Baby-Gami: Baby Wrapping for Beginners [Hardcover]

Andrea Cornell Sarvady (Author), Bill Milne (Photographer), Fern Drillings (Foreword), Bill Milne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 14, 2005

Origami meets the age-old art of swaddling in Baby-Gami and no longer does baby wrapping have to be an intimidating undertaking. Easy-to-follow instructions illustrated with step-by-step diagrams and unbearably cute photographs make it a cinch to execute flawless wraps. The first part of the book offers a variety of cocoon-like styles for newborns; the second shows parents how to create slings for "wearing" older babies. Once new parents master the basic swaddles and slings, they can branch out into more pizazzy terrain. Try the Picnic Wrap, the Glamour Sling, or the satin and tulle Gift Wrap. With advice from experts and real parents, tips on baby-carrying, baby-soothing, and a rundown of items not to wrap your baby in, Baby-Gami is a must-have for any new parent.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andrea Sarvady has written for several publications. Currently a resident of Atlanta, she has spent the past 11 years swaddling, bundling, and adoring her three kids, who are all curiously drawn to the Egyptian mummy exhibit right up the street.

Bill Milne is a New York based photographer whose work has appeared in several publications and more than 20 books.

Fern Drillings, RN, MSN, is a certified childbirth educator and infant/child CPR instructor. She is on the faculty of New York University School of Nursing. Fern lives in New York City with her husband and son, who was swaddled as a baby.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (April 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811847640
• ISBN-13: 978-0811847643
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Cute pix and cute for swaddling ... but very bad babywearing section, February 9, 2007

By 

Susan (Birmingham, AL, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Baby-Gami: Baby Wrapping for Beginners (Hardcover)

As a seasoned babywearer and leader of a babywearing group, I was hoping to find in the babywearing section of this book some simple baby wrapping techniques that I could share with friends by giving this book as a shower gift. Unfortunately, the babywearing section is bad enough that I simply cannot give the book as a gift.

The instructions for the "front sling," "back sling," "office sling," "'your ad here' sling," "french sling," and "housework sling" are all fatally flawed because they say that these "slings" can be accomplished with 5 to 6 feet of fabric. No one -- NO ONE -- can accomplish these "slings" with that little fabric ... not even my 5-year-old daughter could carry a baby doll with that little fabric. I'm an average size 8 and need at least 4.1 meters of fabric for these tying positions ... and I can get away with 4.1 meters because I'm a seasoned wrapper and am skilled at getting the fabric tight; beginner wrappers my size usually prefer even more length to work with. Also, the pictures all show the babies facing outward in the "back sling," which is an unnatural and uncomfortable position for both the baby and the person carrying the baby. The "hip hugger sling" directions are also seriously flawed, stating that this position can be accomplished with 3 to 6 feet of fabric ... I can do this with no less than 5 feet of fabric. Also, the picture showing the "hip hugger sling" shows the baby leaning way out away from the person carrying her ... which is not just uncomfortable for everybody but is also plain dangerous. The photo of the "twice-the-fun sling" shows one of the twins in a very unsafe position. Instead of sitting in the sling with her bottom lower than her knees and with the fabric pulled up to the back of her legs, the baby is almost standing against the side of the person carrying her with the fabric barely covering her bottom. One good jiggle and out she would go!

Because of these (and other) serious flaws in the babywearing section of the book, I simply cannot recommend this otherwise cute book to anyone. If a person got the book and was interested in doing any of the "slings" shown in it, the person might just throw in the towel, or baby blanket, or whatever, and completely give up on babywearing. That would be a shame, because with good instructions, carrying a baby in a simple piece of cloth is safe, comfortable, beautiful, and easy ... and is an excellent tool in any parent's toolbox.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Discouraging for potential babywearers, July 27, 2006

By 

Dervish (Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baby-Gami: Baby Wrapping for Beginners (Hardcover)

I was so excited to see this book on the shelf my 3 favorite things babies, origami, and wrapping. Inside there was an even bigger passion BABYWEARING! I was sorely dissapointed to see that out of the few babywearing options many of them look extremely uncomfortable for adult and baby (I say this as a seasoned babywearer) and put baby's spine and hips in the undesireable position and need someone else to put the baby in for the wearer. I have never used a carrier that required 2 adults. There are oodles of more practical, comfortable, and convienient babywearing positions out there and this book had none of them. If I was new to babywearing one look at this book and I would say "Hmmm...no, not for me." and go waste my money on a big clunky stroller.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cute, but not substantial, July 21, 2006

By 

R. Loh (Allston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Baby-Gami: Baby Wrapping for Beginners (Hardcover)

I am definitely sold on the merits of swaddling and baby wearing, so this seemed like a good book to have. I was hoping for something that would show me lots of different types of wraps/slings I could do myself, so I was disappointed that the book contained very few *different* techniques.

The book illustrates five ways to wrap a baby, but one of them (the arms-free wrap) is essentially the same as a different wrap (the fast wrap), only performed lower on the body. What's more, only one wrap (the snug wrap) swaddles the baby tightly enough to keep arms at the side and baby pacified for long enough to sleep -- and it's the same swaddle illustrated in Harvey Karp's "The Happiest Baby on the Block".

The same criticism applies to the slings for baby wearing. The book only covers three types of slings, and one of them (the back sling) is identical to another (the front sling), only done on the back instead of the front.

The rest of the book goes over wrap/sling variations, which are essentially suggestions for different types of fabric or wrapping material for different occasions. On the positive side, the pictures of babies all wrapped (or slinged) up are really adorable, and the author fills out the book with humorous advice. And, bottom line, it's cool to be able to perform a snug wrap or basic sling using only a receiving blanket or length of fabric, which is what this book can help you do. (Because of these positives, the book can still make a great baby shower gift.) I was just hoping the book would teach me more ways to wrap/sling my baby.