1. Skin to Skin for Parents and Preemies
The NüRoo Pocket is one of the only products truly designed to be completely NICU-friendly, allowing safe and uninterrupted Kangaroo Care for tiny preemies. Various secret openings allow nurses access for lines and monitors, and baby’s face is visualized the entire time.
Skin to skin care has many (many!) evidence-based benefits for baby (brain development, weight gain, heart and breathing regulation) and for mom (milk production, postpartum recovery) – these things are especially important for preemies, but are highly beneficial for every newborn or young infant. Skin to skin care is not just for premature babies, but when used in the NICU setting, the NüRoo gives a new mom a comfortable, discreet Kangaroo Care experience.
2. Truly the Perfect First Baby Carrier: Safer Babywearing from Newborn to 15 lbs
It’s quick, easy and secure and very simple to use, which helps new moms feel more confident with babywearing and soothing. Learning to use a wrap or ring sling can feel overwhelming to a new mom, and the inserts needed for soft structured carriers add a lot of bulk. Young babies need to be held, cuddled close and kept moving so much of the time! It’s important for a new mom to be able to put her baby into a carrier swiftly, easily and safely positioned. This carrier is designed specifically for tiny newborns through about 3-4 months – it’s rated to 15 lbs. Use it as a baby carrier, but at home, take advantage of the ability for true skin-to-skin babywearing, which helps with breastfeeding and milk production.
3. It feels sooooo good to wear baby in this “garment”
I’m a chronic baby-wearer and advocate, both personally and professionally. For the past 25 years, I’ve had the persistent desire to scoop up young babies and pop them in a sling. And I’ve always looked at various objects (scarves, bags, backpacks) and pieces of clothing and said “wow, I could make a baby carrier out of that!” (and, frankly, have been known to do so, with varying levels of success…) This is exactly the shirt/system I’ve created “makeshift” numerous times in the past. Baby slipped inside a snug stretchy shirt, then safely secured by the tails of a sweater or over shirt. And, like magic, here it is.
I’m calling it a baby carrier, but it’s really a shirt (and fashionable, at that). Stretchy, lightweight fabric feels comfortable on, but once you have baby in the pocket and secure the waist-band support belt snugly, it truly feels wonderful. You can run your hands over that sweet baby bump and with your baby cuddled so close, secure and content, look down and kiss that sweet head, then go take a walk or make a sandwich in the kitchen.
4. I’ve watched it grow and develop – and now, be born!
The NüRoo Pocket is the result of several years of hard work, research and love by two Rhode Island mamas Daniela and Hope (moms, health care providers, and kangaroo care/skin to skin specialists), who asked to meet with me at Isis Parenting in 2011. I admit to being initially skeptical (Do we really need another baby carrier? Do we need a special garment to facilitate skin to skin care?), but after seeing the early prototypes, I fell in love with their vision. And over two years of development, they returned again and again to show updated prototypes, discuss features and fabrics, and bring samples for me to try and comment on. In 2013, I finally saw the end result and I was blown away. This is the perfect product for safe, easy newborn and infant babywearing, and a wonderful gift for a mom with a baby in the NICU. Available at Babies R Us and online at NüRoo Pocket.