Newsflash: New Beco Butterfly II September 9, 2008

For those of you who are Beco Baby Carrier enthusiasts or just new moms who have been considering buying a Beco, you’ll want to know that Beco has released a new version of their carrier this week!  The Beco Butterfly II has a few refined features and is available in some new prints.

Beco is always improving their carrier.  The Butterfly II has a slightly longer padded shoulder strap than the Original Butterfly. This will eliminate any underarm chafing that some parents experienced with the Original Butterfly.  Butterfly II also has a removable infant insert; whereas the Original Butterfly had a built-in infant insert.  I suppose this makes the Butterfly II cooler to wear than the original, once baby outgrows the infant insert stage (7-15 pounds) and you’re able to remove the insert.  Also, the baby sleeping head rest  is improved on the Butterfly II.  It is contoured to offer better support for a sleeping child, much like the Ergo sleeping hood.

Our Beco Butterfly II carriers will be arriving next week and are available for pre-order now at EuphoriaBaby.com!  The Sara print (shown at left) was one of our best-selling Original Butterfly prints, and one of my favorites.  All Original Butterfly carriers are on sale, while supplies last.

Enter to win a FREE Beco Butterfly Baby Carrier! June 2, 2008

That’s right, I’m so, so, so excited to be giving away not one, but two Beco Baby Carriers from EuphoriaBaby.com this June!  If you haven’t already heard, Beco baby carriers are the most comfortable, most adorable baby carrier around.  They come in many fabulous prints.  Since getting my Butterfly Beco this January, my stroller has been missing out on the action.  If you’ve tried the Bjorn or a wrap like the Moby Wrap, you are in for a surpise when you try on a Beco.  It’s just completely, entirely, amazingly better!  Waaaaaay more comfy than the Bjorn or most frontpack carriers and so much easier to use than a wrap.  

We’re giving away one Ethan and one Chloe Beco Butterfly Carrier.  The Ethan is a yellow honeycomb print and the Chloe is a dark brown background with large pink dots.  Both carriers are designed for newborn to 45 pounds.  Wear baby in the front or back carry positions.  Each Beco Butterfly is warrantied for 1 year and comes with a instructional booklet and DVD. 

Enter to Win! We are giving away two Beco Butterfly Carriers (one per winner)!  Entering is free and no purchase is necessary.  Just tell us why you would choose the Beco Butterfly Baby Carrier!  Do so by adding your comment below.  Don’t forget to tell us if you’d like the Ethan or Chloe (you cannot enter to win both).  Enter now through June 30th.  We’ll choose two random winners: one from those who want the Ethan and one from those who want the Chloe! 

Euphoria will pay shipping.  Winners will be notified by email, at which point a shipping address will be requested.

Have Baby, will Swim May 20, 2008

It was this time last year that I realized I was in complete denial.  My then 2 1/2 year old was gleefully anticipating the day that our community pool would open.  Aria’s favorite water activity was to jump off the steps into deep water with a big, goofy grin (see picture), trusting that mama or daddy would bring her back to the surface (yes, we plan to teach her more water safety this year).  So… how was I to manage this game with the addition of a 3-month-old baby?

I am genetically thrifty, so I had been telling myself that I’d hold baby or that he might do ok in one of those floaty rings made for baby.  Wow, what a laugh!  Clearly I’d need both hands free to play with my toddler – holding baby is not an option, besides they’re too slippery!   Everyone suggested that we put Aria in arm floaties.  But, in my opinion, they delay learning and give a false sense of security.  And the floaty baby rings are a joke.  No WAY are those safe for a young baby!

So, yes, it was about this time last summer I realized I needed a baby carrier designed for the water.  In a carrier, Liam would be secure.  So long as I stayed above water, so would he.  Plus, mama’s hands would be free to catch daring big sister and even to make valiant efforts to teach her how to swim.  My research led me to the Clene Baby Carrier, a frontpack baby carrier made out of neoprene.  Neoprene is quick drying, washable, anti-microbial and mold-resistant – perfect for the beach or the pool!  The Clene water carrier was comfy and easy-to-use in and out of the water.  And, as for care, I just rinsed and hung it to drip-dry in my bathtub along with our swimsuits.  So easy.  Mom and daddy approved.

If you have a young baby this year and are headed for the water, I definitely recommend the Clene Baby Carrier.  It gave me great peace of mind and made it easy to keep everyone happy during those warm summer months.  I took Aria to the pool just as often as ever.  Liam loved it too!

P.S.  If you’re “genetically thrifty” too, you may be interested to know that I’m selling my Clene water carrier.  At 16 months, Liam is NOT going to agree to be contained this summer.  My red carrier is in excellent condition :0) SOLD!

I FINALLY got My Beco! February 26, 2008

Woohoo!  This January I finally got my hands on a Beco Baby Carrier.  I waited until the new Butterfly version came out, because I loved the idea of the inner sleeve.  The butterfly version was released this January so I’ve been using mine for over a month.  I LOVE it and use it ALL THE TIME!!!  It’s so easy to put Liam in the carrier and so easy to swing it around to my back.  The inner sleeve makes the whole process so worry-free.  In fact, I can even put him in the carseat while he’s still in the carrier.  That may not be is not recommended by experts, but it’s nice when we’re just moving the car to another parking spot.

I use my Beco at all sorts of places: at farmer’s markets where uneven surfaces mean that a stroller just wouldn’t work; at the mall when I’m shopping with my 3-year-old daughter so that I can hold her hand; when I’m shopping for myself without my daughter… with Liam on my back it’s almost like I’m shopping alone.  Almost.  In fact, I use my carrier and find that I prefer it for so many occasions that I now see why some women don’t even use a stroller.  I haven’t sold my stroller yet, but the thought has ocurred to me!  

If you haven’t yet tried a good, comfortable baby carrier, you should!  Of course, I recommend the Beco butterfly!!!

 

If ONLY we had Bought that Carrier! November 5, 2007

This Halloween my husband and I had another “If ONLY” moment!  We were out with our 3-year-old enjoying a Fall Festival.  The crowds, small spaces, and need for speed (just try to hold back a 3-year-old on Halloween!) negated the idea of using a stroller, so we were forced to carry around our heavy baby boy – again!  ”If ONLY we had bought a Beco Baby Carrier!”, I found myself lamenting again.  A Beco Baby Carrier (http://www.euphoriababy.com/store/pc/Beco-Baby-Carriers-c28.htm) is the ultimate baby carrier.  It’s so comfortable, it feels like you’re not carrying a thing.  I had to “model” one for our website and I was completely shocked by how comfortable it was to carry my older child on my back.  Plus, they come in so many different prints – it’s hard to choose a favorite!    

                                  

Our son is 9 months old, and I can’t count the number of times we’ve wished we splurged on that carrier!  We had a Bjorn left over from our first baby.  We didn’t use it much with her, so I didn’t anticipate using it much for my son.  Well, as I found out, you can’t stay at home as much when you have a toddler in addition to baby and many places we go aren’t stroller friendly.  You just don’t anticipate them as much: the fair, the park, special events, toddler birthday parties, etc.  Plus, how many times have I tried to juggle pushing a stroller, holding my little girl’s hand, and carrying bulky shopping bags?  A back-pack carrier would have been just the thing!  I always tell myself, ”But he’s already x months old.  I won’t have many more opportunites to use it…”  What a crock!  I need to just give in and get one!  Oh, as I was saying, we do have a Bjorn.  I used that front carrier the first few months.  Before long it was hurting my back and he didn’t seem very comfortable either.  A back carry is the most ergonomic option.  It enables you to carry a child much longer, while maintaining proper posture.  The Beco Baby Carrier is also designed to be used as a sling, front carrier, and hip carrier, so it really works for everything.  Plus, in the Beco, baby is sitting in the carrier, rather than hanging from the carrier.  This is much more comfortable for baby and encourages proper spinal development.   Well, we don’t have one yet.  Our little boy is our last baby, so it’s hard to swallow the expense.  Maybe for Christmas?  All you mamas with new babies or who plan to have more babies, get yours now.  You’ll be loving it!        

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Carriers – What’s right for me? June 14, 2007

I’m often asked by pregnant moms about baby carriers.  There are so very many on the market in every category, from slings to front carriers, from backpacks to mei-tais!  Choosing the right carrier will depend on your personality and desired use.  If you plan to “wear” your baby as often as possible, a sling is ideal for the newborn stage.  You may continue to use a sling as your baby grows, but most parents will benefit from transitioning to a back carrier around 4-6 months, since they are more ergonomic, allowing for long-term carrying without body fatigue.  If you plan to use the carrier only occasionally – when a stroller isn’t an option, or when your baby wants to be held, but you’re trying to vacuum -  it may make more sense to choose an affordable option and one designed for an older baby (newborns sleep so much that they don’t “ask” to be carried very long – skip the sling).  Some good options may be a front pack carrier: the Bjorn is good, the Okkatots is better, and the CLENE is ideal for active parents.  My favorite all-around carrier is the Beco, because it can be used to carry baby in the traditional “sling” cradle, but makes for an amazingly comfortable front or backpack carrier (plus, who can resist those fabric choices!).  For detailed info on the whole world of carriers, check out this excellent resource: http://www.thebabywearer.com/ .  This is a great site for researching products and chatting with other baby-wearing moms!