Experienced parents love to pass on their tips and tricks to us first timers.
When we were pregnant we were told "You HAVE to get one of those" or "don't bother with that" almost daily by our well-meaning friends and family.
Sure enough, I think we bought just about everything we were told to, in fear of being unprepared for this tiny, unpredictable little bundle that was about to take over our life.
I have to be honest, much of it Ollie had outgrown in a few weeks. Some of it, didn't get used at all.
But there are a few things I feel new parents should be given the heads up on. Things that really have stood the test of time, made life a little easier and most of all, helped to keep me, and Ollie happy even on the most testing of days.
BABY WEARING is right at the top of that list.
We almost missed out on this one. Colin had purchased some sort of carrier when Archie (my step son) was a baby. Apparently he screamed like hell the first time they tried it and they never gave it a go again. Colin's story of Archie screaming and protesting, almost put me off. If it wasn't for my glamorous super-mum-sister-in-law looking so together and chic whilst out walking with two babes under two, I might of thought it wasn't for me.
If that screaming/protesting thing happens to you the first time you try a carrier...stick with it. Babies sometimes just cry because it's new, they'll be snuggled up and fast asleep before you know it. You'll be glad you persisted.
So what is it that's so life-changing about baby wearing?
There really is nothing better than having your baby close to you. Feeling their breath against your chest, knowing they are safe and warm and most importantly secure in the knowledge that you are right there with them. Not only does this make for a very happy and secure little one, but it's really helped me keep myself on track too.
Life with a newborn is wonderful, but it isn't easy. Oliver has ALWAYS wanted to be close. From those first few hours spent together skin to skin in the hospital he wanted to be next to me, to be held close and to know his mummy and daddy were right there with him.
Of course, this is utterly blissful and as it should be, but it doesn't always make for an easy life. I found myself longing for an extra pair of hands frequently.
The chores still need doing (how can someone so tiny have so much washing!?), the dog still needs to be walked, and there are still times you just want to go out of the front door without the pram, car seat and baby bag entourage. I imagine it's even more demanding when you have other tiny people to look after too!
Now, if anyone ever asks how I manage to get things done around the house, my answer is always "baby wearing".
If Ollie is fussy, or fighting sleep, I know that he'll settle when he's close to me. I wear him in his carrier when I'm doing house work, going for walks or even just to sit down and right this blog!
It's enabled me to allocate time spent with our big boy Archie too. We'll spend a couple of hours baking or playing board games while Ollie snoozes away on my chest.
Before we got the Juno, I was using a baby wrap. While this was great for those early days around the house, as Ollie got heavier I could feel that my back would start to ache. Around the house for 30mins or so was fine, but any longer than that was uncomfortable.
That's one of my favourite things about the Juno. The weight seems to spread much more evenly across your body meaning I can go for long dog walks or whizz around the supermarket completely comfortably.
It's easy to get on and off, with a little practice. I now find it much faster than getting the pram out of the car and it's a huge help having both hands free.
We started using the Juno at around 10 weeks, with the newborn attachment. It's super snugly and supportive for a newborns delicate neck and gave me great peace of mind. We'll be able to use the Juno for a lot longer too, as it will carry up to 20kg!! So many of the items we bought for Ollie's arrival were redundant after just the first 2-3 months.
Aesthetically, I love it. We chose sand but all the colours are really neutral and unisex. Colin (my other half) wears it proudly, it's not feminine at all.
Overall, we're really really impressed with the Juno, and baby-wearing in general. We wouldn't be without ours and Ollie loves it too!