Way back when, in September, I attended ABC Kids Expo to check out all of the latest cloth diapers and babywearing products.  One of the most thrilling items I saw was the Hotslings AP (Adjustable Pouch and a clever play on Attachment Parenting!)  Hotslings is a major name in babywearing because they made it accesible for the masses.  Their original pouch slings are sold in big box stores and boutiques all over the country, and their fun prints make babywearing stylish and fun!

What makes the AP different than a Hotslings Pouch sling?

The Hotslings AP™ is a safe continuous loop – it cannot detach or break apart. Two strategically placed buckles allow the AP to adjust and fit comfortably on multiple users. The shoulder design is wide, yet sleek without excess fabric. Sleek padding is included on both sides of the pouch providing more comfort and support for baby in all three carrying positions.
Parents and caregivers will now have the benefits of a Hotslings® pouch without the worry of buying the wrong size and/or needing to buy multiple sizes for breastfeeding on-the-go, post-partum body changes or sharing with caregivers and partners. The one-size-fits-most design makes gifting the Hotslings AP™ a no brainer allowing parents and caregivers to just adjust and go.

The new AP is packaged in a matching drawstring bag that offers storage for the sling itself or can be used as a coordinating, compact diaper bag and more.

I have been able to test the AP out for quite some time.  I have to admit that I have never used a pouch sling.  I opted for a ring sling when my son was born due to the adjustability.  I did at one point buy a Hotslings Pouch, but I got it home and it didn’t fit so I took it back.  I was also still losing the baby weight so I was uneasy about what size I would be in the end.

The AP solves all of those problems.  Using innovative buckle adjustments on the shoulder, the fabric is essentially gathered to adjust the size.  If you have used a pouch sling before then trying an AP will be easy for you.  Your only challenge will be learning how to size the AP.  If you are new to pouch slings then you will need to learn how to put one on!  This was a challenge for me in some ways.  I watched the videos and got it right in a few tries.

To adjust the AP the two buckles can be tightened or loosened fairly easily.  Finding your size is the hardest part.  There isn’t really an easy way to adjust the sling while the baby is in it, unless perhaps you have someone to help you.  There is some trial and error to get the right size.  if the size is wrong you may feel some extra strain on your shoulder.  I had an issue when wearing my son at the mall, and after adjusting again I got a comfortable fit.

My favorite way to use any sling is the kangaroo carry, where the baby is sitting cross legged inside, but facing outward.  By the time I reviewed the AP, my son was much too large for that!  Instead, we have only been able to use a hip carry.  Even with him being 20 pounds it was a comfortable ride for short shopping trips.  I would not wear him in a hip carry for long excursions.  If he were a newborn then yes, I would use the AP for longer periods.  No matter how comfortable a sling, 20 pounds on one shoulder will become uncomfortable after a long time, at least for me.

Pros:

Adjustable

Sytlish

Far less bulk than a Ring Sling

Stylish

Affordable

Safe

Compact enough for the diaper bag

Cons:

Learning curve for adjustments

Doesn’t adjust to ALL Hotsling sizes (works sizes 2-5, which translates to roughly 5’0″ tall to 6’1″ and 110-220 pounds, a good range.)

If not adjusted correctly you may have shoulder and back strain.

Hotslings is giving one lucky DDL reader their own Hotslings AP!

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Hotslings.com and tell me your favorite pattern for any sling they make.

For extra entries do any or all of the following.  Leave a comment for each you do.

Follow @KimRosas on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, “Wear your baby in a @Hotslings AP.  Enter to win from @KimRosas http://3sg9n.th8.us”  Leave a comment with a link to your status.

You can tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Leave a comment with your status for each tweet.

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Grab my button and post it on your blog. Leave a comment.

Blog about this giveaway. Post a link in the comment.

Have my New Baby Event button on your blog.  3 extra entries.  Comment for each entry.

Get Creative: Post about this giveaway on a messageboard or forum. Leave a comment with a link.

New Entry: Become a fan of Dirty Diaper Laundry on Facebook and get 5 extra entries! To qualify, post on my wall with either your favorite review I have done (would prefer this to be diaper related but it can be another product if you don’t dig my diaper reviews) or let me know a diaper you want to see reviewed.  Then copy and paste what you wrote as a comment here.  Then, leave 4 more comments saying “facebook entry 2, 3, etc)

Giveaway ends on April 12. Winner will be chosen using random.org. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn.

***Open to US and Canada***

I was not compensated for this post however the product sent for review was kept.

Hotslings, a company known for their stylish and easy to use babywearing products, have recently launched MilkDaze, a stylish and practical nursing camisole.

Make sure to milk it in our nursing apparel! Designed with mom in mind, our collection aims to make nursing anywhere fashion-forward and as easy as possible. We’ve eliminated the need for clips, snaps or hooks and incorporated pull-aside layers that allow for quick nursing without the fuss. All of the pieces in this growing collection are cut to hit lower on the waist, ensuring full coverage and keeping that postpartum figure in check. Sized on a generic sizing scale, moms will wear the same size in MilkDaze as they would in other mainstream brands.

The MilkDaze nursing camisole is a pull over style, meaning you pull one panel over to reveal the opening, still leaving the base panel that supports your breast and keeps you partially covered.  This style has always been hit or miss for me.  I like the convenience of it, but I always get one that doesn’t have enough room in the opening, or the panel slides over slowly and gets in the way.

I was happy to find that none of those issues occurred with the MilkDaze Cami.  It is simple enough to pull the panel and latch my son on.  Then, I push the other panel around his mouth to make sure I am completely covered.  Out of all of the nursing tops I have owned, this is the most discreet.  Since receiving it to review I have made a point to wear it for every flight I take, and if I know I will be out in a large crowd, I wear it as well.

The best thing about the MilkDaze is the support it gives!  Most nursing tank tops I have tried give the dreaded “uniboob,” with the exception of a few notable brands.  But those still don’t lift my breasts as much as the MilkDaze.  I have, if I say so myself, amazing cleavage in this cami.  It gives almost as much support as a regular nursing bra.  I love the sweetheart cut too!  It is so flattering to my bustline.

The MilkDaze comes in two colors: black and white.  I would love to see it come in more neutral tones since I like to wear oranges and browns and deep greens.  But, I also wear a ton of black.  You could get by having either color, or both, and be able to wear it under most tops.  The cami has a generous length to keep your tummy covered too.  It gives a nice layering look under other tops.

If you are wondering why Hotslings would make nursing attire, think of how easy it would be to wear your baby in a Hotslings Pouch or Hotslings AP and nurse them while wearing your MilkDaze!  Since my son is now at a great age for the hip carry, that is how we babywear and nurse when we need to, and it works fabulously.

Wouldn’t you LOVE to add a MilkDaze to your wardrobe?

Hotslings is giving one lucky DDL reader their own MilkDaze Cami.

For your mandatory entry, tell me where you would use your MilkDaze.  Since I have used mine on my travels, I want to know where you would use it! ***no one word answers please, but don’t write a book either, mmk!

For Extra Entries do any or all of the following, remember to leave a separate comment for each entry.

Follow my twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, “I want to win a MilkDaze Cami from @hotslings and @KimRosas. http://3dq44.th8.us #bfing” Leave a comment with a link to your status.

You can tweet every day, once a day, for the duration of the contest.

Follow @HotSlings on twitter. Leave a comment.

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The MilkDaze is Buy One Get One Half off until January 5th!  Use code MDHalf at check out.  Stock up!

Giveaway ends on January 6. Winner will be chosen using random.org. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn.

***Open to US and Canadian Residents!***

I was not paid to perform this review or host the giveaway.  I did receive a sample to review, free of charge, which was kept.  All opinions expressed are my own.

How often do you hear that sentence?  In the past month, I have heard it once and experienced it wordlessly one other time.

While flying back from Charlotte NC I was alone with my son.  I don’t even want to count how many times we have flown by ourselves.  The only way I would consider it is if I am babywearing (godsend for flying, let me tell you) and nursing (godsend for inside of the airplane).  Since I am still able to do both it was no biggie.

On the flight from Charlotte to JFK I sat next to a large, but nice and friendly man who was more than happy to make conversation with Fletcher and I.  Once the plane took flight I knew what I needed to do to make everyone’s experience positive.  Nurse.  It was nap nap time for my son, and time for me to watch TV on Jetblue!  I was wearing a nursing tank, the Hotslings Milk Daze (which I am reviewing and hosting a giveaway for soon!!!) and I pulled over one layer and latched him on.  All the while, the man next to me is chatting us up.  I didn’t want to say anything to him, but I assumed he would figure out what I was doing and pay attention to his screen.

Instead, he continued talking to me.  He even tried peering over to see if my baby was asleep.  He seemed completely oblivious.  Since I am not shy at nursing in public, and I knew my nipples were covered by baby and my breast was mostly covered by my tank, I wasn’t offended.  Maybe, if I had a regular tank top on and my breast was pulled out of the top, I would have made more of an effort to tell him what was actually happening.  ”No sir, my son isn’t asleep yet, but he is breastfeeding.”

Soon, he did go to sleep, and I put on my headphones for the universal sign of “I would like to relax and discontinue conversation, thank you.”  Our conversation ended until landing and he never was the wiser.

Just a few days ago, a similar situation occurred.  I was at the mall with a friend, and she was chatting with someone she knew.  My son was a little hungry, and very grumpy.  After the usual tactics to calm him and save my sanity, I went to the tried and true: milkies.

We sat on a bench while they chatted and I pulled my sweater up and unhooked my nursing bra.  He laid across my lap and had a light snack.  Then, a woman and her 2 year old daughter came to the bench.  She stood her daughter up on the bench to outfit her in the proper winter attire to leave the mall.  That day, it was a full suit because it was freezing!

Next to me I saw the most adorable shoes I have ever seen.  They were Mary Janes with pandas on the tip.  I was dying!  I struck up a conversation with the woman and commented on her daughter’s shoes.  We chatted while they got dressed (the girl also had a matching hat and mittens!).  When they were close to leaving my son finished so I sat him up and pulled my sweater down.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were breastfeeding.”  I let her know it was no trouble, and nothing to be sorry about.  It was a normal thing we were used to doing.  Then she let me know she nursed her daughter til she was 16 months, and only weaned at her daughter’s cues.  That was a wonderful thing to hear!  Not many mothers make it to toddlerhood.  I think we had a little “bonding” moment as we gushed about how much we loved nursing our babies.  Then we said goodbye.

Encounters like this always make me wonder, what is the big deal about nursing in public?  There is always a way to be discreet (unless you simply don’t want to, which is another matter) and nurse with no breast visibility.  Maybe, if you are very large busted it is harder or impossible.  I have never had one of those so I don’t know!

Along with all of the amazing cloth diaper products unleashed at ABC Kids Expo, baby carriers were also introducing some very exciting products!

First, the one I am most excited about, the Boba from NAP, the makers of Sleepy Wrap.  Boba is a Soft Structure carrier (SSC) that is intended for toddlers 1-4 years old and around 20 pounds and up. Boba has a few extra inches of height to keep the toddler’s body safe and secure.  The coolest thing about it: there are foot straps attached to the waist belt for the child’s feet to sit in.  This enables a healthy sitting position for the child.  The optimum position for a baby being worn is a frog leg position with the knees close to a ninety degree angle, which is the goal of this carrier.  As long as the child is cooperative, this is a great way to continue babywearing as your baby is heavier and older.  Right now the carrier comes in solid colors and one print, with plans for more prints in the future.  It will retail for around 99 and be shipping sometime in late September.  Want a peek?

Hotslings also had two new products to announce at ABC.  Hotslings AP (Adjustable pouch) is an innovative hybrid between a pouch sling, their signature item, and a ring sling.  There are two straps in the pouch, one in the upper rail and one in the lower rail, that can be easily adjusted to tighten or loosen.  The buckles are hidden underneath a pouch of fabric to keep baby from playing with them.  The straps replace the ring and long tail of fabric in ring slings, and offers a nice option for people who want a compact diaper bag size carrier but don’t like the non adjustability of pouch slings.  It is coming out in 6 signature prints and is paired with a drawstring bag for taking along in your bag.  The pouch should fit Hotslings sizes 2-5.  I always enjoyed the idea of Hotslings but not the restriction of the size. Plus, women who are in the process of losing weight or who are pregnant will need to adjust the size over time.  I am really excited to try the AP out.  Hotslings has also unveiled a nursing cami called Milkcraze, which is a pull over top.

As I mentioned before, Beco has plans for a multi functioning carrier, the Gemini.  The Gemini offers babywearers the option of front facing, tummy to tummy, and back carries.  While front facing is not recommended for long periods of time because it strains the wearers back and it isn’t the best position for the baby either, many parents are demanding that their carriers have that option.  The Gemini has a snap adjusting seat that can expand or contract to accomodate rear or front facing,  The fabric panel in the middle can also be snapped down.

Baby Hawk introduced their new designs courtesy of the men behind Ruthless and Toothless, a tattoo inspired baby and children’s clothing line.  These men also happen to be from the show Miami Ink.  Expect really funky old school designs and fun colors.  These aren’t available yet but will be in a few weeks.

Cybex is a carrier I bet you haven’t heard of.  The 2.GO Cybex Baby Cariier is being distributed by Regal Lager, who also distributes the Bambino Mio and Diaper Dekor, and will be available in the US soon.  The Cybex is a very masculine and modern looking carrier with many functions.  It can back carry, front carry tummy to tummy, and front face carry.  It can also accommodate newborns and has special leg straps to keep their little bodies contained inside and prevent them from slipping out of the leg holes.  The seat has a zipper that when open gives larger babies more seat room and maintains the fabric width needed for their comfort.  The middle fabric panel can fold down for larger babies who want arm mobility.  The back middle strap (same as the chest strap for front facing) has a cool swivel feature which is handy for taking on and off.  The colors are very hip, and I think the dads are really going to like this one.  It will retail for 99.99.

Ergo unveiled an new accesory to their line, the ♥2♥.  This is a new “womb” like infant insert which is very lightweight but will cradle a newborn in comfrt.  It looks similar to a cone with rolled edges, and is very soft.

Moby has added new colors to their lineup, pacific, burgundy, and slate.  They also unveiled a new design, a crescent moon and stars.