All babies seem to develop little habits in the sling/when nursing, some of these are sweet and entertaining, but others can be a real nuisance! I can’t really remember what my first baby did, because it seems so long ago now, but the second was (and still is) obsessed with my hair. He would twist and pull it through his chubby fingers, and if I tied it up he would ever so precisely pull individual hairs at the nape of my neck which was far more painful. In front carries he would lunge and grab what he could, forcing me to walk with my head pulled down at an angle. It was a comfort thing for him and wasn’t that bad in the grand scheme of things; a bit like a very rough and ungainly head massage. I found that getting my hair cut a little shorter helped him to take a big handful which spread the force over a greater area and minimised the discomfort…

Nina, however, is a completely different kettle of fish, and her self soothing move is causing me far more trouble. She has sharp and precise pinchy fingers that nip and scratch at every piece of bare skin in their reach! We are currently battling for ownership of a small, raised birthmark of mine. She has managed to break my skin and draw blood on several occasions, and no amount of nail filing will make up for her determination. Like Douglas and the hair pulling, Nina mostly pinches my skin as she is setting herself to sleep, leaving me torn between wanting her to drift off and needing to stop the irritatingly painful attacks on my upper torso!

We are making headway on the issue though, and one of the key tools in my armoury is an impressive selection of fiddle necklaces! She particularly likes the ones with the crochet covering as that can be pinched and pulled over the smooth bead inside for a satisfying effect. The rubbery beads also go down well as they have enough ‘give’ under her little persistent fingers, and are great for chewing on too.

Mine come from a variety of WAHMs, including Slingamebobs,  Fiddle Beads Fiddle Necklaces , Coastal Path Creations and  Scrapdoodle.

Steph of Coastal Path Creations told me a bit more about her business.

“Coastal Path Creations’ handmade nursing necklaces are designed for Mums, Dads and Caregivers. They make fantastic fashion accessories and are great for when babies reach the ‘grabby, pinching, fiddling’ stage. They provide function, style and are very practical. The components used to make our jewellery are tested by an independent UKAS test house for compliance to EN71-3. Strength testing is carried out in house. We pride ourselves on producing high-quality necklaces and all our materials are sourced responsibly.

When choosing a nursing necklace, firstly ensure the materials are safe and are tested to ensure no harmful chemicals are present. Secondly, have a think about what design you would like. Crochet beads are an interesting texture for older babies to fiddle with, whereas Wooden Ring necklaces are ideal for younger babies who are learning to reach and grab, and silicone beads are great for teething babies. Then there is the design and colour, size and shape, which all comes down to your personal preference! I am always happy to create customised designs and love seeing what my customers come up with!”

I have barely worn jewellery for the past 7 years, as it doesn’t seem to mix well with babywearing, so it has been quite enjoyable to be able to accessorise a little and have that jewellery also perform a useful function.

There will soon come a time when I once again no longer have to consider whether a necklace is chewable, or a nose stud too easily ripped from my face, just as one day I will wear dresses that don’t allow me to whip my boobs out of them, and looking back I’m sure that my daily tribulations as a breastfeeding babywearer will seem comical!

We stock Slingamebobs necklaces and bracelets made from our wrap designs in our shop