New Year??

I was going to post "Happy New Year!" but my first thought was, "Where did the OLD year go?!" This year was FLOWN by! It's been crazy with the HUGE release of the Gemini, our super soft drooling pads, and even two new bECO Mini prints. 

I hope your year has been a wonderful as ours. Enjoy your time with family and friends and stay safe! Lots of bECO lOVE! 

The Perfect Piece of Fabric

Have you ever been in this story before?

"Once upon a time, a crafty momma was wandering through the forest (er...hobby store, or on Etsy, or at a yard sale) when, suddenly, something stood out to her. It was like a glowing light all around one piece of fabric. The perfect piece of fabric. She bought it and began to dream about which perfect project was worthy of the perfect fabric. There was only enough for ONE project, so it had to be perfectly perfect, and she couldn't mess it up."

That sounds a little like the story that Beco Mom McKinley found herself in. 

See what she writes:

I did quite a bit of research on which type of carrier is the best for baby and, after all that, like countless other savvy moms, have decided yours is definitely the greatest!! However, now that I am in love with it and HAVE to have it, I can't find the ones I like for sale anywhere! I see that there are many limited edition and custom styles so it makes sense that I've had a hard time tracking them down. 

So, I've had the most fantastic idea and I am so excited! I have this very special, very unique swatch of fabric I've been saving until I could find the right project for it and I think I just found it: I'm going to sew it to the front of one of your metro black carriers and it's going to be super fab! 

Let me know what you think,

thanks again for all your help!!

This is fabric she had saved: 

A month or so later, I received this email from McKinley:

Jack LOVE love LOVES his new carrier [and, so do I!!], thanks again for everything, couldn't have done it without you!

and the sweetest picture!

Yay for fairy tales that come true! 

So it begins...

At least for me, Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday season. I love how the weather gets colder and beautiful lights are up all over! Plus all the good food and times with family are great!

So from Beco to you, Happy Thanksgiving!

And to show our love for you, check out our Facebook page for a special Black Friday coupon! 

Wearer of the Week, Corinna

We love hearing stories from our fans! This one from Corinna is especially neat because as you see in her signature, she has been loving Beco since almost the beginning! Thanks for being a loyal fan! 

As die-hard Red Sox fans my husband and I were not about to leave our children out of the fun, especially when they were little and nursing.  However, our family's season ticket seats at Fenway Park are on the right field roof deck.  The two options for getting there are to hike up many flights of stairs, or to use the maddeningly slow elevator, which would mean less time enjoying the game.  Basically you couldn't pay me to drag a stroller around that place, or in and out of Boston traffic on the walk to the park for that matter!  

After trying out many different carriers in my search for the perfect one, my Beco became my absolute favorite go-to carrier and my first choice for games.  Carrier Camo custom made a slipcover from a Red Sox jersey for my Blue Stripe 4th Gen, and we were Boston-bound!  

This picture is Corinna carrying her middle daughter Esmee when she is about 18 months

I can't tell you how many comments, compliments, and questions I have gotten carrying my girls to games.  We can zip in and out of crowds with my hands free, and the little one can just go to sleep, safe and secure, if she is tired.  Plus, the girls always had a great view of what was going on around them, rather that staring at everyone's knees all day :-) This year we are looking forward to taking our third daughter (who is now 7 mos) to her first game in July.  Beco will be there!

Corinna, Beco mama since 2006

We have a winner!

I have to admit, it is so much fun to pick a winner, but I do always feel a little sad for all the people who entered and didn't win. :-( But I know that is just how the cookie crumbles!

For the BCIA contest (to win a FREE Beco Butterfly 2) Bea is the winner! Post #40 on our Facebook discussion page! 

She writes: "I posted a pic on their Facebook page, shared my story on their site in the "Babywearing in daily life" section and on their site I found interesting the mention of how cultures that wear their babies in a straddled position, such as in Africa, have better hips long-term!"

Congratulations, and thanks to all those who entered. Don't forget to check out our Facebook page now to see about the newest contest that just opened up to win even more great stuff!

We love a good contest...

And this contest has a good GREAT cause behind it, so we like it even more! 

You may have heard that baby wearing and baby carriers are under attack. The warning that the CPSC has put out against slings is making many parents scared to buy ANY type of carrier, no matter the brand, style, or good reviews. The Baby Carrier Industry Alliance (BCIA) is trying to change that!  

According to their website, 

"The Baby Carrier Industry Alliance exists to increase awareness of the value of quality baby carriers and to support those in the baby carrier industry. The BCIA was formed in 2010 as a 501(c)(6) corporation. As an alliance of industry leaders, the BCIA is organized to propagate standards across the industry, promote educational outreach, participate in research, and help small businesses comply with standards. We are passionate about babywearing and about the baby carrier industry."

And guess what? By helping the BCIA in their cause, you can win a FREE *custom edition* Butterfly 2! Here's how:

1.Share your baby wearing story on their site.

http://babycarrierindustryalliance.membe

rlodge.org/stories

2.Upload your baby wearing picture on their website and/or Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/BabyCarrierIndustryAlliance

3.Let us know what you learn from their website on this Discussion on our Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=337775342639&topic=14611

We can't wait to hear the responses! Contest ends October 31st.
EXTENDED through November 15th! 


**Note: to be entered in the contest, you MUST post on our Facebook discussion page! That is the only thing that "enters" you!**

Wearer of the Week, Andy

Another babywearing daddy! Read what Andy's wife, Nichole, says about their Beco Butterfly. 

These are a few pictures of my son, Anderson, hitching a ride with daddy, Andy, at the beach.  In these pictures, he was very close to walking, but not just yet.  He also was ready for a nap, so we strapped him in.  He enjoyed the ride, never fussed, and eventually fell asleep.  I melts my heart to see my husband carrying his little boy.  I got a nice break since I am pregnant with our daughter, Annabelle, due in late September.  These pictures are from Melbourne Beach, FL in mid April.  Enjoy!

We also would like to mention that the cover did great on keeping out blond haired boy from getting a burn!  :o)  Thank you for including that feature!

And the winner is....Beco!

Okay, so there was no real contest, but instead a small victory for me, your friendly Customer Service Rep {Katie}. 

At the beginning of October I went to my first ever La Leche League of Georgia Conference. I was so psyched to get to see tons of other moms and dads wearing their babies and breastfeeding. 
Each local group could set up a table to sell gently used and new items to make some money for our yearly expenses. This is our table! Notice the Beco on the left!

The best part was the presentation I was able to give on babywearing! 

I had an hour to tell all the parents in the room everything I knew about babywearing, plus give them some time to try the carriers on. Yikes! But don't forget, I wanted to be non-biased and present all the different types of carriers that they could use. I showed them ring slings, pouch slings, woven wraps, stretchy wraps, mei tais, buckle carriers and *finally*, soft structured carriers. I told them all about the advantages and disadvantages (if any) of each type of carrier, and also gave them some key safety tips. 
A close up of a hand-made "boob hat" on the head of one of my weighted demo dolls!

Finally, the time came for everyone to try on any carrier they wanted. Keep in mind that I hadn't told anyone my love for Beco and that I even worked for them. I wanted to keep that a secret! One by one, several moms (and dads) tried on different carriers. A few ring slings here, a mei tai there. But in the end, what did most of them choose? BECO! You guessed it. Not Ergo, not Babyhawk, not even the Action Baby Carrier or Pikkolo that was available. So many of them were most interested in the beautiful Beco Gemini and Butterfly. And I have to say, I don't blame them. ;-)
My wonderful husband holding our exhausted three-year-old. No, he didn't choose this mei tai- all my Becos were being used or were locked away! :-(

Wearer of the Week, John

We *LOVE* babywearing dads!! Here is what John's wife, Kim, writes about their Beco Butterfly:

Hello! I am sending along a photo of my husband, John and our 10 month old son, Wesley! We hike often and this picture was taken at Purgatory Chasm last month! My husband loves this carrier, he finds it easy to put on and take off our son, it's VERY comfortable, and adjusts easily! We have been using this for the past 10 months (since he was 3 days old!) and plan on getting another one when baby #4 comes in early Aug. We will both be carrying a baby on hikes! We have also had our 3 year old in this carrier, and still found it very comfortable! Thank you for such a great baby carrier!

Wearer of the Week, Marie

Thank you to Marie for sharing her story and pictures. If you have an entry just send it to me (with a picture or two!) to info at becobabycarrier dot com. 

My little peanut of a son is 7 months old now, weighing a whopping 11 lbs.  He was born 6 weeks early and I've been carrying him around in my Beco for 4 months now.  He loves going out for walks in the Beco, or just hanging out while I do things arond the house.  That was the first time I put him in a back carry all by myself.  At first, I was scared to drop him, but it was super easy (and super comfortable).

Wearer of the Week, Keri

We had some waist buckles from last year that seemed to become brittle when they were moved too quickly from warm to cool areas. Keri's waist buckle had been one of those so she contacted me for help. See what she has to say...

Dear Beco,

I received my Beco Butterfly last fall, before my son was born, as a baby shower gift. It is the best carrier we have -- Elliot loves watching the world from its safety....Thanks for your time, and for making such comfortable, baby-friendly carriers. 

As soon as I replied back to her she was so quick to say:

I really appreciate your prompt response and your willingness to replace the broken piece! It has been lovely dealing with you, and now I have yet another reason to recommend your carrier to everyone who compliments me on it. :)



And then we got to see her gorgeous son in their Ryan Beco Butterfly. Thanks for sharing, Keri! :)

If you have a story about your Beco or about our company, please send it to me with a picture (or two!) to info at becobabycarrier dot com. Thanks!

Is all publicity good publicity?

I'm sure you heard about the huge recall on Infantino's SlingRider and the Wendy Bellissimo Sling. If you have been a part of the babywearing community (or more specifically, a part of TheBabyWearer) for any amount of time you probably already knew how dangerous those "bag slings" really are. Note the date on that blog as two years ago, also. :-/

At any rate, when all this got on the news, I had a lot of people asking me,  "Was that recall talking about those things you use?" I explained so nicely that, no, Beco Baby Carriers (as well as just about any other type of carrier when used correctly) were not part of that recall.

So here's the question....is all publicity good publicity? Even though the recall was horribly awful (at least three infants died, other reports would say more) has it brought more good or bad to the babywearing community?

WE HEAR YOU!

We have listened to all your comments here and on FaceBook and we hear you! You want another contest that doesn't require you to already own a Beco.


For those of you who DON'T have a Beco, we want to see you, too! Here are the rules:

1. Make a video that tells WHY you need a Beco and/or WHY a Beco would be better than your current carrier (but no name calling or bashing!)
2. Upload it to YouTube and make sure the title says, "Beco Baby Carrier, YOUR NAME needs a Butterfly!" A little mouse from Disney might have a video that is titled "Beco Baby Carrier, Mickey Mouse needs a Butterfly!" :)
3. Then post the link on our discussion board on FaceBook by JUNE 30th (you have to "Like" our page first), so they will all be together.

Now, everyone take a deep breath (aaaahhhhh) and get crackin' on those videos!


We will still keep our original contest for the Gemini the same.

A long, long time ago...

Is two years a long, long time? Okay, I guess it's not really. But it sure does feel like it! That's how long it's been since I got my very first Beco carrier. Grab a snack, sit back, and enjoy a little story time...

I don't remember what first got me interested in Becos. I'm sure it was from browsing around The BabyWearer forums, looking at different types of carriers. And probably because they are so gorgeous! I'm sure I didn't have a lot of money at the time (who does?) so I started looking at other ways to get one. Anyone remember Revolution Money Exchange? It was a PayPal alternative that (I think) was just starting up. If you signed up, you got $25 RME dollars! It didn't take people long to start signing up everyone they knew to get the money. So I think I enrolled myself, my husband, my sister, her friend, and maybe my mom? I can't remember.
At any rate, the funds for a new Beco added up fast! Then I just needed to find a place that would accept this new currency. There were several online retailers that took it, and PaxBaby was the store I chose, because they had a fabric that I loved. I was so excited that I started emailing Jillian and asking about getting a Beco. She was SO helpful and patient. We even talked on the phone to make sure I was getting what I wanted. She also sent me pictures of the two Ava's she had in stock so I could pick which cut of fabric I liked best. What a doll!
My daughter was about one year and one month when my Beco came on March 31, 2008. I remember sitting in our study watching the mail man drop off our mail and drive away. I was SO upset! I really thought my Beco would be here that day! As he drove away I actually walked out to get the other mail and yelled at him! To my surprise, her turned around in the cul-de-sac and brought me a package- my Ava Beco Butterfly Original!
I was estatic! The first picture I took was with my husband's cell phone because I didn't have my camera.

Then I posted this on TBW the next day (<---more pics are in that link):
It came yesterday and I didn't have my camera. I've worn it for about an hour in Walmart (front and back- it's so easy to switch!) and for less time at home.
I really love it. I made these videos for some friends, so they might seem a little silly. But I wanted to share with ya'll, too. Enjoy!
Oh, and it's Ava that I got from Jillian at www.Paxbaby.com. She is wonderful!


 
So that's my story! Little did I know what that one wonderful carrier would do to change my life! :)
 
Now share your story below! And don't forget to enter the contest for a new Gemini!

The Great Divide

I'm looking over my YouTube account and I start laughing when I see "the great divide" of movies I have made. There are 8 videos made only in April/May of 2008, then NO videos at all again until April of 2010, when there are 10! Ha!

So I went 2 whole years without making any babywearing videos! And what made me get started again? Well my new Butterfly 2.0 in Lucas of course! The organic cotton is so soft, and the sand straps are even more gorgeous than I expected them to be. And everyone loves a neutral carrier!

Check out the videos (new and old!) here.

Win a Beco Gemini! *updated*

Yep, you heard me right.

The Gemini hasn't even been released yet but you have a chance to win one!

Do you love your Beco? Does it go everywhere with you? Well, we want to see! Make a movie of you and your Beco and upload it to YouTube. We want to see you walking downtown, shopping, hiking, cooking, playing outside....anything!

Only two steps!

1) Become a fan of Beco on Facebook

2) Head over to YouTube and upload a video of you and your Beco carrier.

When you upload your movie, you must make sure that your title looks like this:

Beco Baby Carrier FIRSTNAME LASTNAME.

So Jane Doe's movie would have the title "Beco Baby Carrier JANE DOE".

Then, go post the link to your video on our Facebook page, under the discussion "Links for Gemini Contest" so they will all be in one spot!

We will be watching ALL the videos and judging which one is the best. The end date for the contest is JUNE 30th, 2010. So get those cameras out and get to work!

Who Opened The Flood Gates?

I don't know what came over me, but I was really in a Babywearin', video-makin' mood today. So I put on some makeup, fixed my hair and got to it! Here are the results: (I hope at least one of them helps you!)









Whew....that's a lot! And there are even a few more that I didn't link and still more on my camera!

What are these new straps?!

And why are they so hard to adjust?!
I have been getting several calls and emails about what is going on with the Butterfly 2. So when mine came in the mail today I had to make a movie ASAP.

The change to this Butterfly 2 is the location of the adjuster buckle for the shoulder strap. Now it is attached to the body of the carrier, instead of the end of the shoulder strap. This changes where you grab it (in front of you, not behind) and how you'll need to pull it.

Watch this video and learn all you need to know about your NEW Butterfly 2!

Gemini Super Secret Sneak Preview Puzzle #2

Okay, here's the rest of the puzzle. Like some of you guessed, it's really a teaser since almost the whole Gemini is covered up!
This is me with my 3 year old daughter Caroline. She weighs a little less than 30 lbs. I'm wearing a backpack on my back, plus my purse across me and holding a lot of other things! But super comfy in the new Gemini!

But don't fret- tomorrow I will start a new puzzle that will show you a LOT more!

And just because you waited so long, here's another teaser:

Goodnight!

Gemini Super Secret Sneak Preview Puzzle #1

Okay, I'm a few days late so here is the puzzle with two pieces added! Hopefully I'll post the completed puzzle tonight or tomorrow!

Gemini Super Secret Sneak Preview Puzzle Frame

Here at Beco we are so excited about the Gemini!
This is the frame for the Super Secret Preview puzzle. Can you guess where I am in this pic?



Stay Tuned Tomorrow For The First Piece!