The EcoChic

Giveaway Alert! Win a Dittany Baby Mei Tai baby carrier in the color of your choosing.  See coupon codes below for all readers.  ECO-ngratulations Natalie A! Check your email for details.

Dittany Baby!  If you’ve been a reader for a while you already know who Dittany Baby is…one of my favorite companies for trendy baby products!  HERE is my interview with Shannon, owner of Dittany Baby, from this summer.  You can see my review and pictures of their fabulous pouch sling and skid pants there also. 

Shannon was kind enough to send Lil’ B and I one of their Mei Tai style baby carriers for the Eco-Holiday Gift Guide.  We received a special Mei Tai in the Stockholm print (see pattern image in pouch sling) and black TODAY and I was so excited I had to share it with you immediately!  I have secretly been dying for a Mei Tai carrier since Lil’ B was first born but needs and wants are different when you have 3 pouch slings (2 Hotslings and 1 Dittany Baby sling) and an Ergo. 

Now that Lil’ B is nearing the one year mark I fear that my baby wearing days are numbered.  We have already begun limiting the use of the pouch slings to short periods of time due to her weight (she’s about 20lbs).  I regularly use the Ergo for our extended trips (Disney, airports, etc) so I was excited to compare it with the Mei Tai.  I wasn’t disappointed either; I think it might replace our pouch sling for those quick trips and maybe even for slightly longer outings.  It feels more secure for the older tot than the pouch slings (especially when yours is as wiggly as mine is).  I should really develop a chart that tells you when and at what age I like the different carriers…each age and occasion is slightly different…I’m glad I have a few to choose from.  And can you really have too many baby carriers?  I think not!  

Quality of Dittany Baby Mei Tai:  GREAT!  I was excited to see the padding along the edges and on the shoulder straps to make this carrier comfortable for baby and wearer.  Workmanship on this carrier is excellent.

Price of Dittany Baby Mei Tai:  Comparable to other Mei Tai’s on the market at $70-$85 (depending on fabric choice).  Cheaper than an Ergo but more pricey than a pouch sling.

Extras:  The Dittany Baby Mei Tai comes with a coordinating carrying pouch (all their carriers come with this pouch) which helps keep it organized in your diaper bag or car.  The Dittany Baby Mei Tai can also be reversible since both sides are finished the same.  This is a great feature for daddy who prefers things a little simplier than I do.

Website:  http://www.dittanybaby.com/
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/dittanybaby
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Dittany-Baby/44349889388?ref=ts

But it!  Add a Dittany Baby Mei Tai (or anything from Dittany Baby) to your shopping list this holiday season and save from 10%-30% off your total purchase.  Use the following coupon codes:   

                            ”10off20” for 10% off of a $20.00 order
                            “20off50” for 20% off of a $50.00 order
                            “35off100” for 35% off of a $100.00 order

Be sure to enter THEECOCHIC@GMAIL.COMinto the comments section for all purchases at Dittany Baby.  They have a “Refer a Friend” promotion right now….you can refer your friends too and earn credits to spend at their store! 

Win It!  Dittany Baby has offered a Mei Tai to one lucky reader in a color of your choosing.  To enter you must visit Dittany Baby and tell me what your favorite fabric pattern is (on any of the carriers).  Leave your comments below to be entered in this giveaway. 

Extra Entries:
-Enter any of my other Eco-Holiday Gift Guide Giveaways (Leave a comment telling me which one’s you’ve entered.)
-Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect
-Subscribe using Feedburner or other reader (Leave your email addy)
-Add my button to your blog or site (Leave a link to your blog)
-Blog about this giveaway and the Eco-Holiday Gift Guide  (Leave a link to your blog)
-Share this giveaway with your friends (Leave me a comment telling me how)

Giveaway open worldwide to anyone over the age of 18 yrs old.  Must leave a comment for each entry with a maximum of 10 entries total for this giveaway.  Giveaway ends December 10, 2009 at midnight (EST).  Entrants must leave their email to be contacted if they are selected.

LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS HERE TO ENTER!

Giveaway ended! ECO-ngratulations Natalie A!

More from the Eco-Holiday Gift Guide.

*This post was sponsored by Dittany Baby.

Giveway Alert!!  The Eco Summer Blog Party might be almost over but the giveaways are still going strong!  Be sure enter the contest below to win an Ergo Baby Carrier from La Stella Blu.  

ECO-ngratulations Erin!  You are the winner of the Ergo Baby Carrier from La Stella Blu.

Why did it take us so long to find baby wearing?  We have a 6 year old and we pushed him in the umbrella stroller all the time.  I had a carrier but didn’t love it.  It was complicated and uncomfortable and ugly!  6 years later they are certainly more hip and trendy!  I am now the proud owner of 2 Hotslings, 1 Dittany Baby Reversible Pouch Sling, and now 1 Ergo Baby Organic Carrier and I love them all.  Honestly, I use every single one of them.

The pouch slings are great for wearing around the house or on short outings.  The members of my family (husband, mother, sitter, etc) have all used them and it usually ends with a sleeping baby!  See my post last week for a cute picture of her asleep in the Dittany Baby sling.  I’ve always wanted to try one of the Mei Tai carriers and have heard wonderful reviews over the Ergo’s but now I understand why!

I need to first begin by thanking La Stella Blu for their generous donation of one Ergo Baby Organic Carrier to The Eco Chic family of carriers!  We have used this thing almost everyday since we received it.  My first thought was “finally a carrier that my husband will wear in public!”  When he came home from work that day I showed him how to use it (by the way Ergo Baby has video demos online) and made him try it on.  We have officially mastered the front and back carry but haven’t tried the hip carry yet.  The Ergo is (as the name implies) ergo-nomically correct for your body.  It is comfortable and our baby feels very secure in it.  I don’t feel like she is going to fall out of it.  The material is a light-weight organic cotton (like a canvas material) and seems very durable.  I need to wash it to see how well it survives the wash.  It has a great little pocket behind the baby for storing keys, cell phones, or wallets.  It also comes with a cute little hood which I didn’t know if I would ever use…but I did and love it!  Below is my favorite story about our Ergo to date…I’m sure I’ll have more in the coming months!

Last Friday night we went to the Ray’s baseball game with friends and took Lil’ B with us.  Baseball stadiums are not exactly stroller friendly so we took the Ergo.  I wore Lil’ B into the game and also used it as a nursing cover when she was hungry…the hood was perfect for nursing!  Later in the game when we were roaming the stadium the hubby put her on his back (see picture) and went about his business!  Now, if you know my husband, he is open to new ideas as long as they don’t mess with his coolness factor.  I felt like we were both getting the smiles from everyone that passed…as if they were all saying “look how cute!”, or “how ingenius!”, etc!  As for Lil’ B she is completely comfortable both forward and backwards in the Ergo and unusually calm when she is close to us.  I had to feel somewhat bad for another couple who were there with their infant.  They didn’t have a carrier and were constantly holding his wiggly body, and he never sat still.  If for nothing other than safety the Ergo has won me over…but I love it for so many reasons. 

We also went grocery shopping with the Ergo this weekend.  Talk about a productive trip, I think she actually feel asleep while we shopped and no one was touching her!  I can’t wait to wear her into that nasty old Wal-Mart and see if those old ladies try and touch her now!

La Stella Blu is an online retailer that specializes in baby wearing.  In addition to the Ergo Baby Carriers, they also stock Mei Tei’s, Moby Wraps, HotSlings, Ellaroos and more!  Are you new to baby wearing and don’t know which one is right for you?  Visit La Stella Blu’s Baby Wearing Basic section.  They explain the differences between the styles, provide directions for different ways to wear them, and also give you some information about why wearing your baby is so good for both you and your baby.  Did you know that wearing your baby can actually enhance their development?  My favorite reason (besides the fact that she loves it) for wearing Lil’ B is that it allows our family to continue moving and not be slowed down by strollers.  With a 6 year old we don’t have time to slow down.

Contest period ended.  Eco-ngratulations to Erin! 

Win it here!  Do you want to win your very own Ergo Baby Carrier ($120 value)?  Do you live in the US?  Then you can register to win right NOW!  This will be the last giveaway of the Eco-Summer Blog Party so don’t delay.  Even though the party ends tomorrow I am going to end this contest on Friday, July 17th (midnight EST).  Be sure to register before Friday.

Enough already…aren’t I going to tell you HOW to enter?  Of course!  You must earn a minimum of 10 points in my Eco-Summer Blog Challenge.  Have you been a loyal party follower?  Have you been paying attention?  I hope so because I have 18 questions for you.  All you have to do is answer 10 of them to be entered to win.  If you answer all 18 questions you will get 3 entries instead of just one.  You can find the questions on the link below but you must answer according to the information provided on the website or blog post of that company.  For example, if you just google benefits of baby wearing you may find different answers then what La Stella Blu provides on their website…get it??