Babywearing in the Corridor

The benefits of babywearing are undeniable. Babywearing brings you closer to your little ones both physically and emotionally. And while you are soaking up all of the cuddly goodness that comes along with babywearing, you also have the ability and freedom to take on other parts of your day. More and more research is being done to support babywearing and recent findings show that babywearing can reduce postpartum depressive symptoms.

Babywearing was a saving grace as I navigated through the first several months of motherhood. Many (and I mean many) meals, cups of lukewarm coffee, and clean dishes have been consumed, enjoyed, and accomplished thanks to babywearing. Babywearing has given me abundant comfort and confidence, and I am so thankful to the mommas before me who encouraged me to give it a try even though those wraps do seem awfully intimidating at first! The good thing is… a doula can help with that! My doula showed me how to wrap up my four-day-old babe in the Solly at our postpartum visit and the rest is history.

My first time babywearing with the help of my doula!

And as if I didn’t love babywearing enough already, I was so thrilled to find so much support for babywearing in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids Corridor. If you are interested in babywearing, here are some awesome communities and resources we are super lucky to have in our area.

Babywearing plus hiking make a perfect combo for both mom and baby!

Hike it Baby
o Hike it Baby is a national organization committed to building communities among families and a love for the outdoors in children from birth and beyond. Iowa City and Cedar Rapids both have active chapters, and it’s easy to find out what hikes might be happening either on the Hike it Baby website or in the Hike it Baby Iowa City and Hike it Baby Cedar Rapids Facebook groups. Hike it Baby provides so many benefits to parents and babes by providing community, fresh air, and movement. And even if you can’t work a Hike it Baby hike into your schedule, just loading my baby up in my Tula carrier and hitting up Squire Point, the waterfalls at Lake MacBride, or Hickory Hill is my favorite momma self-care and way to connect with my baby.

AP Babywearing of Iowa City
o The Attachment Parenting International chapter in Iowa City has created a subgroup just for babywearing. I became the member of the Facebook group when I was thinking about investing in my first woven wrap and have since learned a lot from the group. Any questions about wraps or carries or even requests to borrow can be made in the group. There is a monthly meet-up where you can get hands-on help for all things babywearing and the chapter also has a lending library! Once my baby got bigger and stronger I loved knowing how to use my woven wraps to get her more secure and snug! If I hadn’t found these meet-ups, I’m not sure I would have ever been brave enough to use them.

Babywearing Dance Class
o If there is anything better than hiking while babywearing, it’s dancing while babywearing. There is a babywearing dance class every Wednesday morning at Anytime Fitness in Coralville, and it is amazing. Every time I go I am amazed at
what a good workout I get in, and my little one absolutely loves the music and the social time before and after class. I have met some amazing mommas in this class and am so thankful for this momma + baby opportunity to work out and
socialize. For more info on this class, join the Facebook group!

Accessibility
o Between the lending library provided by AP of Iowa City and the Iowa City Babywearers groups, the Iowa City Babywearers B/S/T and Babywearers of CR BST, and local retailers like Baby Time , it is easy to get your hands on carriers to find what is most comfortable for you and your little one. I have scored awesome deals on the Iowa City Babywearers B/S/T page and was able to connect with other babywearing mommas to try out some soft structured carriers before going with my Tula Free to Grow. Finding the carrier that works best for you and your body and baby is so very important, and I all of the support and resources in our area make it easy to do so!

A look at some of my carriers- I found the bottom two on the Iowa City BST page in amazing condition for more than half off original retail.

The benefits of babywearing truly seem endless, and when you pair those benefits with the extra support and community in the Corridor area—I feel like we really have it made around here. Babywearing education and tutorials can be provided by many of the doulas with Doulas of Iowa City. Check with your doula to see how they can help you along your babywearing journey. Whether you’re looking for community or just to enjoy a meal with two hands… babywearing can make it happen.

Emma lives in North Liberty, Iowa with her eight month old daughter, husband, and two pups. She is a Montessori program coordinator at La Montessori Nurtury and a birth and postpartum doula with (Em)powered by Birth Doula Services. ​