BABYWEARING IS FOR EVERYONE

Do you know all those memes that have the whole social media gone wild? I`m a huge fan of them, I especially enjoy those who compare things like “ Yeah, parenting is great, but have you tried sleeping one full night?”. So, I came up with one on my own (there may be someone out there who thought the same as me, not sure): “Yeah, strollers are great, but have you tried babywearing?” 😊 Awesome, right?

As a babywearing parent (twice, actually) I did enjoy spreading the love for carriers and every time a tired parent would complain that their child always demands to be carried, while other chores needed to be done around, I would empathize with them but always asked: have you considered babywearing? And since many of them would just reject the idea, because “that`s not for me”, I decided to bust this myth and prove that there are carriers for each and every need.

This will be the first part of a presentation for different styles of carrying, suitable for every taste. 😊

I`ll start with my first carrier ever worn, which was an elastic wrap. At first, it was quite difficult to realize how it needed to be wrapped, as a beginner and with no assistance for it. But after my first failed attempt, I followed some video tutorials and things began to look easier. However, by the time we got used to wrapping, the baby was starting to feel heavier and heavier, and the wrap wasn`t as efficient as it used to be in the first place. If wraps were my weapon of choice, I would have definitely continued with using either a woven wrap or a ring sling, which are great to start with also. And for a creative and nonconformist person, the variety of colors, fabrics and ways of wearing are a thrill. The weave of a wrap offers the best support, while allowing the wearer to play with different kinds of knots for the front, hip or back carrying. Multiple choices… but not for a lazy person like me. 😊

We had to move on to a more long-lasting support and we ended up having a full buckle carrier, which was much better: easy to use just by placing it around my waist, clicking the buckles and we were good to go. My personal full buckle was a simple one, didn`t cost me very much, but it needed changing to a larger size after a while, because I still wanted to have my baby carried around, although he didn`t ask for it that often. Luckily there was a toddler size version to the baby size one we have bought in the first place. It was built larger, to ensure a great, optimal position for a toddler and also to feel comfy for the parent as well.

In the meantime, in order to support not only the environment, but the parents` need to stick to one item only, a complex and complete adjustable carrier appeared on the market. Many parents would give up babywearing when the classic baby carrier would not fit the baby anymore, even though, from time to time, the little one would ask to be carried around, or the parents wished they`d still have a product to carry a larger child. For those reasons and so many more, the long-lasting carrier like The One was released on the market, enabling parents to use it from the first days of a newborn, up until toddlerhood. Simple adjustments that could make the carrier go smaller and narrower for a newborn, or higher and wider for a bigger child, made this carrier one of the most wanted products for the new, expectant parents to have on top of their must-have list. A single carrier that would be with them for the entire babywearing experience, from the beginning.

This is not where babywearing ends, because in the next chapter you`ll find out about one more carrier that I tried and absolutely loved and also a cute, little surprise. Keep close!

You’ve probably heard everyone talking about how great merino wool is, but if you’re not sure how exactly this natural fabric can help you and your baby, we are here to clear that for you.

Here are some cool facts about merino wool that made us fall in love with it and create ISARA Warm Clever Cover, 100% Virgin Merino Wool, soft and cozy, just wonderful for your baby’s comfort in autumn chilly weather or spring nights.

🧶It’s natural

It is so wonderful to have another natural alternative to synthetic fiber! Merino wool is a natural, renewable fiber, one merino sheep growing four to five pounds of wool per year.

🧶It Regulates body’s temperature

Given the breathing qualities of the fabric, it keeps the body temperature constant. When it’s cold outside, the natural crimps and bends in its fibers trap air, insulating your baby. When it’s warm outside, it transports sweat quickly away from the skin, helping to keep your baby cool and dry.

🧶It’s soft and comfortable

Merino wool fiber is really thick, only ⅓  the diameter of a human hair. It bends softly against the skin, so there will be no itching feeling for your baby.

🧶It absorbs odor

Merino wool traps smell and doesn’t let any odor come out, so it doesn’t need to be washed so often, we all know how hard it is to keep everything clean when you have a curious baby 😛

🧶It protects against UPF

We want to keep our baby in nature’s loving nest as much as we can, but we also need to protect them from radiation. Merino wool blocks the sun’s harmful rays, having UPF 20+.

🧶It’s hypoallergenic

Nowadays allergies are a real mood-killer for a parent, so the fact that merino wool reduces adult and infant eczema symptoms higher than other fibers is a great plus!

🧶It’s durable

Merino wool fiber is 6 times stronger than cotton fiber, that is definitely a helper when your child tends to bend and twist everything he gets his little hands on!

We know, all these facts make merino wool an amazing fabric, indispensable in a parent’s life! Along with cotton, wool is a great friend to have, that keeps our body connected to mother nature, in the urban environment we live in!

This year’s theme for European Babywearing Week is highlighting the so-called fourth trimester, which represents the first 3 months after the baby is born.

A carousel of feelings overwhelms not only the mother but the newborn as well, right after the birth. From the safe, warm place he’d lived until then, suddenly he`s exposed to thousands of new stimulus: light, heat, cold, noise, too much space. It’s just too much and too sudden, so no wonder they cry a lot during this period, it’s the only way they can express their emotions.

As a matter of fact, it lies within our power as parents, to make this road easier for the baby. It has been proved that the best way of soothing an unsettled baby is to hold him closer to the body that used to be his shelter for several months. The smell of his mother, her voice, her arms are enough to know that despite the new environment seems frightening, there’s always someone who could comfort him. However, if as a parent, you need to get your hands free for a while, take into consideration babywearing, it’s life-saving!

In the third trimester, mothers get the nesting fever all rolled upon them, trying their best to prepare the house and themselves for the new member of the family. Many parents find out in the immediate period after the birth of their baby, that various devices they have purchased or received before the arrival of the baby, are…well…useless. However, pretty soon they come to realize that the needs of a newborn are quite handy. Babies` primary needs are those of nurture, protection and care.

Personally, I always enjoyed all the themes for the Babywearing Week editions. I especially like this one, as it can be truly revealing for new parents about the meaning of their unconditional presence in their baby’s life. Many of them may consider it important having all sorts of  “newborn kits” , more or less expensive, when truly, all the little one really needs is to be fed and held. Your arms would serve him the best shelter.

We all love science, especially when it explains through logic and studies what we know in our hearts is true! Let’s explore together some thought-provoking facts about child development and how we, as parents, can impact and guide our baby’s growth, so he can become a wonderful human being!

💡 Have you heard a thousand times that carrying your baby too much will spoil him? You won’t hold back your instinct as a parent after reading this! J. Kevin Nugent, director of the Brazelton Institute at Children’s Hospital in Boston and a child psychologist, says that a newborn baby learns from their interactions with their parents that the world is reliable, and can trust that their needs will be met. Responding to baby’s cries “isn’t a matter of spoiling,” he said. “It’s a matter of meeting the child’s needs.”

Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality. Similar to Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of stages. The first stage of Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development occurs between birth and one year of age and is the most fundamental stage in life. Because an infant is utterly dependent, the development of trust is based on the dependability and quality of the child’s caregivers.

💡 Even though they tell you to let your child cry and not rush to calm him down, you feel the need to be there for him with all your heart! Studies published in the Current Biology journal, the first of which was by Esposito et al.  show that the infant calming response to carrying is a coordinated set of central, motor, and cardiac regulations that is an evolutionarily preserved aspect of caregiver-infant interactions. Also, Professor Narvaez encourages parents to respond to their baby’s cries, whether it means holding them, touching them, or rocking them; it’s all optimal. “What parents do in those early months and years are really affecting the way the #brain is going to grow the rest of their lives,” explains Narvaez, “so lots of holding, touching and rocking, that is what babies expect. They grow better that way.”

💡 Next time you are holding your baby close to your heart in the carrier think of this amazing fact written in a psychology textbook by Ciccarelli: Personality and the formation of relationships begins with psychological and social development during infancy and childhood (p.328). Personality is shown through temperament, a child’s temperament in relation to their primary caregiver’s temperament will determine what style of attachment the child forms with the caregiver (p.330).

💡 Have you wondered what your baby feels when he is being carried with his face towards you? Here is an interesting fact: Your baby is bombarded by external stimuli (shapes, sounds, colors) and can easily feel overwhelmed. Even shy and sleepy babies take an interest in your voice and face. A big section of the brain is devoted to understanding and remembering faces, and a large part of our social behavior is based on how we read other people’s faces. Looking into someone’s eyes is a necessity for “falling in love”. Isn’t it wonderful that while being carried, your baby can see your face, hear your voice and smell your scent, this way feeling completely secure and loved?

💡 Did you ever imagine the remarkable impact you are having on your child’s system just by carrying him? Scientists have known for years that the cerebellum is directly linked to a feedback loop with the vagus nerve which keeps heart rate slow and gives you resilience under pressure. The cerebellum only accounts for about 10% of the size of a baby’s brain but it contains over 50% of its neurons. As adults, we can calm ourselves by practicing meditation, which puts the cerebellum at peace and creates a parasympathetic response of well being. This appears to be the same response that occurs in infants when they are being carried.

❤️ Thus, take this sack of scientific goodies wherever you go and remember, you are an amazing parent who is offering the best of his being to his little angel!

Resources

https://theheartysoul.com/holding-your-crying-baby-isnt-sp…/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/…/the-neuroscience-calming-…

https://www.researchgate.net/…/236251169_Infant_Calming_Res…

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/ www.childrenfirstfs.org

bonds.www.bartleby.com/essay/The-Psychosocial-Development-Of-Infants-And-Children-P36CLXY9CXW

How does love grow? How do we nurture it? What makes us love something?

We love something because it makes us recall happiness. Whether it’s a song, a place, a time of the day or a season, we love it because we associate it with a beautiful experience.

You hear many times people saying they hate winter. They hate the freeze, they hate the snow, they hate everything about it. What if we can make sure our child will embrace and love winter growing up?

Yes, we can, by taking them outside, no matter the cold. When the first winter breeze blows through the air, when the first snowflake falls from the sky and snow settles on the trees, your child learns what the magic of mother nature is about. Your child builds wonderful winter memories that last for eternity.

Have fun and enjoy everything about winter. Help him see the foggy and gloomy weather as a fairytale. Because that’s what it is. So let’s hit the slopes, search for untouched snow and leave marks of love, angles and falling stars.

Babywearing during winter can be fun, too! Ensure you keep him warm and protected, close to your chest, play with snow and show him the magic of winter, close to your heart! This way you’re not only protecting him from the cold weather, but you’ll also make one more memory of the two of you having the best time of your life!

Make sure the cold won’t stop you! Here is some great advice to help you have the best wintertime of your life!

Use layers. They’ll help you adjust your baby’s temperature easily. You can easily strip a layer off when your baby gets hot or add it back on if the temperature gets chilly again. If you’re using a winter cover, consider it a warm layer that you can take off when entering a warm place. Make sure you never release too many layers at the time, to not expose the baby to sudden temperature differences.

Use leggings underneath his pants, usually the bottom of the leg gets easily exposed while babywearing, and proper shoes.

ISARA Winter Covers are already a PRO when it comes to waterproof and windproof functionality, but if you’re planning to let the child play in the snow, make sure the clothes’ bottom layer is waterproof and windproof. Use hats and gloves and make sure that no area gets exposed to cold, other than the little red nose that you’ll get to kiss every 2 minutes :).

Keep in mind to always check the baby’s temperature and adjust the number of layers accordingly. Don’t be scared that your baby will suffer from cold, remember that while babywearing, you are also a source of warmth for your baby. How cool is that, right?

Enjoy winter together. Help him love the weather in all its forms, grow the love, cherish it and he’ll grow in love with nature, protecting it for the generations to come.

Happy babywearing!

Do you hear that? Yes, carols sound everywhere…

Do you see that? Yes, hats and scarves and gloves, that`s what we`re wearing! Little lights, sparkling ornaments, they`ve all conquered our cities, preparing for the most expected holiday of the year. Christmas is coming!

It`s that time of the year when we`re all excited to meet again, visit and reunite with our loved ones. Even though we want to please ourselves and our families with visits or receiving guests, this can be quite an exhausting experience for adults, not to mention the little ones. Traveling by car, visiting one house after another, seeing new faces, strange faces, that`s a lot to handle for a baby, especially a small one. 

So, this season, why don`t we just babywear through holidays? Indoors and outdoors, both parents, taking turns. It`s the safest place a baby can stay when all the noise and lights are too overwhelming. It`s the coziest place to take a nap while going for long walks in the cold winter. Not to mention, that the parents will be hands-free to enjoy their meals peacefully.

Prepare your baby for the holidays: soft layers + babycarrier + winter cover and you`re all set for going outside. Forget about the car as much as possible to avoid all the fuss with placing and taking out the baby in the car seat, just enjoy the snow and the landscape. Keep your baby close to you and have the best of your time!

Do you feel that? Yes, that`s your baby`s heartbeat right next to yours! 💗

Peace and love for Christmas!

Nothing prepares you for this.

It was the summer of 2016 when I found out I was pregnant again, with twins, after years of trying, IVF and 1 stillborn at 38 weeks, just about when I was due. Even though I tried to stay away from bad thoughts, every now and then, some crossed my mind. I couldn’t help not to think of the many risks a pregnancy comes with, because I knew them very well. Too well. But I hoped that God might have a different plan this time, after all, I’ve been through. My pregnancy was one of mixed emotions. I knew that it wasn’t going to be an easy road but somehow I managed to keep my hopes alive.

Contractions started at 28 weeks. We rushed to the hospital and the amazing team managed to stop them. I was sent home after 2 weeks, feeling better. I knew that something can go wrong anytime so I put myself to bed rest. I counted every day that went by and getting to 34 weeks felt like a blessing. I knew that I might not get very much further than this, but even though I did not think that giving birth would be so early the past 34 weeks.

1 day past my 34 weeks mark I started to have contractions again. But this time they were different, I remembered them from my previous pregnancy. We rushed to the hospital again and 10 hours later my baby boy and my baby girl ware born, 40 cm – 2045 gr, 39 cm – 1900 gr. They were breathing surprisingly good, but the doctors took them to the incubator anyway.

We stayed for 38 days in the hospital. For us, everything was good because, thankfully, my babies were putting on weight very well. But the reality behind the doors where premature babies were taken care of is something you cannot prepare for.

The silence behind those doors was immense. No baby crying. No giggling.

Breathing seemed hard. If you listened closely you could even hear your heartbeat. I almost felt guilty for the pace I felt seeing my big babies getting stronger. It seems strange, but yes, my babies were big, compared to the other premature babies.

Preparing a baby for going home was treated almost like a celebration. It was like another milestone was added to their lifespan along with going to school, graduation, getting married, having children…

Seeing all those babies fighting for their lives was the lesson I will never forget. The lesson that brings me tears of joy every day when we are healthy and strong.

No one should never experience this. No one should see their baby helpless in a glass box, struggling to breathe.

No baby should be kept away from their mother’s touch, embrace, breast… They should be put in their parents’ arms and never let go until they want to leave to discover the world.

For them we pray. For the power that grows from within every time, they hear mother’s voice. To become stronger and healthier. To go home…

🍂Autumn weather brings babywearing outdoors for extra cuddling time

While sweltering summer days are almost gone for good this year, you can finally heave a sigh of relief and say your last goodbyes to those sweaty-yucky babywearing escapades. Look forward to that refreshing, crisp air of the season, walk through the beautiful foliage with your little one snuggled close against your chest and cross tons of fun fall family activities off your bucket list. Don’t be surprised if you encounter more babywearers outdoors these days.

Lots of babywearers that tend to enter a dormant babywearing stage during warm summer days they now spring back to life, drawn by the crisp, revitalizing fragrance of nature that makes fall the optimal babywearing season of the year. Babywearing can be a stepping stone to your baby’s development. Your loved one can make physical and visual contact at all times, allowing you to keep your hands free at all times while navigating through parenthood lane, comfortable and extra safe. Wearing close to your heartbeat during colder seasons not only will offer an extra layer of security for your tiny angel but will keep you both warm and toasty, heartbeat to heartbeat. 

🍁Here are some quick tips to make babywearing in autumn beyond doubt a walk in the park:

• Ensure your baby is safe and sound, close against your body. You may want to consider revising the ABC’s of babywearing. Promise you, there’s not a lot of “reading” ground to cover: Here.
• Choose organic, breathable woven designs to regulate body temperature during colder months. Settle on ISARA baby carriers, woven wraps or even ring slings, if you prefer more flexibility.  
• Pick the coziest ISARA babywearing cover to add a fluffy cloud of security over your baby carrier. Not only you’ll take babywearing up a notch with à la mode look, but you’ll also prevent your little bundle of joy from overheating. Since overdressing is definitely not the way to go in fall,  you may want to snag a divine, 100% organic, buttery soft, ISARA Crystal Clear Clever Cover, wonderful for hugging your sweet angel on autumn days. 
• A fan of walking in the rain? Fret not, for ISARA’s got your back with the lightest waterproof and windproof cover! Convenient and easy-to-attach over your baby carrier, our Rain Clever Cover will keep the rain at bay in no time!
• If you want to go all out this upcoming season, you might consider choosing the crème de la crème of covers, ISARA Warm Clever Cover in 100% virgin merino wool, undoubtedly the comfiest microclimate for your loved one! Due to its natural qualities and benefits, including breathability and insulating property, merino wool has the unique ability to keep the baby warm in cold temperatures and fresh in the hottest climates. This premium cover is definitely the perfect year-round babywearing cover staple! 

Welcome the golden hues this upcoming season with open arms and make the most of your babywearing story. 

P.S. 💖 Thank you, Ana Ciupe, for these adorable photos!

Your bestie,

ISARA

Carrying a little angel in a sling is truly convenient, but do you know the most important rules to ensure your baby’s safety? Tick the following key rules off your checklist and be ready to babywear the love with ISARA!

Airway. Ensure that fresh air can circulate freely around your little one’s face. When adjusting the panel of your baby carrier,  choose an appropriate height that enables the baby’s face to be visible at all times over the top edge of the panel. How do you know that you’ve adjusted the height of the panel properly? Check if the top edge of the panel reaches up to the nape of your baby’s neck.  Trust your heart and follow your instincts, mama! You’ve got this!

Body Positioning. Does the seat width support your baby’s legs in an ergonomically correct “M” shaped position, with the level of his bottom lower than the level of his knees, without slumping? When you’re adjusting your new baby carrier for the first time, adjust the width of the panel according to your little one’s leg span, supporting from knee to knee, always making sure that the width of the panel is not too wide. How can you notice if the width of the panel is too wide? If the bottom of the panel rests on your baby’s calves, instead of right under the bend of the knees, then you will have to narrow the base of the carrier. Ensure proper placement of your baby in the carrier, by placing your hands under your baby’s knees and lift them up gently, to successfully position your baby’s back in a pelvis tilted position.*Make sure your baby’s bottom is seated deeply in the panel and not on the carrier’s waistband. 

Comfortable. The carrier should be extremely comfortable for both you and your angel. Since you’ll be wearing your sweetheart every single day, your carrier has to suit your body size like a glove! Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need to adjust your carrier! ISARA is here for you mama. Stay in the loop with all things babywearing, by joining Love ISARA babywearing Facebook group, where advice, educational info and more are shared and offered on a daily basis!

     ISARA x WWF Collaboration

“Children of today will protect the Earth of Tomorrow”

Do you ever think of our Planet? Do you ever think about the future of your children?

Now’s the time to make a difference and contribute to the preservation of Mother Earth by joining forces with ISARA’s charitable initiative.

ISARA teamed up with WWF and created a unique collection, titled Protect The Planet, dedicated to majorly endangered marine and wildlife species that are currently on the edge of extinction due to pollution, poaching, climate change, and overfishing. The main goal is to raise the alarm about the loss of natural habitat and emphasize our main responsibility to protect the planet for future generations, for a better, healthier world. ISARA truly believes that Children of today will protect the Earth of tomorrow. Support the cause and be actively involved in teaching new generations about the importance of protecting the environment. *7% of the proceeds from the sale of the collection will go to World Wildlife Fund. 

A collection inspired by endangered animals 

Marine life

• Hawksbill Turtle

Hawksbill Turtles represent a vital link in marine life as they help maintain the health of coral reefs and seagrass beds by extracting sponges from crevices on the reef. Their beautiful colored shells are highly valuable and sought after in the illegal “tortoiseshell” markets, being turned into jewelry, souvenirs or other items, mainly for tourists.

• Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)

The whale shark is the biggest shark that roams the oceans and its main food source is plankton. The health of our oceans depends on these gentle giants as they are a clear indication of abundant plankton across oceans.

• Giant Tortoise

The Giant Tortoise is the largest living tortoise in the world and it can only be found on the Galápagos Islands.

• Sea Lions

Sea Lions live in large colonies on the shores of Galápagos Islands and they exclusively breed here, on these beautiful Islands.

• Galapagos Penguin

Galapagos Penguins are the rarest penguin species in the world, and the only one found at the north of the equator, in the Galápagos.

• Fin Whale

The Fin Whale is the second largest mammal in the world, thus at the top of the food chain, playing a vital role in the health of marine life.  

• Sei Whale

Known as one of the fastest whales in the marine habitat, the Sei Whale has become majorly endangered due to commercial whaling.

• Vaquita

Vaquita is undeniably the rarest marine mammal in the world and is currently critically endangered. Imagine that there are as few as 30 Vaquitas left on our Planet due to illegal fishing operations. Just heartbreaking.

Wildlife

• Amur Leopard

Due to extensive poaching, Amur Leopards are currently listed as an endangered species, with approximately 84 individuals left in the temperate forests.

• Black Rhino

Did you know that rhinos are the oldest groups of mammals in the world?

Black Rhinos play a vital role in their habitat as they shape large portions of land, offering a better home for other species as well, such as elephants.

• Malayan Tiger

Tropical rainforests are the HOME of the Malayan Tiger. Due to massive deforestation, the Malayan Tiger is now more susceptible to poaching and it’s struggling to survive.

• Sumatran Elephant

Sumatran Elephants contribute to a healthy forest ecosystem as their main source of food consists of a large variety of plants. While they feed on plants they also carry and spread the seeds, contributing to the lush forest habitat.

• Saola

Did you know that Saola has been discovered recently in May 1992? They are so rare and vulnerable that protecting their habitat has become one of the greatest priorities for habitat conservation in the Annamite Mountains of Vietnam and Laos.

One step closer to a better planet and a more sustainable approach for marine and wildlife conservation. 🐼Love, ISARA