My recommendations
After trying these wraps out, there are certain situations where I would recommend one over the other. Here are a couple I thought people might be interested in.

Summer babywearing:
Any of these can be used in summer time, but some are going to be hotter than others. I think Moby would be the hottest, but I also used one of the UV Mobys all summer when my 2nd was a baby and we both did fine. We were hot, but that's unavoidable when it's 90+ degress out and you're in the sun. But I think the Wrapsody Stretch and Anaju would be much better for summer babywearing. The Moby and Sleey Wrap would be hotter than the others, so I would avoid those if possible.

Age & Weight:
Most brands say they can be used up to 18 months, but you are not likely to find an experienced babywearer say that. That being said, they aren't exactly lying. I have a friend that used a Moby until her daughter was well over a year and it worked well enough for them. But you are going to find that stretch wraps are not as supportive as baby grows and becomes more wiggly, so generally we recommend you find another carrier once your baby is older.

So how long would I use these wraps? This is very subjective depending on the weight of your baby and how comfortable you are wearing them in that wrap, but here's my opinion.

Sleepy Wrap: 2-3 months since it is SO stretchy
Anaju: around 4-6 months, depending on the weight of your baby
Moby: 6 months since they aren't as stretchy as an Anaju or Sleepy Wrap
Wrapsody: easily 12+ months. I'm not sure at what weight I would start to find this wrap less comfortable, but it is definitely supportive enough to use well past a year.

Again, I am not saying that these wraps can not be used past these ages, just that it might not be the ideal carrier after a certain point and I would not recommend them past that point. I believe most would still be safe to keep using if wrapped correctly, though I do have concerns about the Sleepy Wrap. In my opinion, I think the Sleepy Wrap is too narrow and way too stretchy to be used for 18 months.

Did I leave anything out?! Let me know if you have any questions!

More price increases

2011-03-11T05:22:00.000-08:00

The cotton shortage strikes again and cotton pricing continue to affect the babywearing industry. Also, an increase in shipping costs and the expense of meeting CPSC standards have both contributed to the price increases across the industry.

Cotton shortages have caused the price of cotton to almost double and the companies that make baby carriers are being directly affected by the increase in the cost of materials. It remains to be seen if other companies will also be affected by this shortage, but it is likely we will see the price of more carriers go up as time goes by.

See this article for more information on the cotton shortage.

We have already seen price increases from Hoppediz and Wrapsody, as well as some of the smaller WAHM based companies. Now Maya Wrap has announced a price increase that will go into effect April 18th. At this time, the price increase does not look to be too significant, which is good news, though I do not know what the new retail pricing will be yet.

On a side note, they are also discontinuing some of their fabrics. Aqua Stripe (9), Pink Stripe (11), Red (13), Periwinkle Blue (16), Light Orchid (19), Pool (38), Blue Majesty (53), Orchid/Pink Fusion (71), and Pool/Cool Waters (73) will not be restocked once these colors are gone.

We'll keep you posted of any more price increases as they are announced.

Ring Sling: photo tutorial

2011-02-16T05:55:00.000-08:00

Using your ring sling can seem really confusing in the beginning. Thankfully, Erin from Wrapstar Baby Carriers has made this great step-by-step tutorial on how to thread and use a ring sling and has given us permission to re-post it for you!

Thanks Erin! To find out more about Wrapstar and their products, visit their blog or store.

Regulating Baby Carriers

2011-01-22T07:58:00.000-08:00

People have been asking questions about the new regulations to the babywearing industry that are greatly affecting small, work at home based companies, so I thought I would explain some of these new regulations to help people understand what is going on.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) has put into place many regulations that are affecting the babywering industry. These are aimed at making these products safer and easier to track in the event of a recall.

Everyone agrees that having standards to make sure babywearing products are safe is a good idea and even necessary for the future of the industry. But unfortunately, these measures can be expensive to implement and hard for a small business to comply with. For example, a small stay at home mom that makes ring slings is now required to put special tags and labels on all her products as well as attach product registration cards and have on-line registration available. The rings they use will also have to be tested and proven to be lead free and soon they will also have to stress test their slings in each position the directions say they can be used.

The costs of complying add up very quickly and are simply too expensive for most small businesses. Plus, these regulations will make it much harder for new businesses to start up since the costs are so much higher. The babywearing community has always been full of many small, stay at home based businesses that provide a wide variety of carriers. But these new regulations will probably lead to a lot less diversity in the babywearing industry since the number of businesses that can afford to comply will be limited to larger businesses that can absorb the costs.

The Baby Carrier Industry Alliance (BCIA) is doing what they can to help. When ever possible, they are trying to provide cost saving services to small businesses so they don't have to incur the whole expense themselves. But unfortunately, this still isn't enough to allow many of the smaller businesses to stay profitable. Sadly, the days of the small, stay at home moms sewing baby carriers in their spare time looks like it will soon be coming to an end.

Disclaimer: I only stated the regulations to the best of my understanding. There may be more regulations already in affect and due to come into affect that I am not aware of.

2011 Guide to Summer Baby Carriers

2011-01-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

It's time to start thinking about summer babywearing and finding the right summer carrier for you and your little ones. Summer is hot and wearing a little one in summer is going to be hot too. But fortunately, there are some options to help keep you and your baby a little more comfortable while babywearing in the heat.

First you need to think about what your needs are. If you have a little baby or a toddler that you only wear for short periods of time, a ring sling might be the best option. If you plan to do a lot of babywearing this summer, than you are going to want the comfort of a two shoulder carrier like a mei tai or soft structured carrier (aka buckle carrier). Here's a run down on the different styles and some of the brands that might work well for you.

Ring Slings

Ring slings are great for summer. They don't have as much fabric touching you and your baby as some carriers and they are great for quick carries when a busy toddler wants to be held for a few minutes and then wants down again. But ring slings are a one shoulder carrier and unless you are used to it, prolonged wearing with a ring sling can get uncomfortable since your child's weight will mostly be on one shoulder.

Ring slings like Maya Wraps and our Hoppediz ring sling conversions by Kalea Baby are made with a single layer of woven material that is very breathable. Silk is also a very cool fabric to use in summer, which makes our double layer Dupioni silk slings by SweetPea Ring Slings another good option for summer. You can also find ring slings made from linen or solarveil fabric that are perfect for summer. But realistically, most ring slings are going to be fairly cool simply due to the lack of fabric.

Wraps
For the wrappers out there, you don't have to stop wrapping just because it's summer. There are a lot of great wraps out there that are lighter and better in the heat. Wraps can be a great option for summer since there are so many different ways to use them. You can find lots of different ways to wrap using The Babywearer's extensive wrap instructions links page or by purchasing wrap instruction media like the Wrapsody DVD or Hoppediz instruction booklet.

So if you are looking for a woven, Hoppediz makes a Hopp Light that is very nice for summer. It is extremely thin and soft and reminds people of a very expensive cotton sheet. Amazonas Classic wraps are also woven wraps that are very light and breathable. The weave on these still feels like a woven without being thick and hot. Vatanai and Didymos linens are other brands of lighter woven wraps that people recommend for warmer weather.

Gauze wraps, like the Wrapsody Bali Breeze, are very light and airy. You have to be more careful when wrapping a gauze wrap to avoid pressure points, but these wraps are very cool and lighter than a woven.

Wrapsody also makes a stretch wrap that is kind of a hybrid wrap. It's not as stretchy as a standard stretch wrap and can be used comfortably with older, heavier babies. The wraps are thinner than other stretch wraps, making them much lighter and cooler. You can also safely use this wrap to do other carries that are not safe to do in a traditional stretch wrap.

If you just absolutely love stretch wraps though, or have a tiny baby you want to snuggle this summer, check out one made with a bamboo blend since bamboo tends to be a cooler fabric. The Anaju stretch wraps by 3TD are made of 70% organically grown viscose of bamboo and 30% organic cotton. These wraps are amazingly soft and light. Lovey Duds also makes a bamboo stretch wrap and you can even make your own by purchasing a bamboo jersey at the fabric store. Moby wraps aren't bamboo, but they do have some that offers extra UV protection.

Mei Tais and Soft Structured Carriers

Mei Tais and soft structured carriers (buckle carriers) can be another good option for summer babywearing. If you wear your little one a lot and for long periods of time, you will want the support of a two shoulder carrier like these.

When looking for a Mei Tai or soft structured carrier, try to avoid anything made with heavy materials or lots of layers. Thinner, narrower bodied carriers are going to allow more air around you and baby and help keep you both cooler. Action Baby Carrier, AngelPack, Olives & Applesauce and Baby Hawk are some of my favorite carriers, but there really are too many to list! You can also look for Mei Tais made from solarveil fabric, which are breathable and can be used as water carriers, but can be very hard to find since solarveil is no longer being manufactured.

Water Carriers

A water carrier can be a really useful thing to own, especially in summer. These can be worn in the ocean or pool, as well as the shower. Many also provide some sun protection, but protection can vary. Water carriers can be found in a variety of styles, including stretch wraps, ring slings, and Mei Tais. Wrapsody makes a stretch wrap water carrier with a UPF rating for 45. TaylorMade makes mesh ring slings. Solarveil Mei Tais are harder to find, but they are out there, especially if you look for people selling used carriers.

Final thought
Summer is hot and having your baby touch you is never going to be cool. That being said, a little sweat never hurt anyone and it's worth the added convenience and snuggles you get in exchange! So find a carrier that makes you more comfortable and enjoy your summer!

Have a tip you'd like to share? Contact us, we'd love to hear it!

Babywearing Art

2011-01-14T08:22:00.000-08:00

I know I have already posted about the amazing paintings by Katie M Berggren, but I couldn't help myself from posting some of her beautiful paintings centered around babywearing! Hope you enjoy them!

Wrap by Katie M Berggren

Deep As A River by Katie M Berggren

Elemental by Katie M Berggren

Mid-Summer Day by Katie M Berggren

Perhaps by Katie M Berggren

Pieces of Me by Katie M Berggren

Wrap 2 by Katie M Berggren

Too see more of Katie's beautiful work or purchase one of her amazing prints, visit her website. We are also doing a special giveaway and promotion. Find out more on our blog.

Special Giveaway

2011-01-09T09:31:00.000-08:00

We have our winners! Thank you so much to everyone that participated. The winners have been contacted and notified. And a special thanks to Katie Berggren for participating in our giveaway! Keep checking back for more giveaways or join our mailing list to make sure you don't miss any.

We are excited to announce a very special giveaway. Artist Katie M Berggren has agreed to give away some of her beautiful prints to two lucky winners! She has also let us use this stunning painting to make some amazing babywearing magnets that we will also be giving away! I love this painting of a mother carrying her child in a ring sling!

We will select 5 winners. Two people will win a 8x10 print from Katie M Berggren and 3 winners will receive one of our special magnets!

Here's how to enter:

Visit Katie's website and select "Shop Online" to see the amazing prints she has available. Come back here and leave us a comment with your favorite one. Do the same on our Facebook page to receive another entry.
To get additional entries, spread the word! For each person you send, you will get one entry. Make sure they post who sent them so that you get credit! They may also enter if they'd like by doing the above steps.

Don't forget to leave your e-mail so we can contact you!

The giveaway will run through the 17th and the winners will be announced the morning of Tuesday, Jan 18th!

These magnets are not available for purchase, but this won't be your only chance to receive one of these pieces of art! For a limited time, we will be giving away a free magnet with the purchase of every baby carrier from Zerberts! Supplies are limited and this promotion will end when they are gone. At 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches, these magnets really are a wonderful little piece of art for your fridge!

Painting Motherhood

2011-01-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

I was first introduced to this artwork by Katie M. Berggren when I received some prints as a gift. Her work was so beautiful that I knew I had to share it with you all!

Mostly a self taught painter and mother of two, Katie was drawn to painting emotion and the mother/child connection. She uses common daily moments as her inspiration to create beautiful paintings that capture the love and affection between parents and their children. Her paintings are easy to identify with in a very real and powerful way.

As a mother and a painter, I am compelled to create honest, emotional pieces that stylize the intimate moments of life. I delight in capturing the visible affection between mother and child in a dance of paint on canvas. My compositions play with how two or more figures can fold together within an atmosphere of movement, energy and sparkle.

There is a daily conflict for a mother of young children. For me it is a challenge that reawakens every morning as I balance my desire to be a patient, graceful mother and at the same time fulfill an instinctive urge to bring forth the creations of my soul and realize my dreams.

Capturing and releasing are two reasons I paint - to capture a fleeting moment, and to release an emotion. The process of painting allows me to connect with the world around me. But, perhaps most important, it is the way I model to my children the value of following their dreams and exploring their gifts.

I really enjoy the unique style and look of her paintings. I find she has captured some precious moments that I can relate to my own experiences with my children. I feel she has beautifully captured the emotion of motherhood in her artwork!

To find out more about Katie M. Berggren and her work, visit her website. Many prints and paintings are also available for purchase on-line.

All images have been used with the artist's permission.

Amazonas Customer Review

2010-12-29T12:37:00.000-08:00

If you've been wondering about the Amazonas woven wraps, here's a lovely review from a wonderful mama that is getting her 3rd Amazonas wrap!

I always like trying new things so I was very excited to see a US vendor carrying Amazonas. I've had two of the Classic wraps - Carrageen and Lollipop - both are fantastic colorways, very bright and cheerful (especially Lollipop!). I prefer thin wraps that mold well and Amazonas fit the bill; the weave reminds me most of a Vatanai stripes although I think it's a bit denser. They are soft and floppy brand new which I think makes them "new wrapper friendly" - no need to really break them in. The texture is nice too - just the right amount of slide and grip. I used them comfortably this summer with my 27 pound toddler - very nice in our hot humid summers! Amazonas also have long, flowy tapers like a Vatanai or Zara which gives the tails a nice look. They are also nice and wide which makes them more toddler friendly. Of course, I'm also looking forward to wrapping our spring newborn in one ;-)

Thanks Meredith for the great review and pics!

These wraps are a great option for summer and an extremely good value. I love all the fun colors! Do you have one? We'd love to hear what you think!

Meet Rowan

2010-12-14T06:18:00.000-08:00

Introducing Rowan, the newest stretch wrap by Wrapsody! This beautiful wrap is a rich plum color with pink lotus flowers in the center and water inspired waves along the edges. Kristi got the inspiration for this wrap from a placenta print after the birth of her daughter Alice. The butterfly symbolizes loss of pregnancy or birth and is inspired by Remembering Rowan; the flowers celebrate life and birth.

This is a comparison of Rowan next to some of Wrapsody's other wraps. Rowan is on the far left, with Alice (a Bali Breeze wrap) in the center which is slightly lighter and pinker than Rowan, and Aphrodite in purple at the right.

Wrapsody has also brought back Stella for a limited time! This stunning wrap is inspired by the night sky. A gradation of deep shades of blue are complemented with white stars throughout the darkest layer.

I have greatly enjoyed using my Wrapsody stretch wraps! These wraps are not only supportive, but unique and beautiful! They have done a great job at Wrapsody creating these amazing carriers!

Pricing Increases

2010-12-13T07:13:00.000-08:00

Due largely to a global cotton shortage, we are seeing the first price increases in the baby carrier industry. Wrapsody and Hoppediz have both announced an increase in the cost of their baby carriers.

The new pricing for Wrapsody carriers will go in to effect on Dec 25th, 2010. The wraps will go up by about $5 per wrap. Wrapsody is exploring options to decrease costs, but another increase sometime next spring may also be necessary.

Hoppediz prices increase will start Jan 1st, 2011. You'll see about a $5 increase for a 4.6m Hopp wrap with prices for the new Hopp Jacquard Chicago as well as Hopp Light being more significant. Prices for Hopps in the US probably won't immediately go up, but increase more slowly as products are re-ordered.

Shipping costs and the expense of meeting CPSC standards have both contributed to the price increases, but the biggest factor has been the cost of cotton. Cotton shortages have caused the price of cotton to almost double and the companies that make baby carriers are being directly affected by the increase in the cost of materials. It remains to be seen if other companies will also be affected by this shortage, but it is likely we will see the price of more carriers go up as time goes by.

See this article for more information on the cotton shortage.

Holiday Raffle for Charity

2010-12-06T14:17:00.000-08:00

Help us feed the hungry this holiday season with our Holiday Raffle Fundraiser! We're raffling tons of great prizes and it's for a good cause. So even if you don't get a prize, you still win! The proceeds of this raffle will be donated to Feeding America.

2 Organic Sleepy Bears
Sleepy Wrap
4.5 m Amazonas Woven Wrap in Lollipop or Laguna
3 pack of Hoppediz Balloon Balls and 3 individual balls
Hoppediz Fleece Cover
Medium Bright Stripes Maya Wrap Ring Sling

We'll be selecting 10 winners the morning of Friday, December 17th. Help us spread the word! We want to raise as much money as possible for the the Feeding America foundation! Thank you for your support and good luck!

HUGE Sale!

2010-11-23T18:55:00.000-08:00

We are starting the Holiday season off with a BANG! Huge discounts on most carriers in stock! Here are some of the great brands currently on sale:

AngelPack $20 off
Action Baby Carrier $69
Oh Snap
BabyHawk $10 off
Wrapstar $10 off
Maya Ties $65
SweetPea Ring Slings $15 off
Wrapsody $60-$65
Hoppediz
Amazonas starting at $75
Anaju
Moby
Boba & Sleepy Wrap10% off
Plus more great deals!

Start shopping now! Sale runs through Monday, Nov 29th. But supplies are limited, so don't wait too long!

Happy shopping! And enjoy the Holidays!!!

Exciting BCIA update!

2010-11-19T19:07:00.000-08:00

Today the CPSC issued a safety announcement in regards to baby slings. This is a good sign that the CPSC may consider education as a viable alternative to a mass recall of baby slings. The BCIA issued their own concurrent statement pledging to work with the CPSC on babywearing education. The CPSC reached out to the BCIA regarding this statement and expressed a desire to improve communication between the BCIA and their agency! This is a great step in the right direction and will hopefully lead to more cooperation in the future.

This is great news for the future of babywearing! And it is in direct response to the pressure the CPSC has received from the entire babywearing community. By standing together, we were able to send a clear message that the CPSC was able to hear. But there is still more work to be done. We need to make sure that the CPSC and the new Congress understand how important the babywearing industry is to all of us. We can help by contacting the CPSC and letting them know that we would like to see them partner with the BCIA on a national education campaign, like the one they are planning in cooperation with Health Canada. Contact them through the CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772; or visit www.cpsc.gov/talk.html

And continue to spread the word, this alliance gets stronger the more of us there are! The BCIA still has a lot of work ahead of them as they continue to secure the future of the babywearing industry.

For more information on babywearing safety, see the BCIA's safety guidelines.

NuzzleMe Creations

2010-11-18T17:33:00.000-08:00

The babywearing world is full of many great work at home moms that have started their own businesses. NuzzleMe Creations is one of these businesses, with one slight twist, it was started by a work at home dad!

Tim designed and makes the UMC, or Ultimate MAN Carrier. After searching for the perfect baby carrier and not finding what he wanted, this crafty babywearing dad designed and made his own mei tai with all the features he wanted in a carrier. The UMC was quickly recognized for it's great design, quality construction and extra features that make this a unique carrier. Now it's not just the Ultimate MAN Carrier, but also the Ultimate MAMA Carrier! These mei tais are designed to be fully reversible and so they can easily be made with both a man and a mama side if they are willing to share!

So what makes these mei tais so unique? Like some other mei tais, the UMC has a padded headrest as well as padded should straps and waist belt. But they also come standard with a removable sleeping hood, two removable cup holders (one for you and one for baby), and matching strap covers. Another design feature that makes these mei tais stand out is that they have strategically placed loops and hooks for keys, toys and other items as well as straps on the waist belt that you can hook your phone or other items to. You can also purchase a matching removable diaper/storage bag.

Designed to be used for all ages, the waist belt can be worn apron style for smaller babies and flipped out for heavier babies and toddlers. Tim and his wife have used the carrier with their 45 lbs 6 year old daughter who now loves "piggy back rides" on her daddy's back in his UMC. Tim's wife, Amy, also tested out the UMC by wearing her 112lbs 13 year old son on her back just to see if she could! They carrier did great and the pictures are hilarious! You can see them on their Facebook page! I personally would not recommend wearing a 13 year old, but this carrier should be able to last you until your little one is not longer interested in being worn.

Features:

Padded shoulder straps and waist belt
Padded headrest and removable sleeping hood
Matching strap covers
2 removable cup holders
Loops and straps to hold keys, toys, phones, etc.
Designed to be used with all ages
Made in the USA

Want to get your hands on a UMC? Zerberts is excited to add UMC to the list of great carriers that we offer. You can also try to get a custom slot directly from NuzzleMe Creations.

Stretch wrap tip

2010-11-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

I have really been enjoying carrying my newborn in a stretch wrap, but I am surprised just how stretchy some of the brands are. I am actually planning to do a side by side comparison once my baby girl is a bit heavier, but for now I just wanted to give a little advice about using a stretch wrap. The number one mistake I see people make with a stretch wrap is not tying it tight enough.

These wraps are stretchy and some are SUPER stretchy. So it's important that you tie it pretty tightly before you put your little one in it. Just how tight you need to tie it though depends on the specific wrap you are using and how big your baby is. If you are going to put a 3 month old in it, then it will need to have a little more room then when you are wrapping a tiny 2 week old. Also, you need to cross the straps a little lower in front of your body if you have a taller baby that you need to sit lower on your body.

Signs you may not be wrapping tight enough can be if your baby ends up way lower than when you first put them in, their butt keeps popping out the bottom of the middle panel of fabric, their head is below your chest or you cannot easily kiss the top of their head. So when using a stretchy wrap, experiment a bit to see how tight you need it. It take a bit of getting used to, but you'll be much happier when your little one isn't dangling down around your belly button!

For easy on-line instructions on how to use a stretch wrap, check out the Moby website.

Amazonas on Clearance

2010-11-12T07:04:00.000-08:00

We have decided to put our stock of Amazonas wraps on clearance. These wraps are a great value, but they are not well known in the US market and so they have been slow to move. So we have decided to put them on clearance for now and hopefully get them out there and increase interest.

The Amazonas Classic is a woven wrap that is both soft and light weight. This is a great wrap for warmer weather and at for much less than the cost of a Hopp Light. So pick one up now at a steal starting at only $75! It will be perfect for next summer!

Fun with Balloon Balls!

2010-11-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen these before, you have to! These Balloon Balls by Hoppediz are so much fun! My kids love bouncing on theirs, but they are a fun ball to play with and you don't have to worry about the balloon popping.

Balloon Balls are a simple cover made out of Hoppediz wrap fabric that you put a balloon inside and inflate. What you get is a super durable, portable, bouncy ball! We keep one in our diaper bag so we have something to play with at the park or where ever we might need something to do. The best part is that if you twist the end of the balloon instead of putting a knot in it, then you can just untwist it when you're done, deflate it, and stick it back in your bag for next time! We have had ours inflated for months in the house and they never lost air, even while being sat on, while twisted closed and not knotted!

Currently available in a 3 pack and 5 pack, each Balloon Ball comes with two balloons. Simply insert the balloon into the slit and blow it up while inside the cover. These are a great, unique toy and make really great gifts!

Accidents happen

2010-11-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

It's one of our worst nightmares, falling while wearing our little one. I just read a story about a mom that unfortunately fell and her baby suffered broken bones. But posted along with that story were a ton of stories about other moms that fell while wearing their babies and their babies were not only fine, but had probably been safer because they were in a carrier and not being held in their arms.

Having fallen while holding someone else's baby, it is extremely frightening. Every part of you tenses and tries to protect that baby no matter what. The only though going through my head when I fell was please don't let me drop this baby. Luckily, I was able to hold on firmly with one arm while using my other hand to brake our fall and by some miracle, I was able to hold on to the baby. But I firmly believe that baby would have been much safer I had been wearing them.

Why am I so sure? First, the obvious, like a seat belt, the baby carrier would have made it practically impossible to drop the baby. Like in a car crash, when you fall, the baby falls too. When you stop falling, the baby keeps falling making the baby exert more force while being pulled away from you. This makes a 9 lbs baby suddenly feel much heavier and it is harder to hold on to them. While babywearing, the force would be absorbed by the baby carrier and it is not longer a question of if your arms can hold onto this little football you are carrying.

Another reason that babywearing is safer in my opinion, is that most carriers support the baby's head, especially when they are little and need the most help. Also, babywearing allows you to have both hands free, which gives you a better chance to break your fall. And with baby so close to your body, it is easier for you to instinctively protect them with your own body.

Now I am not saying there is no risk. Unfortunately, accidents happen and no baby is ever completely safe, whether in a stroller, car seat, or in your arms. The situation that allowed that mom to fall on her baby without being able to stop herself would not have been avoided if she had not been babywearing. If she had been holding her baby when she fell, she probably would have still fallen on them anyway or dropped them, which may have been far worse. There will always be the story of the person that got hurt by their seat belt. But that doesn't mean they would have been safer if they hadn't worn one at all. I feel safe babywearing my little one knowing that if I do fall, they are cradled in a baby carrier and not in these arms that feel extremely inadequate to protect something so dear to me!

I am in no way an expert on evaluating safety. These statements are simply my opinion! ;)

BCIA Update

2010-10-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

Good news, all the unexpected publicity this week seems to have delayed the recall. The recall is still in place and expected to go through soon, but this will give the BCIA a little more time to work with their attorney and new PR firm on how to proceed at this point. The recall could still be announced as early as next week, but unfortunately the company involved is no longer being kept in the loop, so there is no way to know exactly when the recall is coming at this point.

Thanks to everyone for all your support! We haven't won yet, but this delay will give the babywearing community a little more time to organize. The recall has not been rescinded and it is unlikely that this will do anything that will help the specific company involved. But at least we may have a chance to stop some of the damage.

The BCIA still needs all the help it can get. Our fundraiser will continue until Monday, Oct 11th. Buy tickets for your chance to win a FREE baby carrier of your choice! Each ticket is only $1 and all the proceeds will be donated to the BCIA.

Thanks again!

BCIA Fundraiser

2010-10-02T18:48:00.000-07:00

We have a winner! Congrats Marie! Thanks to everyone that participated and helped us raise money for the BCIA!!! I really appreciate everyone's support!

I am seeing a lot of confusion out there in the babywearing community about what is going on with the babywearing industry and the call to action in support of the Baby Carrier Industry Alliance (BCIA). So in case you aren't aware of what is going on behind the scenes in the world of babywearing, basically, the entire baby carrier industry is currently being threatened.

Since the recall of a well known brand of dangerous bag slings, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission, the agency responsible for doing recalls) is now going after other, safe carriers. The concern is that it wont stop there and that these safe carriers and all baby carriers could eventually be recalled or deemed unsafe. The Baby Carrier Industry Alliance (BCIA) is doing their best to counter this with a logical, legal approach to prove that unlike the dangerous bag slings, these other carriers are safe.

The BCIA is concerned that if this situation is not handled in a specific manner, that it could result in more damage to the industry as a whole. For that and legal reasons, details are not being discussed on public forums and only supporters of the BCIA have all the details. So for those of you that have been wondering, this is why there is not more information available right now.

What can you do?

The legal fees and other costs associated with this campaign are extremely expensive and the BCIA operates on donations alone. So if you are concerned about the future of babywearing, it is in everyone's interest to join together in supporting the BCIA in their work to preserve the future of the babywearing industry. Anyone can join for a small donation and I highly encourage anyone interested to look into it further and support if they can.

As an added benefit, many stores and companies are offering discounts to supporters of the BCIA. So if you are planning to buy a carrier anyway, there is a chance you may be able to make back some of the money you donated joining the BCIA.

What we're doing...

Zerberts is already proud to be a supporting member and we also do offer a 10% discount to all supporters of the BCIA!

We have also decided to hold a fundraiser to raise money for the BCIA! The winner gets to choose the baby carrier of their choice from 4 styles of carriers! Each ticket only costs $1 or get 10 for $9. A winner will be selected Monday, Oct 11th.

Hurry! Spread the word!!! We want to raise as much money for the BCIA as we can! Thank you for your support and good luck!

Buy Tickets Here!

UPDATE: For anyone that has decided to support the BCIA by becoming a member, e-mail me with your confirmation e-mail or information and I will give you credit for 5 tickets once your membership is confirmed!

Hop-Tye by Hoppediz

2010-09-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

Yet another super cool product from Hoppediz! The Hop-Tye are not new, but have not really been available to the US market. After seeing some of their latest limited edition Hop-Tyes, I decided to order a few. When they arrived, I was surprised at just how neat these carriers are!

First, these are made out of Hoppediz woven wraps, so they are a lot like a wrap conversion in comfort and feel. They also have wide, wrap style shoulder straps that spread out and cup the shoulders like a wrap, and the waist belt has light padding in it. I haven't gotten to try one yet, but they seem like they would be really comfortable.

There are also lots of fun features that make these mei tais unique. First, they have adjustable draw strings at both the top and bottom of the body of the carrier. This allows the wearer to make the carrier narrower and snugger with a little baby. The base can be cinched together to allow a little baby to be legs out more comfortably. They are designed to be used from birth on up.

These mei tais have a sleeping hood that attaches to pull strings on the shoulder straps. These pull strings allow the wear to easily pull the head rest up when doing a back carry. Anyone that has tried to put up a sleeping hood while their little one was on their back knows that this is not easy! So this is a really neat design feature that I think is too cool!

All Hop-Tyes come with a matching carrying case and a detailed instructional booklet. They are also all limited edition and Hoppediz only carries each design for a limited time. I love the Miami with the flower on the hood and the Kalaoa is just stunning! The Kalaoa has a panel of decorative fabric over the wrap material.

I am really looking forward to trying one out myself when my little one arrives, but I was really impressed with how nice they are once I saw them in person. Let me know if you have been lucky enough to get your hands on one of these, I would love to hear what you think!

Summery of details:

Extra-wide wrap style shoulder straps and padded waist straps provide extra comfort
Headrest w/attachable pull string to easily pull up headrest when doing a back carry
Adjustable base allows you to cinch the body of the carrier together for younger babies
Designed to be used from birth on up
Can be used for front or back carries
Comes with a matching carrying case
Detailed instruction booklet included
100% cotton, tested for harmful substances

Fall Giveaway

2010-09-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

As the weather grows cooler, we thought it would be fun to have a fall inspired giveaway! We're going to raffle one of these great Fleece Covers by Hoppediz. Find out all about them and their many features by reading our last post.

Entry is free and easy. Do any or all of the following for a chance to win:

1. Post a comment here on our blog. Leave your name and e-mail address so we can notify you if you win. If you choose not to leave your e-mail, make sure you check back here by Saturday, Oct 2nd to see if you are the winner and claim your prize. You will have until the end of the day to claim your prize or we will need to draw another winner.

2. Go to our Facebook page and tell us your thoughts on the Hopp cover on our wall.

3. Anyone who makes a purchase in our store between now and the drawing will also get an entry.

Three ways to enter for three chances to win! We will draw a winner the morning of Friday, Oct 1st... if I am not in labor! Good luck!

UPDATE: Congrats to Erica, our raffle winner! Thanks to everyone that participated. I honestly wish you could all win!!! Make sure you don't miss out on our next giveaway by subscribing to our blog updates. Wishing everyone the best while babywearing this winter!

Hoppediz Fleece Covers

2010-09-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

I just tried a Fleece Cover by Hoppediz and I was surprised at how cool it is! Now, in all fairness, I have not tried any special cold weather babywearing gear in the past. I always just wore an over sized jacket or coat when babywearing in fall and winter. But when I got my Hoppediz Fleece Cover in, I couldn't resist trying it out even though I am 9 months pregnant and don't have a baby to wear right now!

To learn more about your babywearing options during the colder months, check out our article about babywearing in fall and winter.

One of the things that annoyed me the most when babywearing in winter was that my chest and neck would get so cold since I couldn't zip my jacket/coat all the way up over my daughter. Plus, I didn't like wearing anything too thick or with too many layers under my coat since I was still nursing regularly. A wide scarf probably would have helped a lot, but I never remembered to bring one since it wasn't something I usually used. So I always ended up feeling cold from the chest up.

The Hoppediz fleece cover is kind of a hybrid between a standard babywearing cover and a babywearing vest (see article for details). More affordable than a babywearing vest, the Hoppediz cover protects your neck and chest like a vest, but is more like a standard cover in the front.

Other features I love about this cover:

Zippers on both yours and baby's neck openings, plus draw string for you to pull yours closed tightly around your neck if you'd like.
Has a hood for baby
Front pocket for a warm place to tuck your hands! Love that!
Zipper between baby's cover and your neck piece which can be used to separate the two if you don't want to use the neck piece for yourself.
Reflective tape on front pocket and baby's hood
Elastic drawstrings on the sides to tighten the front cover more snugly around baby

Other details:

Designed to be used with 4 to 18 month olds
Machine washable
Made with soft polar fleece with an anti-pilling finish both inside and out. 100% polyester that has been tested for harmful substances.

Here, I have lots of pictures to show you. My coat is a bit short and I am using a doll for this demo, plus I am 9 months pregnant right now, but hopefully it will give you a pretty good idea.

This is how it looks under a zipped up coat.

Check out the pocket in front! I love that there is a place to keep your hands warm!

Here's a side view. The front hangs down around baby.


Close up of baby's opening.

Zipper that separates your neck piece (on bottom of photo) from baby's cover.

Picture of front with pocket to keep your hands warm.


Inside view of baby's pouch. This is what covers the body of your carrier and baby. You can also see the elastic drawstring that allows you to tighten the cover more snugly around baby, especially when being used alone without a jacket or coat.

So what do you think? Without actually having used it in action, it seems like it offers a lot of nice features for a good price. I am looking forward to trying one out if my baby is big enough before winter is over.

Fall/Winter Babywearing

2010-09-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

As the weather is cooling off, we've been getting lots of questions about babywearing in fall and winter. There are lots of options out there for people who want to wear their babies while being outside in the cold.

The most common and least expensive are covers. These are kind of like blankets that attach to the carrier and keep baby covered. The Monkey Pocket and Winter Carrier Cover by CatBird are both examples of covers.

Then there is the Peekaru Original which is a fleece vest that zips over both you and baby completely covering you on all sides. These are nice because they can be worn under a coat, but give you coverage completely up to your neck, unlike the covers which only cover the baby. Suse Kinder also makes a fleece babywearing vest.

Hoppediz makes a fleece cover that is kind of a cross between a cover and a vest. Find out more by reading this detailed article.

Finally are the more expensive coats and ponchos like Suse's Kindercoat and Peekaru Soft Shell that are designed specifically for babywearing. These are the most expensive option, but are a great option if you are not on a budget.

Fall/Winter Babywearing on a Budget

You don't have to be rich to babywear this winter. The best option is to use any over sized coat or jacket. You can go buy one specifically for babywearing (you can find lots of good deals at stores and resale shops), use your husband's or mother's like I did, or use your old maternity coat if you were lucky enough to have bought one.

An over sized jacket or coat can be easily zipped up over both you and your baby. This only works well for front carries, but I preferred front carries in winter anyway so I could keep a close eye on how my baby was handling the cold.

You can tuck a blanket around baby for extra warmth when it is really cold, similar to how covers work. Like with covers, your chest and neck will be exposed when using a jacket/coat since you can't zip all the way up, so you will want to make sure you are wearing something warm underneath or use a scarf to protect your chest and neck area. Luckily, babywearing in winter does have the benefit of keeping both of you warmer!

If you are crafty, you can always make your own babywearing coat or poncho. There are lots of patterns you can find on-line. This isn't always a cheap option since it depends on what you decide to make and the materials required, but it can definitely save you some money, especially when it comes to babywearing coats.

Happy Babywearing and enjoy the weather!

Update to respond to Chrissy's question:

One issue I'm trying to figure out is something quick and easy so I can get the baby in quickly if I don't have her bundled and we're getting her from her carseat to the carrier in a parking lot in a blizzard. I'm thinking a stretchy wrap might be good for this so I could have it pre-tied and ready to go, then baby is under 3 layers of fabric while I get the cover on. What do you like to use?

First, I never have my baby's bundled when they are in their carseat. It is actually not safe to have a heavy coat on underneath the straps of a carseat because it can be unsafe in an accident. To find out more, read this article.

Because my daughter only wore a thinner jacket (usually a fleece hoodie) in the car, I was always faced with this situation when babywearing in winter. What I did really depended on where I was going. I usually did put the carrier on at home first with my coat over the top, especially with sometime like a stretch wrap or ring sling, but that was mostly so I didn't have to do it when I got where I was going.

If I was just going from the car to the store, I would usually just hold my baby while I covered them with a warm blanket and wait until I was in the store to put them in the carrier. This just seemed like the quickest and easiest option. Some people I know would sit in the back seat and put their baby in the carrier before getting out of the car at all. Whether this is something you can do depends greatly on what kind of vehicle you drive and how much room you have.

If I was planning to be outside for any period of time, I honestly just took off my coat in the freezing cold, put the carrier on and in position, then put my daughter in it as quickly as I could before putting my coat back on over both of us! In this situation, it would definitely be easier and quicker to put on a Hopp cover than a babywearing vest, but in most cases, I wouldn't bother unless I was planning to stay outside longer than it would take me to run into a store. I know that sounds a bit crazy, and I'm sure I got lots of looks while standing outside my car strapping some contraption on me and my baby without any coat on, but it worked for us! If you can fit in the back seat of your vehicle, I would probably recommend doing that.

Hope that helps! Have a great winter!

Newborn Safety

2010-09-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

Ever since the recall of the Infantino SlingRider in March 2010, babywearing has come under attack as being dangerous. These bag slings are in fact dangerous and the babywearing community was relieved to see the recall of these carriers. Unfortunately, other slings and baby carriers are now being lumped together by people who do not understand the difference. You can read this article for a detailed description of what a bag sling is and what makes these particular carriers so unsafe.

Tragically, any baby carrier can result in death when used incorrectly. This includes car seats, infant swings, bouncy seats, strollers, and any device a baby can be placed in. The risk with any newborn being placed in one of these devices is that they can experience positional asphyxia. This can occur when a baby is incorrectly positioned in a "C" shape where baby's head is curled down towards their chest. This position can cause their breathing to be restricted and newborns are at risk because they do not have the strength to reposition their heads to allow them to breath properly.

Newborns that are experiencing distress breathing may sometimes make noises, especially while sleeping. This can sometimes seem cute, like little whimpers in their sleep, or even snoring. But in fact, if these noises are being made with every breath, this is a huge warning sign that your newborn is having difficulty breathing. This actually happened to my first while someone was holding him asleep in their arms. We thought it was adorable, but after it continued for over a minutes, we decided to reposition him and he stopped immediately. Looking back, I had no idea he was having difficulty breathing and that the way he was being held was causing it. Not all babies will make noise though, so don't assume you are safe if they are quiet.

So how can you make sure your newborn is safe? Here are some simple rules to follow to make sure you are wearing your baby correctly.

1. Use the Heart to Heart position with newborns, formerly known as "tummy to tummy". Baby should be positioned upright with their chest to yours and baby's head should be "kissably close"! The cradle carry can be used for nursing, but return baby to a heart to heart position when done and before baby is sleeping. I do not recommend using the cradle carry unless you are an experienced babywearer since it can be very difficult to get proper positioning using that carry.

2. Keep their airway open! Make sure baby is never curled up in a C shape. Instead, make sure that you can put two fingers between baby's chin and chest.

3. Make sure baby's face isn't covered by fabric. Older babies can and will move their head if they are having a problem re-breathing the same air, but a newborn can't do that. So make sure there is nothing covering their face.

Take a minute and watch this great video on proper newborn positioning. They are using a ring sling in the video, which is closest in design to a "bag sling", though completely different. For more information on positioning in other types of carriers, check out this detailed article with photos.

When done correctly, baby carriers are not only safe, but one of the safest places your baby can be!

Here are some great resources for more information:

Babywearing International: Is Babywearing Safe?
Lots of safety tips for babywearing.

Newborn safety in ring slings from SweetPea Ring Slings

Babywearing Safety
A Facebook group dedicated to education on safe babywearing practices.

Peas On Earth: What you need to know about your newborn's airway

Wrapsody Blog: How safe are baby slings? About as safe as it gets…
An interesting article on the statistics of babywearing safety.

Article: CORRECT POSITIONING For the Safety & Comfort of your Newborn
Same article linked to earlier. Provided by The Babywearer. TBW is an amazing resource for anyone interested in babywearing.

Babywearing Safety by Sleepy Wrap

New woven wrap from Hoppediz!

2010-09-02T05:41:00.000-07:00

As some of you may have already heard, Hoppediz has a new wrap out! The Jacquard Chicago is a beautiful woven wrap done using a jacquard weave. This weave has flexibility in both diagonal directions which allows the sling to adjust itself optimally to both the baby's and the carrier's body, offering both support and comfort.

The Jacquard Chicago is black with a gray design woven into it. The wrap can be reversed to the "wrong side" which is gray with black.

The Chicago is a thinner wrap than the standard Hoppediz wraps we are used to and is slightly thicker than the "Light" wraps. So this wrap really is something completely new from Hoppediz. This is a true woven and not a stretch wrap like some people have speculated, but how it compares to other Hoppediz wraps is yet to be seen as these are brand new and have yet to be tested in the babywearing community.

Although these are not yet available in the US, they can be pre-ordered by those that want to be the first to own and try one of these stunning wraps!

5th Edition and Organic Carriers from Action Baby Carrier!

2010-08-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

Action Baby Carrier has some exciting changes happening!

First is the introduction of the new 5th Edition Action Baby Carrier. As always, these carriers and the fabrics they are made from will continue to be made in the USA, but the stap and inner fabrics will now be made using a new 100% cotton canvas.

There will also be a few new design tweaks. Here's what you can look forward to with the new 5th Edition Action Baby Carriers:

- The waist belt will now be extendable from 28" to 55" with no need for an extender belt
- The simple to use sleeping hood will now be 1" longer
- The shoulder strap webbing is 2" longer

The 5th Edition will have three new fabrics in their print line; Square, Wave and Vine. Kiley, Robins Egg and Galaxy will continue to be available with the new design changes and canvas fabric. The 5th Edition will also include Chocolate, Black and Olive in their solid line, all made using the new 100% canvas. You can see the entire 5th Edition line on our website.

We are also excited to announce that they will soon be offering a line of organic carriers! The Action Baby Carrier Organic will be made using the same new updated style of the 5th Edition, but with quality, USA made organic cotton canvas! These 100% organic cotton fabrics are both SKAL and OEKO-TEX Certified.

At $107 each, these will be the most affordable organic soft structured baby carriers on the market, and completely made in the USA! The Action Baby Carrier Organic will come in 4 bright colors contrasted against a solid black body for a sleek, stylish look.

Keeping with tradition, Action Baby Carriers continues to bring you an amazing product at an equally amazing price! Now we just have to wait for them to arrive sometime in the first half of September!

Free Raffle!

2010-08-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jessica and Ashley, our raffle winners! Thanks to everyone who participated! We'll be having more giveaways and prizes soon, so stay tuned and good luck!

Zerberts is having an old fashioned raffle! We're giving away two great prizes! Win a Sleepy Wrap baby carrier or the adorable Organic Sleepy Bear!

Entry is free and easy. Do any or all of the following for a chance to win:

1. Post a comment here on our blog. Leave your name and e-mail address so we can notify you if you win. If you don't leave your e-mail, make sure you check back here by Tuesday, Sept 7th to see if you are the winner and claim your prize. You will have until the end of the day to claim your prize or we will draw another winner.

2. Become a facebook fan and post "Raffle!" on our wall.

3. Anyone who makes a purchase in our store between now and the drawing will also get an entry.

Three ways to enter for three chances to win! We will draw the winners Monday, Sept 6th. Hurry and enter now! Good luck!

Introducing the Boba 2G Classic

2010-08-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

Come meet the newest carrier brought to you by Nap, Inc., the Boba 2G Classic!

These carriers are identical in style to the sleek look of the Boba 2G Organic. If you are not already familiar with the Boba 2G carrier, these carriers are specifically designed with older babies and toddlers in mind. Made to be used from 1 to 4 years (15-45 lbs / 7-20 kg), the Boba 2G comes with removable foot straps that support babies and toddlers’ knees at a natural 90-degree angle. These backpack style carriers are super easy to use for either a front or back carry. The shoulder straps and waist belt have comfortable foam padding that is not too thick or too stiff. They also have a removable hood that you can use to support your little one's head when they fall asleep.

So what are the differences between the Boba Classic and the Boba Organic? First, the Boba Classic is made out of quality cotton fabric, but not organic cotton like the Boba Organic. Second, like the Ergo, the Boba Classic is made in China, where as the Boba Organic is made right here in the USA in Boulder, Colorado. The last difference is the price. The Boba Classic costs $100 compared to $118 for the Boba Organic.

Whether you decide to go with the Boba Classic and the Organic, you are still getting a great carrier for older babies and toddlers at an extremely great value!

Why People LOVE Action Baby Carriers

2010-05-15T06:04:00.000-07:00

Action Baby Carriers are a soft structured carrier (SSC), meaning it uses buckles to fasten instead of needing to be tied. These carriers are really great and a favorite among my babywearing friends.

The reason these are so popular is that they are great carriers at an amazing value. Most SSC cost well over $100. At $89, these are very affordable carriers for people on a budget, but with all the comfort of a more expensive carrier!

These carriers have a very simple, clean look and come in a nice selection of solid and pattern prints. They are light weight compared to some bulkier SSC and the fabrics are breathable making them a good option for hotter summer weather. The waist belt and shoulder straps are padded for comfort. Usable for infants to 40 lbs, many people use these comfortably with their toddlers.

Action Baby Carriers can be used for a front or back carry. The straps can be crossed or worn in a backpack position with the chest belt. They are also made with an attached sleeping hood. The hood is long enough to offer head support to a sleeping baby, but not long enough to completely cover a baby's head if you are looking for sun protection.

Here's what one mom had to say about her experience with the Action Baby Carrier:

I love my Action Baby Carrier. I used a stretch wrap when my daughter was little, but found that I needed something more industrial as she got bigger. I got the Action Baby Carrier to use for hiking and general traveling use, and I LOVE it. I can carry my 2 1/2 year old child for several hours without any back pain! My daughter weighs 28 lbs and is heavy to carry in my arms, but she goes right into her carrier without issue. And, she loves it too! She will ask to go into the carrier when she gets tired of walking. It's easy to strap on, even with a wiggly two year old! I don't know what I did without it!

-Beth

So if you are looking for a comfortable, quality baby carrier that will last you through toddlerhood, consider an Action Baby Carrier. The comfort and construction of this carrier makes it an amazing value for the price. You don't always need to spend a lot of money to get a great product, sometimes you can get more for less!

Please keep in mind though that no matter how great a carrier is, no matter how many people it works well for, there is no such thing as a carrier that works for everyone. Not everyone's body is shaped the same and although the Action Baby Carrier fits well on most people, like all carriers, it just doesn't work for some people. The shoulder straps on an Action Baby Carrier sit further out than some carriers, which works well for some and not for others. I have known really petite women that can wear the Action Baby Carrier just fine, but someone that has narrow or sloped shoulders may find that the straps sit too far out for them. The best way to find out is to try one! But don't be discouraged if it doesn't work for you, just keep looking until you find one that does!

Summery of specs:

Simple to use sleeping hood

Folds into a compact size that can easily fit into a diaper bag

Breathable lightweight yet supportive material

Versatility with front and back carry position

Safety chest strap

Baby carrier for infants to 40 pounds

Adjustable hip belt from 28" to 51" with no extender belt

Made in the U.S.A.

Guide to Summer Baby Carriers

2010-05-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

Follow this link to check out our updated

2011 Guide to Summer Baby Carriers

Looking for a cooler baby carrier for those hot summer days? Don't worry, there are lots of great choices!

One option is to use a ring sling. Ring slings are cooler because there is much less fabric around you and baby. Ring slings like Maya Wraps and our Hoppediz ring sling conversions by Kalea Baby are made with a single layer of woven material that is very breathable. Silk is also a very cool fabric to use in summer, which makes our double layer Dupioni silk slings by SweetPea Ring Slings another good option for summer. You can also find ring slings made from linen or solarveil fabric. But realistically, most ring slings are going to be fairly cool simply due to the lack of fabric.

For the wrappers out there, there are also lots of options. Wrapping tends to be much warmer since there is often lots of fabric wrapped around you and your baby. But luckily, some wraps are cooler than others. Hoppediz makes a Hopp Light that is very nice for summer. It is very thin and soft and reminds people of a very expensive cotton sheet. Amazonas Classic wraps are also woven wraps that are very light and breathable. The weave on these still feels like a woven without being thick and hot. Vatanai and Didymos linens are other brands of lighter woven wraps that people recommend for warmer weather.

Gauze wraps, like the Wrapsody Bali Breeze, are very light and airy. You have to be more careful when wrapping a gauze wrap to avoid pressure points, but these wraps are very cool and lighter than a woven.

If you're prefer a stretch wrap, try to find one made from a bamboo blend since bamboo tends to be a cooler fabric. The Anaju stretch wraps by 3TD are made of 70% organically grown viscose of bamboo and 30% organic cotton. These wraps are amazingly soft and light. Lovey Duds also makes a bamboo stretch wrap and you can even make your own by purchasing a bamboo jersey at the fabric store.

When looking for a Mei Tai or Soft Structured Carrier (buckle carrier), try to avoid anything made with heavy materials or lots of layers. Thinner, narrower bodied carriers are going to allow more air around you and baby and help keep you cooler. Action Baby Carriers (especially the solid colors), AngelPacks, and Baby Hawks are all fairly light weight thinner options. You can also look for Mei Tais made from solarveil fabric, which are breathable and can be used as water carriers, but can be harder to find.

A water carrier can be a really useful thing to own, especially in summer. These can be worn in the ocean or pool, as well as the shower. Many also provide some sun protection, but protection can vary. Water carriers can be found in a variety of styles, including stretch wraps, ring slings, and Mei Tais. Wrapsody makes a stretch wrap water carrier with a UPF rating for 45. TaylorMade makes mesh ring slings and is only one brand that makes water ring slings. Solarveil Mei Tais are harder to find, but they are out there, especially if you look for people selling used carriers.

Summer is hot and babywearing in summer is going to be hot no matter what. But there are definitely carriers that are cooler than others and will help keep you and your little one a little more comfortable. Just remember, a little sweat never hurt anyone and it's worth the added convenience and snuggles you get in exchange! Enjoy your summer!

How to fix a pull on a woven wrap

2010-05-06T05:59:00.000-07:00

Written and reprinted with permission by Amy. Thanks!

First picture: The pull looks like a small nub. Open up your safety pin (easier for me to hold than a straight pin or needle). Gently tug on your pull so you can see if it comes from a thread that goes down the length of the wrap or the width. Try to untangle the thread if it has twisted back on itself.

Second picture: My loose thread runs from one rail to the other. You need to decide if you want to redistribute the extra length to the left or the right. I'm going to the left. I gently insert my needle into one of the threads to the left of my pull. Carefully, I gently tug to see if it makes my pull move. If not, I try another thread. If it does, I gently tug so the pull becomes a tiny little loop.

Didymos usually has two threads that run in tandem from one rail to the other. In this pull, only one of the threads was pulled out. Keep working your way across the width of the wrap making tiny loops. I wish I had a different lens for my camera so I could get you a better close-up shots. The longer the pull, the more little loops you make. Since my pull was small, four loops ate up all the extra length. You want your loops to be relatively small. The theory is that with a little use, the loose thread will work itself back into the weave.

Third Pic: One last loop is being made.

Last Pic: Gently pull on your fabric diagonally in both directions. All of the slack is worked back into the weave.

Didy stripes are one of the harder wraps to repair because the weave is more closed. Didy Indios and Waves are much easier to repair because each thread is more able to move around and slack is quickly absorbed. Conversely, that is also why Waves and Indios are more likely to get pulls in the first place.

Review of Dupioni silk sling by SweetPea Ring Sling

2010-02-23T11:50:00.000-08:00

Great review of our double layer dipioni silk slings by SPRS. Here's what she had to say:

It is gorgeous super comfortable and the fact that you can machine wash it makes it an everyday sling for us. I love the fact that these slings can definitely be used for going out as well they would be perfect for going to a wedding etc. but they are perfect for going to play dates and errands as well.

I have wanted a dupioni silk sling for awhile but they are generally pretty expensive. A simple single layer dupioni silk sling can cost $180+. So the fact that Zerberts carries gorgeous dupioni double layered silk slings by SweetPea Ring Slings that are extremely well made and beautiful for $99 makes them an extraordinary deal!

You can read the full review at Familylicious Reviews & Giveaways

Oh Snap! Review

2010-01-24T17:18:00.000-08:00

After trying it out for some time now, I am finally ready to weigh in on the Oh Snap!

I should start off by saying that I have mostly been using it with my 22 month old toddler. She's about 28 pounds and she definitely likes it. After using it a few times, it quickly became the carrier she brought to me when she wanted to be carried.

So there are things I love about the Oh Snap, and some things I don't love. Overall, I think it is a really great carrier. It's comfortable, very adjustable, and it's high and wide body makes it great for toddlers.

I love it for back carries. I find it super easy to put on and comfortable to wear. I am able to adjust it for a great fit so I don't get any sagging in the back. The chest strap is neat too, although I don't find I need. It hasn't felt like it would slip and the chest strap isn't even tight on me, so it's more of a safety feature for me than something I need to hold the carrier on my shoulders.

The Oh Snap is really great on larger people. A friend of mine is around a size 18-20 and she loves how the Oh Snap fits her. She has had problems with other soft structured carriers not having a wide enough waist belt to fit comfortably. With other carriers, she would have to let the the belt out as far as it would go and it would still be a tight fit. So she loves the fit of the Oh Snap and doesn't even have to loosen it fully when she uses it.

That being said, I have a very hard time believing it would fit on someone who is a size 0 like it says. I am between a size 8-10 and 5' 6.5" and I feel like the carrier is a bit overwhelming on me. The straps are super long and seem messy to me. I think anyone smaller than me would find the Oh Snap to be too bulky.

Also, it says it's designed to be used from 6 months to 45 lbs, but I wore it once with an average 8 month old baby and he could barely see over the body. I did get him seated in it higher with some adjusting which helped a little, but it seems like it would be a bit tall for many 6 month old babies.

So in summery, I think the Oh Snap is perfect for larger wearers with older babies. I don't think this is a great carrier for petite people or petite babies.

I hope this gives you some idea if it would be a great carrier for you or not. Please feel free to contact me with any questions!

I just wanted to add that since writing this review, I have spoken with several tiny mamas that love how the Oh Snap fits, including someone who is a size 0! (Yes, I hate her too!) I still think that the Oh Snap is going to be overwhelming to the average petite wearers, similarly to how petite people sometimes find the Ergo to be a bit bulky for them. But that being said, it seems like the adjust ability has helped some people who are very petite finally get a good fit on a SSC. So, if you're petite, it might be worth trying, but I think I'd recommend trying an AngelPack LX first!

In love with dupioni silk slings!

2009-12-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

Our exclusive dupioni double layered silk slings by SweetPea Ring Slings are finished and they are B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! I'm not really bragging because I didn't make them! But the quality and craftsmanship of SweetPea Ring Slings combined with the comfort and natural beauty of the silk has resulted in these stunning ring slings.

Dupioni silk is known for it's strength and comfort making it a favorite silk for ring sling. Woven from a doubled silk cocoon, dupioni silk has lumps, or slubs, that add texture and visual interest to the fabric.

These dupioni silk slings not just for special occasions. The comfort and support of a dupioni silk sling makes them a favorite for everyday use. Plus, they are machine washable.

At $99 each, these double layered silk ring slings are an incredible value compared to $198+ for similar slings. Especially since the design of SweetPea Ring Slings are fully reversible for 2 looks in one! Now anyone can enjoy the comfort and support of a dupioni silk sling without the guilt!

Get all the datails about these SweetPea Ring Sling Silk Slings.

Oh SNAP! by BabyHawk

2009-11-16T17:33:00.001-08:00

Welcome the Oh SNAP! The new soft structured baby carrier designed and made by the people who brought us BabyHawk.

Oh SNAP! brings us a new design unlike any other soft structure carrier currently available. It is extremely adjustable with 3 part adjustment for the waist that will allow people to customize the fit they want. It can also be adjusted to fit wearers size 0 through 22 with no extra extenders required.

The chest strap is also a new design. The Oh SNAP! comes with a double chest belt for a secure and perfect fit.

The Oh SNAP! also has seat darts and leg padding to provide a comfortable fit for baby. This, along with the padded straps and waist belt for mom and dad make this an ideal carrier for a heavier baby/toddler. They were designed for use from 6 months to 45 pounds. They are also planning to release an infant insert at some point in the future which would allow it to be used with smaller babies, but there are no details on it yet.

I am very curious to try one and see how they fit! I am worried that the buckles could be a bit confusing and overwhelming at first, but I'm confident it shouldn't be an issue. They won't need to be readjusted every time, especially if only being used by one wearer. But it will be nice to see how they allow for a custom fit. I am excited to experiment! And it sounds like it will be perfect for those couples that have two completely different body shapes.

One thing is for sure though... lots of people are talking about the Oh SNAP!

Babywearing saves the day, as usual!

2009-11-13T16:21:00.000-08:00

So I just have to say how wonderful babywearing is! I didn't really get to wear my first much because it took me a long time before stumbling onto a decent carrier and by then my son was already 15 months old. But I have worn my daughter since the beginning and it has been an amazing experience.

My daughter is now 18 months old, and a very busy toddler, but I still get to wear her regularly. One of the things I love is how well going in the carrier can calm her right down.

Today, while out playing with some friends, my daughter started melting down like anyone with a toddler is familiar with. She was over tired and just couldn't take anymore. Normally, this would require leaving so she could go take a nap, but instead, I just put her in the carrier and all was right in her world. She didn't actually nap, but she was content in there for over an hour, just watching the action and relaxing. When I'm really lucky, she falls asleep, but as she gets older, this happens less and less.

I am just so grateful that I can wear her and that she is so content in a carrier. She is a very active, very independent toddler, but sometimes she still needs that extra security and comfort that she gets while being worn. Most days she's protesting when I put her in the carrier, even though she calms down once she's settled, but some days, she'll bring me the carrier asking to be worn.

I don't know how long this is going to last as I fear my days of wearing her will be gone before I am ready. But for now, I am so grateful that babywearing saved the day, again, like it has done for me so many times already!

Collins Bali Stretch Wrap by Wrapsody

2009-11-11T06:12:00.000-08:00

We just restocked our Wrapsody carriers and we got our first Collins stretch wrap. This is really a stunning carrier! I was surprised just how much I liked this wrap. It is a perfect addition to the collection.

Visit Zerberts to see all our Wrapsody wraps.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

2009-11-06T15:20:00.000-08:00

These balloon cover balls from Hoppediz are awesome and SO much fun!!! The kids love these and they make the balloons super durable. My toddler was sitting and bouncing on hers!

These are great to carry in your diaper bag, purse or car since it's an instant ball where ever you are! Plus, a friend gave me a tip that by twisting the balloon end and tucking it in instead of tying it, you can easily deflate the balloon and fold it back up for next time!

These really are so cool! I recommend them for anyone with young kids. We all know what it's like to need a toy in a snap to help entertain an impatient child. They also make really unique gifts!!!

The scoop:
These balloon covers are made up of pieces of Hoppediz woven wraps. They currently come in three colors: Curacao (blue and green), Delhi (red and orange), and Lima (green and light green). Each one comes with two balloons. Simply insert the balloon into the slit and blow it up while inside the cover.

Tingly Toes

2009-10-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

What a great cause! Tingly Toes is a non-profit organization that provides baby carriers to families that have children fighting cancer!

Besides feeling sick and tired and needing some extra snuggles, the chemotherapy treatment these children receive often causes them to experience tingling in their hands and feet. So many children enjoy being carried well past the stage that most people wear their children.

I just thought this was a really great idea and wanted to share with everyone! Check it out for yourself and pass it on!

http://tinglytoes.com/

Hoppediz on their way!!!

2009-10-22T07:12:00.000-07:00

Yay! I finally heard back from Hoppediz and the order has been shipped! I should have it by sometime next week. So everyone should get their order during the first week of November.

This has been our first time doing a pre-order and ordering from Hoppediz, so it's been a learning experience. Over all, it will take about a month from the end date to the time people receive their order. I had hoped it would be quicker than that, but now I'll know.

Thanks everyone for your patience!

New Blog!?

2009-10-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

We have so many new and exciting things in the works, I figured it was time to start a blog! I am really hoping this will be a fun way for people to hear about the latest news at Zerberts and to connect and share their passion for babywearing with others!

Thanks in advance for everyone who has decided to come along on this adventure with us! Hope you enjoy!