David is our back-carrying champion! David was the very first doll to join the Adjoyn team. He is a toddler-sized demo doll (otherwise known as fake baby or faby) who excels at assisting with all carry types but particularly shines with back carries. One of the reasons David is so great at practicing back carrying is his long body results in a seat that is lower on the wearer's back so it is easier to reach and adjust the carrier. This is particularly helpful for those who are new to wearing a baby on their back because as they're increasing their range of motion.

David
Size: 28 inches long and 13 pounds
Age: toddler
Favorite carriers: woven wraps, toddler SSC (Soft Structured Carriers)
Latest work: Baby Bump Expo NW model for toddler carriers
Upcoming appearances: "Carry Your Baby on Your Back" workshop in Portland, OR

Why is such a giant doll needed? It is difficult to get the feel of a carrier with a doll that is too small. Carriers are designed to hold weight, and more structured carriers are designed to fit physical features of specific sizes of children, such as toddler SSCs. Therefore it is really helpful to have a doll that fills out the carrier in order to get an accurate judgement of the carrier's ease of use for the wearer To learn more about why babywearing demo dolls are important in general, read our first Fabies post.

To get David to help with your babywearing practice, schedule a session or join a workshop with Adjoyn today!

Julie is a precious newborn-sized demo doll (otherwise known as fake baby or faby) who holds a special place in our heart at Adjoyn. One of the first newborn-sized dolls to join the team, Julie was a fun experiment in DIY that has helped many other babywearing educators to provide more education with the use of weighted dolls!

Julie
Size: 19 inches long and 4.5 pounds
Age: newborn
Favorite carriers: stretchy wraps, Meh Dais
Latest work: stretchy wrap series on Amy Wraps Babies
Upcoming appearances: "Sip 'N Stuff: Let's Make a Weighted Demo Baby!" at Hip Chicks do Wine in Southeast Portland, Tuesday 5/15 at 7pm.

Why are weighted dolls so important? A doll helps caregivers gain confidence with the carrier they're working on, without having to worry about caring for their child at the same time. When we don't have to multitask, it can be easier to focus on learning a new skill. The more confidence the caregiver has with the carrier when adding in a child, the more likely the child is to take to the carrier. A doll with weight provides better mimicking of a child's body than a doll without weight, and the dolls used for babywearing education have soft bodies with joints that bend so we can work on making a good seat, ergonomic positioning, and more physical considerations.

To get Julie to help with your babywearing practice, schedule a session with Adjoyn today!